Moving to CT from FL: Advice please

Submitted by caimseeker t3_111a6uw in Connecticut

Hello all! I am planning a move from Florida this summer. I have 4 kids, ranging from Elementary to HS, with a budget of 300-350k, maybe could push it to 400k.

I currently live in a small town that is about 20-30 away from a larger town that has everything we need, including great medical facilities. I love the small town/country feel with access to the amenities a bigger town/city provides. Are there any areas that would be similar to this?

I am looking for: Good schools, good job prospects, and a historic home.

Any help finding a good fit for us would be appreciated!

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8djchj wrote

Hey there,

So first thing to keep in mind when setting a budget for CT is that it will vary a lot from town to town (people are probably tired of me saying this). With highly variable property tax a 300k house in one town might have the same monthly payment as a 400k house in another town.

I'll also be upfront regarding the historic home part, in that price range a lot of the historic/old homes are going to need A LOT of work. I'm not saying this will always be the case but more often than not.

All in all, you have many options all over the state as someone mentioned Killingworth works as well as Durham which is nearby.

Canton is a town that doesn't get enough love and seriously checks all of your boxes if you are ok with a commute for work.

Wallingford and North Branford are options too but finding a 4+ bedroom in that price range won't be easy.

Definitely more options too but these are some that come to mind! Happy to talk more about it.

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AfterMoonSet t1_j8ep65u wrote

"I'll also be upfront regarding the historic home part, in that price
range a lot of the historic/old homes are going to need A LOT of work.
I'm not saying this will always be the case but more often than not."

Be easy on them, I'm guessing OP being from FL, and not CT (or any of the original 13 colonies), I think they (and many) don't know what a "historic" home is. As in one with a is usually protected, has a plaque, etc. They could just mean an older colonial house, which there are tons here but don't qualify as being "historic".

Also, you raise a good point about what town. I think what a lot of people from outside of New England don't really understand is our town government and how it differs from the rest of the country's country government. The opposite is true when people like us move out of state to like PA. I remember on one of the West Hartford Facebook pages a poster moving to West Hartford from somewhere in the south ask about a recommendation for private schools because she read that Hartford schools rank low, unaware that West Hartford had its own school system, and believing Hartford schools covered the whole Hartford county, not the city.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8f5kix wrote

You’re right, I should have probably been more clear about what I meant by historic. I don’t mean the kind of home with a plaque and strict rules. Down here it doesn’t necessarily mean all that.

And yes, the school system sounds like it works very differently. Which is attractive, given the hot mess that is Florida and schools right now.

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KaladinsDad t1_j8hy3ct wrote

Kids often have the choice of their regular high school, plus a few others for magnet programs, plus the state run Vocational Technical schools. The CTECS school system is selective and does reject middle schoolers applying. But at the end they have a high school diploma plus apprenticeship completed in a trade and they usually work part time senior year in their field.

Kids in my town have a choice of 11 high schools. Pretty good deal. Spending per student is also pretty decent in comparison to FL education budget.

All homes are "historic" compared to Florida (which really didnt start building in mass until after the invention of air conditioning.) But you know 1950's homes don't have anything special about them.

Really the question is Bigger City or more Country. Eastern CT is surprisingly rural, and I didn't realize that until I moved up here. You also may be limited by reasonable commute to jobs, and that may narrow things down. Southeastern CT's main employers are Pfizer, Electric Boat (and the Subbase), and the Mohegan and Foxwoods Casinos plus two hospitals. There is also a Dupont plant in there as well. But NE CT is much more sparse on major employers. Western CT has its own deal. And SW CT is basically NY to me, a non-native CT person who has lived here a little bit.

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tempertempest t1_j8g3sl6 wrote

Seconding Canton. Worth checking out based on OPs description. Collinsville is delightful, proximity to Avon & Torrington for bigger stores, not too far from Hartford, easy airport access.

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8g3xac wrote

Yep this exactly. It even has a nice shopping plaza itself.

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TheSecretAgenda t1_j8diltv wrote

Bolton, Coventry, Hebron, Andover

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Danilynn281 t1_j8dtfga wrote

Ellington or South Windsor might also fit your criteria

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maxgray t1_j8dwrmp wrote

we've been in Hebron for almost a year with our 3 year old. love it. small town, but easy enough to get to bigger stores in Manchester or closer to Hartford

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Billh491 t1_j8gqq04 wrote

I happen to work for the schools in town and from the inside I can tell you they are a great place to learn and work. In fact my kid purchased a home in town knowing when the kids come they will be going to a good school.

Your family is one of the ones that have moved here and increased our enrollment by 15% since covid hit. So we must be doing something right.

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maxgray t1_j8idi7p wrote

We're hoping to get her into the pre-k at Gilead Hill this fall in the lottery. We've heard good things from others who have been here for a long time.

