CT Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns

This is the second in a four part series highlighting the rating of Connecticut cities and towns by Connecticut Magazine. In our first post, we focused on the largest cities in our state, those with populations of 50,000 or more. To recap, the publication set the following criteria for the rankings: They first sorted the localities into four groups based on population:

• 10,000 – 15,000
• 15,000 – 25,000
• 25,000 – 50,000
• 50,000+ (Towns with populations below 10,000 will be featured in their own rankings in the March 2010 issue; see here for the 2007 rankings)

Then, information was collected in the quality-of-life criteria that are most important to residents:

• Schools
• Crime Rate
• Cost of Living
• Local Economy
• Leisure/Cultural Outlets

Then the numbers were crunched and rankings were awarded based on how the towns scored in those criteria, with a “1” being the best score possible. In this second part of the series, we’ll be taking a look at the next population segment, between 25,000 and 50,000 residents, and specifically those in our market area:

25,000 - 50,000: Cheshire and Wallingford Represent!

Of the 24 towns in this population group, Cheshire and Wallingford both did very well, ranking 4th and 6th respectively. Cheshire’s strengths lie in its having the lowest crime rate in the category and a strong educational system; however, it’s high cost of living and lack of leisure activities kept it from ranking higher.

Wallingford really didn’t excel in any one area, but was solid in most categories except cost of living. It was buoyed by its low crime rate (#7) and leisure (#8), fueled by its having a newly-remodeled library, 2 golf courses, many good restaurants and also for being the home of Oakdale Theater.

Here’s the full set of rankings for this population segment:

The most startling disparity revealed by the editor’s commentary was the fact that Westport, the #1 town in this population segment, has a median home price of $970,000, which is larger than that of Glastonbury, Cheshire and New Milford combined! Amazing!

Remember, these rankings are not to be considered the last word in what the quality of life is in a particular city/town; however, they are a starting point and can be used as a point of comparison when making a decision about where to live in the state. There are many reasons for liking –or not liking - a specific city or town that transcend any statistical ranking or report, and only you can decide if a place is right for you and your family.

In Part Three of this series, we’ll take a look at the next population size, cities between 15,000 and 25,000 residents. To see these results in their entirety, pick up a copy of Connecticut Magazine’s November issue, on sale now at your favorite store or newsstand.

CT Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns

In the November issue of Connecticut Magazine, the Trumbull-based publication has, for the first time since 2006, provided a look at how various cities and towns rank based on several criteria. They first sorted the localities into four groups based on population:

• 10,000 – 15,000
• 15,000 – 25,000
• 25,000 – 50,000
• 50,000+ (Towns with populations below 10,000 will be featured in their own rankings in the March 2010 issue; see here for the 2007 rankings)

Then, information was collected in the quality-of-life criteria that are most important to residents:

• Schools
• Crime Rate
• Cost of Living
• Local Economy
• Leisure/Cultural Outlets

Then the numbers were crunched and rankings were awarded based on how the towns scored in those criteria, with a “1” being the best score possible.

In this four part series of posts, we’re going to highlight how some towns in our market area fared, as well as the rest of the rankings. So, without an further ado, here’s Part One:

50,000+ : Hamden Hangs In There, Meriden Trails

There were 17 cities on the list in this category, represented by Hamden and Meriden. Hamden did well, placing 7th on the list (but down from 5th in the last rankings) and scoring high in the Crime Rate behind only Fairfield and Greenwich. Hamden did poorest in the area of Leisure/Culture, scoring only 14th out of 17.

Meriden, surprisingly, tied for last place among these 17 cities, doing well in Cost of Living (5th), but finishing last in Leisure/Culture. It was in 12th place for each of the other 3 categories. It is interesting to note that, in the Cost of Living area, the top cities on the list had the highest cost of living, while they scored very well in the other areas. Here’s the chart of results:

Town               Education Crime  Economy    Cost      Leisure   Total

According to these rankings, it appears that the state’s big cities continue to struggle with low educational scores, elevated crime rates and unstable economies. Hartford finished dead last in all three of those categories, while New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury all showed poorly as well. However, these localities also provide some of the state’s best leisure and cultural amenities.

