Introduction to Central Connecticut
After they met in early 2021, it didn’t take long for Rahul Barua and Winnie Wong to decide that they were in it for the long haul. By mid-year, they were already looking for a place to live. “We met later in life and we just knew we were going to be a thing,” said Mr. Barua, 40, director of climate finance innovation at Salesforce. “After only like three or four months of being together, we started.”
The Search Begins
The couple, based in Los Angeles, initially looked for a home in Southern California. But when a wildfire ravaged an area where they’d recently been camping, doubts began to creep in. That summer, they visited the East Coast on a road trip through the Hudson Valley, Vermont and Connecticut. It was Ms. Wong’s first trip east, but Mr. Barua had grown up in West Hartford, Conn., where his parents still owned a rental property.
A Taste of Connecticut
The house was in rough shape, so Mr. Barua and Ms. Wong tackled the project themselves, living in the house while refurbishing it. “For three to four months, we spent every single night, every single weekend renovating while we worked our full-time remote jobs,” said Ms. Wong, 41, a former freelance film producer and now the marketing and communications director for a nonprofit that supports contemporary artists.
Discovering the Charm
When the work was complete, Mr. Barua’s parents gave them the house to manage. It wasn’t big enough for them to live in permanently, but it did give them a sense of what central Connecticut had to offer — bucolic surroundings, homes they could afford, and plenty of shops and restaurants to enjoy. “We thought we’d be here for three months,” Mr. Barua said. “We’d renovate, get a tenant in, and move back to L.A. And then, during that time, we’re like, ‘You know what? This is great.’”
The Hunt for the Perfect Home
The couple began looking for a house with a light-filled, intentional design and plenty of space for guests — as well as for their German shepherd-husky rescue dog, Momo — on a substantial piece of land in a natural setting. They started with a wide budget range of about $400,000 to $700,000 and asked Michael Truong, a Realtor with eXp Realty, to help them match a number with their priorities. They also had the luxury of time — they searched for the better part of three years. “Once I got a better feel for what they actually are looking for, then I could advise them better,” Mr. Truong said.
A Gem in the Woods
This three-bedroom, three-bathroom, midcentury modern home was designed by Robert Carroll May, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, and built into a hillside in West Hartford. It was listed at 1,832 square feet, but that didn’t include the basement level, which was small and had a mismatched all-white design, but did offer a family-room space and an extra en suite bedroom. Upstairs, the glassy facade, open floor plan, vaulted ceilings and large covered porch gave the house an expansive feel, while wood paneling, stone and other natural materials connected it to the outdoors. The 1.16-acre lot featured a sloped driveway that could be perilous in the winter. The price was $699,000, with annual property taxes of around $14,350.
Conclusion
After a thorough search and considering various factors, Rahul Barua and Winnie Wong found their perfect gem in the woods of central Connecticut. The house, with its unique design and natural surroundings, fit their priorities and provided them with the space and beauty they were looking for.
FAQs
- Q: What made Rahul Barua and Winnie Wong decide to look for a home outside of Los Angeles?
A: A wildfire in an area they had recently visited made them reconsider their options and look for a safer and more peaceful environment. - Q: How long did the couple search for their perfect home?
A: They searched for the better part of three years, giving them the luxury of time to find exactly what they were looking for. - Q: What were the couple’s priorities in their home search?
A: They were looking for a house with a light-filled, intentional design, plenty of space for guests, and a substantial piece of land in a natural setting.