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Billh491 t1_j8imtz4 wrote

The BOE wants to add more preschool classes this fall. will have to see if the budget gets passed. It only passed by 2 votes last year so get involved.

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comish4lif t1_j8dixkg wrote

Good job prospects. Seems like a question only you could answer.

What are your skills, education and experience? Have you researched the job market in CT?

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caimseeker OP t1_j8drb0n wrote

I have been a co owner of 2 small business, and have experience doing payroll, advertising and the like. I have my real estate license in Florida but I am not sure if I would want to continue doing that in CT. I am currently a dispatcher for a union, which I do enjoy.

I have not done too in depth job searches yet as I’m not sure where we land. Remote work may end up being what I go for, but I think I would enjoy working with people more so I don’t want to close any doors.

Eta: By good job prospects, I really mean some where that reasonably has jobs available. I could tell you beautiful places to live here, but there is no where to work.

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squirrell1974 t1_j8dkfb8 wrote

Not sure what you mean by historic home, but if you literally mean it's listed on the registry of historic homes or it's located in a historic district, it's pretty important that you know what that actually means for the house you're looking at. It's sort of like buying something with a HOA. Often it comes with rules like you can't update certain things or you can only reside your house with wood and it has to be the same color as the old siding. I have friends who own houses like that and it's a struggle.

If that isn't what you mean, and really you just want something 100+ years old, please ignore this comment!

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WonderChopstix t1_j8diwnm wrote

Historic home? Curious on this one. We have plenty of houses that are 100 years old but there is a lot that goes with this.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8dqa9o wrote

I’m familiar with old homes (~100 years) in Florida, but I also know that a lot of that knowledge won’t necessarily translate to a different region.

I enjoy the charm of old houses and I know they come with… quirks. What jumps to your mind when I say that that I may not be taking into account?

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WonderChopstix t1_j8dwi0x wrote

For that price range you won't have many upgrades. So you probably will have forced air heat and window AC. Very drafty house in need of insulation. Our utilities can be high.

You'll probably never keep all the critters out.

If you have any plans to renovate you'll have to bring it up to code. I had a place that still had the old tube wiring.

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8dsh04 wrote

Stone foundation/dirt floor, lack of insulation in walls you may not be aware of, very old electric hidden behind the walls even if the panel is updated. To name a few.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8dy3t0 wrote

The town I live in has quite a few houses that are 100+ years old, and while most of the old wood houses in Florida have rotted away, the remaining ones all have similar things to consider, so these are definitely all things on my radar.

That said, I’m not dead set that it must be an old house, but the history and old house charm is something I have loved since I was a little kid and I want to make my dreams come true lol!

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8dycpw wrote

Makes sense! I grew up in a house built in 1825 and my parents still live there. Definitely has its charm just comes with its quirks haha

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RededHaid t1_j8dhug4 wrote

Killingworth, East of New Haven checks all of your boxes.

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jarfin542 t1_j8di5bo wrote

Sherman is a beautiful town.

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[deleted] t1_j8dl445 wrote

[deleted]

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caimseeker OP t1_j8duis3 wrote

I’d love to know a bit about your experience. I currently live in North Central Florida. Where about did you move from?

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teacupfullofdicks t1_j8dlqpf wrote

We’re a former military family and when my husband retired we wanted to be near family (he’s from CT). We settled in Canton (Collinsville). Great schools, good amenities, lovely neighborhoods. It’s a culture shock from what I was used to and it’s sometimes weird not having the traditional freeways that makes getting places easier but at the same time I absolutely love it here.

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beaveristired t1_j8eggut wrote

Grew up in Collinsville and highly recommend. It is a little far from the highway but otherwise it’s a lovely area. Love the history of the area, the rail trail, access to nature, local farms, all without feeling too rural. Lots of historic homes, and a lot of older homes (50s-80s) that are more affordable than the newer mcmansion developments, although they might be a bit small for a large family.

I also recommend the Unionville section of Farmington and Weatogue section of Simsbury. Affordable areas in really nice towns.

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KaladinsDad t1_j8hyg3y wrote

There are a couple of CT towns with good access to either I-395 or I-95. Even Route 2 is fairly "highway-ish"

But yes, if OP wants to avoid or have access to faster connecting roads they can.

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essaitchthrowaway3 t1_j8drjm6 wrote

We get posts like this all the time, but I just don't understand how so few of them mention where they will be working. If you work in Stamford that is totally different than if you work in Hartford which is totally different than if you work in New haven.

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KaladinsDad t1_j8hypde wrote

On the other hand commutes in Florida are farther. Used to take a full 35 minutes to get to high school in FL on I-95. Driving like 75 mph.

CT is only 2 hours wide. Drive from JAX to Miami and thats like 10 hours.

