Is Someone You Care About "Upside Down" On Their Greater New Haven Mortgage?   For the past few years we've all been hearing the term "upside down" when it comes to homeowners who have lost equity in their homes and owe more on their homes than what the current market value will bear. This short video illustrates what it means for a homeowner to be upside down. If you or someone you care about is facing financial difficulty and feeling the stress of an unaffordable mortgage and owe more on your home that what it's worth please give me a call to discuss your options.  Even if you're facing the possibility of foreclosure it is not too late to try and sell your home as a short sale.  I can help you or someone you know create a strategy for living a life without the burden of missed payment... 09/16/2011

Bottling Works-Quinnipiac River Historic District-New Haven Connecticut     The Bottling Works located on Front Street in the Quinnipiac River Historic District in New Haven Connecticut is a converted historic bottling factory with 27 ranch and townhome units.      The exposed brick, soaring dramatic high-beamed ceilings, natural wood and large windows add a contemporary flair with many units directly overlooking the Quinnipiac River.  There also is open parking, a secured parking area and courtyard entrance. Enjoy the European style courtyard, a stroll along the mile-long Riverfront Promenade, gorgeous sunsets or watching the lobster and oyster boats as they travel down river. The Quinnipiac River Historic District is minutes away from Wooster Square, Yale University, the New Haven Gre... 09/03/2011

We Made It Through Hurricane Irene   As Hurricane Irene was barreling her way towards Connecticut yesterday those of us who live in Morris Cove New Haven CT were under a mandatory evacuation to leave the area. The combination of heavy rains, intense winds, high tide and a new moon were the ingredients for a perfect storm.  Due to our location in the southeastern tip of New Haven bordering Long Island Sound the Mayor of New Haven John DeStefano ordered the evacuation on Saturday afternoon. At around 4:00 police cars started driving through Morris Cove on bull horns advising all residents to evacuate the area.  By around 6:00 police were going door to door to make sure everyone was informed.  While many residents made the decision to evacuate there were also a number of people who decided... 08/28/2011

New Haven Public Schools Calendar 2011   In less than a week it's back to school for the children attending New Haven Public Schools. I remember when my children were in school I would post the school calendar on my refrigerator so I could keep track of school vacations, parent-teacher conferences, holidays and early dismissals. For additional information visit the New Haven Public Schools website.     Donna Bigda REALTOR®RE/MAX Alliance203-645-7467   Search Greater New Haven CT Homes For Sale  Get Your Free Home Value Report LIKE us on Facebook at LivingInGreaterNewHaven         Copyright © 2011 by Donna Bigda, All Rights Reserved ...*New Haven Public Schools Calendar 2011* 08/25/2011

 New Haven CT Real Estate-New Haven Homes Market Report January-June 2011 Understanding the general direction of the current New Haven real estatemarket conditions is of vital importance to both buyers and sellers in order to help you make a more informed decision when buying or selling a New Haven home. There are currently 241 New Haven homes for sale ranging in price from $24,900 to $2,250,000. During the months of January-June 2011 there were 130 homes that closed.  This is a decrease of 68 home as there were 198 homes that closed during January-June 2010. The average sales prices of the homes sold from January-June 2011 was $198,762 with an average 86 days on the market versus 200,766 for those sold from January-June 2010 with an average 82 days on the market. The median sales price... 08/17/2011

Missing Mortgage Payments On Your New Haven Home? It’s Not Too Late   Wondering what a New Haven homeowner should expect when payments are missed? The most important thing to know is that no matter what stage of default a homeowner is in, there is almost always a way to avoid foreclosure. That being said, the quicker a homeowner does something about the situation, the less challenging it will be to resolve. First, here’s what a distressed New Haven homeowner should expect to happen when payments are missed:   30 Days Late: The lender will attempt phone contact or send a notice in the mail. 60 Days Late: The lender will attempt to make contact by phone and follow up with another letter in the mail. 90 Days Late: The lender will send a letter demanding all past due amounts within 30 days ... 08/07/2011

Photography Exhibit at The Mitchell Library, New Haven CT   A new photography exhibit by New Haven art photographer, E.M. Carlson, will be displayed by The Mitchell Library, 37 Harrison Street, New Haven CT.   The title of the exhibit, which runs from August 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, is Seeing Wonder.  If you have ever seen the work of E.M. Carlson, you will agree that Seeing Wonder is an apt title for her work.  Using a 35mm camera, she captures the intricacies of the world around her in vibrant expression.  Limited edition framed prints are available for purchase; custom sizes are also available directly from the artist. The hours of The Mitchell Library are: Monday: 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Seeing Wonder e... 07/31/2011

