[atlaw]

Originally Posted by NewJourney2014

I am thinking of moving from Texas to Connecticut sometime in the summer. I would like to know what the job market is currently like? I currently work for a Legal Aid organization, but I am also thinking about switching fields. Should I start looking for employment now? I want to make sure I have a job before I move, but not sure if potential employers will look at my resume knowing I live in another state.

When considering places to live where should I look? I am in my early 30's. I would like to live somewhere quiet, and inexpensive. I plan to commute to NY sometimes to visit family and friends. Someone recommended Fairfiled.


Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

are you nuts?

[NewJourney2014]

Originally Posted by NewJeffCT

well, depends on where you end up living. I looked into relocating down to the Houston area last year, and was recommended to look at The Woodlands as a nice suburb with good quality schools, and I found The Woodlands was not all that different in price from where I lived in CT - and the property taxes in The Woodlands were 50% higher than I pay here in CT, and for a home without a basement in TX. Of course, there is no state income tax in Texas, so I'd more than made up for the higher property taxes that way. But, there is no way the cost of living would have been half of where I was in CT.

I was also told by a friend from CT that used to build homes professionally, but has has lived in the Houston area for nearly a decade, that unless you really go high-end in the Houston area, the home quality is definitely a step down from what you get in the Northeast, and you'll also have to worry about being in flood zones as well.

Car property taxes tend to go down as the car ages as well - so, if you're driving a Corolla from 2004, you'll probably pay a pretty small amount. If you're driving a brand new Range Rover, you'll pay quite a bit... but, you just bought a brand new Range Rover, so you can likely afford it.

The Woodlands is a really nice area.

Not sure what the living quality is in the Northeast, but you get a lot of house for your money here. You do have to worry about they flood zones here, because when it floods it floods.

Good to know that car property taxes go down with car age as I drive my 2011 Camry I mean Range Rover ; )

[NewJourney2014]

Originally Posted by atlaw

are you nuts?

Nuts about moving from TX or to Fairfiled.

[brattpowered]

I don't think it's nuts. Apartments that were going for $600 in Austin just 4 years ago are now going for $1100. I've seen $150,000 crap houses sell for double after just a few years with no work done to them. There's no end in sight to this craziness. And all this to live in the middle of Texas, surrounded by Texans, with the nearest cities being Dallas and Houston several hours away by car.

It's no longer the promised land you've heard of.

[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

I don't think it's nuts. Apartments that were going for $600 in Austin just 4 years ago are now going for $1100. I've seen $150,000 crap houses sell for double after just a few years with no work done to them. There's no end in sight to this craziness. And all this to live in the middle of Texas, surrounded by Texans, with the nearest cities being Dallas and Houston several hours away by car.

It's no longer the promised land you've heard of.

$1,100..that's not bad at all. I know 1br apartments in not so nice towns that are more than that.

To the OP, what is your budget? because it sounds like you might me living in a pipe dream if you want to live in Fairfiield County (minus Bridgeport or maybe Norwalk).

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Mr_250

$1,100..that's not bad at all. I know 1br apartments in not so nice towns that are more than that.

To the OP, what is your budget? because it sounds like you might me living in a pipe dream if you want to live in Fairfiield County (minus Bridgeport or maybe Norwalk).

$1100 for a 1BR isn't a pipe dream in FFC. There are suburbs(Shelton/Stratford/Bethel/Brookfield) in the county that should offer a decent # of rentals at that price.

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by NewJeffCT

well, depends on where you end up living. I looked into relocating down to the Houston area last year, and was recommended to look at The Woodlands as a nice suburb with good quality schools, and I found The Woodlands was not all that different in price from where I lived in CT - and the property taxes in The Woodlands were 50% higher than I pay here in CT, and for a home without a basement in TX. Of course, there is no state income tax in Texas, so I'd more than made up for the higher property taxes that way. But, there is no way the cost of living would have been half of where I was in CT.

I was also told by a friend from CT that used to build homes professionally, but has has lived in the Houston area for nearly a decade, that unless you really go high-end in the Houston area, the home quality is definitely a step down from what you get in the Northeast, and you'll also have to worry about being in flood zones as well.

Car property taxes tend to go down as the car ages as well - so, if you're driving a Corolla from 2004, you'll probably pay a pretty small amount. If you're driving a brand new Range Rover, you'll pay quite a bit... but, you just bought a brand new Range Rover, so you can likely afford it.

Property taxes are definitely high in TX. But I'm not so sure about the whole "home quality" thing. Then again, as a developer, your friend and me probably look at houses completely differently.

When I go on realtor dot com and see a gorgeous 3500 sq ft house with 4 bedroom 3 bathrooms a living room, den, bonus room, crown molding, open floor plan built in 2009 for 325k, it's way newer and a lot more than I would get here in CT AND averages about 1k less per year in taxes (in Allen TX).

Now, if by quality, he means those wood floors are laminate, and those pretty counters are not real granite, I think most people can live with that. From what I have seen, the 300-350k range in some of the nice suburbs of TX get you what you would pay about 450-550k for here in CT.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by NewJeffCT

well, depends on where you end up living. I looked into relocating down to the Houston area last year, and was recommended to look at The Woodlands as a nice suburb with good quality schools, and I found The Woodlands was not all that different in price from where I lived in CT - and the property taxes in The Woodlands were 50% higher than I pay here in CT, and for a home without a basement in TX. Of course, there is no state income tax in Texas, so I'd more than made up for the higher property taxes that way. But, there is no way the cost of living would have been half of where I was in CT.

The Woodlands just ranked as the third wealthiest town in Texas, and is high on the list of wealthiest towns in the country, up there with New Canaan, Westport, etc. It also has some of the highest ranked schools in Texas. It shouldn't be a surprise that you didn't find it cheaper. Additionally, you may not have had a basement (in my experience, sometimes no basement means less hassle!) but you would have had community amenities that you don't get most places here. Even still, you can get a brand new 2,000 sf house for less than 300k. Here, that would only get you into Derby or Meriden.

There is no doubt that it's FAR cheaper to live in Houston vs CT. This is proven over and over with statistics and really cannot be refuted. Half may be a stretch, but looking at COL indexes, it's not far off. On average, housing alone is about 30% higher in CT. That's before you factor in utilities and extra [daily] expenses.

[Rich Cabeza]

This state is dead last to job growth. Hope that answers your question. Most people I know are planning to leave this state when they retire.

[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by NewJourney2014

Nuts about moving from TX or to Fairfiled.

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

$1100 for a 1BR isn't a pipe dream in FFC. There are suburbs(Shelton/Stratford/Bethel/Brookfield) in the county that should offer a decent # of rentals at that price.

True, but I saw she refereed to Fairfield so I went with that. or a town with a similiar name...Fairfiled..maybe that's cheaper. JK