meshwill

Wow! I've read a lot of posts on here today, I'm feeling very overwhelmed with the amount of info that I have digested and all the things that will need doing if we move!.

I'm looking at moving to Connecticut, Hubby works for an American Co. so can get a transfer, hopefully with a relocation package to help take the strain (and stress!) out of moving abroad.

So far I've looked at websites on Schools (10 yr old & 6 yr old) rental properties, houses to buy, moving my furniture etc, taking my (elderly) cat, buying a car, electrical items, health insurance, mortgages, etc etc.
It all seems like an awful lot to think about but am hoping it will be worth it for the change of scene and lifestyle.
Does anyone have anything they can add to my list of things to look into?

Also what are the best areas to live, near Stamford, not too big a city/town? my fave so far (looking online) are Fairfield, Weston, Wilton and Darien (but I'd need to win the lottery to live there I think!!) budget around $700k, detached 4/5 bed home with garden, is this realistic?.

I know this is a lot of questions but if anyone can help at all it would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Nutmegger

As you have discovered, Fairfield County is expensive, but it is a lovely place to live. Of the towns you mention, parts of Fairfield are probably the most reasonably priced. Weston and Darien are pretty expensive, and parts of Wilton are up there. Basically, the further you get away from NYC, the prices go down. Also look at Redding and Ridgefield -- both a bit further away from Stamford, but have top-rated school systems and many people commute from there to the CT coast and NYC. Other options are to go over the border into Westchester County, NY. Places like Pound Ridge and Bedford are convenient to Stamford, but also expensive.

Prices have gone down since the housing bubble burst, so your price range is realistic. Unless you are looking at townhouses, all houses around the area you are looking at are detached, and two acre zoning is the norm.

daisy30uk

I can't comment on best areas to live - we are in a similar situation to you but looking to move to Columbus, Ohio. However, one bit of advice that I have picked up from reading this forum is that you might want to chose the school that you want your children to go to before you decide where you want to live.

I hope that I am right in saying that the US system is different in that the area you live in determines where your children will go to school - there is no choice unless you want to pay for them to go to a private school. Schools are obliged to take on any children that need to come to them, sometimes having to expand the school to take on extras, even if the children are in the US illegally.

We have talked to people that work in the same department that my husband is going to work to get recommendations from them and then we have looked at houses and rentals in the area as well as the schools. We are lucky in that where we want to live, the schools have a very good reputation. I am currently trying to get in touch with the schools to see what their entry policies are - when we would need to enrol our daughter, whether she would need a medical, any vaccinations etc (I understand some schools require Hep B etc). I have been slightly overwhelmed by the incredible variety of policies. When I got in touch with the local Board of Education, I was told that Franklin county (where Columbus is) has 16 seperate school systems and each system has its own rules on school assignment and registration!

We hope to travel over in May to have a proper look around and see some of the schools. It would be worthwhile finding out if your relocation package includes a scouting trip beforehand - thankfully ours does! Ours also includes a meeting with a tax advisor both in the UK and the US to ensure that we don't mess up our taxes. We found out today that if we sell our house in the UK after we've relocated to the US then we will pay tax on what we get for it - (I think my husband mentioned a whopping 20% but I can't vouch for that being correct!) - so it is important to make sure that if you are going to sell, then you get advice on your tax position.

Have you already told your children about what might happen? Our daughter is 12 and she is very excited about moving. She has known that it might be on the cards for a while and originally wanted to wait a couple of years before we followed Daddy over. Now she is saying 'can we go as soon as possible!'

It does all seem a little overwhelming but you sound as though you are very organised and have it under control! I have a big exercise book that I have written lots of lists in - from things to freecycle to what vaccinations the cats and dog will need. Good job it is a thick exercise book with lots of pages as it is getting very full already!

Take care - would love to know how you get on.

Karen

Nutmegger

The school districts meshwill is looking at, as well as the other CT towns I have suggested, only have one high school (other than Fairfield, which has two), so the very real concerns daisy30uk raises about making sure you are in the district of town that is the catchment for the best school are largely irrelevant. They are all extremely good school districts where students are expected to go on to good colleges.

meshwill

Thanks Nutmegger, have looked at the areas you mentioned, something still draws me to fairfield and wilton/weston, will have to visit and make a proper decision. I agree the schools in those areas all have high scores so we should be fine with whichever area we choose.

Karen, you sounds so like me! I have so many files and folders with info too!.
I believe we get a scouting trip but would sort one ourselves if not. The school info is a very good point, my daughter is 10 and in yr 5 of primary school, so if we go it needs to be before she gets settled at secondary (UK). My son is 6 so easier to sort.
The bit about schools having to take them is very useful info as we weren't sure how the system worked, not like the lottery we get here of being "in or out of catchment". I have looked at results and grades of schools so will start to look into them in more detail and maybe narrow it down.
We have kind of tested the waters a bit with the kids but not told them properly until we decide for definate, my daughter is not sure about leaving her friends behind etc but has an american penpal via school and when I said we could visit if we ever moved to the states she seemed quite excited!, my son will miss his football but says he'll take up ice hockey instead!!.
My hubby is bringing home the relocation package details tomorrow (after his 2nd Interview!!) so we can go through and see what it entails.
Your comment on the house tax is also interetsing, hubby is a finance director so hopefully he'll know that bit (it's me doing all the groundwork at the moment, he sits there and says things like "when we go you'll need to de-clutter" soooo not helpful bless him!!).
Will keep fingers crossed that something good comes of the interview tomorrow!.
Would be nice to keep in touch and see how you get on in May etc, good luck!.
Thank you again for the reply, lots more info for me to store!!.
Best wishes
Michele

