patrick.net
An Antidote to Corporate Media
1,364,988 comments by 15,735 users - Nebulosious online now
Why can't we find a non-crappy house for $500k-$600k in lower Fairfield County, CT?
2011 Jun 1, 5:50am 14,465 views 35 comments
« First « Previous Comments 30 - 35 of 35 Search these comments
he question is…why are you in Fairfield County?Move…go someplace normal…find a regular town in a regular state where you can easily afford a house.
Have some kids.
Get a dog.
Pay off the mortgage in five years.
Take vacations in the “Woody†and go fishing with your offspring.
hafta agree with bubba on that one.
Whine, whine, whine….
So the cost of living is high in Cool and Hip NYC posh burbs?
If I wanted to hear whining like that I would just watch some (senator) Barbara Boxer stuff on youtube.
Is is not just about the house - it is also about the town with its high-quality schools (a value you may not share?), diversity, very low crime rate, town services, town beach, parks and the career opportunities that come with living near several job centers, including White Plains, Stamford, New York City, and even New Haven. The schools in many "regular" places in this country are, unfortunately, creating an ignorant populace.
Oh, by the way, our roots are here -- family, friends, networks... the things that keep the fabric of communities strong.
CT is not CA. Well, this blog is pretty much CA-centric, and just can't ask californians understand what's going on in the east. Heck, I am in the east and still don't know much about CT. It's not their fault, yours or mine either.
As I told you above, pretty much all good counties arround the city are like that. some specific zipcodes in fairfax county VA, where I have my eyes on, are like that too. The reason I like those few specific area is the same with yours. Quality schools, low crime rate, the quality of neighborhood, and close proximity to the highway. But, I guess what I think important is important to others too. And that's why the home price in certain area won't go down. Rent is also quite high. So what are you gonna do about it? "it's crazy" and sure it is. But screaming it out doesn't help much. It's either take it or leave it sort of thing. For me, I am going to keep up with my saving and see what's gonna happen. If home price go down, good for me. If not, well... but I still have more buying power due to the saving.
CT is not CA.
Also, unlike, perhaps, California, school systems in Connecticut are mostly locally funded (unless they are really bad).
zzyzzx
@
2011 Jun 6, 2:26am
tenant in foreclosed house says
Shouldn’t fixer-uppers cost $450k?
They should cost a lot less than that.
They should cost a lot less than that.
But that's not baltimore either. ;-)
tenant in foreclosed house says
Also, unlike, perhaps, California, school systems in Connecticut are mostly locally funded (unless they are really bad).
So, is it like NJ? What about police, fire dept etc? Are they locally funded too?
tenant in foreclosed house says
Connecticut is a judicial foreclosure state and can take years to finalize the foreclosure process.
Actually, Connecticut also has strict foreclosure. But yes, its foreclosures by sale are judicial only.
« First « Previous Comments 30 - 35 of 35 Search these comments
Yes, Greenwich & Darien have $15 million homes, but they also have lots of 3-br, 1,250 sq. ft. homes that are, frankly, dumps and are very expensive. All homes in the $500s need at least $150k worth of work (like major tree work, new roof, new kitchen, paint jobs, leaks), have major flaws like mildewy basements (or no basement because it is adjacent to a swamp), only one bathroom, rotting wood, no garage, no attic.
Shouldn't fixer-uppers cost $450k?
Is it because underwater sellers are trapped in their houses and can't put them on the market? Are they living for free and have no incentive to sell?
Do short sales really exist?
Some of the area's larger towns have social problems which make those high schools less desirable, so this nuclear family with two young kids is taking them off the table. (Private schools cost $25-$45k per year.)
Ridgefield is too far from civilization (ga$ prices in Conn. are among the nation's highest), has much higher taxes than Greenwich, Darien or Westport and its school budget is being cut (with more to come next year?).
Nearby Westchester County, NY's taxes are much, much higher.
AP says "Cities that weathered housing bust now suffering - Cities that had escaped the worst of housing bust are hurting now". Does anyone expect banker-central (Fairfield County CT and Westchester County, NY) to drop anytime soon?
#housing