Playing Hooky At The Beach .... In March…..In CT!   In CT we are blessed with being on Long Island Sound, which is a haven for beaches, swimming, boating, water sports, and fishing. Usually, we can’t enjoy all of the above until the weather is a lot warmer and the water temperature is NOT in the 40s, like it is now.   However, today, and the next few days, we are enjoying some unusually warm weather in the 60s.  I had some business down by the water today and decided to play a little hooky and steal away to the beach... specifically Jennings Beach and Penfield Beach in Fairfield CT.  I was not surprised to see quite a few others enjoying the weather, walking, sunbathing, and having picnic lunches.  Oh, I wish it could just get progressively warmer from this point on so we can actually... 03/12/2012

STAGING YOUR FAIRFIELD HOME You've seen HGTV. You know that staged homes sell faster and for more money, staging works, but it requires an outlay of money that you may not have. If you can't afford a stager, you can still apply some of the basic principles of staging to help your home sell faster. First thing you'll want to do is to walk through your house room by room with your listing agent. Your agent may not be able to give you the design advice of a stager, but he/she can give you advice about which room colors might cause a problem (e.g., a bright purple dining room) or furniture pieces that should be moved or rearranged. Don't make the mistake of painting the entire interior off-white on the premise that buyers can choose their own colors. Well-chosen wall and trim colors can mak... 03/04/2012

PRICING YOUR  FAIRFIELD CT HOME TO SELL This is the second article in a six-part series about Selling Your  Fairfield CT Home in a Buyer's Market.  In the first article we described the characteristics of a buyer's market.  We will now talk about pricing your home to sell in today's buyer's market. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU The most important thing to understand about pricing a home to sell is that the market determines the price.  The market doesn't care how much you paid for the home or how much money you put into upgrades or repairs.  Your home will sell for the price that buyers will pay for comparable homes.  If you price your home too high, even if a buyer comes along who is willing to pay above market value for your home, the mortgage company will whittle the offer down to the market va... 02/28/2012

1. INTRODUCTION This is the first installment of a six-part series on Selling Your Fairfield Connecticut Home in a Buyer's Market. What is a Buyer's Market? A buyer's market is one in which there are more sellers than buyers. Nationwide we are in a real estate buyer's market, which means according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) that there is more than six month's worth of inventory (homes for sale). However, if you look at different locations, neighborhoods, price ranges, and even home styles, some niche markets are doing better than others. Low interest rates and FHA low down payment mortgages have encouraged sales at the low end, downsizers are spurring sales in the mid-range, and at the high end, there are buying niches, such as luxury, waterfront and water view homes.... 02/21/2012

 Fairfield CT, Average Sold Price vs Average List Price and Total Sales 2005-2011     2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Ave Sold Price $737,468 $763,705 $840,223 $738,291 $668,891 $652,232 $656,065 Ave List Price $755,524 $795,992 $874,777 $784,632 $728,538 $693,572 $696,078 Total Sold 981 784 883 595 545 692 603 As you can see from the chart above, the real estate sales for Fairfield CT did fall off for the years of 2008 through 2012.  The saving grace for yearly sales for 2010 was the buyers' credits that were being given in the first half of the year.                                                                 January sales this year were hit hard as a consequence of the weather we had in Connecticut last fall.  We had Hurricane Irene in the beginning of September, and a very he... 02/15/2012

    FAIRFIELD Market Trends January 2012     The Fairfield, Connecticut real estate market is still showing signs of slowing down.  The slowdown over the past 3 months can be attributed in part to the season and the freak October snow storm and accompanying power outages.  However, the 6 months to 12 months’ comparison also shows that fewer homes are selling and sales prices are declining.  In fact, the current inventory suggest that it would take more than 21 months to sell all the homes currently on the market.  This is a very strong Buyer’s Market in Fairfield and the trend over the past 3 and 6 months is in the direction of an even stronger Buyer’s Market.  We are hoping that the positive impact of the new Fairfield Metro train station and a strong turnout of buyers in the Spring ma... 02/14/2012

  Fairfield CT - January Sales 4 Year Comparison   Fairfield CT 06430 Market Report   January 2012 recap of Sales   Total home sales: 26 Average days on the market: 125 Low value: $140,000 High value: $1,800,000 Average sold price: $ 619,442                                                                              Median price: $ 542,000 Average list price: $ 661,246 Pending Sales: 24 I do find it interesting that Fairfield's sales were hardly lagging after the vicious fall weather we had this year.    The power outages and huge snow damage in the end of October into the beginning of November caused buyers to stay away, and sellers to pull their homes off the market in all of the surrounding towns.   This should hopefully be a huge spring market for Fairfield!  (Westport is the only ... 02/08/2012

  REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT January through December 2011   SINGLE FAMILY - FAIRFIELD   Number % Change Average % Change Inventory Currently on Market     510   $1,123,637  8%    Sold 2011       527    -13% $692,797  2%  11 mos. Sold 2010       608   $680,615    12 mos.   The number of single family homes sold have decreased in Fairfield by 13% from the previous year.  This is not surprising as last year there was a first time homebuyer’s tax incentive.  It’s actually good news that the prices are up 2% and not declining given that there are fewer sales.  There is currently a 11 months’ supply of single family homes in Fairfield, which means it is still a Buyer’s market.  (A balanced market is 6 months' supply and below 6 months' supply is considered a Seller's market.) If you are thin... 01/25/2012

   Fairfield CT December 2011 Market Report of Sales Fairfield CT 06430 Market Report The real estate market for December in Fairfield CT 06430 has had a tough time this year in unit sales, due to the effect of the huge storms this fall.   It was difficult to show homes when there were trees and branches down everywhere, and no power.   December 2011 recap   Total home sales for the month: 20  Average days on the market: 99  Low value: $ 195,000  High value: $ 1,281,000  Average sold price: $ 485,183  Median price: $ 370,000  Average list price: $ 506,890  Pending sales: 19 01/22/2012

  Fairfield CT 06430 Real Estate Market Report Sales November 2011   November 2011 Sales The real estate market for November in Fairfield CT 06430 has been consistent in unit sales.  November 2011 recap\   Total home sales for the month: 42   Average days on the market: 115   Low value: $ 150,000   High value: $ 1,200,000   Average sold price: $ 462, 441   Median price: $ 438,000   Average list price: $ 488,776   Pending sales: 19   12/14/2011

To Sell Green Homes, Be a Teacher of Green. The November 24, 2011 New York Times article ‘To Sell Green, First Teach Green’ in the Real Estate section profiles the "House of the Year” awarded by the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut. This new 1600 square foot ultra-green and affordable home is at a cost of $220,000. The cost for heating and cooling this home is projected at less than $800 a year. Besides the super insulated fire resistant walls other green features are triple glazed windows, open living area, bamboo and cork flooring and water saving toilets. Local listing agent says many buyers don’t yet appreciate and understand green technology. Homebuyers should look for knowledgeable green professionals to help in the process. You can find ‘Green’ Realtor designees at the... 11/28/2011

Fairfield CT 06424 Market Report October 2011 Sales 40 Fairfield homes have been sold in the past month:           22 homes sold under $500,000 
                               13 homes sold for between $500,000-$1M
                             3 homes sold for under $1M - $1.5M            1 home sold for under $1.5M - $2M            1 home sold for under $2M and over The real estate market for October in Fairfield CT 06424 has been fairly steady in its sales for the past four years.   October 2011 recap: Total home sales for the month: 40 Average Days on the Market: 111 Low value of $155,000 for a cape. High value of $2,275,000 for a colonial. Average sold price of $592,872. Median price of $443,750. Average list price was $635,349. Actual purchase price was an average of 6.7% off of th... 11/27/2011

As many of my fellow ActiveRain members know I have been promoting a green lifestyle here on ActiveRain. I have put together all of my ActiveRain 'Green' posts  and some of my favorite AR sustainable posts. The archive is on GreenTips @ GreenBoardCoop.com my national and local Connecticut Green Sustainable Lifestyle Blog.   GREEN TIPS @ GreenBoard Co-op Blog. Click on link below to go to article.   Guide to finding your Local Green Experts ~ where to seek regional information. Green Residential Appraisal Forms ~ Tell your banker. Energy Efficient Ceiling Fans. ~ Tips and benefits of ceiling fans. Conservation of Water at Home. ~ Easy tips and the whys. “Bag It” the Documentary. ~ Why we should use reusable bags. EPA’s Energy Star for Homes, version 3 begins January 1st, 2012 ~ what is i... 11/25/2011

