Southbury: Best of both worlds luring new residents
While each Connecticut municipality has its unique makeup, strengths and charm, local town officials and at least one realtor will tell you that the unique environment Southbury has to offer has weekend visitors from New York making that community a permanent residence.
“Indeed, western Connecticut has seen a large influx of New Yorkers since the pandemic began,” said Justin Bette of Bette Realtors, Inc. in Southbury. “Traditionally, weekenders from New York City have focused on towns in Litchfield County like Roxbury, Bridgewater and Washington where taxes are very low and there is less housing density, which affords more privacy. These people have always come to Southbury to shop and dine though.”
First Selectman Jeffrey Manville and Economic Development Director Kevin Biemeier both believe for Southbury it’s a combination of items that few cities or towns in the state can offer that lures new residents.
“What you are seeing with the pandemic is the younger demographic that has wanted to be in the big city are taking flight out of New York City,” Bielmeier said. “They make weekend visits outside the city to a town like Southbury and they see it offers the same amenities as that city with its large retail offerings in place including shopping plazas like the Southbury Shopping Plaza and Southbury Green, its many restaurants and other things.
“And you can’t stress the location enough, the importance of being right off a major highway like
I-84. It’s minutes away from cities like Danbury and Waterbury and an easy drive to New York City if you work there or want to visit there. Another item that draws people here is you come off the highway (I-84) and you are in the midst of a busy downtown atmosphere. But only blocks away from
I-84 and you are in the midst of rolling hills and the countryside.
People love that ability to be in both worlds.”
Bette said it’s important to be even more specific when it comes to New York people venturing out of the city.
“I find the term New Yorker to be too general,” Bette said. “Those from Manhattan, and certain areas of Brooklyn, do still seem focused on Litchfield County for weekenders and Fairfield County, including Newtown, if they are looking to commute into New York City on a daily basis. We have also seen permanent relocaters from the Bronx, Queens, Yonkers and Long Island in much higher than normal numbers.
“They are more focused on towns like Danbury, Bethel and Brookfield since they will continue to commute into New York City 4-5 days a week and can get on the train more quickly from these locations. In Southbury we also see what I'd call a spill-over effect. We have buyers coming from Fairfield County who have sold their homes to New Yorkers and are looking for smaller and more affordable homes in this area. Have home sales increased? Yes and no. Inventory is still very tight.”
Bette has experienced and compiled different trends when it
comes to homes and condominium sales in the Southbury area. When it comes to a single family home in Southbury, in 2020 from January 1 to March 22, 25 homes sold for an average price of $353,740. In 2021, from January 1 to March 22, 40 homes sold for an average price of
$451,622. Bette said volume was up
50-plus percent and prices were up
30-plus percent.
When it comes to condominiums in Southbury, in 2020 from January 1 to March 22, 42 condos sold for an average price of $154,147. In 2021 from January 1 to March 22,
38 condos sold for an average price of $228,303.
“It’s interesting that sales volume on condos went down 10 percent while the average price surged 50 percent,” Bette said. “I attribute this to Heritage Village where we have less homes coming to market, which I'd wager is due to COVID-19 concerns and should change over the coming weeks as more folks get vaccinated and the weather warms up.”
Manville said he sees an uptick in out-of-state people moving in by just driving around town.
“I drive around and I see New York state plates on cars in driveways all over town,” Manville said. “People are selling homes and I’m seeing out-of-state people moving in. People are seeing the value of moving here. It’s close enough to New York if you work there or want to visit there and people realize you can get anything you want here. During the pandemic more and more people came here to get out of the city (New York) for a while and they came to realize Southbury has a decent lifestyle.
“You come through our town and a short drive from the highway (I-84) you’re in the Southbury countryside. A short drive away and you are in a countryside environment in towns like Roxbury or Washington. One moment you can be in Southbury’s busy downtown and the next moment it’s like you’re in Vermont for a day.”
Manville and Bielmeier also cite another reason people have found to move to Southbury.
“When it comes to the commercial and residential side of Southbury, low taxes have meant a steady fiscal certainty of this town that hasn’t been talked about,” Bielmeier said. “But low taxes is a truism here. You see a mill rate that has been low or steady for years and it produces a trend that you can expect when you move here with no huge increases in taxes.
“If you are buying a home with a
30-year mortgage, you want to move into a town where the longterm trend has the mill rate stable and not spiking.”
The mill rate for Southbury’s July 1, 2020-June 30 2021 fiscal year is 29.3. That compares to 29.1 for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020,
29.0 for fiscal year ending June 30,
2019, 29.3 for fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and 28.8 for fiscal year ending June 30 2017.
Manville said a great school system is another reason for people moving to Southbury. He agreed with Bielmeier that steady taxes have been a plus. When it comes to financing the town, Manville said if there was no new bonding, current bonds will be paid off in 2024.
“Once people come here, they quickly realize how unique and special Southbury is,” Bielmeier said. “It offers many things on many different levels for many people. It’s why we have seen residential growth and economic growth.”