Morris Cove Rascals Reunion Take 3-A Night To Remember!     Combine picture perfect weather, a spectacular sunset. great location, food, music and you couldn't have asked for anything more for the Morris Cove Rascals Reunion Take 3 held last night on the deck at Amarante's Sea Cliff.   The Morris Cove Reunion has been held to bring together old friends and accquaintances that either were alumni of Nathan Hale School or St. Bernadette or who lived in or had friends from the Cove.  We've previously had two other reunions... one in June of last year and one this past September.  The turnout last night was tremendous and was our biggest showing yet with over 150 people.    It was a night filled with sharing memories of our days spent together as kids and renewing friendships from 10, 20, 30... 07/01/2011

Lighthouse Point Park in the Morris Cove neighborhood of New Haven CT is a popular venue for both formal and informal gatherings. What makes Lighthouse Point Park such a great destination for parties?  The Location!   I love the beach and easy access to Long Island Sound. The function room is literally on the beach, surrounded by sand on all sides. Party guests can walk on park paths, stroll along the beach or take a quick swim in the Long Island Sound.   The party hall is incredible, too. A single-room function hall is a great for both weddings and corporate gatherings. The raw, industrial feel inside is balanced by the beachfront surroundings and the giant, working carousel inside. How many parties can boast a working carousel?       If ActiveRain were to have a party in CT, Lighthous... 06/30/2011

New Haven CT Pizza Fans Can Rejoice! The 16th Annual Greater New Haven Pizza Festival will be held during the lunchtime concerts on June 16th and 17th as well as June 23rd and 24th in Downtown New Haven CT.  This year's New Haven PizzaFest takes place on the New Haven Green.  Stop by to sample pizza from many of the local favorite restaurants.  Food is such an important part of culture in the Greater New Haven area, and pizza is at the center of local food culture. Held during the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, this year's Pizza Fest will benefit The Connection Fund.  The Connection is a Connecticut-based nonprofit Human Services and Community Development agency, formed in 1972 to provide community services across the state including housing, well being.  Each of the programs p... 06/16/2011

New Haven CT is home to the annual International Festival of Arts & Ideas Summer Festival. This year's festival runs from June 11th to June 25th, 2011. Featured performances and acts include famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, jazz musician Lionel Loueke, and a dance performance by Susan Adamantine & Company.   As always, all events at the International Festival of Arts And Ideas are free to the general public. Tickets are available for individual events and as packages for multiple events.  Tickets guarantee seating and contribute to the cost of operating the festival. Parking can be found around the green, and in any of the many parking garages in Downtown New Haven CT. For more information about the event, check out the IFAI's homepage at http://www.artidea.org/ Don't forget to check out Jan El... 06/09/2011

New Haven based artists have gathered for Ideat Village Arts and Music Festival for the past 10 years.  Ideat Village is an annual festival of arts and culture that spans two weeks each June.  The 2011 Ideat Village Festival runs from Saturday, June 11th though Saturday June 25th, 2011.  This year's events include live music, theater performances and live music.  The festival features New Haven area artists and gets funding through donations and local fund-raising events, so there is no cost to taxpayers. As reported in Jordan Fenster's article in the New Haven Register, the Ideat Village organizers have encountered some problems from local residents who live in the apartment building adjacent to the festival.  New regulations have limited the amount of time amplified music can be perfo... 06/04/2011

Music Haven is a nonprofit based out of New Haven, CT.  Music Haven provides music and instruction for at-risk students in New Haven.  The core concept is to empower New Haven children through music education, as well as bringing concern music to the local community.  The students at Music Haven provide concerns for local events and gatherings. Recently the New Haven Register profiled Music Haven.  The article focused on a number of the children and their families who participate in Music Haven.  In January, the New York Times had a feature story about Music Haven. You can find Music Haven on the web at http://musichavenct.org/         06/03/2011

Lighthouse Point Park in the Morris Cove section of New Haven is one of Southern Connecticut's most popular public beaches.  Close to town, and right off I-95, it attracts thousands of visitors each year.  Each year 12,000-15,000 visitors stop through during a typical Memorial Day Weekend, and the sunny weather forecasted for this weekend should bring out similar numbers. As the case with many public parks, the parking situation near Lighthouse has been a problem for both guests and residents who live near the park in the Morris Cove neighborhood in New Haven, CT.  While both season and daily parking passes for Lighthouse Point Park can be purchased by non-residents, many guests to the park try to find spaces in the streets surrounding the park to avoid paying for parking.  This poses a... 05/25/2011

