WHEN Andrea and Lawrence Levine wanted to move from their Stamford apartment into a house last winter, they had a plan. ''We figured it would be a wise investment to buy a home in a town like Greenwich because it is so well known for its schools, among other things,'' said Mrs. Levine, a lawyer at Katz & Katz in White Plains. ''We were going to look there and see if there was something we could afford. If not, we would move on.''
Mr. Levine, a systems analyst at Pitney Bowes in Stamford, and his wife first looked in Old Greenwich but became discouraged when they were outbid on homes in their price range. Then they looked in Glenville, a small, hilly neighborhood that was originally a mill town and that, Mrs. Levine said, was ''more reasonably priced than Old Greenwich.'' Last April, the Levines closed on a four-bedroom, two-bath Cape Cod for less than $450,000.
The price of a home in Glenville is not the only thing that attracts young couples like the Levines. Susan and Jeffrey Hanley, associate director of the Builder's Institute, a building and realty company in Armonk, stumbled upon Glenville when looking to move from their co-op apartment in Rye, N.Y. They bought a four-bedroom split-level in 1998 for $479,000.
''We were surprised to find that this is a very normal neighborhood,'' said Mrs. Hanley, a homemaker with three children. ''Given that it's Greenwich, it's not a pretentious neighborhood at all. There are a lot of young families here, and in the summer we hang out and barbecue in each other's backyards and we wash our cars together with our kids. It's also a great neighborhood to trick or treat in. I'm glad we found this place.''
Lucy Ann Macaluso, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker in Greenwich, said: ''Glenville is really a well-kept secret. But when people do find out about us, it usually takes a while for them to find a house because there are not enough houses here to fill everyone's needs. I had one buyer who waited almost one year.''
Ms. Macaluso attributed strengthening sales of Glenville in recent years to its small-town feeling; its variety of housing, including small split-levels and Cape Cods and multifamily dwellings to large colonials and Tudors that range from $300,000 to several million dollars; and its proximity to the Westchester County Airport, major highways and shopping.
Greenwich's town planner, Diane Fox. said, ''I think Glenville is definitely going to continue be a growth area for us because of its opportunity for land variability and zoning variety.''
Kathy Adams, a sales associate at Country Living Associates in Greenwich, said that first- time home buyers could find 1920's-era 1,200-square-foot cottages and Cape Cods on quarter-acre lots for $360,000 to $450,000. Occasionally, she added, buyers can find an exceptional buy, like the 1928 two-bedroom, 1,100-square-foot house that sold last year for $210,000.
Larger, 2,600-square-foot Victorians and farmhouses that may need remodeling range from $450,000 to $600,000. Also in this price range buyers can find two-family homes, many of them on Pemberwick Road. Colonials in reasonable condition and newer contemporary homes on one-acre lots range from $625,000 to $1 million. Homes with river views, historic ones, stately Georgian colonials and gracious Tudors can range up to $2.5 million, Ms. Adams said. These homes are generally in the area of Weaver Street, Riversville Road and Bailiwick Road.
John D. Rockefeller's brother, William, settled in Greenwich more than 100 years ago. According to Lolly Prince, Greenwich's first selectwoman, his descendants own hundreds of acres of land in Glenville.
''The Rockefellers have a great track record of doing very thoughtful, deliberate development, which has enhanced our community over the years,'' Ms. Prince said. ''We're looking forward to their developing the first 39 units of a 60-unit parcel.''
SEAN SHAY, a partner in Fresh Meadow Builders L.L.C. in Darien, Conn., who is project manager and builder for the development, said that of the 74 acres in the parcel, 28 acres will remain undeveloped as open space. The 39 colonial-style homes in the 5,800-square-foot range will be priced at $2.8 million to $3.5 million
