[Raider111]

Originally Posted by oliverthecat

thanks kidyankee764-- we really liked Ridgefield, its at the top of our list. I thought about the proximity to Westchester County, as well, as a plus to that area!

Plus, isn't a quick drive to all of FFC? I mean, no matter where we put down roots, it would be easy to do jobs all over the county? or no?

believe it or not, we did a quick drive-through of Fairfield and some surrounding areas last week, and didn't love it as much! it definitely has all the "stuff" I'm looking for, but we felt wasn't as charming or good-looking as Ridgefield, with their gorgeous old tall trees.

what about Redding? I see that it's pretty rural, so maybe lacking in all the stuff I'm after? but blue ribbon schools, a high HH income, and for $700k we could get a pretty amazing house with a lot more land than other places. too rural for a Brooklyn transplant?

Redding is very rural and woodsy, not diverse, and it will take 15-20 mins to get to a grocery store. Yes, by definition, a rural homogeneous upper middle class town of 10-15K population (or whatever it is) should have great standardized test scores.

Ridgefield is great, forgot you mentioned that. The most similar would be New Canaan but with the sacrifice of a smaller home.

If you didn't like Fairfield, then you most likely won't like Rowayton/Norwalk/Milford. They are all more similar than not.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by oliverthecat

thanks kidyankee764-- we really liked Ridgefield, its at the top of our list. I thought about the proximity to Westchester County, as well, as a plus to that area!

Plus, isn't a quick drive to all of FFC? I mean, no matter where we put down roots, it would be easy to do jobs all over the county? or no?

believe it or not, we did a quick drive-through of Fairfield and some surrounding areas last week, and didn't love it as much! it definitely has all the "stuff" I'm looking for, but we felt wasn't as charming or good-looking as Ridgefield, with their gorgeous old tall trees.

what about Redding? I see that it's pretty rural, so maybe lacking in all the stuff I'm after? but blue ribbon schools, a high HH income, and for $700k we could get a pretty amazing house with a lot more land than other places. too rural for a Brooklyn transplant?

I am guessing that you just took a ride along Route 1 for your impression of Fairfield. You should have checked out more including the Old Post Road with its beautiful and historic Old Town Hall or Southport Village with its unbelievably charming and historic streets and harbor or Greenfield Hill with its beautiful country lanes lined with stone walls and trees. It has some very charming areas but is definitely more developed and denser (except maybe Greenfield Hill) than Ridgefield. Hard to beat Ridgefield though but just depends on what you are looking for.

Redding is nice but it is very rural for the most part. Some sections are not far from Route 7 and what it has but still overall it is quiet. Jay

[SJNE17]

Did you have a map of property listings by price range? That's the best starting point.

Reason I say that is there's dumpy, sorta dumpy, nice, really nice, and ultra-nice parts of every town in Fairfield County. You can happen upon them randomly by just driving around without any sense of list or direction. First impressions can be unfavorable.

Originally Posted by oliverthecat

thanks kidyankee764-- we really liked Ridgefield, its at the top of our list. I thought about the proximity to Westchester County, as well, as a plus to that area!

Plus, isn't a quick drive to all of FFC? I mean, no matter where we put down roots, it would be easy to do jobs all over the county? or no?

believe it or not, we did a quick drive-through of Fairfield and some surrounding areas last week, and didn't love it as much! it definitely has all the "stuff" I'm looking for, but we felt wasn't as charming or good-looking as Ridgefield, with their gorgeous old tall trees.

what about Redding? I see that it's pretty rural, so maybe lacking in all the stuff I'm after? but blue ribbon schools, a high HH income, and for $700k we could get a pretty amazing house with a lot more land than other places. too rural for a Brooklyn transplant?

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by CTartist

Not to mention the fact Rowayton is an artist enclave. I am not looking at just one factor being schools.

Maybe was. Those would be some seriously wealthy artists. Just like Westport is no longer an artist enclave, only in the past. My bet would be it's primarily financial money.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by SJNE17

Did you have a map of property listings by price range? That's the best starting point.