What Floridians don't get is that the Merritt aint like 8-lane I-95. CT driving IS different. Heck CT I-95 isn't like FL I-95. Half the lanes and twice the traffic.

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caimseeker OP t1_j9p8xtc wrote

That’s a helpful metaphor. I drive on I75, as opposed to I95, but I get the comparison. You have to drive for hours just to be in the same dang state, so when I look at CT I wonder if there is something deceptive about the drives, because to me it’s like only a couple of Florida counties big.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8dyfqa wrote

I don’t know where I’ll be working. Maybe remotely, maybe not. I am more concerned about good schools and then finding work that fits into that.

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essaitchthrowaway3 t1_j8e6mmm wrote

That doesn't make sense. We aren't that big of a state, but we don't have industries and specific companies everywhere. For instance if someone is in finance, then south west is the place. Insurance is Hartford area.

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SignorCampy t1_j8ejcwg wrote

Have you heard of the automobile?

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essaitchthrowaway3 t1_j8epnly wrote

Are you for real? How big of a fool does one need to be to live in West Hartford, for example, but maybe work in Stamford?!

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SignorCampy t1_j8eweta wrote

5% of Americans have a similar or longer commute.

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CTdadof5 t1_j8e90y9 wrote

Around Hartford Area:

Wethersfield, Newington, Rockhill and west Hartford. All affordable and good schools. Mostly insurance/financial and healthcare jobs in capital city and surrounding area. Great ethic, racial and economic mix. Lots of old beautiful homes especially old wethersfield and west Hartford.

Glastonbury, Farmington, simsbury - more expensive, somewhat better schools, more homogeneous. - upper middle class white and Asian folk. Commute for work. More fancy.

Fairfield county - very good schools. Way more expensive. Lots of jobs…commutable to NY and places like Stamford. Very fancy.

NW Corner - lots of rural areas. Very bucolic. Long commutes. Mix of very expensive towns and affordable. Some hicks.

NE corner. Rural. Maybe unfairly, but feels like this area is a bit depressed. Rural with some small cities. Hicks abound.

A lot of great shoreline towns east of New Have.

South East CT - basically Rhodesia Island. Haha. Not very familiar with this area.

And we promise to not take books/history away or ask your daughters when they are menstruating.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8en0ck wrote

That last sentence is a large part of why I am taking my happy ass out of Florida, along with my 4 daughters.

And thanks, this is good info!

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Lcomotive t1_j8f5s3k wrote

The claim that the NE corner is “hicks abound” is a stretch especially coming from FL. Sincerely from a Floridian. You won’t find the per capita rate of Confederate flags and lifted trucks with “Trump 2024” anywhere in CT compared to even the suburbs of FL.

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KaladinsDad t1_j8hz4zl wrote

Certainly you get Trump flags north of Norwich pretty quickly. But yes, they still aren't as frequent or as intense as other states.

OP should just stay away from the Killingly school system. Their school board has been in the news a little too much recently for some Red state red meat type nonsense.

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Phantastic_Elastic t1_j8fzeky wrote

East of Hartford around UConn is all nice, small towns with easy proximity to the Hartford Metro. Coventry, willington, Mansfield, Tolland, all good schools with reasonable property values, nice big yards, not congested, etc.

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Alternative-Try8265 t1_j8dj29j wrote

Branford/guilford

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8djisv wrote

Definitely agree that it checks their boxes but it will be tough to find 4+ bedrooms in that price range.

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Alternative-Try8265 t1_j8dkko0 wrote

is that so? i wouldve guessed that for the old saybrook area i had no idea branford was that expensive and i live here

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8dlasl wrote

Yep, Branford is pretty expensive. I just did a quick search on the MLS for 4+ Bedrooms in Branford the least expensive one currently active is 709k.

That is not the norm so I expanded the search to include currently under contract and closed in the last 90 days. The least expensive 4+ bedroom house was 394k and its only 1512SQFT so those 4 bedrooms are probably pretty small...and its part of an HOA with 299/month fees.

There were less expensive ones that sold but they were far from move in ready and will probably be relisted as flips soon if I had to guess.

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Alternative-Try8265 t1_j8dz77x wrote

709k is insane.. that can buy an enormous property in most states cant it?

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CTRealtorCarl t1_j8dzmhv wrote

It definitely can in some states. As I said though 709k being the lowest is by no means the norm, it's heavily influenced by this market and lower-priced homes going under contract. Thats why I changed the search. I would say for Branford $525k-$550k is probably about average for a decent 4-bedroom house.

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Esrianna t1_j8dq0y6 wrote

Live on the same side of the Connecticut river that you work. I got this tip when I moved here in August and it’s proved invaluable

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maxgray t1_j8dx2rl wrote

depends. I cross the Putnam bridge on Rt 3 to get from Hebron to New Haven and its ok

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chop_your_cock_off t1_j8dk5ju wrote

Is 300 to 350k cash for a house downpayment or is that all in house cost?

