For those headed to UConn

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Well Grad MS, that would explain it, although I must say it'd be a pretty lame approach on his part!

I genuinely thought he was asking because I had mentioned my previous health insurance dilemma. I thought he may have actually been interested in the outcome for reasons other than his own personal potential benefit. I've really had a bad struggle in the area of my health insurance and I hope my story has benefitted others. He couldn't have seriously thought that I hadn't done my homework about UConn and the surrounding area! Did he think his comments would persuade me or any of the others to turn our backs on a school like UConn? That's ridiculous!

I think you may be right. He asked that question out of nowhere. I answered him thoroughly and courteously and then he immediately jumped on that one fact that he thought I was so wrong about, stating to the whole board "Margaret is misinformed." Like anyone in this thread thinks I'm misinformed.

Anyway, thanks for pointing that out. I really do hope you get a seat at UConn. You sound like you really want to go there. Are you high up on the wait list?

Margaret :)
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Well, how about that. This old gopher's memory still remains viable. I darn near went into a self doubt death spiral a few monhts back after being informed that I was off base on my recollection that I had found housing costs near the UCONN medical center to be reasonable when I visited the area in October of 2000.
 
Hmmmmmm......that's very interesting Groundhog. You'd think he'd lose his little "technique" after discovering it doesn't work! I'd have gone into self doubt myself had I not just spent months agonizing over my decision and going loony over the thought of paying $1200/month for on campus housing at Stony Brook. Similarly, condos out there are just unreachable......they cost more than houses in the areas around UConn! Add that to the special insurance that I have to buy and we are talking about $1600+ per month to pay, with only my husband working!

You know what really kills me? Here is this beyonder guy, who desperately wants to be classmates next year with about five of us who have been participating in this thread, yet he doesn't mind letting us see his underhandedness. This doesn't sound like someone who is headed for a professional career, where fellow future dentists can compete fairly yet also treat each other collegially and realize that we have common goals and interests and that we can benefit each other.

Thanks for sharing that tidbit, groundhog!

Margaret
 
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Hi,
Wow talk about way off base. Margaret you are saying that the surrounding areas of Uconn Farmington are dirt cheap. If you look at my post I mentioned specifically that West Hartford and Farmington are expensive. I also mentioned that the c.o.l. in Connecticut is number 43 out of 50 (I found this in the Tight Wad Gazette). Sure Stony Brook is expensive, however I was relaying a fact about Connecticut. Farmington and West Hartford are expensive parts of Hartford County, and they are expensive parts of Connecticut. Is Hartford County as expensive as Boston or New York City? No. However if you look at the Southeastern part of Connecticut, ie the Gold Coast, the prices are extremely high. I noticed that you mentioned Southington. The prices there are inexpensive. However Connecticut is known to have high taxes(property and vehicle) and high housing prices. Sure there are parts of Connecticut that can't compare to the cost of living in say New York City, but I am talking about Connecticut itself. Is the c.o.l of Plymouth Connecticut as high as the c.o.l of NYC, of course not, but that was not what I was saying. Once again to clarify, the c.o.l of Connecticut is high. The c.o.l of Farmington and West Hartford is high for Hartford County. East Hartford and New Britian have low c.o.l in Hartford County.
This post was not meant to be a ploy to lead anyone away from attending Uconn. I am sure that everyone that was accepted to varying dental schools several months ago have given up their spots to varying schools. I am sure a good majority of students that have been accepted to schools early on now have their plans set and there is no changes that will be made. I have no interest in changing anyones mind in regards to any school, and anyone that thinks I am doing so is ignorant of my true intentions. I came to give my knowledge of a state that I have lived in for 26 years, I think my knowledge is more entrenched than those that have never lived here. Also my plans for the future in no way involve Uconn, I have made this intention particularly clear to the associate dean of the school.
Since Margaret has asked. I have registered to this site in 2000. I applied to medical schools in 1999, and was rejected. I took a year off to reevaluate my future. In 2001 I have applied to osteopathic, dental, and pharmacy schools. As of this moment I will be attending school in the fall, as I have been accepted. Yes Margaret I am a reject, but I have perserved. I have not had the easiest path, but I continue to trudge on. When I stated that you are misinformed, I feel I am right. The surrounding areas of the school are not dirt cheap. I would say that 99% of the residents of Connecticut do not consider Farmington to be dirt cheap. There are relatively inexpensive areas surrounding Farmington, but there are also some very expensive areas. If anyone is interested in information about condos or apartments in specific price ranges in relatively close proximity to Uconn I would be happy to share.
 