Remember, these rankings are not to be considered the last word in what the quality of life is in a particular city/town; however, they are a starting point and can be used as a point of comparison when making a decision about where to live in the state. There are many reasons for liking –or not liking - a specific city or town that transcend any statistical ranking or report, and only you can decide if a place is right for you and your family.

In Part Two of this series, we’ll take a look at the next population size, cities between 25,000 and 50,000 residents. To see these results in their entirety, pick up a copy of Connecticut Magazine’s November issue, on sale now at your favorite store or newsstand.

Wallingford Sonic Drive-In Update

Back in July, we posted the news about a Sonic Drive-In restaurant possibly coming to Wallingford. That news took another step towards reality today with the report that Robert Mesite, owner of the Villa Capri and now-gone Yankee Silversmith restaurants has submitted a site plan for Connecticut's first Sonic Drive-In to be built on the vacant lot where his landmark Yankee Silversmith once stood.

The proposal is for a 1,700 square foot restaurant with no indoor seating (they roller skate the food to your car, remember?) that Mesite hopes will be completed by next spring. Mesite and his family are also reportedly in negotiations to bring franchises to several other locations in the state as well, so even though Wallingford is fairly centrally located in the state, there may be a time when a Sonic is only a few minutes drive away, no matter where you live.

This is great news for all the Sonic fans in the state that have been salivating over the possibility of Sonic coming here, now it seems their wait may be coming to an end. Better get on over to the Sonic web site now and sign up for that Sonic Cruisers membership, Spring is just around the corner, and your first Route 66 upgrade and Cherry Limeade is coming with it!

This Veteran's Day, The Harriman Team would like to take this opportunity to stop a minute and thank all the veterans, past and present, who have helped keep this great country free. As we have said in the past, we have a close connection to the military: I am a Viet Nam veteran, Pat was a military wife, and we have children who either are now or have been in the service. For all our veterans do for us, we owe it to them to take a few moments out of our busy schedules to thank them for what they do for us. The sacrifices they make, the hardships they endure, and the courage they display all entitle them to our respect, esteem and admiration.

Also, our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones in the recent shootings at Fort Hood, Texas. It's bad enough to lose someone close to you in military combat, but when unfortunate circumstances such as those at Fort Hood happen, they can only serve to draw us closer to the ones left behind, and focus our attention on the trials and tribulations they go through every day. May they take comfort from those whose love and support surrounds them, and may those who lost their lives rest in everlasting peace.

Thanks to Nicole Lahti for bringing this to our attention. Since I'm a Viet Nam veteran and have 3 kids who are or have been in the military, I think this is great news, and couldn't happen to a more desserving group of men and women.

Back in September, we posted here that William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage and Insurance had been nominated by The Commercial Record as the best real estate company in Connecticut. Today, Bill Raveis, President and CEO, proudly announces that the company has, indeed, won that distinction:

This follows closely the recent announcement that the company had also been named the best real estate company in Massachusetts for the second consecutive year. The full results will be published in the October 23rd edition of the Commercial Record.

Congratulations to our management, staff and fellow associates for this great team effort!

[Source: William Raveis Real Estate blog]

The Iceman Cometh…

Now that Autumn has graced us with her presence, you can be sure that the frost, ice, snow, and sub-zero temperatures can’t be far behind. Time to put away your shorts, flip-flops, halter tops, T-shirts and air conditioners, and drag out the thermal underwear, boots, parkas and ice scrapers and prepare ourselves to survive another Winter.

By the same token, your home needs some preparation to be ready for winter and provide you with a warm and comfortable retreat away from the harshness of the elements.  Here’s a checklist of things you should do to get your home in shape to enjoy winter.

