For more than 30 years, Gregory and Loretta Smith were regular visitors to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., traveling from their home in Rockland County on weekends and summer holidays to attend the horse races and enjoy the pace of life in this small city about three hours north of Manhattan. “We started to discuss, ‘Where do we want to put our roots down?’” Ms. Smith, 61, recalled. “And I said, ‘I want to live here. It has everything we want: a small walkable city with a good social environment, and access to nature. Just an overall phenomenal quality of life.’” That’s how the couple came to buy a 1,219-square-foot, two-bedroom ranch house on 0.23 acres for $399,000 in April.

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Persons: Gregory, Loretta Smith, —, “, Ms, Smith, ‘, ’ Locations: Saratoga Springs, N.Y, Rockland County, Manhattan, Rikers, New York City