13 homes 🏡 sold last week in Fairfield and Westport, meaning that 26happy parties successfully made their moves. Plus there are currently 149 active 🏃♀️listings, of which 29 are new 🥳 (less than 14 days old), giving more people the opportunity to get to their dream 🤔 home!
Please share your good news or any comments below!
Hi, IT’S GOOD NEWS MONDAY, and I’m sharing some good news and optimism with you!
Please enjoy, and feel free to share any good news or inspiration you may have, no matter how big or small, in the comments below. “A rising tide floats all ships!” – Have you ever seen an amazing Sun Fish?
If not, today’s your lucky day! https://cbsloc.al/3nwxzeT– The Dream Machine Foundation, a non-profit, came across a chef who lost his job during the pandemic and became homeless.
They did an amazing thing to turn his luck around. https://bit.ly/3Gb80Hb– Fairfield’s Circle Diner Improved their energy efficiency and dining ambiance. Check out how they did it, and stop by for a great meal! https://bit.ly/32Vws1f
I met a charming professional couple when they called about one of my listings in Fairfield. We worked together until finding and securing their dream home, and they happily settled in.
Her Sister Was a Past Client of Mine and Recommended She Give Me A Call
Fast forward a couple of years, and I received a call from a lovely woman named Sarah who told me her sister said they loved working with me and recommended she give me a call.
Sarah wanted to transition from a large home and property in a private and remote area in Litchfield County to something that was closer to neighbors and town amenities in Fairfield County. We looked at a beautiful home in Westport that was near the town resources, but it was on a busy road and not in a neighborhood. The home was so attractive that it was tempting to make an offer. However, I had a feeling that the Fairfield Beach area might be a perfect fit for her with its vibrant energy, lots of people out and about, and being right near the bustling downtown area as well as the beach!
Slim Pickings and a Pandemic Did Not Stop Us!
So I took her to the Fairfield neighborhood, but there were only one or two homes for sale that were not the right fit. Yet, there was an old cape slated for demolition on a generous-sized property in the perfect neighborhood location. I called the builder sign, and the conversations began. Price discussions were a bit of a challenge because there were no close-by comparable sales at the price the builder wanted. Yet there were also ZERO options to choose from. The pandemic was mid-stream and prices seemed to be rising. We agreed on a price, and the contracts were signed!
However, there seemed to be an issue with getting the demolition underway. After a few weeks of no visible activity and calls to the builder, we were told that they hit a roadblock with the town issuing the demolition permit. I tried calling the town as well and did not get a response either. Finally I emailed the First Selectwoman and explained the challenge we were having. The same day I received a call from the building department and a demolition permit was issued in the next day or so afterward. The building department had been overloaded with requests for home renovation and expansion permits. But the process was now underway, and plugged along despite delays from pandemic related supply and labor shortages. Finally, at the end of December 2021, the stunning new home was ready!
Home Sweet Home!
From a humble beginning, the fabulous new home emerged after many months in the works! Here’s a video of the home’s journey.
Click Image to Play Video!
Sarah shared her thoughts below
Please reach out to me if you or a friend are considering a move. We can have a brief consultation to discuss your plans and the market, and decide what steps make sense from there.
Where did the market go in November? The Westport and Fairfield town-wide sales pace in November, though below that of last November 2020 coming off the Covid spike, was still above that of 2019. Inventory dipped below two-months of supply in Fairfield and stayed at three months of supply in Westport. Low inventory continued to be the most significant limiting factor, and multiple-offers were still happening with many listings. The median sale price in Fairfield was 12% below November 2020 numbers and was up 25% in Westport. Days on market averaged 49 days in Fairfield and 63 in Westport.
Purchasing a home now can award instant equity in addition to exponential savings over the life of a mortgage if home values continue to appreciate and rates begin to creep up as projected by economic experts. Waiting until next year to buy a home could result in a more expensive purchase. Homeowners that sell now can benefit from a larger buyer pool than next year when homes will be more costly for buyers if interest rates increase. Sellers have much less competition in the winter months than during the spring market, and buyers in the winter are very serious.
