[brownedbits]

Originally Posted by MFTgradmom

Thanks all or your feedback. I am a therapist. Right now doing all ZOOM. Any ideas of how much per hour people would be able to pay in that area?I know it's going to be way different than the Ridgefield world. BUT if Litchfield is nearby, maybe I could draw form that population for some wealthier clientele. I like to have a good mix so I can offer a sliding scale to those who need that.

I have no idea what rates would be but remember a lot of the wealthy people we are talking about are using the area for second homes in Litchfield, Kent, Washington, etc. Most people base their therapists, doctors, etc. out of their primary home locations, not the place they spend their weekends. Just something to keep in mind.

Also, I agree with Stylo and Jay about the CT River Valley. It is an incredibly charming area and well worth a look if it piques your interest.

[WestRiverTraveler]

Originally Posted by Stylo

It's a gorgeous area. A bit easier commute than New Hartford (with the exception of Old Lyme, that's a bit of a hike). Chester is wonderful too. You mentioned wanting a nice downtown, and Chester's is one of the most charming in the state with great restaurants, shops, and even a little brewery.

Nearby Essex has an incredible center too, but it's generally more expensive than Deep River and Chester.

I personally feel it's the most charming part of the state, with Litchfield being a close 2nd.

Plenty of wealthy folks in Essex, Old Lyme, Guilford, Madison, Glastonbury, etc. to pull for your practice.

The Ivoryton section of Essex is less pricey than Essex center and it has good access to Westbrook cinemas and outlets. Old Saybrook is a quick trip for shopping and more restaurant options. There is a cute summer rep theatre. Taxes are low, too. I would say it splits the difference between Deep River and Essex center. My mother lives here and we seriously considered buying here. Ultimately we decided on Madison because it’s a better commute for me and closer to New Haven for restaurants, coffee shops, and MTA to NYC.

Old Lyme is great but there’s not a lot of shopping. I took a serious look at Old Lyme because I have two sisters who live here. When I was looking for houses in there, there were more heading towards exit 71. For me that wasn’t great, but that’s not a bad thing for everyone. I love Niantic center in the east side of Old Lyme is close to it. There’s plenty of shopping in Waterford. Taxes are also low and both my sisters LOVE the school system.

I grew up in Old Saybrook. It has the advantage of shopping, beaches, and easy access to highways. It has more commercial development than than Lyme or Essex. Depending on where you live, it can be walkable downtown.

Chester has an amazing downtown area but it’s tiny and a bit remote, at least for my taste.

[MFTgradmom]

UPDATE: We put an offer on a home in New Hartford! Thank you all for your input. The vibe of the town felt a little more "Colorado'ish" than your average "middle of no-where" CT town. I really do hope I feel more at home there than Ridgefield. Fingers crossed. Mostly we just love the house and property, and if I never see another soul, so be it.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by MFTgradmom

UPDATE: We put an offer on a home in New Hartford! Thank you all for your input. The vibe of the town felt a little more "Colorado'ish" than your average "middle of no-where" CT town. I really do hope I feel more at home there than Ridgefield. Fingers crossed. Mostly we just love the house and property, and if I never see another soul, so be it.

Cool town. Congrats!

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MFTgradmom

UPDATE: We put an offer on a home in New Hartford! Thank you all for your input. The vibe of the town felt a little more "Colorado'ish" than your average "middle of no-where" CT town. I really do hope I feel more at home there than Ridgefield. Fingers crossed. Mostly we just love the house and property, and if I never see another soul, so be it.

That’s great. Congratulations and thanks for letting us know. Too often we don’t hear back from posters n what they did. Jay

[MFTgradmom]

Hi! I had this thread up on the bar of my safari browser, so figured I'd revisit. For anyone looking through in the future or curiosity of those who chimed in. It's February, we moved in in November. Haven't explored a whole lot due to the timing of moving in, weather, and COVID. We are very happy here so far. I think we would have been happy in Canton or Burlington as well, but ultimately the house we found checked all our boxes for our multigenerational, and dirtbike riding needs! I can say that I am happy with how EASY and fast it is to get to anything that any surrounding town has to offer in just minutes. We certainly gave up a lot of in town commodities coming form Ridgefield, but also, having big box store within 15 minutes in any directions is not a luxury we had before. I can't believe how easy it is to get to the big box stores of Torrington (our new Danbury), but also the charming areas of Collinsville, and in between vibe of Avon. I can't wait to explore more once we get out of our "hermit mode". I know that Litchfield is close by, and tons of other towns. I also like that it doesn't feel too rural here, like Thomaston or Bethlehem. Turns out we got lucky, the housing inventory is low, and our house we ended up in was in high demand. Thanks everyone!

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MFTgradmom

Hi! I had this thread up on the bar of my safari browser, so figured I'd revisit. For anyone looking through in the future or curiosity of those who chimed in. It's February, we moved in in November. Haven't explored a whole lot due to the timing of moving in, weather, and COVID. We are very happy here so far. I think we would have been happy in Canton or Burlington as well, but ultimately the house we found checked all our boxes for our multigenerational, and dirtbike riding needs! I can say that I am happy with how EASY and fast it is to get to anything that any surrounding town has to offer in just minutes. We certainly gave up a lot of in town commodities coming form Ridgefield, but also, having big box store within 15 minutes in any directions is not a luxury we had before. I can't believe how easy it is to get to the big box stores of Torrington (our new Danbury), but also the charming areas of Collinsville, and in between vibe of Avon. I can't wait to explore more once we get out of our "hermit mode". I know that Litchfield is close by, and tons of other towns. I also like that it doesn't feel too rural here, like Thomaston or Bethlehem. Turns out we got lucky, the housing inventory is low, and our house we ended up in was in high demand. Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the update. Glad you are setting in and happy. Jay

[hvexpatinct]

Glad you love the area - I think it’s very underrated!

Torrington big box shopping is so much easier and less congested than Danbury/Bethel. Plus you aren’t super far from Wesfarms if you need more options either

someday you will also love the airport proximity-

[MikefromCT]

New Hartford is definitely nice. I have friends who live there so I drive through town every now and then. If rural and quiet is your cup of tea, this is the town for you. Whenever I'm there, it's to either visit friends or get a pint at Brewery Legitimus (another well-kept secret), but as nice as it is, I prefer Collinsville and feel it's even more of a hidden gem. I'm there all the time, especially in warmer months to either walk or bike the trails or spend an afternoon on a kayak out on the river there (there's a boat rental place right in their downtown area) and it's just overall a great vibe. But I agree, it's very nice.