You are dragging this on needlessly, beyonder. Anyone interested in going to UConn can check out the cost of housing in appropriate living areas. The houses in Farmington may be expensive relative to the rest of the country. I haven't heard a single student here say they were looking for a house. They either want rentals or to purchase condos. I have found very reasonable prices (relative to Stony Brook) in Farmington and extraordinary deals outside of Farmington, but within commutable distance to the school. Sharing a rental (which many students do) or purchasing a condo will put the student well within the allowable estimate for housing range that UConn distributes. So what is your point? to prove me wrong or "misinformed"? Sorry, but that won't work. Don't believe me? Ask UConn for their cost of living estimate (which has been approx. the same at each school I've been to in the NE). Then see how many places within commuting distance from the school are affordable.
 
Hi,
Yes you are misinformed the c.o.l of Connecticut is one of the highest in the country. Connecticut is number 43 out of 50. Farmington has a high cost of living. Sure condo prices may be low, but the resale value of condos in not good at all. You mentioned that the c.o.l. of the Farmington area is low, you are misinformed on that. No one or no book regarding c.o.l is going to say that the Farmington area c.o.l is dirt cheap, that is where you are misinformed.
 
Hi,
originally posted by Dr. Jeff:

As for FARMington as you put it, well after living in the town for 6 years, hey its in the top 5 in per capita household income in the state with the highest annual household income in the US. Sure there are alot of BMW's and Mercedes driving around Farmington.....
 
You are just to eager to argue for no good reason, beyonder. You are completely missing it and ignoring my points (which I'm not sure why my points on this subject would actually be of interest to you anyway. LOL.)

Really, the next time someone jumps up and actually asks about housing costs in Farmington, you jump right up with your condo and rental prices, k? That seems to be what you sit around waiting to do all day anyway. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
 
Beyonder
I have enjoyed this little rant...it cracks me up to see you try to argue to the death. It would be best to just move along. I had heretofore thought I would just not reply to such ridiculousness, but alas, you forced my hand! Even when Margaret clearly had shown that prices in the area were very reasonable for condos, you had to say something about the resale value not being that high.
That is total BS! In fact, I had such a hard time getting a condo because as soon as the one I wanted had its first open house, there were 5 total offers on it; I had to offer near full cost just to secure the property. I have a listing of all of the condos in my price range (which is Im sure the same as most) and, not only are they cheaper (for what you truly get in sq. ft. and features) than those I saw in NYC, Philly, Boston, and also in Chapel Hill, NC, there is not one that has been on the market for longer than 20 days and all of the closing prices have been right at the target price! Basically, what this has shown me is that not only is property reasonably cheap, it is easy to get rid of. Right now in the country, the real estate market has been in a slump post 9/11...but that area hasnt seemed to slow down one bit. True, the c.o.l. (ie groceries, gas, an acre of land) is a bit higher than, say, TN, that illustrious bastion of rednecks, shotguns, and trailers where I'm from, but the fact of the matter is that if you dont feel the need to have a tennis court in your living room, you end up paying a lot less than at comparable cities that are also home to dental schools. I always thought this was perhaps because most of the other schools at which I had looked were right in the middle of a downtown (ie UPenn), thus property prices were at a premium-I think this must be the case.
Now, dont get me wrong, if all of us here on this thread wanted to go in on a mansion atop Avon Mountain, we would be out of luck, but I think you are way off base as far as other property in the area. Ive done more research on this whole thing than I care to admit; if you saw the place in Farmington I ended up buying and I then showed you the price I ended up stealing it for, I think you might be forced to reverse your position.
 