Fairfield CT 06430 Market Report  January - September 2010 vs. 2011 The real estate market in Fairfield CT 06430 has been fairly steady in its sales for the past two years.   September 2011 recap: Total home sales for the month: 54 Average Days on the Market: 101 Low value of $163,000 for a cape.   High value of $3,650,000 for a cape with sound views. Average sold price of $736,802. Median price of $576,750 Average list price was $791,674. Actual purchase price was an average of 7% off of the list price.             Fairfield CT 06430's real estate market is, obviously from this graph, a pretty steady market place.   Year over year, for the same time period, not much change in the pattern of sales in numbers and values at this time. 10/09/2011

"Only The Shadow Knows..."  Old-Time Radio Live @ Fairfield University! I just love old-time radio shows.  Yes, I'm that old!  (Just kidding!) It started with the "When Radio Was" syndicated program on our local radio station, WICC 600.  Late Sunday nights, I can lie in bed listening to "The Shadow", "The Lone Ranger", or "Our Miss Brooks".  You never know who will be on; it could be Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, or Ronald Regan. For my last birthday, Mike signed me up for Sirius XM Radio, where there's a whole channel devoted to old-time radio.  How great is that? In the meantime, I'd also discovered that Fairfield University has presented a series of dramatized radio shows, complete with old-fashioned sound effects.  The actors are in 1940s dress, and there's usually a little behind-the-s... 09/16/2011

"Connecticut Responds & Reflects":  9/11 Memorials At Fairfield Museum Special exhibits at the Fairfield Museum and History Center will be on display September 3 - 18.  Honoring 9/11 first responders from Connecticut, portions of “Connecticut Responds,” an award-winning traveling exhibition created by the Connecticut Historical Society, will be open to the public.  The exhibit includes a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, photos, and audio and video clips. photo credit & copyright Stephen Wilkes used with permission Stephen Wilkes, a noted Westport, CT, photographer, took this photo of Ground Zero shortly after the attack.  That's sunlight streaming down where the World Trade Center used to be.  A selection of Wilkes's work will also be on display. Additionally, the 153 Connect... 09/08/2011

Celebrating the end of summer. It was the end of a long holiday weekend, the Labor Day weekend, but I had to work all day and at the end, I just wanted to celebrate the end of summer with my husband in a special way.  All our favorite haunts were closed.  Most of the area restaurants were closed due to a combination of the holiday and falling on a Monday, so what to do?  I figured a hotel would have to be open on holidays and Mondays, so we decided to check out the rather pricey, but fabulous Artisan Restaurant at the Delamar Hotel in Southport, CT. Artisan decribes itself as "a farm to table restaurant and tavern combining 18th century classic Scandinavian design with New England inspired seasonal cuisine. Artisan celebrates the theme of craftsmanship, which can be seen in many element... 09/06/2011

    NAR Green joins up with GreenTowns.com       The National Association of Realtors Green Designee (NAR Green) program and GreenTowns.com have initiated a free program to promote NAR Green Designees in their local communities.    GreenTowns.com is a new website network that provides connections with local community initiatives and the people involved in sustainable lifestyle. As a NAR Green designee you can get involved and become the go to person in your community in your field of expertise. To become a GreenTowns adviser fill in the NAR Green Designee form click here.   GreenTowns was created to unify your communities green sustainable resources and to:   Bring Awareness to local green issues. Introduce you to citizens who are active is green lifestyle, Information on sustainability... 08/14/2011

  Sustainable ‘Green’ Homes Grab Higher Resale Prices, More Real Estate Recovery.   Buyers are getting smarter and are looking at the whole home package when purchasing homes. With studies showing that green sustainable homes can sell for more than non-green standard built homes. Updated and new homes with green features will help the real estate recovery, providing a healthier, less maintenance, energy efficient home to buyers. The Earth Advantage Institute in Portland, Oregon reports that green certified new homes sold on average eight percent more than non certified green homes. Earth Advantage analyzed sales data yearly for the past four years from the Portland Regional MLS. The study found that existing homes with sustainable green outfits to sell an average of 30 percent more. The... 08/10/2011

New Community Website For Green & Sustainability.   Where do you go when you want to find out about creating a sustainable and healthy lifestyle?  Where do you find local companies and organizations that support being “green”?  What about news and events related to the environment? Well I have been busy creating a new website to fill this need here in Connecticut. The site is called Connecticut GreenBoard Co-op and is at www.Ct.GreenBoardCoop.com.  The idea is that it will be a community go-to place just like the local bulletin boards for postings, articles, events, links, news, education and information relating to environmentally friendly products and practices. As well on the website are links to other “green” websites and blogs for easy access and one stop referencing. So if you hav... 05/16/2011