[DumboGal]

Hi all,

My husband and I are currently living in Brooklyn, and I am seriously considering a job in South Norwalk, CT. He works in NYC (Time Square area) and plans to stay there for the near future. If I take the job, we are considering moving to Connecticut where my husband would have about a 45 minute commute by train and I would be able to cut down my commute. I would mainly be driving to South Norwalk but ideally would like the option to take a train if weather is bad, etc. Based on Metro North schedules, this would appear to be the Greenwich-Stamford areas.

We would be looking to buy and would love some advice on whether we can realistically find a single family home (about 3 or 4 bedrooms) within our budget ($900-950k). I understand that these are some of the most expensive cities around. We don't need sprawling land but some yard for our puppy would be nice. We currently live in a condo and aren't really interested in moving into another one. We are in our late 30s/early 40s, and we do not have kids and don't plan on any in the immediate future so schools are not a main concern. Ideally we would be fairly close to the train station (about a 10-15 minute drive) and near some sort of downtown with restaurants, shops, etc. We are fairly active, running in the morning and taking our dog for long walks so somewhere with a walkable downtown would be great (if that even exists in CT).

I have seen on various realtor sites homes in northern Stamford within our budget that look very nice but I wonder if they are too far from the "action" and, with city traffic, too much of a schlep to the train station (google says about 17 minutes). Also, to the extent that such houses exist in Greenwich or other areas before Stamford, what would my commute look like to South Norwalk? Google makes it seem fairly short (less than 30 minutes) but I hear traffic around Stamford could be a nightmare.

We are originally from Long Island and New Jersey and know very little about Connecticut. Any advice/suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Raider111]

Greenwich has a great walkable downtown and the train station is right there as well. Look no further. South Norwalk would be an easy reverse commute once you got past downtown Stamford around exit 8.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by DumboGal

We would be looking to buy and would love some advice on whether we can realistically find a single family home (about 3 or 4 bedrooms) within our budget ($900-950k). I understand that these are some of the most expensive cities around. We don't need sprawling land but some yard for our puppy would be nice. We currently live in a condo and aren't really interested in moving into another one. We are in our late 30s/early 40s, and we do not have kids and don't plan on any in the immediate future so schools are not a main concern. Ideally we would be fairly close to the train station (about a 10-15 minute drive) and near some sort of downtown with restaurants, shops, etc. We are fairly active, running in the morning and taking our dog for long walks so somewhere with a walkable downtown would be great (if that even exists in CT).

It's definitely realistic in Stamford to find a nice home within your budget. I'm guessing that the Ridgeway(06905) section would be pretty appealing to you. My next guess would be the Shippan section, although that area is pricier than Ridgeway.

[jax12479]

You should definitely spend a day up here and get a feel for both towns. They both offer easy commutes to SoNo and the best commutes to NYC that you can get in CT. They are also both on the water.

Greenwich is beautiful and you can find homes in the 900k range. Focus on the areas near the train stations, which will give you some level of walkability that you're used to, and you won't have to worry about parking (there is a significant wait list to get a parking pass at any of the four Greenwich stations - Old Greenwich, Riverside, Cos Cob & Greenwich). Note that it is a more family focused town. There are tons of restaurants and shops, but not many bars/nightlife.

Stamford is really a small city, with tons of bars, restaurants, a mall, etc. Unless you want to live in a condo or apt building, you wouldn't live downtown. North Stamford is very nice, but it's a short drive to get anywhere (ie zero walkability). Shippan is a great waterfront community that's close to downtown. There are many other neighborhoods in the city that I'm not familiar with, but again, take a drive up and look around. Good luck!

[CTartist&musician]

Hi DumboGal,

I grew up in Stamford. I lived near Westhill HS and it is still very nice there. The roads in and around Westover Road are nice and they are the close to Greenwich. North of Palmers Hill up to the Parkway and west of Long Ridge Road is the area am referring to. That area is below the Parkway but it still feels like you are above the Parkway. If you live in the Westover Road, Roxbury Road, Westhill Road area you are not far from dowtown and the train station and all the action. Everything east of Long Ridge (including High Ridge Road) above "Bulls Head" is nice too but it has a more hectic feel to it and is busier with lots of traffic. That area might not seem busy to you though because you are from NYC. You might like all of the "mid ridges" from "Bulls Head" up to the Parkway because that entire area might not seem busy to you and it is very nice also...it is just to hectic for my personal taste.