Yale University Commencement 2011   Did you miss today's graduation at Yale University?  Was it the overcast weather?  Or you couldn't find parking?  Maybe you didn't have the time to come to New Haven?  Not a problem - you can watch the broadcast online at the Yale Daily Bulletin!   yale on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free A new feature this year was the inclusion of social media during the entire Yale University 2011 Commencement.  Search for Twitter posts with #yale11 hashtags. Check out Yale's running commentary and photos on the Yale Facebook Page. Tom Hanks spoke yesterday at Senior Class Day Watch live streaming video from yale at livestream.com   Congratulations to Yale University's Class of 2011   05/23/2011

New Haven CT had a celebrity visit today - Tom Hanks gave a speech to Class of 2011 Graduating Seniors for this year's Senior Class Day. Yale's Senior Class Day is held the day before the formal Commencement (Graduation) Ceremony.  Traditions for Yale's Senior Class Day include wearing funny hats, reciting the Ivy Ode and singing Yale's alma mater. The events of this year's Commencement Weekend, including Tom Hank's Class Day speech, are being LiveCast on Yale's Daily Bulletin.  You can also download the events on their website for the next few days.                               Hanks addressed a crowd of thousands of Yale graduates, faculty, alumni & their families.  Getting many laughs from the audience during his speech, Hanks commented that students should "compare your Tweets & F... 05/22/2011

Yale University Commencement 2011 will take place on Monday May 23rd, 2011.  This year's Yale Graduation events take place over the entire weekend and include many guests, including Tom Hanks.  Tom Hanks will give a talk to graduating Yale seniors on Sunday May 22 for Class Day.  As always, Monday's Yale Commencement Speaker will be revealed during the Commencement.  This year marks Yale's 310th Commencement Ceremony. If you are unable to attend the Yale 2011 Commencement in person, you can watch the Yale 2011 Commencement LiveStream Broadcast on the Yale Daily Bulletin.  Updates for Yale's 2011 Commencement will be provided through Yale's Twitter account and on Yale University's Facebook Page. Yale Commencement 2011 Events President Richard C. Levin's Baccalaureate Address: noon, Sunda... 05/21/2011

Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Havenwill hold a one-day event calledWomen Build on Wednesday, May 4 as part of National Women Build Week (April 30 through May 8). Habitat for Humanity is looking to gather twenty female volunteers to volunteer for the day (8:45am to about 4:00pm). Building and construction experience is not needed - professionals will be on hand to offer support and guidance.   Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program is sponsored by Lowe's.  The event challenges women to devote time to the effort of eliminating poverty housing.  Four years running, National Women Build Week has drawn tens of thousands of female volunteers from all 50 states. Lowe's is contributing more than $1.3 million to National Women Build Week and providing $5,000 Lowe's gift cards and buil... 04/29/2011

New Haven Homes For Sale-New Haven CT Real Estate Market Report December 2010 Understanding the general direction of the current New Haven CT real estate market conditions is of vital importance to both buyers and sellers in order to help you make a more informed decision when buying or selling a home in New Haven. There are currently 184 homes for sale in New Haven ranging in price from $29,900 to $2,250,000. In the month of December there were 20 homes that closed which is a decrease of 4 home as there were 24 homes that closed in December 2010. The average sales prices of the homes sold in December 2010 was $145,850 with an average 130 days on the market versus $203,671 for those sold in December 2009 with an average 62 days on the market.. Below is a summary of the New Haven CT real... 01/24/2011

The Sky Was On Fire With Color In Morris Cove New Haven CT One of my favorite times of the day living in Morris Cove is being able to view the spectacular sunsets blazing with color at the Pardee Seawall and at Lighthouse Point Park.  Driving home this afternoon from a listing appointment the sun was just beginning to set and it looked like the sky was on fire.  The colors in this sunset were just so beautiful on the horizon along the water that I just had to stop and take some pictures of it.    I definitely wasn't alone in capturing the sunset today down at Lighthouse Point Park.  I came across one person with a tripod taking some photos and met past clients of mine walking their dogs at the park with their camera in hand too.     Contact Donna Bigda, RE/MAX Alliance Licensed Realtor®... 01/22/2011