If you are like many others who want to sell but are still on the fence, this winter still offers an excellent opportunity to make your move. Interest rates and inventory are still low, and buyer demand is still extremely strong. You are right to seek an expert guide to help you put your strategy in place to reach your goal! Call me today to discuss your plans ==> (203) 912-4440.
What Happened in November in these two hot spots, downtown Fairfield and Greens Farms Westport? Check out the following lists of the homes that sold and where homeowners accepted offers. The big charts also show the town-wide stats.
FAIRFIELD DOWNTOWN – Within a one-mile radius of the downtown train.
Below are the 12 single-family closings and seven new accepted offers in downtown Fairfield in November.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Fairfield town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
WESTPORT GREENS FARMS
There were three single-family sales and one accepted offer in November in Greens Farms.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Westport town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
Call me if you are thinking of making a move in the next 12 months, and we will have a 15 minute consultation to discuss your goals, the market, and whether I can help ===> (203) 912-4440.
Looking at how the market did in October… The Westport and Fairfield town-wide sales pace in October slowed a bit from the previous month, consistent with the seasonal trend, and was also down significantly compared to the Covid spike in October 2020, but the sales pace was still above the same time of year in 2019. Inventory remained at two-months of supply in Fairfield and three months in Westport. Low inventory continued to be the most significant limiting factor in these markets. The median sale price was within 2-3 percent of October 2020 numbers and remained significantly higher than in 2019. Market time was still brisk ensuring a constant refresh of available homes for sale.
Industry experts predict continued appreciation of property values and rising interest rates next year. Purchasing a new home now can award instant equity in addition to exponential savings over the life of a mortgage. Waiting until next year to make a purchase can result in a more expensive purchase. Homeowners that sell now benefit from a larger buyer pool than next year when homes will be more costly for buyers if interest rates go up.
If you are like many others who want to sell but are still on the fence, this fall continues to offer an excellent window to make your move. Interest rates and inventory are still low, and buyer demand is still strong. You are right to arm yourself with an expert guide to help you put your strategy in place to reach your goal! Call me today to discuss your plans ==> (203) 912-4440.
What has sold in these two hot spots? Where are the accepted offers in October and the beginning of November? Check out the scoop below and take a look at the charts showing the town-wide data.
FAIRFIELD DOWNTOWN – Within a one-mile radius of the downtown train.
Looking at single-family sales, there were 14 closings in October. Market activity showed 16 new accepted offers, including three condominiums and one commercial building in October through November 8th in Fairfield’s downtown and beach area.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Fairfield town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
WESTPORT GREENS FARMS
There was one single-family sale October in Greens Farms. There were four new accepted offers, all single-family homes between $1-4 million, in Westport’s Greens Farms neighborhood through November 8th.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Westport town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
Call me if you are thinking of making a move in the next 12 months, and we will have a 15 minute consultation to discuss your goals, the market, and whether I can help ===> (203) 912-4440.
For 17 years, our next door neighbors along with their two young daughters and their big dog were a steady presence on the street. We had seen Kelly’s parents come and visit fairly often and become familiar faces. We didn’t know until some time later, that this had been her parent’s house, and Kelly had grown up there.
They had made many improvements to the house over time- new kitchen, windows and doors, new siding, new covered front porch, new stone patio, etc. It never occurred to us that they might move some day. They never talked about the house not suiting their needs anymore.
We joined the neighborhood in 2004 just before I had become a Realtor after experiencing first-hand how emotionally charged making a move and buying a home could be- especially in a hot seller’s market! Steve and Kelly knew I was a Realtor.
But it seemed to come out of the blue the day Kelly called me and told me she had “never planned to stay in that little house so long” and that they wanted to make a move right away! Even more surprisingly though was that their oldest daughter was in college and the younger one was a senior in high school, and yet she said they wanted a bigger and newer home with a pool.
They “hit a wall” with the home they’d been in, and they couldn’t stand it another minute!
