Sitting atop Pine Hill in Waterbury, CT, visible from I84 and Route 8 as you approach the center of the city, is a large metal cross that is the most prominent remnant of what was once a thriving tourist attraction. Holy Land, USA was a Christian theme park, complete with miniature replicas of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, with scenes from the life of Jesus, most notably a minature Golgotha/Calvary, with three wooden crosses, the center one with an image of Christ nailed to it. What was most visible, however, was a large fiberglass cross, 56 feet tall and illuminated from within at night, with alternating colors - red for Christmas, and blue for Easter. Built in the late 1950's by John Baptist Greco, over 40,000 visitors came to the site annually during the 1960's and 70's. The park was clos... 05/02/2009

Visible from almost any vantage point in the city at least a mile away and as you approach the city from the main arteries (I84 or Route 8), the Clock Tower is one of Waterbury's oldest and most famous landmarks. The Clock Tower was built as part of the city's Union Station back in 1909 at the height of Waterbury's dominance of the region as an industrial and transportaion center, and to represent visibly the most famous product of the area - Waterbury was the birthplace of the Waterbury Clock and Watch Manufacturing Company, which we know today as Timex. It was added at the behest of a railroad executive who had travelled to Italy, and is modelled after the Torre del Magnia in Siena, Italy. The tower houses the largest clock in the New England region, and a bell which can be heard fro... 05/02/2009

Mortgage bond prices fell last week applying upward pressure on mortgage interest rates. Trading remained extremely volatile with daily swings of 3/8's in discount points a common occurrence. The economic data released was mixed with no clear indication of the direction of the US economy. The Federal Reserve met last week and the governing body indicated the pace of economic deterioration is slowing. For the week, interest rates rose by about 5/8's in discount points. The employment report to be released Friday will be the most significant data this week. Productivity data will be important also. Additional debt supply hits the market this week with the Fed auctioning $71 billion of 3, 10, and 30 year Treasuries. It will be interesting to see if the market can continue to absorb the add... 05/02/2009

Shakespierence Productions presents A Pint and A Play for Peanuts at the Howland Hughes Center on Bank Street from May 1-2 at 6:00 p.m. For more information, click here. Book signing with local author John Alston at the United Methodist Church of Christ on Country Club Road, May 1st. Click here for details. For those interested in improving their communication skills, Chamber Toastmasters meets every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. Click on the link above for more details and contact information. The Waterbury Symphony Orchestra presents Fortune: World-Premiere Concert at the Naugatuck Valley Community College on May 9th. For more information, click here. Waterbury Youth Services sponsors the 8th Annual Hotter than Heck Fest Hot 'n Spicy Food Expo  at the Crossroads Cantina on May 8th... 04/29/2009

As kids we all had the set of dominos that we would set up all over the place just to see the trail when we started the action. Hours were expended trying to get just the right configuration so that when we were ready we would make the grand pronouncement and wait for the audience, usually our parents or friends, so that the first strike could be made. If we had the right number of dominoes, the chain reaction would commence and depending on our imagination the trail would snake it's way around the room, up over obstacles, through a hoop, and then at last the final peg would fall. Sounds a lot like our real estate business. I get email responses to my blogs from the readers in my database wanting to know why I talk so much about the opportunities in the larger towns and don't expend as ... 04/20/2009

It can be a pretty sobering and depressing experience to speak with some folks who now face the simple fact that their homes are worth less than they owe on then. This term is called being "underwater".  For the people that have not experienced the joys of home ownership yet, it equates to the same thing as your car being "upside down" where you actually owe more that its worth.  Homeowners are facing more and more of this situation across the country, especially in cities and towns that underwent re-evaluations during the boom years of 2004 thru 2006. The worst situation would be for new homeowners that built during that same period of time. They have the highest evaluations, because everything is new, and in most instances, the house cannot be sold for anything near to the appraisal d... 04/19/2009

Do you want to buy a Home or Investment property in the City of Waterbury? Waterbury Development Corporation (WDC) is administering the City of Waterbury's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The program is designed to stabilize neighborhoods by facilitating the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed & vacant (still owned by the foreclosing entity) properties in targeted areas of Waterbury. This program is available to investors and prospective homebuyers who meet certain income requirements. NSP funds are granted as deferred second mortgage loans that do not have to be repaid if the terms of the program are met. WDC has partnered with Webster Bank for owner occupied purchase financing and the Waterbury Housing Fund (WHF) for investor purchase financing. WDC directly handles th... 04/15/2009

I feel today like a big fat hippie. As in hypocrite. Phony. Sellout. I wrote a post at the beginning of my activity on Active Rain about getting rid of speculators in my hometown. I was thinking about the fact that many of the dilapidated buildings in Waterbury were owned by people with absolutely no ties to the community, who were only in Waterbury to make a quick buck and move on. Fast forward to April 2009, and I currently have two buyers who are out-of-towners, from a neighboring state. One good thing about one of them is that they actually plan on moving into the nearby suburbs within the next year. I didn't get the sense from either one of them that they were the type of people to buy, fix and sell. They both want to hold the properties, fix them up, and collect the rent. So what ... 04/13/2009