Inside…

• The most important thing is to ensure that your heating system is in peak operating condition. You can test it yourself to make sure it puts out heat when the thermostat is turned up, but we recommend you have it checked by a qualified heating technician. Most utility companies have service plans you can sign up for that provide periodic checks of your furnace for a nominal fee.
• Make sure all heating vents, baseboards and radiators are working properly and not blocked so that warm air can circulate freely.
• If not already in place, it’s a good idea to install carbon monoxide (CO2) detectors in any areas where you might suspect the presence of this silent but deadly gas. Most home improvement stores sell these detectors, and you can even get them with smoke detectors combined into one unit.
• Remove any window air conditioning units and check the closed windows for drafts; seal any leaks that you find. If the A/C unit can’t be removed, at least protect it with a good quality air conditioner cover.
• If you have a fireplace, it’s a good idea to have it professionally serviced to ensure the chimney isn’t obstructed, that it’s clean and there are no creosote build-ups, and there are no cracks in the masonry that might cause a fire to spread into the walls behind the chimney.
• Check any exposed water pipes in uninsulated areas like crawlspaces to ensure they are properly insulated. Cracked pipes in the winter are no fun!
• Check the weather stripping on all doors and windows to make sure no drafts enter your home. Replace any that is cracked, brittle or missing.

…and Outside.

• Make sure the roof is in good condition, and make any needed repairs to shingles or flashing.
• Clean out all gutters and rain spouts. Clogged rain gutters can lead to ice damming, which in turn can cause leaks inside your home.
  
• Turn off the water supply to exterior faucets and drain the water from them. Disconnect any garden hoses, drain the water and store them for the winter.
• Either cover all patio furniture or store it in a shed, if available.
• Whatever your method of snow removal, make sure it’s ready for winter: inspect shovels for cracked blades and handles, replace if necessary; have gas on hand for your snow blower and inspect it to ensure there are no blockages which could damage the machine or cause injury. Or, have your snow removal company’s phone number handy!

Another great idea is to have a Home Energy Audit performed on your home. We wrote a post about this last year, and it really is a valuable tool to help you prepare for the winter heating season.

These are just a few tips to help you get your home ready for cold weather. Taking action now could be the difference between a nice, comfy winter and a long, miserable one.

For the past few years, we have participated in our company’s annual drive to collect donations for the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund.  We would again like to offer our friends and clients the opportunity to help this exceptionally worthy cause by investing in a chance to win some seriously great prizes in our annual raffle.

Tickets this year are only $5 each, and we have a virtually unlimited supply of them, so don't feel like to need to hold back! Simply leave a comment on this post to let us know how many tickets you would like, then MAIL a check to us at:

Pat & Wayne Harriman

William Raveis Real Estate

465 S. Main St.

Cheshire, CT 06410

(Please make checks payable to : William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc.)

As soon as we receive your check, we’ll send your tickets to you, with our wishes for good luck….and our thanks for your help! Or if you’d rather pay by credit card, just call us at 203-605-3873 and we can do it all over the phone, or we can meet face to face if you're local!

Please scroll down for a copy of the ticket showing the prizes available, and some general background on the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund.  Have a look, and I’m sure you’ll agree this is something you want to participate in too!

Won’t you please help out this year?

2009 marks the 5^th anniversary for the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. and the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund. We’ve Raised more than One Million Dollars over the course of these past five years in support of those diagnosed with breast cancer and in search of a cure. We could not have accomplished this without your raffle ticket purchases and generous donations. Thank you!

In January of this year, The William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. has pledged $750,000 to establish the William Raveis ACS Navigator Care Program at the University of Connecticut Heath Center, Farmington, CT and $165,000 to the Navigator Care Program at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, MA, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. With the assistance of trained volunteers/survivors, this innovative program helps patients navigate through diagnosis and treatment. These programs are expanding to include patients with other types of cancer as well.

194,280 new cases and 40,610 deaths from breast cancer are expected to be reported this year. Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 cancers diagnosed in US women. This year, approximately 1,910 cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among men, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers.

Let’s give everyone a fighting chance. Thank you for your support!