It was time to move on and get into that dream home that Kelly had planned to be in years ago but never got around to! They said that even though the girls wouldn’t be there all the time, they loved to have family visit, and they have a very big family.
Once she and Steve made that decision, it seemed like nothing about their current house worked for them any more. The four of them all shared one full bath, the only office they had was tiny, there was just the living room for company to hang out in, there was no AC, no garage, and the interior needed updating because most of the improvements they had done were on the outside.
With their timeline tight, I quickly crafted a plan to get them into their dream home within the shortest timeframe possible.
It was the end of March 2020, and the pandemic was just beginning to ramp up. Steve and Kelly wanted to purchase a home (with a mortgage) before selling their current home. The plan was to find their dream home and move in, so they wouldn’t have to worry about timing or dealing with showing their old house.
We got the pre-approval in place, and I set up a search to match the very specific criteria they were looking for: more space, more property, updated or new condition, a pool or room for a pool, in the same town, and possibly in the same neighborhood. We reviewed the options.
We looked at two top contenders, and they loved the second one, so we submitted a competitive offer right away. However, it had not been disclosed to us that the house had been tied up with seller issues, so the search continued. Very soon afterward, we looked at a gorgeous home that checked all the boxes and was even closer to the beach! That was the one, and the purchase went very smoothly.
Now happily settled into their exciting new home it was time to get the old one sold!
We did some minor staging, had the photos taken, and hit the market. Immediately there was interest from 10 prospects. Some were not local and couldn’t get there right away, some still had to sell their home before they could buy.
But one family had been looking for a long time, loved the neighborhood, and had a May deadline to move. They came to see the house but were unsure about it because they would need to add a master bath and finish the basement. They took a day to think it over and then made an offer. The negotiations went well, and we arrived at a deal. It turned out that this was the first buyer to see the house the first day it came on market!
Of course it couldn’t have gone that smoothly, right? Sure enough, all went well until the inspection. The inspector found an old pipe repair in the basement and decided to investigate further. He fed a camera through the pipe and discovered an underground sewer line repair that was not up to code.
This issue was unexpected, but in real estate, that’s what happens sometimes. It’s important to go in knowing that roadblocks occur. Nonetheless, I worked closely with the buyer’s agent to solve the unexpected issue so that we could reach the end goal for our clients. Steve and Kelly had the pipe repaired and the process was back on track. We sailed through a smooth final walk-through and closing.
One and Done!We sold their house in one day for 97% of asking.
They grew up there and then raised their own kids there. Generations of fond memories were there. And yet, one day, there was a driving force to move on. Stronger than the ties that kept them there was the urge for the excitement of a new chapter, a new space, new memories, a new castle , a new home.
Do you have a story you can share in the comments? Are you ready for your next chapter ? Let’s have a conversation, 203-912-4440.
How did I get Steve and Kelly out of their childhood home and into their dream home in record time?
With great care and understanding, a clear plan and strategy, creativity, technology, and abundant cutting-edge resources and solutions on hand, I guided them through the plan. I have managed many home sales for my clients in the last 16 years and was happy to include Steve and Kelly among them.
Selling a house is a big deal. It can feel daunting when you’re ready to let go of the family property and move to a home that’s more suitable for your current lifestyle. There are so many moving parts and potential roadblocks you can face on this journey, and you want to be prepared.
That’s why you deserve the guidance of a professional that can help you maximize your equity and sell in the least amount of time. A professional who can help you make informed decisions and avoid the common pitfalls of buying and selling. It’s my job to make this happen.
Thinking of selling in the next 12 months?
Call today to get started ==> 203-912-4440
We’ll discuss your goals and timeline, briefly cover how I work with clients, and if we seem like a match, we’ll discuss next steps from there.
When my clients and the markets bring new challenges to me, I want to be sure to respond by bringing new solutions and a compelling marketing strategy to the table. That’s why I work for a company that thinks out of the box and always supports me and my clients with cutting-edge innovation. We are not thinking in terms of black and white, (or even 50 shades of gray 😃), but with an exhilarating and vibrant focus on color and creativity!
