[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Not at all, IMHO. The OP's wife would be much better off doing a parkway(Merritt/Hutch) commute, rather than 95. There are a fair number of older less modern homes on large lots that are convenient to the Exit 36 ramp in New Canaan. That said, i'm still not sure that CT is a great choice for a physician working at Montefiore.

You can hit 15 easily from just about anywhere in Darien, and north Darien is closer than some parts of New Canaan. Plus the train commute is shorter.

But either way I wouldn't recommend either to the OP due to traffic. Greenwich is the only town in CT I can suggest.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

north Darien is closer than some parts of New Canaan.

The North Darien homes that are near Exit 36 and within the OP's budget basically abut the MNR New Canaan line track. The homes that are further north of the track(toward Mansfield) are generally over the OP's budget.

Plus the train commute is shorter.

Good luck getting a parking space at the West Ave. station in Darien. Plenty of north Darien residents end up commuting from the Talmadge Hill station in New Canaan, due to the parking situation.

But either way I wouldn't recommend either to the OP due to traffic. Greenwich is the only town in CT I can suggest.

Totally agree.

[krdpm]

Check out the Glenville/back country area of Greenwich. Perfect for getting onto the merrit.

[Mike 75]

What lot size are you looking for? For example, if you need an acre minimum, then cross Greenwich off your list because you won't find that in your price range. If you can live with a quarter to half acre, there should be plenty of choices in Greenwich. The more land you need, the longer the commute.

[ilehamwood]

Thanks again, everyone, for the great feedback. Sounds like Greenwich is the only realistic option. The comments clarifying Cos Cob and Riverside were really helpful - seems to me that even if I don't care so much about the post office address of my home, it's important to keep in mind for resale, and if we can find a good house that needs a little elbow grease in Greenwich, all the better for us. Given that we have zero yard now, we don't "need" much but a place to garden and lounge outside - certainly 1/2 an acre would be just fine. Where I get concerned is that I don't really want to be in a house that is 15 feet from the nearest neighbor and on a postage stamp lot. I am unsure of how the school system in Greenwich works - I understand that there are several elementary schools - which ones are considered the best, and then what about middle schools and high schools? I think Glenville is the name of a school, but perhaps at this stage, I should be asking about specific street names where I might center future home searches. Can you all offer some specific street names that might point me in the right direction for nice family homes, maybe a little older but on nice lots and originally with high quality construction and with good access to transportation? Thanks.

[parentologist]

Taxes in CT are high, too. Seems to me that Westchester county might serve you and your wife better - there are multiple north-south highways, so traffic is a little bit less of an issue. If you look at the commute time from Greenwich, and the commute time from Westchester, you may find that considering Westchester will broaden your options.

[jax12479]

There are a few things you need clarification on: first, Riverside. Who told you Riverside was a CHEAPER part of Greenwich? Generally it's one of the most expensive, and is the single most desireable part of town for young families because Riverside Elementary is the best elementary school in town (and one of the best in the state).

The confusion may lie in the fact that there are two sections of Riverside: the North Mianus section (north of the Post Rd/US1) and South of the Post Rd.

The North Mianus section of Riverside is one of the more affordable sections (similar to Cos Cob and Glenville). The elementary school (North Mianus School) is excellent. As far as commuting, you'd have to drive to the Riverside station, it's too far to walk. North Mianus is very residential and is comprised of a mix of colonials, ranches and new construction homes. You should easily be able to find a nice home there for 1.2 million or less with at least .25 acre or more.

If you live South of the Post Rd in Riverside, this is the heart of the neighborhood, within walking distance to the train (so no worries about parking) and leads down to the water. The area is adjacent to Old Greenwich Village, so there's more walkability, you're a bike ride away from the beach, etc. You can find a home in this part of Riverside for 1.2 million, but it would probably be on a smaller lot (probably .2 acre or less). If you want much more land and more space, you're priced out of Riverside - homes with 1/2 acre or more start at 2 million and get pricier as you get closer to the water.

Old Greenwich also has two sections (North vs South of the Post Rd). OG Village, the beach, train station and library are all south of the Post Rd. There is a lot of walkability, great elementary school, etc - but as you noted, the houses are generally all close together - you don't get much space. Many people find that the appeal of the community itself makes up for that, but if you want more space look North of the Post Rd. As with Riverside, you get more for your money there, but it doesn't have the same level of convenience.

Cos Cob is generally more affordable than either Riverside or OG, but same deal: North of the Post Rd is more affordable and offers more space. South of the Post Rd is pricier/more convenient.

There are 11 public elementary schools in town and 3 middle schools. There's is one high school, which is very big by suburban standards (approx 2700 students I think?)

If you want to be close to the train, I'd avoid looking in most of Western or Backcountry Greenwich. It'll be a 10-15 min drive to the downtown Greenwich station, and then you'd have to find a spot (if you get lucky with the waiting list and you're able to get a parking pass). If you can find a home within reasonable walking distance to the Old Greenwich, Riverside or Cos Cob station, that would be ideal. Express trains home from Grand Central range from about 40-50 min. Your wife will have an easy commute, Greenwich is about 25/30 min from the Bronx, so she'll have no trouble.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by parentologist

Taxes in CT are high, too. Seems to me that Westchester county might serve you and your wife better - there are multiple north-south highways, so traffic is a little bit less of an issue. If you look at the commute time from Greenwich, and the commute time from Westchester, you may find that considering Westchester will broaden your options.

Are you kidding? Greenwich property taxes are literally half of Westchester's, maybe even less. They're drastically lower.

[ilehamwood]

jax, thanks so much for answering my questions so specifically. Anyone else have any thoughts on very specific neighborhood boundaries or debunking the Cos Cob and Riverside price differential? And....parentology.....real estate taxes in Fairfield County are materially lower than in Westchester, and the income taxes in CT are lower too. We would gladly live across the border in Westchester if the taxes were more favorable. I don't mind paying taxes at all, but at the end of the day, the quality of life in Fairfield County is very nice but the taxes are so, so much lower. And that's a fact.

[Stylo]

I bet you can't find a price difference in the exact same home in those areas vs. a more "expensive" area. It's all about the home itself. The only area in Greenwich that might suffer from lower prices due to it being a less desirable area and not just lesser homes is Byram. I definitely think you are worried about what amounts to nothing.