Reason I say that is there's dumpy, sorta dumpy, nice, really nice, and ultra-nice parts of every town in Fairfield County. You can happen upon them randomly by just driving around without any sense of list or direction. First impressions can be unfavorable.

Most of Ridgefield is very similar. There's really no "dumpy" part of Ridgefield. All of Ridgefield is pretty nice. There's a couple semi-dumpy areas of Fairfield though.

My guess is the OP didn't see the diversity of neighborhoods in Fairfield. They run the gamut. Greenfield Hill and north Fairfield is almost indistinguishable from Ridgefield. Southport, the University area, Fairfield Beach, etc. all have their own vibes.

[SJNE17]

In Stamford there's shooting & violence in bad parts of town, and then there's $78MM mansions off of Rock Rimmon Rd.

1233 Rock Rimmon Road, Stamford, CT, Connecticut 06903, North Stamford, Stamford real estate, Stamford home for sale

Originally Posted by Stylo

Most of Ridgefield is very similar. There's really no "dumpy" part of Ridgefield. All of Ridgefield is pretty nice. There's a couple semi-dumpy areas of Fairfield though.

My guess is the OP didn't see the diversity of neighborhoods in Fairfield. They run the gamut. Greenfield Hill and north Fairfield is almost indistinguishable from Ridgefield. Southport, the University area, Fairfield Beach, etc. all have their own vibes.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by SJNE17

Did you have a map of property listings by price range? That's the best starting point.

Reason I say that is there's dumpy, sorta dumpy, nice, really nice, and ultra-nice parts of every town in Fairfield County. You can happen upon them randomly by just driving around without any sense of list or direction. First impressions can be unfavorable.

I can't think of any "dumpy" areas within Ridgefield, Wilton, Weston, Redding, Easton, New Canaan or Darien.

[Raider111]

Dumpy areas are irrelevant at 700k, should go without saying

[SJNE17]

^^ Yes I should have thrown in a qualifier of "many affluent towns" instead of "every town," plus I'm more familiar with lower Fairfield County and should have added that verbiage too....

[SailCT]

Originally Posted by willow wind

For someone looking to be in interior design you'll need to be in an area with the income and population that would use that service.

I, too , agree with the suggestion of the town of Fairfield. It will put you in a town with great schools, in a town with good incomes for CT, near other pricier towns in Fairfield county that would use your services and on the train line to NYC.

Madison & Old Saybrook are lovely towns but the population depth isn't there and a glut of high income homeowners aren't in Old Saybrook and to a lesser extent Madison.

Being in a more populous/ higher priced area would also be good for your husband's business. Good luck on your move to CT

For the people that will pay for interior designers they are all in the MEGA wealthy towns of Lower Fairfield County; New Canaan, Darien, Westport (?), Greenwich. Therefore, if you are in Ridgefield it will require driving, a lot of driving. Also, if nobody has told you Ridgefield is known for terrible, terrible cell reception etc. Old Saybrook is mainly full of not rich locals and retirees who ended up there, not a place where people pay for interior designers. Your best bet with that budget and what you want might not even be in CT. but puts you in an affordable area with great schools. My suggestion is Mamaroneck, N.Y.EAST of the RR station.
This puts you in the RYE NECK school district. Taxes are a little higher, but the people are more what you are used to. My concern is that coming from Brooklyn to CT will be too great a culture shock. CT is a Blue state but Fairfield county usually votes Republican because so many financial people are conservative and that is the occupation of most of the people there now. You should look at the Republican primary results from this past year and see which towns didn't vote for Trump in the Republican primary. If you are in Mamaroneck, you are within an easy drive to many mega wealthy Westchester and CT areas that can use your services plus its a little more similar to Brooklyn and has much of what Ridgefield has minus the theatre. CT does have lots of towns with great schools, lots of towns with great schools. Also, have you looked at Glastonbury, CT. that may be another option. People very down to earth there. Great public facilities!