William Raveis is about to make a big splash! This week, we will begin launching our new campaign, “Your Best Just Got Better” that highlights the individuality of Raveis agents and how our company empowers us to express our creative freedom to help our clients reach their goals. (Here’s a sneak preview of how some of the images will look on billboards, in magazines and newspapers, on TV, and online.)
Creativity is the key to our success! We don’t dream in boring black and white; we dream in color, and we dream BIG. The powerful paint splash represents the variety of creative programs and services our agents have to accomplish their clients’ home goals. The colors in our new campaign are expressions of all the resources we have as a company.
It’s truly revolutionary: Not only does our company have the resources to buy the home you want to sell (Raveis Purchase), we can also buy the home you want to buy so you can present an all-cash deal (Raveis CashBid™) and finance it later (William Raveis Mortgage). We also offer bridge financing to help bridge the gap between selling and buying. In addition to our stellar tech and local expertise, our financial resources truly provide an edge over our competition.
On that note, stay tuned for the new look and feel of William Raveis Mortgage and all of the exceptional products and services. The new look pays tribute to our company’s heritage, and it is purposeful, bold and as distinctive as the high-quality service we provide.
We are in the very unique position of being a mortgage company that understands real estate, and this gives our clients a competitive advantage. Our home-selling expertise means we can provide our clients the best financing advice, service, and insight to win competitive offers.
Do you have a challenge my team and I can solve for you?
Looking at how the market did in September… The Westport and Fairfield town-wide sales pace in September was slower than the previous month of August as well as the Covid spike in 2020, but the pace was still above sales in September 2019. Low inventory remained the strongest limiting factor. Our local housing markets in both towns progressed with strong sales and a continued increase in the median sale price during September.
If you are like many others who want to sell but are still on the fence, the fall season will continue to offer an excellent window to make your move. Interest rates and inventory are still low, and buyer demand is still strong. You are right to arm yourself with an expert guide to help you put your strategy in place to reach your goal! Call me today to discuss your plans, (203) 912-4440.
What has sold in these two hot spots? Where are the accepted offers in September? Check out the scoop below and take a look at the charts showing the town-wide data.
FAIRFIELD DOWNTOWN – Within a one-mile radius of the downtown train.
Looking at single-family market activity, there were 16 closings in September compared to 19 in August, and 13 new accepted offers in Fairfield’s downtown and beach area at the time this post was written.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Fairfield town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
WESTPORT GREENS FARMS
There were 7 single-family sales in September compared to 10 in August. There were two new accepted offers in Westport’s Greens Farms neighborhood at the time of this post.
SOLD:
NEWLY ACCEPTED OFFERS:
Take a look at the Westport town-wide stats from the William Raveis Local Housing Data. Send me a note below if you would like the link to add the LHD shortcut to your phone!
Call me if you are thinking of making a move in the next 12 months, and we will have a 15 minute consultation to discuss your goals, the market, and whether I can help ===> (203) 912-4440.
Despite all the obstacles from this pandemic, you may very much want to make a move to a home that is better suited to your current needs and desired lifestyle. Like so many others, you want the right amount of space for privacy, focus, relaxation, and recreation. Problem is, you’re worried about the monumental stress of actually making it happen, and this is completely understandable.
For most of the population, real estate transactions are the biggest and most difficult financial endeavors of their lives. There are so many moving parts and potential roadblocks. That’s why understanding the market you’re in is so important for making the best decisions. From there, working with a well-qualified real estate expert can help you lock down your hard-earned equity. As you consider your next move, here are the top things to know about the Fairfield real estate market right now:
and then raised their own kids 
there. Generations of fond memories were there. And yet, one day, there was a driving force 
to move on. Stronger than the ties that kept them there was the urge for the excitement 
of a new chapter, a new space, new memories, a new castle 
, a new home. 
? Let’s have a conversation, 203-912-4440.
Fairfield and Westport CT Real Estate Guide 