? He’s traveling and leaving the heat on…not winterizing the home. I have never heard of anyone doing a pipe blow out unless they were vacating for the entire season and turning the heat off.

Does anyone actually do that if they are just going on vacation?

B. I think you are spot on with 55 degrees, you can probably go lower and be safe especially with the water turned off and sinks open but I always err on the side of caution when it comes to your (most likely) largest investment.

Unfortunately mice are a problem in just about every building. They find their way in no matter what, it’s somewhat impressive.

Also came here to say Arethusa's raspberry is very good and regularly stocked now (coming from someone who has Black Raspberry on top of their favorite ice cream list). Not sure where you are located OP but my family's farm store in Bethany stocks Arethusa Dairy products. Clover Nook Farm.

This. This. This.

This. Amtrak is so expensive, to save what 15 minutes? Take metro north. West Haven and Milford are both good options.

Definitely still an issue. I've had buyers walk away from homes because of the lease and the sellers refusing to pay the buyout.

Some of the buyout numbers I've seen are absolutely mind boggling.

You're welcome!

This exactly.

Don't worry T, I have been here forever and had never heard of one until this post! haha

Thank you! Glad you locked a place down, this rental market is no fun.

Congratulations! Anything else on your calendar? Its an addicting sport! But at least its a healthy addiction, or at least should be haha

Amazing performances all around. I have to say though I am blown away by Hal Bennet, 80 years old and an average pace of 8:29/mile is incredible. Peter Madden (2nd place in the 80-84 division) is a family friend and I know how hard he trains (run, bike, swim basically everyday) and he ran 11:15/mile which imo is still so impressive for 83 years old.

I think I'll be happy if I'm just able to finish the race at 80!

Chris Chisolm is quite a talent as well he's been running forever and I hope he can keep it up.

Thanks 😊

As others have mentioned, New Haven is probably your best bet. I think Westville could work really well if you are willing to drive/uber when going out.

Middletown great option too, nice downtown with unique shops/food but also close to other fun towns like West Hartford.

If looking for something a bit more rural but still "busy" with a good amount going on as far as community you may want to go take a drive through Canton/Collinsville.

Maybe take a look at some of the shoreline towns too like Milford and Branford (fairly family centric but good communities with a lot to do).

Middletown downtown area is so underrated.

As others have said watch cash heating oil.com it’s all the same stuff.

I’m not sure if you are near Bethany at all but I always use Bethany Fuel, he’s a local guy that is usually just a little higher than the low on cash heating oil but I’m willing to pay the extra for good service and supporting local/small. He also knows what he’s doing and won’t overfill etc.

I think he travels within 25 mins or so of Bethany but not positive.

No worries! Tons of variables. Happy to talk more or answer any other questions you might have.

As you already know its going to vary greatly. But I can try to get you in the ballpark.

I live in a 2100 square foot ranch and I expect to burn 700-800 gallons of oil this winter, but again this could vary. So at the current lovely price of ~$5/gallon around $3500 this year for heat.

My electric bill is fairly consistent around $170/month and I do run AC in the summer...However I have seen people talk about much higher electric bills so this one is super variable because the electric companies seem to just do whatever they want.

If you have city water its going to depend a lot on how many people are in your home but I would say budgeting for 30-45/month is reasonable...highly dependent on how many people are showering, how much laundry, watering gardens etc. If your home has well water it will be a very small bump to your electric bill.

Sorry I can't be more specific. I'm not sure if you already have a home in mind but something I've done for clients is had the sellers provide historical utility bills...especially when dealing with houses with solar because I've seen so many cases of the solar not actually saving the homeowner any money (crazy solar leases).

This is unrelated to utilities and again not sure if you have a home or town in mind... but one thing to keep in mind when working on budget is how variable property tax can be from town to town in CT. This is going to be a massive part of your monthly payment depending on where you land. And is why I encourage clients to shop by monthly payment and NOT purchase price... saying you are preapproved for 300k means almost nothing because 300k in one town could have the same monthly payment as a 400k home in another town purely because of property tax. Happy to delve more into this if you have questions.

>Do you eat fish? Rockfish is some of the best sushi I’ve had anywhere in the country.

This right here. I've had Omakase in Tokyo and Rockfish would stand a fighting chance there. I've also had it a few times in NYC and Rockfish is better AND more affordable. Not only is the sushi extremely good but as you mentioned Jason makes it an experience which is what makes it the real deal.

I wish. Was just in San Diego and had to have it twice... on a slight side note, for some reason I had never noticed until this trip that In and Out is also surprisingly good value especially considering its California. Its hard to get lunch at a Five Guys for less than $20.

Lots of different directions to go here.

Milford, definitely great has a lot to do and great spots to go out and have some drinks/food...but if you are looking to walk from spot to spot, not so much.

Hamden, has some good spots but they are few and far between (just my opinion). Outside of Mikro I don't find myself going out in Hamden all that often... most of the bars are overrun with Quinnipiac students. Side Street and Aunt Chiladas are great for people in the mid to early 20's but you may feel out of place in your 30's.

Shelton, similar to Milford has some good spots but I don't think you'll find yourself walking from spot to spot. Probably expect to see a slightly older more "local" crowd at the bars. Honestly not super familiar with Shelton, only places I have been are Spotted Horse and Crave.

I'm sure as you know the closer you get to NW CT the "quieter" it is going to get...

As others have mentioned I think a spot like Westville or East Rock would be great especially if you are renting initially.

I tell clients all the time not to buy houses, it’s a relationship business any realtor that just wants commission now isn’t in it for the long haul. I’d rather my client be happy I was honest and have them refer more business to me down the line.

For comps I provide the list of comps I find to my client so we can discuss and arrive at the value together. Happy to run comps and give you an idea of what I think on the house you are looking at though.

I agree, its nothing to write home about...just a decent restaurant on the nicer side, the dishes are hit or miss. Personally I always get the Steak Frites and it has never disappointed. Their Espresso Martini's are on point too.

I forgot about RSVP and also Community Table.

No budget = Winvian

Other amazing options in no particular order: Arethusa al Tavolo, Millwrights, Swyft, Shipwrights Daughter

All have amazing food and a great atmosphere. Honorable mention is Artisan which has locations in West Hartford and Fairfield, not quite the same tier but a place where you can go a little more often.