Hey guys,

You guys gotta chill out and keep things cool. Although I have no idea who beyonder is...what he says is VALUABLE information. He's not lying about what he says and all that. I pay roughly 900 bucks for rent in my condo IN FARMINGTON. But also, I know friends who will be paying soon $1000-1050 (2 bedroom apartment) in a further away area (New Britan/Newington,...I forget). Gas here is okay...$1.19 per gallon for the cheapest and $1.49 for highest octane. A loaf of bread is ~$2.00 per loaf (very expensive). Here's a tip...don't pick too far away from the school if you ever move here or else TRAFFIC WILL KILL YOU!!! If you do commute far...u better find the small/residential roads which can help you get here faster. There is BAD traffic problems to get to school. Anyways....that's just a little taste of UCONN.....get ready for the Death star
 
Hi Velcro Non-stick,

I really appreciate the tips on commuting. I've been discussing it in another forum with a different UConn student and she says the same thing - even in Farmington itself, traffic can be a big problem. I've seen a few condos going for somewhere in the 75-100K range, so I'm hoping to grab one of those. That should be cheaper than what you are renting for and should be perfectly suitable for hubby and me!

Margaret
 
Based on what I will be paying, I think it is a safe estimate to say the monthly payment (loan+HOA fees) will be somewhere between $600-700. Really, not that bad considering what you can get renting an apartment for similar price.
 
Hi,
Margaret you are from New York, I am from East Hartford CT. I live 15 minutes from Farmington, I feel like I am more informed than someone living in another state. I would never claimed to be more informed about rent/housing prices of someone from another state, especially if that person lived there for a long period of time. That is all I have to say to you Margaret. I said you were misinformed, perhaps I was mistaken. I feel it is completely unnecessary for me to argue with someone from another state about prices of homes/condos/rentals that are within 15 minutes from where I live.
Anyway, here are some condos/houses that I found in today's Hartford Courant, if these are helpful, than I hope so:
Condos:
Farmington
2br townhouse $82,000
860-673-5888
Farmington
5 room townhouse $127,000
860-674-0300
Rentals:
Farmington
The Forest 1br $950/mo
860-2333955
Farmington
Lakeview - Studio & 1br $675-875

Someone mentioned that condos are moving fast now and that the prices are very low. That is true, the housing market is very hot, and interest rates are low, an oddity for the market. However, I know of people who paid top price for a condo in Danbury (Fairfield County) and then the market dropped and the condo resale value was less than $40,000. The individual would have suffered a huge loss and therefore had to rent out the condo, instead of trying to sell it. Condo prices are low, but rememeber there are also monthly dues, and make sure to read the CC&R's of the condo association before you buy.
 
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anyone hear anything lately from Uconn??? :confused:
 
sigh...not a thing...big surprise!!
 
Nothing here, guys. Anyone even hear anything about financial aid awards?

Margaret :confused:
 
Nope-nothing there either for me. I sent in all of my info at least a month and a half ago; I figured I would have at least received some sort of confirmation that a dental school still exists up there in Farmington! If anyone else hears anything, let me know!!
 
hi all,
sorry to get back to you all so late. The stats i've given to you guys were obtain from the board meeting discussion. Nothing is published cuz not all the 44 people will attend this coming fall.
About the financial aid you guys are worrying about, I am sure they are processing all your info right now and i remember that I got mine around summer time, maybe may or june. But if you are curious and wanna see if they have all your info, you should call pat lawson from financial office to check your status. Okie... that's all...
 
