[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by Kristin85

Jay, I completely agree with you on the "grass is always greener" perspective--I suppose that's why it's always helpful to make a pros/cons list. On the pro side for CT: it has friendly residents, it has a distinctly New England vibe while also having active metro areas, it has 4 seasons (big plus!), the public education system is "good" compared to other states, and the economy hasn't been hit as bad as other states. Areas like the CT River Valley & Litchfield County are gems that you just can't find anywhere else in this country.

However, the cons of higher taxes (incl. Malloy's suggestion to add taxes to grocery store items that had never been taxed before) and the very high cost of living versus income are the primary reasons why I will be moving. At the forefront of my mind is Antlered Chamataka's comment about home price; in order for me to get a "decent" home within 30 min. of my workplace (in Stamford or New Haven) in a town I truly enjoy, I will need to spend at least 50% of my take home salary on mortgage + property taxes (but probably closer to 70%). If I move to ME, NH, NC, or FL after procuring a job with a similar salary, mortgage & taxes payments will be ~1/3 of my salary. Since my husband and I will be starting a family in 2 years, it is imperative that we live someplace where we won't be concerned about living paycheck-to-paycheck when I start working part-time. This would be close to impossible in CT especially after energy/food/gasoline prices increase in tandem with the state income tax. I may leave and miss many things about CT, but in the end keeping my family afloat is the most important thing to consider. Plus, I could end up living in a town on the ocean rather than on the sound and that alone would make the move worth it. :P

You should look at NC. I went to my friend's house once. She is a kitchen cabinet designer and she lives in the very sought-after "Ballantyne" area of Charlotte, NC, which is close to Matthews and is bordering on South Carolina, which means an hour and a half to the beach.

It was a nice townhome and it was pretty slick. I asked her about the price and I was expecting to hear 350K. Surprise...... she says 280K, and I'm like, whaaaaaaaaaaaaat Maybe she found a deal when the real estate market bottomed.

But, great schools, nice city, peaceful drive to all work places, there is a strip mall at every 2 mile intersection. Not much snow, but can still sense all 4 seasons. Close to the beach, smoky mountains are close, then there is a place called Boone where people go to enjoy the fall.

Blue Ridge Parkway - Home

[Kristin85]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

You should look at NC. I went to my friend's house once. She is a kitchen cabinet designer and she lives in the very sought-after "Ballantyne" area of Charlotte, NC, which is close to Matthews and is bordering on South Carolina, which means an hour and a half to the beach.

It was a nice townhome and it was pretty slick. I asked her about the price and I was expecting to hear 350K. Surprise...... she says 280K, and I'm like, whaaaaaaaaaaaaat Maybe she found a deal when the real estate market bottomed.

But, great schools, nice city, peaceful drive to all work places, there is a strip mall at every 2 mile intersection. Not much snow, but can still sense all 4 seasons. Close to the beach, smoky mountains are close, then there is a place called Boone where people go to enjoy the fall.

Blue Ridge Parkway - Home

Good deal on the townhome especially with how pricey properties can be in the Charlotte area.

Asheville is on my short list; beautiful with 4 seasons, lakes relatively nearby, gorgeous mountains, exciting nightlife/culture, affordable housing outside of city limits, and one of PETA's best small towns in America for vegetarians. (Huge draw for me; no sarcasm!)

ME & NH are on the top of my list because that's where most of my extended family lives and they'd be able to point me in the right direction for jobs/housing since the economy is worse there than it is here. Plus, once the economy improves I'd have a much lower cost of living and reside in a more "New England-y" location than CT. I tacked FL onto the list because my dh wants to live somewhere warm and I love manatees. The decision will probably boil down to where employers actually respond to my resume/cover letters.

[Dancingham]

I grew up in the Southeast towns of Groton and Ledyard. In Ledyard there are such yearly events as a Spring Egg Hunt, Memorial Day Parade, and the Ledyard Fair. There isn't much to do in the actual town of Ledyard, but it is pretty close to Groton, for shopping and movies, with the mall across the Thames in Waterford. Also, the nearby town of Mystic has a lot of shopping boutiques, and nice restaurants. Mystic is a tad bit more expensive because of the touristy feel of the town. Groton has a 4th of July Parade (I can't remember much else).

There are nice hiking trails in both, Ledyard and Groton. Lantern Hill is in Ledyard. When you get to the top you get a great view of the Foxwoods Casino. Bluffs Point is in Groton, and the trails are wide and safe enough for biking. Groton also has a recreational park called Washington Park, with playgrounds, and baseball fields and stuff. Fort Griswold is also a nice place to walk around, have picnics, and learn history.

I'm not sure about the schools in either of those towns, personally, because I was homeschooled. But I do know that Ledyard High School has an agricultural program, which is something most other schools don't offer. I knew people who went there just because of that.

From what I gather, the violent crime (murder, rape. . .) rate is really low in Groton. This might be because of the influence of the Navy base.

[dentalcare]

I agree with you guys.

[Konig1985]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

Jay, I've been looking at homes ever since I set foot here. The first guy I ran into was a realtor in Norwalk. And it was my second day in the hotel. He pulled his iPad out and started selling me his stuff. And he connected me to other realtors in the area.

After 4 months of searching, I am filled only with stupefaction and despair. Seriously, the houses I want are crossing 750K I'm picky and if I were to compromise, I'd end up commuting for 3 hours a day to the city. And the best houses I really want go over a million.

That house in Matthews, NC up there. I've lived in the Matthews area before when I worked for BAC. But the problem is that BAC is in a crapstorm and they have been laying off even their veterans. I have a niche skill, so I am hoping this situation changes in the near future. Or I can go Wells Fargo or GMAC. There's a lot of fin institutions in NC.

I like CT but based on my searches and the parameters, I'll get killed here with a dangerous mortgage payment. Sometimes I sit and think about entering a 750K mortgage for 30 years and it's scary.

Are you open to townhomes?

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by Konig1985

Are you open to townhomes?

Thanks for the tip, bro. I got your message.

Let me check with my fiancee It was her preference we move to NC, and I tend towards there too. Not sure of townhomes.