[stone0990]

Hi!

My husband has accepted a position as a Sales Director for the East Coast. We will be moving from MO...but we are not limited to a specific area, but I just have no idea where to begin.

Here is what I DO know:

Income: $180,000 (for starters...but much higher potential as position grows)
Me: Stay at home mom
Kids: 5
Ages 19 (and currently a sophomore at UMass-Amherst)
15 (public school high schooler)
10 (homeschool...I HATE our schools here!!!)
8 (homeschool... see above)
6 (homeschool... see above)

Location: I would LOVE to be within 2 hours of my daughter in Amherst. My husband will spend 75% of time traveling by air, so commute isn't an issue, but would need to be within an hour of airport.

Wants: Good Schools, first and foremost!! I do not want to keep homeschooling!!
Safe community, as my husband will be traveling ALOT!
Small-ish town, but not too small! Been there, done that! Do not want something where outsiders are not welcome!! (I live in that type of town now!)


Ideals: As someone who has dreamed of living on the east coast my whole life (hence my daughter's love of the east coast and attending college there) I would LOVE to have that "Currier and Ives" classic New England-Gilmore Girls-Norman Rockwell painting type town..realistic? Probably not, but thought I would throw that out there! ;-)

I understand this move will be wrought with many changes...some good and some bad! Cost of living mostly...but some things are just worth it! This is an amazing opportunity for my husband, and the chance to be closer to our daughter who has completely fallen in love with Amherst!!

I also realize this is a "wide open" post...but just looking at homes and schools, I know that isn't the "real" picture!! So, any guidance on where to start, would be great!!

I will also cross-post this in the MA, RI, NH, and VT threads (as these are all within the "New England" tuition option of UMass!)

[basehead617]

Sounds like you will have your pick of places.. though I'm not really sure where the actual job is, or if it even is a job with one single location your husband has to be at?

In CT, it depends on how close you want to be to cities or amenities.

Ridgefield fits the aesthetic you are looking for, while being close enough to NYC for daytrips. The schools are excellent, it is very upscale, and pretty classic New England. It is however a bit more than 2 hours from Amherst.

An even slower pace of life can be had north and east of there, in upscale towns like Washington, Roxbury, and Litchfield. Litchfield is less than 2 hours from Amherst, and is among the most quintessentially New England towns in the whole northeast. It prides itself on not really having changed much since the 1800s. Washington was actually the inspiration for Stars Hollow, but it is not as bustling as it is portrayed in the show to say the least.

Even closer to Amherst in Hartford County there are upscale towns like Avon and Simsbury, but they also may be more rural than you are looking for and I wouldn't say they will give you a classic New England vibe. They are mainly newer developments of large homes (some would say McMansions) in areas that were farmland not long ago. They are desirable areas though and the schools are great.

The CT river valley towns like Essex and Lyme fit that aesthetic with beautiful waterfront properties, and are within 2 hours of Amherst.

Far southwestern Fairfield County, you will find towns like Wilton and New Canaan and Weston with top-notch schools but a faster pace life and much, much more money. They are also even further from Amherst than Ridgefield.

As far as other states go, MA itself may interest you. The schools are very good like Connecticut, and the towns may even fit the vibe you are looking for even moreso. Towns like Concord which would place you between Amherst and Boston fit that vibe to a T. In Western MA, towns like Stockbridge and Lenox might do the trick - I believe Stockbridge is basically 'the' Norman Rockwell town.

You could most likely afford a house in any of these towns, even Wilton/etc - though you could get a much nicer house in any of the other areas listed (except maybe Concord which is also extremely expensive). All towns mentioned are extraordinarily safe by any standard.

If you have any more specific questions, the regulars on the forum are very knowledgeable and can help further.

[stone0990]

Thank you SO much!!

My husband's job will be considered "remote" meaning he can work from anywhere on the east coast, as long as he has access to an airport, so very flexible!!

You have given me some great starting points!

I would really like to have an older home with some "character" and history. I would rather stay away from the newer built homes. It is what we have now, and I am looking for something a little more unique with character! Ideally, we would like 5 bedrooms, but could get by with 4. Around an acre of land would be great...but not much more than that!

Thanks again!

[willow wind]

North of Hartford and all within an hour to Amherst

Suffield, Granby, Canton,

Suffield in particular will give you that New England feel along Main St.

Each is a very quick and short drive to Bradley Int'l Airport. All are quite safe, using common sense, of course. There is little personal crime in CT's small towns, whatever crime there is usually opportunistic minor property type stuff.

Connecticut schools overall are very good. Unless you want to home school, there is really no reason to home school. The only schools with issues are those in some under performing urban areas and since you're not looking for that, there is no reason to worry about the quality of schooling.

[kidyankee764]

I really think you would like West Hartford. It's a beautiful, mature suburb with a fantastic downtown, good schools and very close to Bradley airport in Windsor Locks. Lots of older homes to choose from.

You also might like Madison. It's on the shoreline so there are beaches, schools are excellent, and you have a mixture of homes (from new to old). It's really a nice area. Can be a bit removed from big box shopping, but it doesn't sound like you really want that anyway.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I really think you would like West Hartford. It's a beautiful, mature suburb with a fantastic downtown, good schools and very close to Bradley airport in Windsor Locks. Lots of older homes to choose from.

You also might like Madison. It's on the shoreline so there are beaches, schools are excellent, and you have a mixture of homes (from new to old). It's really a nice area. Can be a bit removed from big box shopping, but it doesn't sound like you really want that anyway.

As much as I like West Hartford, I think Simsbury would better fit the "Currier & Ives" feel the OP is looking for. Also fits many of the other criteria (top schools, short distance to BDL, lot size, median house price, < 1 hr from UMass, etc.)

[elle423]

Simsbury

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Avon, Simsbury, Canton. Maybe Glastonbury as well.

[RogerAnthony]

Agree with all who said Simsbury.

[oc2nyc]

Originally Posted by stone0990

Ideals: As someone who has dreamed of living on the east coast my whole life (hence my daughter's love of the east coast and attending college there) I would LOVE to have that "Currier and Ives" classic New England-Gilmore Girls-Norman Rockwell painting type town..realistic? Probably not, but thought I would throw that out there! ;-)

I understand this move will be wrought with many changes...some good and some bad! Cost of living mostly...but some things are just worth it! This is an amazing opportunity for my husband, and the chance to be closer to our daughter who has completely fallen in love with Amherst!!

Hi!

I just wanted to send you a quick note to say welcome to the CT Board. I have been on this board for over a year as we have been trying to relocate back there for a long time. My in-laws live in Stratford, and like you I have been in love with the east coast my whole life. Not many people understand it, especially since I am a native of So. Ca.

We are finally moving at the end of summer to Fairfield CT. My daughter, like yours, has taken on my love of the area and will start at Sacred Heart Univ. in late August as a freshman nursing student. My oldest two girls will stay in CA. One has already graduated college and works in LA, the other goes to school at the University of San Francisco. My son will start 8th grade with us in the fall.

My husband has family in NJ as well and we love it but there's something to be said for New England. We didn't want anything too rural like you might get in VT or RI yet we wanted to be close to NYC and BOston. To us CT fits the bill perfectly.

Let us know where you finally land and good luck with your move!

-Pam