[Neoearth]

Hey All!

Well, as it turns out, a job opportunity is bringing me and the family out to CT. Having lived MA... then out to CO... we are super thrilled to get back to New England. We really do miss the New England flair (visions of fall permeate the air...)

Of course... we have no idea what so ever as to where we should move to.

Perhaps someone could offer up some thoughts?

A couple of facts...
+ Job is located in Fairfield, so commute would be at most 1 hour (including traffic) Gotta be home to see the family.
+ Early 30's with a little one about 18 months
+ Looking for upper scale but not... well... annoying
+ Love the apple pie of small towns but the beach can be fun too.
+ We are renting at first

For the mom out there!
Lets face it, having to stay home all day is tough on the Moms. So having an area with a great social circle would be great... groups that host play groups, social events, access to walks and just things to help moms get out of the house .

We have spotted a few towns... Ridgefield for example but we just don't know about the commute and what not. Looking for quaint... but we have had enough of cows in the pasture

Any thoughts!!

[skytrekker]

Hi Neoearth

If working in Fairfield , the first thing to determine is how much you want to spend on housing. From there we can begin to look at specific towns that would allow a maximum of one hour commute (?) One way.

Housing in Fairfield county for the most part is very expensive. Ridgefield is a delightful town- but an average home will cost over 500,000 dollars. The commute down US 7 can also be a real aggravation.

I would look into Trumbull, which is very close by and much cheaper then Ridgefield, and also Monroe.

[jeremeyk482]

Have you checked out Fairfield itself?

The town has many quaint neighborhoods, many rents and an excellent school district.

Otherwise, I would suggest Trumbull or Shelton if you're renting. If you're going to buy a home, I'd suggest Monroe, Oxford or Newtown. Easy access to Fairfield and very leafy, quaint towns without the pretentiousness of lower Fairfield County. Excellent schools, too.

Ridgefield is beautiful and if you can afford it, by all means, go for it. Just a few things you should know, however: the town is increasingly wealthy and with that comes attitude. I worked in Ridgefield for a few years and while I did come across some down to earth folks, many were very hard to deal with. Also, ask Sky pointed out, the commute down Route 7 can be a nightmare. There are alternative routes to Fairfield, however, such as Route 58 or 53.

You can get more for your money in eastern Fairfield County and western New Haven County, which are also closer to Fairfield than Ridgefield. A home for $600k in Ridgefield will cost you about $450-500k in the other towns mentioned.

Good luck

[JayCT]

When you say your job is in Fairfield, I assume you mean the Town of Fairfield and not just Fairfield County. If your job is in the Town of Fairfield, then definitely consider living there. In addition to being very close to your job (which is important when you have small children), it is one of the nicest towns in the state (JMHO). It has excellent schools, great parks and beaches, good shopping, restaurant and entertainment options and there is a great downtown area. There are excellent family activites including good libraries, YMCA and Newcomers & Mommie Clubs.

Fairfield offers a wide range of housing options (from apartments to mansions), so there are a lot of different types of people to meet. Fairfield has been named one of the Best places to Live by Money Magazine and Ladies Home Journal. I know people there that moved there because it was more affordable than lower Fairfield County (Greenwich, Darien, Stamford, etc.) and did not leave when their fortunes improved because they liked it so much. There are many beautiful upscale neighborhoods to choose from. I am sure you will like it a lot. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions. Jay

[albala]

check out Monroe.

[Josh2020]

What about Stratford? It's only two towns over, Bridgeport divides them. It is not very far from Fairfield, about a 15 minute drive. Housing prices are also very cheap because of a tax increase. The taxes can be high, but what you can get for your money over here is alot better than Trumbull, etc. Trumbull's more of an expensive town. Stratford also neighbors Milford which has tons of business's, and a mall, which I'm sure your wife would like alot. Stratford also is on a busline to Milford, and all around Bridgeport, and Fairfield. It is convinient to everything basically. School's are decent. Town is decent. Stratford has a movie theater, Wal-Mart, many more business's. Rents would also be cheaper then Ridgefield, and Trumbull. Shelton would be a good choice also, but Shelton is more hilly and not as convinient to places, but they have lower taxes. Rents are a little higher than Stratford.

[Lintu]

I am liking Stratford a lot so far. Cute, convenient, seems family friendly, and affordable.

[gambynoles]

I would stick with Fairfield or Trumbull. Ridgefield is a brutal commute and Stratford isnt that great anymore. Trumbull, Weston Or Easton are your best bets. Let me know if you need real estate help. Craig.gambardella@cjglobalre.com

[Neoearth]

Wow! thanks for all of your great input! Huge help!!!

So now we have a few town to look at... Let you know how it turns out!

[ronson]

If you can afford Fairfield try and live there. Great town and your commute will be nothing. Depending on your price range Trumbulll would be another great choice and Stratford has a ton of variety for you to choose; from the beach area (Lordship), Downtown area (Paradise green and Academy Hill) walk to the train from Academy Hill, and a country feel in Putney and Oronoque. Straford has a ton of great Historic homes as well and is very family oriented.