[ctmove2012]

Hi experts,

Thank you for such a great forum!!!

Iam currently working in Greenwich/CT and live in Stamford. As the place I rent put on shortsale (the place doesn't seem to fit to my future requirements- so not placing any offer) Iam thinking of buying than renting again. Kids go to 1st & 3rd grade- so schooling (long term) is important. I checked on near by places and fairfield & Bethel seems fine. I have not personally visited FF but the house/condo prices seems to be still high there (internet research). I drove by Bethel and even visited couple of open houses and seems fine. So I looked at condos @ Lexington Meadows at Bethel and the prices are not bad (<$300K). We are indian family and look for some diversity. Can someone shed some light on how thngs will be at Bethel?

Thank you in advance.
MS

[Stylo]

Bethel is very nice, but that would be a pretty horrible commute to Greenwich. Where in Greenwich is your work? Is it easily accessible by 684 in north Greenwich or closer to 95?

[ctmove2012]

Thank you for the reply. Right near Train Station. Next to I95 as well. Iam planning to take train few days a month (if not everyday).

Thanks
MS

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by ctmove2012

Thank you for the reply. Right near Train Station. Next to I95 as well. Iam planning to take train few days a month (if not everyday).

Thanks
MS

The train will take a very long time from Bethel (~75-95 minutes, some over 100 minutes) and there aren't many connections. If you miss a train you'll have to wait a long time for another. There are also no direct trains. You have to get up and make a transfer in Norwalk. Inconvenient at best, and much harder to get a seat once you connect in Norwalk.

You'd honestly be better off driving to a closer station, like Norwalk (~35 minute drive, depending on where you are in Bethel), or taking all backroads.

OR even better, look at towns on the main New Haven line. Much more frequent and a much shorter ride. If your budget is $300k and you want a nice townhouse, consider Trumbull, Shelton, Stratford and Milford. The longest your train ride would be is just under an hour.

If you're willing to give up some space, you could even look at Stamford and Norwalk for ease of commute. Although keep in mind the schools aren't quite as good as the other towns mentioned, but I wouldn't count them out. They're not as bad as some here might suggest.

As much as I like Bethel, it's just not that practical for your commute.

[Mike 75]

Trumbull and Shelton do not have great train access. You have to drive to Stratford or Bridgeport, which can add another 20 mins or so. Driving from those towns to Greenwich would be brutal as well. Milford and Stratford are better as the train stations are in town, but parking may be an issue unless you get there super early (parking passes are at a premium and the wait list can be years long). The car commute from these towns to Greenwich is not pleasant, although perhaps marginally better than Trumbull or Shelton. Trumbull has the best schools of the lot, followed by Milford, Shelton and Stratford (in that order).
Have you looked at Wilton or Ridgefield? Better commute to Greenwich, and both have better schools than the other suggestions. Both towns have some condos, and prices have come down quite a bit, so you may be able to find something.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Mike 75

Trumbull and Shelton do not have great train access. You have to drive to Stratford or Bridgeport, which can add another 20 mins or so. Driving from those towns to Greenwich would be brutal as well. Milford and Stratford are better as the train stations are in town, but parking may be an issue unless you get there super early (parking passes are at a premium and the wait list can be years long). The car commute from these towns to Greenwich is not pleasant, although perhaps marginally better than Trumbull or Shelton. Trumbull has the best schools of the lot, followed by Milford, Shelton and Stratford (in that order).
Have you looked at Wilton or Ridgefield? Better commute to Greenwich, and both have better schools than the other suggestions. Both towns have some condos, and prices have come down quite a bit, so you may be able to find something.

Wilton or Ridgefield will be real tough for less than $300k. They'll be able to get a small condo in Ridgefield for that price though.

Parking in Milford without a train pass isn't bad. From what I've heard, the paid lots usually don't fill up 100%. Not sure about Stratford. Paid parking is plentiful at Bridgeport.

[Mike 75]

The Stratford train station parking situation was awful when I lived there. 5+ year waitlist for a parking pass, and the daily spots filled up by 7 or 7:30. It's good to hear that Milford is not that bad. It makes it that much more appealing than Stratford.

[ctmove2012]

Hi Stylo & Mike,

Thank you both for your valuable time and input. With ref to parking - Bethel waiting lines are very short and Mildford..definitely years. I can go over 300 (not maxing out $400K) with no issues, but could not find any decent homes in Wilton/Ridgefeild in that price range.Also, those two places, I believe is less diversified. Milford- I drove by 'Lexington Green West' condos which looks good but it does not have any nearby 'religious worship places' that we go to. Schools & Space is the main issues with Stamford. My kids currently in one of the magnet school but even those schools came underperformaed. As kids grew up we definitely need some comfertable space. Commuting time and (any) future Job search perimeter area are the two main things Iam seeing as issues for Bethel. I know its my call now.. but thank you again for all your inputs.

Thanks
MS

[Stylo]

Well, the low demand for the Bethel train station should tell you something about the desirability of that train as a means to commute. Paid parking is often an option on the NH line.

Lexington Green is in an isolated part of Milford, which is a larger city that's just as diverse as Bethel, with probably a greater Indian population. Being nestled between CT's most populated and diverse cities, you're bound to find a place of worship.