​

Also, will you be working remotely or need to commute somewhere? Those are two important questions.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8ds1k1 wrote

I will have about 250k in cash to put towards a house. I’d really just like to keep my mortgage amount as low as possible.

Re working: both options are on the table. I would like to try to end up somewhere that would offer an easy ish commute should I end up going that route.

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chop_your_cock_off t1_j8eab2j wrote

>CT). We settled in Canton (Collinsville). Great schools, good a

It seems most of the replies you got were for a total house budget of 300k.

If you are looking to put down 250k, I would check out New Canaan and the surrounding towns.

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commieincel t1_j8dkk0a wrote

Good choice, I’m from CT living in FL trying to get back to the northeast. I grew up in Litchfield, good schools, a little small / isolating for my big pond attitude. Still beautiful

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caimseeker OP t1_j8dyymt wrote

I’m born and raised here in FL, but have family all over New England. I have wanted out of Florida since I was a teenager and it’s finally looking possible. It used to be too expensive to consider going up north, but now Florida is not the cheap, low cost of living place it once was (not to mention how I feel about the political situation) and I’m antsy to leave this place behind.

What part of Florida do you live in?

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commieincel t1_j8e38p8 wrote

I live in Bradenton FL / Lakewood Ranch

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caimseeker OP t1_j8eltmb wrote

I’m somewhat familiar with that area. I grew up in Brandon, and my dad and step mom live in Sarasota. It’s pretty busy down there… but where isn’t at this point.

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lacybee t1_j8dn51m wrote

Shelton. Low taxes. Lots of businesses. Tons of great restaurants. Close to everything. Good schools. Did I mention low taxes?

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PlayerOneDad t1_j8dp1se wrote

You won't find a 4 bedroom in that budget, though. Unless you want that 1 house currently listed that looks like it might fall over.

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BeachAdjacent t1_j8dp3wb wrote

Picture an upside-down capital "T." The central north / south corridor and the entire coast east to west is where you'll find a house that is absolutely not more than 25 minutes to every amenity you could ever want. The northeast and northwest are more rural and lack some of the infrastructure and conveniences you might want.

In CT you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a pre- Revolution home, and we still have quite a few from the late 1600's. If you aren't a very good craftsman, any work you do on an older home might open a can of worms that will cost thousands to fix. A friend wanted to add an electrical outlet. Opened up a bit of wall and found old corn cobs had been used as insulation. Job took longer than expected, and old corn cobs sucked up the humidity and began to rot. Had to open up the entire wall to remove old "insulation" and redo everything. A new plug ended up being a major renovation.

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caimseeker OP t1_j8duvhm wrote

Work doesn’t scare me, the amount of money it might cost by opening up a can worms by accident does lol.

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NATO1092 t1_j8g6f6n wrote

North West hills to avon.....salem......preston ....lisbon...hebron...columbia...up to north east corner...bunch of good ones

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Impossible_Watch7154 t1_j8hhiuj wrote

East of Hartford into Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, South Windsor, Hebron will be cheapest.

Also check into Middletown (south of Hartford)

I would look into a 'historic reproduction' . An 'historic home' no matter how much updated may have unseen issues.

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dziuniekdrive t1_j8eckdo wrote

Somewhere between hartford and new haven for jobs and decent schools.

Berlin, Cromwell, Wallingford, Newington - just some options.

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danaaa405 t1_j8ej3rj wrote

There are so many! I’m an agent in Hartford county and id love to help. My favs are the Farmington valley and Glastonbury all have excellent school.

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gyst_ t1_j8ggvaw wrote

Good luck

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BoatAccidentSurvivor t1_j8icyxo wrote

You’re moving the wrong direction unless you enjoy authoritarian government.

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2PlenTiful4U t1_j8eew5e wrote

Moved from FL three+ years ago.My advice is DON"T DO IT. They tax EVERYTHING here. There are NO BEACHES HERE. The worst drivers on the planet live here. The shittiest roads you will ever drive on. Driving at night here is the worst.There are NO FUCKING LIGHTS, NO REFELECTORS ON THE ROAD and the shittiest of the shitty drivers work 2nd and 3rd shifts. There are three seasons.Winter, Leaf season and Winter.. It is an hour to go anywhere and an hour to find parking. This sub is full of haters that would down vote their momma if she spoke the truth about the shitty state STAY AWAY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

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gyst_ t1_j8ggr9t wrote

An hour? Dude, where do you live? It takes me less than an hour to drive into New Haven, and I live on the opposite side of the CT River. And New Haven is FAR from the closest city from me.

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Lcomotive t1_j8f7fdc wrote

Lol two winters. We didn’t even have a winter this year. I got to play pond hockey once.

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