emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 It looks like we'll be moving to Connecticut pretty soon, I've never been there and frankly, I'm not too excited. Can you tell me about it? Help me get excited? We'll be moving to the Hartford area. We hope to be able to get a couple acres and good size house. The homeschool laws look good, so that's one positive 😀 How is the real estate market? I haven't even visited yet and my husband only once. I don't really know what I'm asking. Maybe someone could just tell me how wonderful it is? I don't have anything particularly for or against Connecticut other than it being a 12 hour drive from family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I live about 15 min outside of Hartford. Dh has lived here his whole life; I moved here when I was 14. There are pluses and minuses, like any place. Living here is expensive. That's a big negative. Homeschooling is super easy. No notification is necessary, and there are no rules or regulations. You simply do it and don't have to answer to anyone. Oh, and teaching early American History around here is a dream :) I'm not sure where you're coming from, but the geographical location is nice as well. Boston and New York are both close, as is the ocean. CT itself has the Long Island Sound. No waves, really, but there are many nice beaches and the swimming is easy for little ones. If you want something more exciting you can go to RI, MA, ME, etc. New England as a region is just beautiful, ocean and mountains all within driving distance, year round entertainment indoors and out. We have lots of great museums, and again, with those big cities nearby, there are tons of field trip opportunities. We don't have a ton of great state parks, at least like we've encountered in our travels to other areas of the US, but there are a lot of places to explore the outdoors. If your dh is working in Hartford, there are two distinct areas to look at: East of the River and West of the River (the Connecticut River). East of the River, which is where we live, is considered to be the less desirable of the two, and thus is less expensive. It can be less congested and more rural, depending on what town you live in. West of the River is more expensive and usually has better schools as well as resale values. Both areas have their positives and negatives; it's really town dependent. Rush hour traffic stinks but is probably similar in either direction. Do you already have a list of towns that interest you? If not, what kind of town or city are you looking to move to? How far of a commute does your dh want? What is your housing price range, or will you be renting? You could spend anywhere from $250,000 into the seven figures. Housing prices are all over the place and pretty much town dependent. You could also look north or south of the city. Also, what type of house? Some towns have a lot of newish homes in developments; others are more rural/spread out. I'm happy to help point you in the right direction if you want to provide more info. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Thanks for the reply. I think he'll be working in east Hartford. I would love recommendations of areas to look in. We'd want to stay under $300000 preferably closer to $250000. We'd love a few acres and four bedrooms. Not too long of a commute, no more than thirty mins, hopefully less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 When you say it's expensive, what does that entail? Housing, food, just general cost of everything? Taxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) If he will be working in East Hartford, you should definitely look on this side of the river. Otherwise your dh will deal with an unpleasant commute. What you want in your price range will be challenging but not impossible to find. What kind of town are you looking at size wise? East Hartford and Manchester are quite large, so they would be most affordable. Taxes would be less expensive as well. Also, there are definitely desirable areas within those towns and nondesirable areas in those towns. Anything near the Glastonbury line is usually a safe bet. Glastonbury itself is very nice, but a 4 br, 2 acre in that price range could be hard to find. If you don't mind a very small house you may be be able to. Personally I would not live in either town -- no offense if someone on the boards lives there! -- I just prefer smaller town living. Both of my kids actually go to school in Manchester (Catholic) and we know many people that enjoy living there. Do you think your children will go to b&m school at any point? If so, you will definitely want to take that into consideration. Other larger towns within commuting distance are South Windsor, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Vernon, and Tolland; maybe Marlborough, Newington, Ellington. If you are looking for something small and more rural you could try Bolton, Columbia, Hebron, Andover, or Coventry. It would be easier to find the acreage in those towns, but there are not a lot of houses on the market at any time because the towns are small. There are a few towns north of EH, like Windsor and Bloomfield. I am not very familiar with them, even though my dh worked in Bloomfield for two years. They may be a possibility as well. They are larger towns. I'm not necessarily recommending any of these towns, just giving you ideas of what might work. Hope this helps. ETA: As far as the high cost of living, yes it is really everything. I think our electric is the most or second most expensive in the country. Gas, though cheap now, is also high compared to other places. We have very high taxes, and they tax everything. Edited March 18, 2016 by whitestavern 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Thanks for your help. The taxes aren't making me want to move. I think we'll just have to try and figure out where we want to be in a visit there. Why wouldn't you want to live in Manchester. I think that's where he stayed for his interview and it was close to the facility so living around there would be close Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I lived in CT for 32 years. Hartford area. You'll love the homeschool regs. NONE. I live in NY now and have been away for awhile. So I couldn't tell you about the real estate market. Prices are high. Insurance is high. It's expensive to live there. I know, I'm totally talking it up. LOL Other than that, I miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Oh and drivers in CT are crazy. Seriously driving from NY, into Mass, then into CT the difference in driving is palpable and it gets progressively worse. Maybe that is why car insurance is so high there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 In terms of taxes. I'm paying higher taxes here in NY. The thing that makes it more painful in CT is the high house prices. House prices are lower in my area so housing is costing us less here (even though taxes are not). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Manchester is way too big for me. I grew up in NH, in a town that had more cows than people :) I live in an abutting town to Manchester. I can be there in less than 10 minutes and enjoy everything it has to offer (excellent shopping--two huge malls, tons of other stores, restaurants, movie theaters, etc) yet not have to deal with the traffic congestion, crime, poor schools etc. If I HAD to move there, I would, but I probably couldn't afford a house I would like in an area I would like. If you live in a big town now (or a small city) you may totally love it. As I said, I have friends who live there and are happy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 I see. Thanks. Can you recommend some areas close by where we could afford a bit more? We definitely want more rural. Sparkly- I'm from Ohio. We aren't known for our driving skills 😋 Maybe I'll feel at home The idea of the taxes is killing me though! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I see. Thanks. Can you recommend some areas close by where we could afford a bit more? We definitely want more rural. Sparkly- I'm from Ohio. We aren't known for our driving skills 😋 Maybe I'll feel at home The idea of the taxes is killing me though! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me Lol. Ohio driving is super tame compared to the northeast, CT being the absolute worst. It's a beautiful state though! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Funny that everyone thinks CT has bad drivers; I think MA is so much worse!! I did a quick search on realtor.com and can count on one hand the houses $250,000 and under that are 4 br and 2+ acres in any of the towns I listed above. Realistically I don't think you'll find anything under $350,000. I checked just a few towns using 1 acre and some more popped up, though not a ton. Good luck with your search; I'm happy to answer any other questions you may have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I would check out www.citydata.com I think you may have sticker shock when you see how much/what kind of house you get for your money. Edited March 18, 2016 by gingersmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Yeah I feel so bad to make it sound like a terrible place. Not at all, but it is expensive. Rural...hmmm. In the area around Hartford I can't think of anything super rural. Some towns have decent amounts of space, but not exactly rural. Parts of Farmington, Avon, Burlington, Wolcott, Maybe Wethersfield. Depends on how far you need to commute. You have to pay property taxes on your vehicle too. (Sorry to pile on, I figure you'd rather know this now.) You can claim some of that on your income taxes if you make under a certain amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I'd like to go for the history. I have ancestors who were some of the earliest settlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I'd like to go for the history. I have ancestors who were some of the earliest settlers. Sadly, many parts of the state have not done a whole lot to preserve historical buildings. So in many places, frankly, there isn't much to see. Not saying there is nothing to see, but if you are thinking it'll be one town after another of history, probably not. Parts of NY have preserved a lot more. Same with Mass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I lived west of Hartford (waaaay west, farther out than the towns Sparkly just named upthread) through middle and high school, and have lived in the southern / Sound area of CT for the last couple decades. Somewhere a bit south/west of Hartford (say, Waterbury) is about the point at which CT switches from being Greater Metropolitan New York (which is definitely the feel of where I am now) and over into New England, in terms of both COL and in "feel." Stone walls, town greens, clapboard houses, that sort of thing. In both parts, there are loads of museums and historical sites and nature centers with hiking/biking trails and Audubon centers, etc. Lots to do. (Check out the under visited Rocky Hill Dinosaur Park -- an actual mudflat with actual prints in the ground that they just put a roof over -- unbelievably cool!) Hartford Stage is very solid and there are several good theaters in New Haven in addition to the endless offerings at Yale. The beaches in the Sound are pretty lame compared to Rhode Island and MA, but it's good for boating. And as pp have noted, it's super easy to get to all sorts of wonders throughout New England and not bad to get into New York. Housing costs are directly and extremely correlated to the quality of the public school district. Funding is MUCH more local here than in other states (relying much more heavily on property taxes than on state level distributions), so the variation in quality is enormous.... and people who are able to do so, flock to the best-ranked districts which drives up housing prices and property tax rates. If you know you are unlikely to use the public system anytime in the foreseeable future, you can almost look at the various rankings and apply them inversely. (The other real estate driver in my area is train service to NYC, but there isn't an equivalent in the Hartford area.) Other than housing/local taxes, costs aren't too bad for stuff like food / clothing / utilities etc (certainly not in comparison with New York City where most of our extended family is!) Good luck with your transition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Thanks everyone. I am looking forward to being in a completely new area with new places to explore. I'm sure it won't be bad once we're settled, it's just all so uncertain right now. Ugh, I don't wanna move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndGenHomeschooler Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 You could look in the areas around Colchester and Lebanon. They are smaller, more rural towns but only about half an hour from Hartford. Housing prices are a little lower outside of the Hartford area and Route 2 is a pretty easy commute to Hartford. There are not as many homeschool opportunities on the east side of the river but we've always managed to keep our schedule full. We just plan on a slightly longer commute. Hartford has a decent number of homeschool activities. On Wednesday we're making the hour drive for the 3rd time this month. We don't usually go up there so often but there's been some good stuff going on recently and winter leaves makes me stir crazy. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 ladybugs Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Oh and drivers in CT are crazy. Seriously driving from NY, into Mass, then into CT the difference in driving is palpable and it gets progressively worse. Maybe that is why car insurance is so high there. I have lived in CT, MA, NY, NJ and FL and CT drivers are by far the worse! MA drivers just drive fast. NY and NJ drivers like to drive fast and be in front. Florida drivers are transplanted northern drivers with bad eyesight. However Connecticut drivers go out of THEIR way to get in YOUR way. It sounds insane but drive for a bit and you will see. The whole state of CT isn't that big. If you don't mind a bit of a commute I don't imagine it would be that hard find something for your budget. I used to commute from about Danbury to south of Hartford when I lived there 20 years ago. It wasn't great, but could be done. Connecticut is expensive. I think it has the highest cost of living of any state (as a whole, yes there are more expensive areas of the country). There are great things about Connecticut though. I loved all the Norman Rockwell-isk towns. The history is everywhere there. Also Boston and NYC are not that far from anywhere in the state. Just invest in a good snowblower if you don't have one, before winter hits. ;) Good luck with your move! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndGenHomeschooler Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Also, it's really nice to be so close to NYC, NH, VT, ME, MA, and RI. We live a 2 hour train ride from NYC, a 2 hour drive to Boston, 3 or 4 hours to skiing and mountains in NH and VT, 5 hours from the Maine coast, and 30 minutes to the beaches of RI. That's a pretty big selection of day trips and long weekends. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) Sadly, many parts of the state have not done a whole lot to preserve historical buildings. So in many places, frankly, there isn't much to see. Not saying there is nothing to see, but if you are thinking it'll be one town after another of history, probably not. Parts of NY have preserved a lot more. Same with Mass. My idea of historical tourist is cemeteries and local archives. they were in the greater windsor area for over 200 years before they started moving west. (the generation that left CT is the same one that eventually ended up on the west coast. it just took them a few decades.) a number of years back, I did search my 5ggf's, unusual, name. . ..someone bought his house, moved it, and restored it. it was showcased in a magazine article I gleefully downloaded. complete with pictures. (there's also interior shots.) they added the basement. I think it was built around 1784. they also did an extensive addition on the back. Edited March 19, 2016 by gardenmom5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 My idea of historical tourist is cemeteries and local archives. they were in the greater windsor area for over 200 years before they started moving west. (the generation that left CT is the same one that eventually ended up on the west coast. it just took them a few decades.) a number of years back, I did search my 5ggf's, unusual, name. . ..someone bought his house, moved it, and restored it. it was showcased in a magazine article I gleefully downloaded. complete with pictures. (there's also interior shots.) they added the basement. I think it was built around 1784. they also did an extensive addition on the back. Wow, that's just gorgeous. Ours was built in 1741 and is on the Historic Register. Our neighbors did was what done to the house above, moved and put back together. To me, that's the best of both worlds (old and new) as they were able to put in a poured basement, etc. Where in CT is the house above, if it's okay to ask? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 As someone who moved across the country to a state I hadn't seen before, I recommend renting for a bit if you can. When we moved from Utah to Rhode Island, it took a few months to realize what our new state had to offer that hadn't been on our minds when I made my list of what I wanted in our house. I'm not sure we got anything on my list other than number of bedrooms, but it ended up being the perfect place for us during that time in our lives. I am so glad we had to wait a couple of months for our other house to sell, because if I'd been in a position to buy before we moved, I would have ended up somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 That house is gorgeous! I would love to rehab something. Alas, not realistic right now Renting makes total sense and is a definite possibility, Ive heard people with large families have trouble finding a rental sometimes so I want to be prepared in case we need to buy. After talking to my husband and researching those awful taxes, he may not take this job. With higher pay we assumed we'd break even. Nope, even with a larger salary it'd be equivalent to a substantial cut. I hope he finds something super soon and closer to home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Wow, that's just gorgeous. Ours was built in 1741 and is on the Historic Register. Our neighbors did was what done to the house above, moved and put back together. To me, that's the best of both worlds (old and new) as they were able to put in a poured basement, etc. Where in CT is the house above, if it's okay to ask? :) Lyme. don't know the ins-n-out's of moving it from south windsor to lyme . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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