Here's the latest statistics on what's transpiring in real estate in the Meriden-Woodtick section of Waterbury's East End: Active Listings 25 New Listings 5 Average List Price $159,976 Median List Price $153,500 Average Sq. Ft. 1321 Median Sq. Ft. 1200    Here's the breakdown of prices: List Price Houses % < 100,000 3 12 101,000-150,000 9 36 151,000-200,000 9 36 >201,000 4 16     The majority of prices fell between 100-200k in this neighborhood, with sizes running slightly below the city average.             Now, for a look at the houses that sold this past month:  Closed Listings - 5 Average Median Days on Market 42 30 List Price $106,380 $105,000 Sale Price $100,504 $105,000 Sq. Ft. 1223 1192 LP/Sq. Ft. $87.20 $78.70 SP/Sq. Ft. $82.07 $72.97 SP/LP Ratio 93% 97%   Tip for buyers: Make ... 04/01/2009

Here's a peek at what's happening in the East Mountain real estate market: Active Listings 19 New Listings 4 Average List Price $179,768 Median List Price $184,900 Average Sq. Ft. 1430 Median Sq. Ft. 1276    There are 19 active listings, with 4 new ones in the last 30 days. Homes in this neighborhood tend to be, on average, smaller than similar upscale neighborhoods, but the prices remain relatively high, considering the sizes. Here's a breakdown of the prices in the neighborhood:  List Price Houses % < 150,000 4 21 151,000-200,000 10 53 >201,000 5 26                        These are the new listings available.  Address L/Price ADOM 62 QUARRY HILL RD 184900 7 1031 PEARL LAKE RD 199900 7 149 HARWOOD ROAD 211000 5 1001 PEARL LAKE RD 219000 7 For more details, visit William's Places.    N... 04/01/2009

Here's an update on what's been happening in the Waterbury real estate market in the past month: Active Listings 455 New Listings 42 Average List Price $164,954 Median List Price $159,900 Average Sq. Ft. 1564 Median Sq. Ft. 1440  A total of 455 active listings, with 42 new listings in the last month. Prices are on average slightly above $150k, and the average size is a little over 1550 sq. ft.   For the active listings, here's the price breakdown:   List Price Houses % < 100,000 80 17.5 101,000-150,000 130 28.5 151,000-200,000 147 32 201,000-250,000 70 15 251,000-300,000 18 4 >301,000 15 3   For recent sales: Closed Listings - 38 Average Median Days on Market 97 65 List Price $125,678 $133,400 Sale Price $120,292 $130,950 Sq. Ft. 1336 1212 LP/Sq. Ft. $96.11 $105.31 SP/Sq. Ft. $91.77 $10... 04/01/2009

Bunker Hill-Waterbury CT Real Estate Market Report - April 2009 Here's the latest look at what's been happening in the Bunker Hill section of Waterbury's real estate market: Active Listings 57 New Listings 6 Average List Price $190,957 Median List Price $179,900 Average Sq. Ft. 1638 Median Sq. Ft. 1500   List Price Houses % < 150,000 15 26 151,000-200,000 20 35 201,000-250,000 16 28 >251,000 6 11 There are 57 active listings, with only six new listings in the last 30 days. If size matters, then some of your largest homes will be found in this area with an average of over 1600 sq.ft. Most of the homes listed lie between $150 and $250K. Here's a list of the new actives, which you can get more information on by visiting William's Places. Bunker Hill Waterbury CT - New Actives  Address L/Pr... 03/31/2009

Credit Repair in  Waterbury CT National Credit Fixers: 330 Roberts Street 4th Floor East Hartford CT 06108 phone: 860-282-6181 www.nationalcreditfixers.com National Credit Fixers boasts of 12 years experience repairing low FICO scores. Whether your credit has been damaged by a foreclosure, bankruptcy, slow credit, collections, judgments, repossessions, etc. we can help. We are the experts in credit restoration and credit repair.  We offer Personalized... Not Computerized Credit Report Repair! No two peoples credit reports are exactly the same!  So, no pre-set computer program is going to be as effective as real, skilled credit report correction counselors.  Period! At National Credit Fixers we offer personal and professional service, we are real people working hard for our clients.   Of... 03/27/2009

It has been sitting there for probably as long as Waterbury has been standing. I have known about all of Waterbury's neighborhoods all of my life - except for this one, and I have to admit, my jaw dropped when I saw it. Not even Country Club, with its half-a-million dollar homes, can compare to this neighborhood. Not even close. I happened to stumble across this hidden gem of Waterbury's neighborhoods because I was showing one of the houses there to one of my clients - and even they didn't know that it existed. Nestled along a bend in the Naugatuck River right before you get into Naugatuck, lies the Platts Mills neighborhood. The scenery is absolutely bucolic - peaceful, serene. You can watch the river leap incessantly over the rocks in its onward march towards the Housatanic, the groun... 03/16/2009

