OT: Thinking of retiring to Willimantic in a year or two. Cold doesn't scare me.

[UConnDad]

Didn't know this!!! Another great move in the right direction if it comes to fruition for retirees!!!

 

[8893]

Wow, Willimantic. Wouldn’t be my choice. But if real estate is as cheap now as everyone says, a place near the southeastern CT coast wouldn’t be bad. Still plenty close enough to UConn games.

I wanted to retire on a Cape Cod, but I’m being priced out. Considering southeastern MA, around Westport or similar.

Might want to check the prices in Westport. The people I know with houses there are CEOs and hedge fund guys.

 

[SoFla Steve]

I miss Connecticut. All of my family and my best and oldest friends are there. South Florida has become overdeveloped, crowded, noisy, and every crazy national news story seems to have its roots here.

With that said, I'm staying here because Florida has no state income tax, the weather is great, I have a two minute walk to the beach or a $1 trolley ride to Margaritaville and Hollywood Beach. I don't think I could afford CT's taxes, cost of heating (much, much higher than A/C costs) and I simply can't take the cold and snow anymore. Here, ice is something that exists only in your drink.

I miss going to all of the games, too. FWIW, I'll be there for mighty UMass-Lowell to help fill in the lower bowl seats.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

People don't like facts when it's easier to take a dump on your state. This is the most CT. thread ever, people talking about a small town like it's the drug capital of the world because somebody did a special on their drug problem 20 years ago. You can get a house now in CT. for so much less than you could have back in the day, retiring to CT. is not at all a terrible idea if you have no problem with the weather.

This board always reminds me that a lot of CT. people haven't travelled much, a lot of the country really sucks.

Says the guy who left CT.

 

[HooperScooper]

Might want to check the prices in Westport. The people I know with houses there are CEOs and hedge fund guys.

Westport, MA? I imagine there are very expensive houses on the water but I don't think most of the town is too expensive. It's definitely not cheap like down south though.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

the United States--all 50, all good. anywhere is a good place if you like it, and nowhere is good if you don't. Willimantic is more small town urban than new milford, and is more boston-ish (maybe providence-ish is more accurate) in identity, while new milford is more new York-ish. UConn, casinos, beaches, boston, big outdoors, all reasonable and convenient local attractions.

 

[8893]

Westport, MA? I imagine there are very expensive houses on the water but I don't think most of the town is too expensive. It's definitely not cheap like down south though.

Yes Westport, MA. And yes they are on the water. But there is not a lot of inventory in town that is not on or near the water. I’ve looked for reasonably priced rentals in the area and have never had much luck.

South County, RI is still a decent value imo, but getting less so every year—precisely because of the invasion of CT people (including our former head coach; the one who is in the HOF).

 

[Waquoit]

Where else would you go? Hell to me would be living in the Confederacy. The west coast is too expensive. Two weeks in a row in Florida is enough.

 

[superjohn]

Says the guy who left CT.

I like big cities which CT. doesn't have. CT. is a mess economically but the idea it doesn't have anything going for it for a retiree is just stupid.

 

[Waquoit]

CT does have every other state beat in the self-loathing department.

 

[browndog319]

As a retired person I plan on selling my house (sorry not for less than $300,000) and moving back to the land of my birth, Eastern PA. Taxes are one reason but not the only reason. The main reason is probably nostalgia. Everyone wants to revisit their youth.

Good luck with that. Just sold my house in Eastern PA for $500K. With NJ taxes being what they are, where do you think everyone is going? Nice low taxes but there’s been a huge spike in property values. Worked out for me...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Willimantic isn't Beverly Hills, but it's not Detroit either.

My favorite brewery is there (WilliBrew), you can shop groceries for really cheap at Price Rite (and we do), the main street is growing with some cool businesses, we bought our son a bike at their cycle shop, I get my pool cues repaired there, etc.

I live a couple towns to the west, but I can tell that most people commenting here don't live anywhere near there. If you want to retire there, do it. Go the way of Wally Lamb, visit the railroad museum, and the whole nine. And welcome back to CT...

It’s a lot closer to Detroit than Beverly Hills by a wide margin.

 

[tuvent08]

Sort of reminds me of Parks and Rec in which Jerry has a timeshare in Muncie.

 

[Danzz]

I've been down in NC for 20 years, and am considering retiring near Storrs. I like the fact that there is a bit of a downtown area with some historic nature. Seems house prices are cheap, although taxes are stiff (in all of CT). Never been there. Any thoughts how it may compare to say New Milford or is it more like Park St/Maple Ave in Hartford? I'm not keen on the Simsbury/Glastonbury suburbs, although I want to be safe at 11 o'clock at night if walking.

I seem to recall that Willimantic had a huge drug problem but I may be confusing it with another town in that area.

 

[Connrack]

Says the guy who left CT.

He has another vantage point, and perhaps, a better perspective.

 

[intlzncster]

"willimantic is the heroin capital of the ..."

Nah, everywhere is.

Trust this man.

 

[uconnphil2016]

It’s a lot closer to Detroit than Beverly Hills by a wide margin.

Well yeah, but Beverly Hills isn’t exactly the ideal. I’d hate to live there

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

He has another vantage point, and perhaps, a better perspective.

Well, I’ve been to 46 states and 5 countries. I can tell you without hesitation that the last place I’d want to retire is CT. Once my kids are fully grown I’m out.

 

[UConnDan97]

It’s a lot closer to Detroit than Beverly Hills by a wide margin.

Which is still not informing anyone here.

It's not a bad place to be. I've already added some places that I like to go in willimantic, but there are even more than that. Grab some Hosmer soda and go to Motta's bakery on the edge of town to get some nice Italian baked goods.

Will you be surrounded by millionaires? Nope. But that's not what you need to retire anyways...

 

[eastmill]

Which is still not informing anyone here.

It's not a bad place to be. I've already added some places that I like to go in willimantic, but there are even more than that. Grab some Hosmer soda and go to Motta's bakery on the edge of town to get some nice Italian baked goods.

Will you be surrounded by millionaires? Nope. But that's not what you need to retire anyways...

Motta's is in Columbia

 

[FDNY99]

Willimantic is the heroin capital of the US..i would definitely avoid living there. If you want to be near storrs, try Bolton or even Mansfield. I wouldn’t feel safe walking around willimantic at night unless I was packing heat

The heroin/opoid crisis has hit Northeastern CT equally now...The reputation of Willimantic is no longer the reality. Truth is you can get quality heroin in places like Bolton, Mansfield and even Glastonbury now..sometimes even better quality than there is in Willimantic. This has allowed the Main St to open up some businesses like A Cupcake For Later among others that have started to SLOWLY revitalize that place. Unless you live there you must be basing your opinion off of a Hartford Courant article that was written almost 20 yrs ago. I look forward to your reply.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Which is still not informing anyone here.

It's not a bad place to be. I've already added some places that I like to go in willimantic, but there are even more than that. Grab some Hosmer soda and go to Motta's bakery on the edge of town to get some nice Italian baked goods.

Will you be surrounded by millionaires? Nope. But that's not what you need to retire anyways...

Don’t want to be surrounded by millionaires. Too each their own I suppose.

 

[tdrink]

I live in Eastern CT. It kind of sucks that property values haven’t gone up. Gypsy moth caterpillars were not fun to deal with. Lot of rain lately.

Cold and taxes are further down my list of important factors.

 

[Dove]

@NEforceUConn you'll love that frog bridge!

 

[UConnDan97]

Motta's is in Columbia

I know. That's why I said on the edge of town. I know the family that owns it...