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Henry Bertram spent nearly three decades working in the financial industry in New York City, commuting from his home in Fairfield. When he left that world in 2008, he didn't look far from home for his next opportunity.
"I knew I wanted to do something different and wanted to work out here," he said. "Real estate seemed like a field where I could use the skills I'd developed working in finance and at the same time stay close to home."
Now working with the Higgins Group, Greenfield Hill Realty Group, it's easy for Bertram to sell Fairfield to prospective buyers. He raised four kids who have gone through the public and private schools there and has been involved in many local organizations, including the Country Club of Fairfield, Trinity Episcopal Church and Fairfield Country Day School.
But when he first moved to town in 1980, "I thought it was the end of the earth," he recalled. "There weren't a lot of people commuting from Fairfield into New York in those days."
That's changed, to the point that it's hard to get a parking permit at the local train stations, which should be alleviated by the recent opening of the new station. "It's very easy to get to the city," Bertram said.
Still, he feels the town retains a distinctly New England flavor. "It's got a great mix of city and country," he said, noting the recent growth in the number and quality of the town's restaurants. "I think the dining scene here might be the best in Fairfield County."
Bertram is happy to show off Fairfield's restaurants, schools and other amenities, including its beaches and parks, to anyone looking to move to the area. And unlike 30 years ago, they won't feel like they're moving to the end of the earth.
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