We study the market, we do our research, and we prepare a quality market analysis with all the appropriate details and then the seller gets upset because the recommended selling price is just too low for their Gem of a property. Makes you wonder if the title of that book should have really been Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus and sellers who think they can do it themselves in this market have their heads on Pluto. (Actually I wanted to use another planet but I didn't want to risk the sensors). Our market contains all manner of bombs that we need to avoid in order to try and get our listings not only noticed but also sold. This gets more difficult when our competition is the bank foreclosures, short sales not to mention the listings that are in their third or fourth listing in th... 03/15/2009

I think that one of the best ways to promote one's online presence is to make it a point to include your local area in your blogs. I've noticed that many of the more popular bloggers have some sort of line, link or reference to their city or town. So why hasn't anyone done this for Waterbury yet? This reminds me of a comment that my friend Karriem made when I went back to visit UPenn in 1998. "What's great about Waterbury?" His comment made me start and look around my city in a whole new light. Now, let me answer that 11 year old question by giving it a different spin: The top five reasons why Waterbury is a great place to live: 1) The right size. Waterbury is not so large that you can't get from one side of town to the next in under 15, 20 minutes tops, and it is not so small that you ... 03/06/2009

Waterbury CT - Quarterly Market Report Here are some interesting stats on the current real estate market in Waterbury, CT as of March 6, 2009:       Active Listings 440 New Listings 202 Average List Price $166,566 Median List Price $159,900 Average Sq. Ft. 1579 Median Sq. Ft. 1448 There are 440 single-family houses for sale in Waterbury CT with 202 of them being listed within the last 30 days. The average home is almost 1600 sq.ft., for those for whom space is a must, this is good news indeed. Closed Listings - 128 Average Median Days on Market 90 70 List Price $127,485 $127,450 Sale Price $120,028 $125,000 Sq. Ft. 1442 1365 LP/Sq. Ft. $88.39 $94.84 SP/Sq. Ft. $83.44 $86.51 SP/LP Ratio 93% 95%   Due to a combination of factors, homes in Waterbury CT are not staying on the market for lon... 03/05/2009

At first, I thought about adding a little something to the title to take the edge off. At first glance, it sounds like I am about to commit one of the cardinal sins of blogging on AR. After all, I know that my broker doesn't read this - he's too busy making deals, etc. This is one of the many times that I wish he would read the blogs. Why? Trust me, I hate sycophants, suck-ups, apple-polishers, butt-kissers, etc. WITH A PASSION. Never been one, never will be. Nor have I EVER been anyone's "yes" man, going along with things for the sake of love, peace and harmony. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a querrulous type of fellow, I just don't see the sense in putting myself through mental torture by agreeing with people just because they have a position or title (by the way, i have a few of those ... 02/27/2009

Meriden/Woodtick Waterbury CT Real Estate - Quarterly Market Report 1-31-09   Sellers Tip #1: The Key to Selling Your House The most important thing that you can do to guarantee that your home is sold is to list it at the correct price. Overpricing your home will only lead to fewer showings and no serious offers. A market analysis by a realtor who has your best interests at heart will provide you an accurate price at which to list your home to ensure a successful sale. Address Style SqFt Beds Baths Listing Price Sale Price DOM 63 WORCESTER AVE RAISE 1132 3 1.1 119,900 125,000 138 81 CAPITOL AVE CAPE 1344 2 1.0 109,900 103,000 14 196 CAPITOL AVE RANCH 1416 4 2.5 90,900 85,000 23 69 TOWNSEND AVE RANCH 1040 2 1.0 139,900 120,000 110 26 CHARTER AVE SPLIT 1252 3 1.0 159,900 155,000 7 1157 ME... 02/19/2009

East Mountain Waterbury Ct Real Estate - Quarterly Market Report January 31, 2009   Sellers Tip #1: Use a Realtor While doing a "For Sale By Owner" may seem like a good idea, it may ultimately cost you more, both  in terms of time and money. Using a realtor guarantees maximum exposure of your property to potential buyers, shortens time on the market and protects your financial interests. Address Bds Bths Style Sq.Ft. DOM LPrice SPrice 151 Eastside Boulevard 4 2f/1h RRanch 1270 24 145,000 141,500 158 Farrell Road 3 1f/1h Cape 1694 70 159,900 150,000 192 Farrell Road 3 1f/1h Ranch 1270 81 199,900 191,000 1286 Hamilton Avenue 4 2f Ranch 768 34 45,000 46,000 1331 Hamilton Avenue 3 2f Colonial 2824 53 289,900 289,000 1354 Hamilton Avenue 3 1f/1h Ranch 1232 21 139,900 134,900 28 Oakridge Driv... 02/19/2009