Hey now,
what so bad about being clean!!! :confused:
 
Has any of the UConn students received financial aid packets/info. from Farmington yet? Would like to get the ball rolling here. Thanks.
 
Hey guys...finally got a package from UConn with all kinds of goodies in it. Its about time.
 
Have some patience, the school is still there (I know I was there teaching my class today), folks in the admin are a little busy now, with the 4th years having their boards and trying to finish their requirements in the next few weeks, also the financial aid office is busy getting the 4th years "check-out" repayment info ready so they can get ready to start writitng the monthly checks to the government/bank <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> )
Lastly on a sad note, the dental school just recently lost unexpectedly one of the professor emeriti (sp?) from the perio department who was involved in the founding of the school in 1969 and still was around occasionally teaching and covering clinics :(

Oh yah, and some of the other admin folks are busy calling up people like me and my wife asking for alumni donations since our 5 year reunion is coming up just before graduation in about 1 month. Or if worse came to worse, the phone lines in the Healthcenter may have melted today since my car thermometer was reading 95 degrees when I walked out to my car at the end of my class this afternoon :D
 
Hey Jon,

I got the same package today. Things are finally going to get started!

The topmost letter stated something about receiving info about financial assistance, though. I don't think I ever got that. Did you?

I was up in Farmington this past weekend. I checked out a place in the Farmington Village complex. They wanted 103K for a place that was 940 square feet! I liked the Farmingdale Complex and hope to find a place there.

When you got your condo, did you have to already be pre-approved for a mortgage? We may have some trouble because DH doesn't already have a definite job offer in CT (just a verbal offer in Norwalk). How did you pick a CT lawyer in the area?

Thanks, Margaret :)
 
Margaret
Yeah Im really not sure what they meant about the financial aid letter we were supposed to have received-unless they are talking just about the supplemental UConn financial aid application we all had to fill out when we filled out the FAFSA.

I looked at Farmingdale as well; the condos are nice there although the only one available when I looked needed a lot of work. Nice to be next to that lake!

I was preapproved when I got up there to look. I ended up having to use a national lender since I wasnt really able to closely work with a local Farmington area lender. Being pre-approved isnt totally necessary, but if there are two offers on the property you want, having a pre-approval will show the seller that you are definitely serious and give you a big advantage. I was pre-approved when I made my offer. Ive found that most lenders will work with you as far as income. If you can get a text of the job offer including salary info, they might be able to swing it.

I talked with the realtor and they gave me a list of lawyers with which they had worked. I am working with Linda Meyers from Kantor, Mickelson & Meyers (860)677-6655. They charge $550 for everything.

So...looks like about 45 of us crazy kids on the ol' list-and almost balanced as far as M/F ratio. Seeing my name definitely made everything more real.
 
Thanks a lot for the info Jon. It's a big help to know a few ins and outs before getting ready to make a bid.

I felt the same thing when I saw that list of names. It seems so real now and it's gonna happen so soon! Can't wait till Aug 16th!

Margaret
 
hello everyone!

i just got the news of acceptance at uconn.i am a foreign graduate who will be joining in the second year.i know that the school has resumed this program after 4 years.i am told there will be total three of us.i am from new york and will also be looking for accomodation soon.can anyone tell me more about how to go about it? is on-campus housing available?
 
Hey fellow Class of 2006, I have a question. How did you fill out the form entitled "immunization consent/declination form"? Is the idea just that we will consent to being immunized at UConn for anything that we are not up to date on?

Thanks, Margaret
 
hey all,

good question margaret, I am a little confused about the immunization stuff...but I also am confused about the lab coat form..I never received a sizing chart, did you get one?
 
It sounds like they are saying that you give consent to UConn to immunize you for anything you lack...but the wording is a bit strange.