As some of the posters said Shippan is very nice but believe it or not I am not sure if your budget is enough for a decent house in Shippan.

BTW, I was on the long distance track team and we did all our running in and around the Westover, Roxbury and the Westhill Road area and I can say it is a great peaceful area to walk your dog or run. I lived in Shippan when I was first married and I loved it down there too for running/walking, and of course being near the beach is "da bomb".

[Stylo]

Shippan or Springdale would be dandy on that budget. Greenwich is possible, but you'll sacrifice a lot of house.

The commute will be over 45 minutes in any case though.

[sametree]

As long as school not the issue, you will be fine with your budget. Rowayton and Stamford would be your best bet, they are safe and convenient area.

[JayCT]

A lot is going to depend on what you expect for your budget and the type of community you want. Just how urban do you want and would you be willing to forego a big house in a more suburban location for a more modest home in a less suburban location. North Stamford is an excellent place to live but you are correct that you must drive to the "action". Keep in mind that this is Connecticut and not New York City so you either kind of got to live in a very urban area or a smaller town. There is not a lot in between. If you want more to do within walking distance of your home I would suggest looking for homes near the center of Greenwich, Darien or New Canaan. There are also some smaller "villages" you can consider like Springdale in Stamford, Cos Cob or Old Greenwich in Greenwich, Noroton Heights in Darien or Rowayton in Norwalk. You will likely get more for your money in Springdale or Rowayton because the schools in Stamford and Norwalk are not as highly regarded as those in Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan. Still in your budget you should be able to find something nice in any of these locations. I hope this helps. Jay

[Bx10461]

Originally Posted by DumboGal

Hi all,

My husband and I are currently living in Brooklyn, and I am seriously considering a job in South Norwalk, CT. He works in NYC (Time Square area) and plans to stay there for the near future. If I take the job, we are considering moving to Connecticut where my husband would have about a 45 minute commute by train and I would be able to cut down my commute. I would mainly be driving to South Norwalk but ideally would like the option to take a train if weather is bad, etc. Based on Metro North schedules, this would appear to be the Greenwich-Stamford areas.

We would be looking to buy and would love some advice on whether we can realistically find a single family home (about 3 or 4 bedrooms) within our budget ($900-950k). I understand that these are some of the most expensive cities around. We don't need sprawling land but some yard for our puppy would be nice. We currently live in a condo and aren't really interested in moving into another one. We are in our late 30s/early 40s, and we do not have kids and don't plan on any in the immediate future so schools are not a main concern. Ideally we would be fairly close to the train station (about a 10-15 minute drive) and near some sort of downtown with restaurants, shops, etc. We are fairly active, running in the morning and taking our dog for long walks so somewhere with a walkable downtown would be great (if that even exists in CT).

I have seen on various realtor sites homes in northern Stamford within our budget that look very nice but I wonder if they are too far from the "action" and, with city traffic, too much of a schlep to the train station (google says about 17 minutes). Also, to the extent that such houses exist in Greenwich or other areas before Stamford, what would my commute look like to South Norwalk? Google makes it seem fairly short (less than 30 minutes) but I hear traffic around Stamford could be a nightmare.

We are originally from Long Island and New Jersey and know very little about Connecticut. Any advice/suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I would look into Stamford I was also in the city within 45 mins and on weekends I would drive in and it would take 45 mins

[DumboGal]

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful and helpful responses.

We recognize that we won't find a neighborhood similar to Dumbo in CT, and, frankly, part of the reason we are considering this job so seriously is to get out of the city into the 'burbs, having both grown up in suburbs and wishing for a little more room. We don't need a huge house, we are okay with something modest that would have an extra bedroom or two for our parents/friends to visit. But, we both work fairly long hours and will need to make a whole new set of friends (as well as get re-acquainted with the need for a designated driver) so the ability to walk somewhere to grab dinner/a glass of wine or run some errands would be nice.

We will be spending the weekend up in Stamford so we will definitely check out the various neighborhoods and towns suggested in and around Stamford and Greenwich. All the suggestions were great! Thanks again.