Nutmegger

Good luck with your search. Weston is a lovely rural area with beautiful homes, but not much of a town center -- just a small square with a gas station, post office and small supermarket. Wilton has a newish town center shopping area, and then businesses and shops all down Route 7 (a very busy road they've been talking about widening for 25 years!) into Norwalk. Fairfield I know the least, but it is definitely the most urban of your three choices. Let me know if I can help with any more info.

Bob

city-data.com might be a good place to browse over....that and there was a couple of threads from some time last year on places to check out that you might be able to find.

Either way, I wouldn't recommend buying, it's a daft thing to do until you really know the area because it's so much more expensive to shift and get a second house rather than your first home that you'd be better to rent for the first year, not to mention to see if you really like the area.

meshwill

Thanks Bob, I wasn't going to buy straight away, I'm not that daft!! but want to know what I'd get in an area once I decided to buy, if we pick an area to rent in for 6 mths, then decide to buy it's easier to have narrowed it down in the first place, also don't want to get the kids settled in school then move them just for the "perfect" house!!.
The downside is renting seems very expensive, nothing much decent for less than $2500?.
I've looked at city-data.com, useful website, will also go back over some threads on here.

Thanks Nutmegger, Weston sounds like where I live now and Wilton like the town next to us!! will do some more exploring.

Rete

If they were to move to Westchester County, I would suggest places like Armonk (Bryam Hills schools are quite good), Rye, Somers or even Bryam, CT.

meshwill

Thanks Rete, Westchester looks lovely but I'm aiming for Fairfield.
Weston, Wilton, Fairfield, or poss Ridgefield.
Need commutable by car or train to Stamford, good schools for a 6yr and 10yr old.

Trawling through City-data.com, slow going but very useful info.

Nutmegger

I do think it would be worth your while to add Ridgefield to your list to check out when you visit. It is a classic New England town, and actually has some history, dating back to the Revolutionary War. It has an attractive main street with good shopping, nice restaurants, excellent schools, and lovely residential districts. I also mentioned Redding before -- another lovely place, but no shops whatsoever! A few restaurants are the total of commerce in this very rural area. But the school district is top notch and the town frequently tops the "best place to live in CT" ratings for a town of its size.

As you mentioned, I don't think you will be able to find anywhere in the area to rent -- of the size that you mentioned -- for less than $2,500.

meshwill

Thanks Nutmegger, hubby has just had his second interview and the Boss lives in Ridgefield!! I'm just googling it now!, I like the sound of the historical interest too, I don't see the point of moving to a new country and not embracing all the wonderful history and new sights we can discover as a family, very excited now!!.
kind regards

Nutmegger

I'm getting excited along with you, thinking of all that must be going through your head right now! My first home in CT was in Ridgefield and I'm still in town most weeks on business, so fire away with any questions.

penguinsix

Hi,

You're probably swimming with things right now as most expats are when hit with the reality they are about to uproot everything and everyone and head off to points unknown.

A general bit of advice I offer to others who are planning a move for the first time is to get a big (I mean big) piece of paper and start making a massive list of everything you can possibly think of to do. Cancel the newspaper, cut off the electricity, cancel the mobile phones, say goodbye to grandma, visit Buckingham Palace one last time, etc. A list with everything and everyone you can possibly think of on it, and leave plenty of room for add ons.

The move is going to be coming at you from every direction and it really help to have something 'grounded' such as a master list of things to do. Slowly but surely you'll start to sense some accomplishment as you cross of things and the movers arrive, etc.

I'd also plan on a "moving" date 3-5 days before you actually move. This is the day everything has to be done and everyone has to be seen. You'd be surprised how many of your friends INSIST you drive 2 hours to come see them the day before you get on a plane. You'll really appreciate it if you have a few days for the last minute things that always come up, and if they don't you'll have a mini-3 day "stay-cation" at your house seeing a few things YOU really want to see and say goodbye to (your favorite pub, a chippie, etc). Really makes it quite a bit more convenient.

So, as you get your list together, my suggestion for item one is "health records". Get onto your GP and see what sort of health records you can get. Vaccinations are extremely important--especially for the kids about to start school, so you'll need to cull together their history of shots and make sure they match up with the Connecticut vaccination requirements for students (Google will tell you what they are--hint: you'll probably need some you don't normally get in the UK like Hep. B).

From there, put on the list as much as you can think of for now and get cracking on scratching them off, adding as you go.

It's a great deal to go through. I'm off to Hong Kong (again) in three weeks and eventhough I've lost track of what international posting this is for me I still make the list to try and keep everything sane.

Good luck.

meshwill

Thanks penguinsix! I'm list making and googling and hitting everything I can lay my hands on (info wise!!).
Will be able to do things with more certainty when we have the job offer letter in hand but no harm in doing the research now!.
Good Luck in Hong Kong!