Good places to live south of New Haven

[NewJeffCT]

I have a job interview for a very good job in White Plains, NY some time next week. I think I have a decent shot at it, but it would also require me to move from Northeast of Hartford to some place south of New Haven. I'm looking for suggestions.

I know our home now would go for 50-100% more in most places in Fairfield County (if not more) that are nice areas to live and have good public schools.

This job would be a good 50% raise for me, but my wife (who makes close to what I make now, and should surpass me within 2 years if we both stay with our current companies...) would have to find a new job... she has 2 master's degrees, though, and I think she could do it fairly easily.

A few places I browsed quickly on realtor.com were Orange, Fairfield and Woodbridge. Any other suggestions if I want to keep the home price somewhat sane? (as an FYI, I saw a home in Orange similar to what we have now that was like $659,000...)

[autorank]

1. Live in Westchester or a bit north. Much nicer than the part of CT

you're talking about. White Plains is too far from New Haven and the traffic will be a night mare. Good luck. Even look at Rockland County, across the Tapan Zee Bridge, Nyak is cool if you want a little Bohemian atmosphere.

[NewJeffCT]

2. thanks

I'd prefer to stay in Connecticut as all my family is here. The guy I have to interview with commutes from Cheshire to WP each morning and says he leaves at 5:30 AM.

I definitely do not want that long of a commute.

[madinmaryland]

3. Not much is going to be cheaper than what you mention.

It only gets more expensive as you approach NYC and Fairfield county is outrageous. I lived in Norwalk for 6 years moving out in 2002 and moving to Bridgeport. I was in Bridgeport for year and half and while affordable, the school system is horrible. You maybe able to find something in Norwalk. Also check out the Danbury area; if you go north of Danbury (New Milford) you may be able to find something.

If you find something along the coast (i-95) corrider, expect a horrendous commute daily to White Plains. (up to 2 hours) You can use public transportation, but you would have to take train to stamford and then bus to white plains (not very pleasant).

How long or a commute are you willing to live with?

[NewJeffCT]

4. I have been looking

It's not even cheap near Danbury if you look at Ridgefield, Easton & Redding...

The guy I spoke with that works in White Plains leaves at 5:30AM from Cheshire, CT and says it takes him 70 minutes, but longer to get home. 70 minutes is a lot for me, though.

And, what is it with these rich towns with well & septic? you'd think they could afford sewers & public water...

[madinmaryland]

5. Forget about Ridgefield,

Easton, redding, etc. You will have to choose either to live in Danbury, or Norwalk. Otherwise look north towards New Milford, or east towards Waterbury. (I lived in Watertown in the late 80's, and that would probably be about an hour commute down to White Plains).

Stay away from (price wise)(You "might" find a fixer-upper):
Darien
Westport
Greenwich (Cos Cob)
Easton
Weston
Ridgefield
Stamford

Stay away from (bad Schools):
Bridgeport
Waterbury (Also history of bad mayors - repugs, Santopeitro & Giordano)

Good Luck

[NewJeffCT]

6. True

We have friends that just moved from Southington to Danbury for job reasons and their $400K house in Southington is now a $730K house in Danbury. Granted, the house in Danbury is bigger & brand new vs 5 years old in Southington, but it is still almost double the price for only a little more house.

And, unless my wife finds a new job very quickly, I'm pretty sure we could not afford even a $730K house with what my new salary would be, as the woman that got the new job that precipitated the move to Danbury got a very good job.

I spent like 2 hours on realtor.com last night looking at a CT map and trying to find affordable housing from Danbury on South. No luck unless I go for a busy road and/or an older home.

I'm not one for fixer/uppers as I'm not handy at all.

[madinmaryland]

7. Good Luck!

Danbury and Norwalk are the most "affordable" locations in fairfield county. I think you indicated that you wanted to stay in CT, otherwise I would suggest looking up towards Poughkeepsie (where wife is from) and Beacon.

We ended up leaving CT last spring after I found work with a consulting firm between DC and Baltimore.

[NightTrain]

8. Umm.... South of New Haven is Long Island Sound.

Unless you have gills, I wouldn't recommend living there! ;)

[NewJeffCT]

9. i love to swim

But, I had meant south along the I-95 / Merritt Parkway corridor.