Affordability, location driving Trumbull’s surge
TRUMBULL — Having lived in major cities like New York and Tampa, there was no doubt in Cassie Castillo’s mind where she wanted to live when it was time to start thinking about raising a family.
“Having experienced the suburban lifestyle, that’s something I want my family to have,” said Castillo, 32, who recently bought a house in the Nichols section of Trumbull with her fiance, Jonathan Faccento, 38.
“We were looking since October, and we went back and forth, looking at houses in Shelton and Monroe,” Castillo said. “But Trumbull had this close- knit, New England feel, and it’s right off the Parkway and so central to everything.”
Castillo and Faccento are part of an influx of new residents that has made Trumbull the No. 2 community in Connecticut in terms of people moving into town. According to a U. S. Postal Service change- of- address study by Dallas- based CBRE Group, 2,413 people relocated to Trumbull in 2020, nearly 500 more than
the 1,948 who moved to town in 2019. The net increase of 516 new residents last year is more than triple 2019’ s net gain of 155, according to the report.
The statistic is so notable that First Selectman Vicki Tesoro made mention of it in her recent announcement that she is seeking a third term in office.
“It is no accident that Trumbull is second in the state for people moving in. It is the result of hard work and focus on things that matter to people,” Tesoro said. “There are plenty of communities from which to choose but these people chose Trumbull. Clearly, we remain a community of choice.”
But what is it about Trumbull that made it such an attractive destination in 2020? Real estate agent John McBride said the town’s location played a key role.
“When you look at buyers coming from New York, Trumbull still allows for entry- level home buying,” he said. “Compared to some of the other Fairfield County towns at a million dollar price point, you get a lot of house in Trumbull for $ 450,000.”
Trumbull also has a school system that is considered among the best in the area. Other Fairfield County communities also pride themselves on their school systems, but Trumbull remains considerably more affordable than the lower Fairfield County towns with similar school rankings, McBride said.
In addition, when the COVID- 19 pandemic struck and more and more people began working remotely, Trumbull’s location just over 60 miles from Midtown Manhattan suddenly became less of a deterrent for commuters, said fellow real estate professional Ken Martin.
“When you look at the new houses going in at the former Moorefield farm, there are premium homes that are going to be selling in the $ 700,000 range,” Martin said. “That kind of square footage and design in Fairfield would cost $ 900,000.”
And while Fairfield has two Metro- North train stations and Trumbull has none, Martin said the same location that provides easy access to the Merritt Parkway and I- 95 also made for an easy commute to the New Haven rail line.
“My son commuted to New York City, and he took the train from Bridgeport. It was 12 minutes from his house to the station,” Martin said. “And you can actually get parking at the Bridgeport station instead of getting on a waiting list for a spot at Fairfield. So if you’re going to live in Fairfield and drive 10 minutes to the train, living in Trumbull and driving 12 minutes to the train really opens up a lot of options.”
And in 2020, the commute becomes much more palatable for workers like Faccento, who works for a company with its headquarters on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan but has been working remotely since the pandemic began. Even when offices reopen, he said, the practice of working remotely is likely here to stay.
“I used to live in New Haven and made that commute into the city on the train before I moved to Queens for eight years,” he said. “But when we started looking at houses last year, going into the city once or twice a week, or a few times a month, and with trains running express from Fairfield into Grand Central, it’s not so bad.”
In addition to the all the other factors that have made Trumbull attractive to those looking to relocate, Tesoro said the construction of new apartment complexes in the Reservoir Drive corridor meant that young professionals and empty- nesters now had an additional option for moving into or remaining in town.
“It would be foolish to say the apartments had nothing to do with ( the influx), it was clearly a case of right place, right time,” she said. “Diversity of housing is so important because it gives people the opportunity to come to town and get invested in the community.”
Tesoro said the apartments give younger people not interested in owning a home a “foot in the door” that could pay off in the future.
“When they start getting into their 30s and maybe looking to start a family, they’re going to look to buy a house in Trumbull,” she said. “And the people whose kids are grown and they don’t want a house and property, it gives them a chance to stay in Trumbull.”
Meanwhile, Tesoro said, the new residents’ presence has revitalized the Reservoir Avenue corridor that was formerly home to a vacant office building and lumberyard.
“People were concerned that the apartments would hurt the town, and we’ve seen that it hasn’t,” she said. “But now, when you drive through the area, it looks totally different.”
The new residents also help support a growing restaurant scene, Tesoro said.
“We’ve done a good job blending development into areas like Long Hill Green and lower Madison Avenue while still retaining traditional, old- fashioned residential streets through town,” she said.
And while no one would say Trumbull has an active scene for night life, Martin said the new restaurants and other additions to the town have not gone unnoticed by home buyers.
“It used to be, 20 or 30 years ago, we would say Trumbull is a nice place to sleep,” he said. “But now if you want to go out for dinner or to go shopping, you can do that in Trumbull. And if you want to go to New Haven or Stamford, it’s 20 minutes away. You can go to a theater or go out for the evening, and when that’s over, in 20 minutes you’re back in your house on a quiet street.”
“People were concerned that the apartments would hurt the town, and we’ve seen that it hasn’t. But now, when you drive through the area, it looks totally different.”
First Selectman Vicki Tesoro