Connecticut Real Estate

Investing in Connecticut Real Estate

Just because you live in New England doesn't mean you have to live in the city. There are those of us who just aren't cut out for city life, and fortunately there are nice areas in all the New England states (even Jersey!) that aren't overly urbanized. For example, if you want to get away from it all, you can't do much better than Connecticut real estate. Whether you're looking for a primary home, a summer cottage, some wooded acreage, or just a nice piece of land, you can find it in the Constitution State. For the more urban-oriented among us, there are also plenty of condos and townhouses available, and even business and industrial sites.

As one of the original thirteen colonies, Connecticut boasts a vibrant heritage and culture. It's not unknown for Connecticut real estate to retain structures and features dating from the first years of European colonization, from old clapboard churches to quaint stone cisterns and wells. While the appeal of Connecticut real estate largely lies with the fact that it's located away from the population centers along the coast, you shouldn't conclude that it's exclusively rural: there is, in fact, a fine mix of rural and urban environments, sufficient to gladden the heart of any suburban warrior with its accessibility to all the best that both types of environments have to offer.

New neighbors

When on the prowl for Connecticut real estate, your best bet would be to discuss the options with people who know Connecticut and its real estate options: friend and relatives if you have any experienced ones, or real estate agents if you don't. Otherwise, you have two options: you can go there in person, or you can fire up the ol' Internet and visit virtually. The first option is fine if you live nearby; you can make a day trip of it. However, if you're in Dallas or LA, it's probably best to surf to Connecticut online.

Connecticut real estate is much the same as anywhere else, and there's certainly something to appeal to every taste, whether you're looking for a tony condo in Hartford or New Haven, or a dairy farm in far Litchfield County. What else is available for discerning buyer? Homes of every description, lofts, ranches, non-dairy farms, hayfields, forests, lakes, farmland, commercial sites, industrial sites, waterfront lots, recreational facilities…need we go on?

Before you buy

As enchanted as you may be about concept and reality of Connecticut real estate, before you slap down that earnest money on a piece of property, it behooves you to do your homework first. Read everything you can about Connecticut real estate law and taxes. Not that you're likely to find anything unusual, but if you're not a Connecticut resident and already up on the issues, you should know what to expect. It may make for dry reading, but one of the best sources for such info is Katherine Pancak's book Connecticut Real Estate Practice and Law, a favorite of Connecticut real estate agents and lawyers.