Neeky-I did get a lab coat sizing chart...you should call them and let them know you didnt! Also, neeky, what is your real name? We can all look at our class sheet and see it!
 
well, I guess I will have to call UCONN....and as for my name I thought it was obvious???!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
neeky ~ nika
 
Um, well, neeky, I feel a bit stupid...guess I should have actually LOOKED through the names and could have made it a bit easier on myself... :)
 
Hey Jonathan,

I'll be looking at condos in Farmington tomorrow. I've decided to go with Prudential CT Realty. They seem to have several listings that I'd be interested in. I know you really liked them, too. They mentioned over the phone that I'd be signing on with a particular broker. Do you know how binding that is? Let's say they don't have anything suitable. At what point would I be able to go and use another real estate office?

I was also starting to fill out a mortgage pre-approval form online and on the last page we had to "sign off" on several conditions. Do you know how binding mortgage pre-approval is? If approved, would I then have to get my mortgage from the company that pre-approved me or could I go elsewhere that had better rates?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm getting nervous and excited.............I want to do everything right!

Thanks, Margaret :)
 
Margaret
Prudential was indeed very good. The realtor aggreement is a pretty big deal...BUT dont worry about listings, they can and will show you listings from all of the realtors in the area and price range. Unless you dont like the person you work with (in which case I know you can terminate the agreement), you'll be fine. There aren't any listings you'll not be allowed to see.

As far as pre-approval, I dont think that many of them are binding (I know mine wasn't). More than anything, it is simply establishing your ability to purchase the property (good credit, etc.). You should still have options open even after you've signed on a pre-approval to change your lender.

Sounds like things are coming right along!
 
Hey Jon - I need some more guidance. DH and I are deciding between a condo in Farmington Village and one in Newington. The one in FV is an end unit and is in good shape. It's 940 sq. ft and has 2 bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths and is a town house style. They are asking 102.9K. I understand if you don't want to disclose what you paid, but does that asking price sound reasonable?

I'm working with PRudential CT Realty. The broker seems really nice, but I'm always wary. I asked him for comparable sales and he told me the only sale of a town home in the FV complex (apparently 90 % are ranch style)was one year ago and went for 95K. He didn't mention your sale and I know you bought in FV. I'm assuming then that you bought a place that was ranch style?

The place in Newington seems great, but he tells us the market is so hot right now and the price so good (115.9K for 1250 sq ft townhome style)that it'll get eaten up quickly. We're kind of being pressured a bit to put in a bid and sign a contract today. It's a tough call cause this place needs more work than the FV condo would need. IT has beautiful grounds with a lake and a wooden bridge and a swimming pool though. We just don't know what to do.

Thanks a lot for any advice,
MArgaret
 
Margaret
Well...a lot of things to say! First, as far as prices. I paid around 85K for a ranch style home in FV that was a bit smaller than the one you are talking about but had been extensively renovated and was in great shape. It was also built a while back, though. I would say as far as price that 90-97K depending on the condition of the place could apply. One good thing to remember is to find out who is listing the condo because if Prudential is listing it then they may be trying to drive up the price (something one realtor that I talked to tried to do). Also request actual comparatives rather than just the realtor's word. Theyll many times tell you more than the price such as condition, price reductions, time on the market, etc. ALSO, find out how long the property has been on the market and how many offers have been made on it since. If it's just been sitting there, you can offer lower and they might take it just to sell. One more thing to ask your realtor is about the closing date that the seller prefers. They dont have to tell you before you make an offer, but they might. It is important to find a seller who has a similar desire for closing to your desired date. If they dont want to close until December, you may have a problem. If they want to close immediately, that is good for you both because it means you can have a mutually agreeable date and because you may be able to put pressure on them with a low offer if the seller wants to get out ASAP. All said, though, FV really is a nice location.

As far as the one in Newington, how far away is it from the Health Center? Newington is a nice enough area and of course you can many times get more for your money there, but you were saying it needed some work. That was one thing I tried to stay away from just due to the fact I knew I really wouldnt have the time to do anything about it. If you think the second in command :) might have more time with his job to fix-er up, then maybe that is a more attractive option. Sure is a lot more sq. footage, but you definitely pay for it. If you really have your heart set on FV, I would do your best to get that price down into the mid-90's at least. Is there anything I missed?
 
Jon,

Thanks for all that info! The condo in FV seems to be in good shape, and I think Prudential is also listing it (so I'm a bit wary about the pricing). It's been on the market a few weeks and hasn't sold, so I think they'd come down a bit in price. I was able to verify that the last sale was a year ago at 95K (town home). I like FV, but I really fell in love with the complex in Newington. Anyway, we bid on the place in Newington 2 days after it went on the market. We were competing with two others and, even after bidding above the asking price, lost out! I couldn't believe it! Then, another place in that complex came on the market at a higher price! It's just out of our range at this point given that we're trying to pay for school too. Maybe it's just as well because it was 20-25 minutes from the health center.

My hubby really liked the one in FV. Did you by any chance get any info on their electric bills? The broker said they average $100/month which seems low for a place with electric heating. Maybe we'll be neighbors yet. :)

Margaret
 
I actually heard the same thing-around $100/month, which I also thought was a bit suspect since we're not talking about gas heat. I don't know, but Im guessing they were just selling it. It sure would be nice, though, if it was so low. I really didn't mean to make that last line rhyme, but oh well.
 
I'm glad to see that this thread continues its COMPLETE AND UTTER DOMINATION of the forum. :D
 
Thanks again Jon! And, yes, I love the utter domination too!

Margaret :)
 
Hey Jon,

The deal went through. We're going to be neighbors! We just found out we got the end unit in FV. They wouldn't settle for less than 100K, so that's what we got it for. We did get some electric bill figures from them. High is $175/mth, low is $88. Higher than they originally said, but not outrageous.

I'm so relieved!

Margaret :D :D :D
 
hi all!

over a hundred posts on the thread?!! Definitely dominating.
Congrats to both Margaret and Jon for finding somewhere to live. :)
I have a question for all of you, especially the current uconn dental peeps, what do you all think of getting a computer before starting school? and also is it better to get a laptop or is it a burden to drag it around school?

Thanx!
 
Hey Guys!

I will be a med student at UCONN in the fall and I just wanted to say hello :) Good luck planning for August!
 
See you in August, Praying Mantis.

Good luck to you, too!

Margaret
 
Hey mantis! Good luck to you as well. We'll be seeing you shortly!
Neeky...I would think that a desktop might be better just because I dont know how much you would be using your computer at school. From what I understand, the main use of the computer will be getting notes/slides/lecture info from the net which would probably be just as easy from home. Plus, you can get so much more for the money if you go desktop. The convenience of a laptop is great, but only is it doesnt sit in your house in the same place a desktop would have!
 
I think you are right Jon, a desktop is probably best..but on another topic, I was also wondering if anyone has had heard anything from the financial aid office??
 
Hi Neeky,

I e-mailed the financial aid office and they let me know that they have everything they need to process my loan request. THey were able to tell me that my check would come through in July. E-mailing them is probably a good idea. They got back to me right away.

Margaret
 
Hey JonR.........another house question.

We had our inspection done today and were told that our place had aluminum instead of copper wiring, which can be a fire hazard if not correctly remedied. Did you have this trouble? We are having the owners get an electrician to cerify that the wiring is safe.

Margaret <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />
 
Hey guys
I emailed the financial aid office as well to confirm everything and they were even able to tell me the amount I would receive in aid. They do get right to you through email.

Margaret...ours had been wired in copper, so we didnt have a problem; good thing youre getting an electrician though, that should solve it.
 
Jon,

More condo questions!

They've been stalling with getting us the "condo documents". Any big surprises once you got them such as not permitting rentals? It looks like we are going to have to have some major electrical work done. Are there any rules that state that I would need approval of the condo association before doing major electrical work?

Thanks again,

Margaret
 
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