Fairfield and Westport CT Real Estate Guide

Local insights on buying, selling, and living in Fairfield County

Tag Archives: Fairfield County


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Dust and Pet Allergies? You Better Clean Your HVAC System!

I moved into my house 10 years ago and was wondering if getting all the dust and dirt out of the air ducts right out of the gate would be a good idea.  I always had allergies to dust and animals, and the previous owners had a cat.   After finding cat hair in the refrigerator, I figured there must be plenty in the air ducts!

But the days turned into months…. and 10 years later I’ve been thinking that cleaning my HVAC system is surely well past-due.   Then just as I was about to take action, I heard someone say that duct cleaning can actually loosen dust and make air quality worse.  I wanted to do whatever was likely to keep my surrounding air clean while spending as little money possible.  This article from House Logic had some helpful information that allowed me to be more comfortable with my decision to hold off again.

DUCTS

However, after several lousy nights of interrupted sleep due to clogged sinuses, I had to do something!

Air vent returns Before & After cleaning

Air vent returns Before & After cleaning

So I started by taking a quick look at the air vents and returns and the air filter even though it had been changed two month prior.  I was appauled by what I saw!  Filthy returns and a black air filter! No wonder dust was accumulating daily on every surface!  So I immediately changed the air filter and got on a ladder with my vacuum. What a difference this made!  Without cleaning my air ducts, the surfaces actually stayed clean, the air was cleaner, the furnace surely was running much more efficiently and as you may have expected, I had a great night’s sleep!

Feel free to comment or ask a question below.

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My Home is My Castle.

What is a castle?  In its most basic form, it’s a place that gives us security and privacy.

Home Sweet Home.  It’s the place we cherish, where we feel safe and sound, sometimes happy, other times sad; where we celebrate, gather together, share, work, create, cook, decorate; where we can love and be loved; where we live, grow, rest, dream, and at times sort through the chaos that life often throws at us!  After all, there’s no place like home !

Em 1st day 1st grade 8-30-07Home is a most important place and a most significant asset.   This is why I love to join my clients in the chapter of their lives when it’s time for their next castle.   It is a critical business transaction and a complex process, but most important, it’s an emotional, exciting and monumental time!  I am honored to share this time with my clients, buffer the anxiety,  guide the course and share the joy!

2012 Thanksgiving Dad Kids & CakeOur castles assume all shapes and sizes.   And in the grandest form, a castle is…. well big and grand! Enjoy this one in Darien, Connecticut.

Please share  a comment or image of a precious moment, space or place showing the essence of home for you!  I’ve posted a few of my own.

2011 The Black & White Crew

 

2011-05-31 09.28.10To see more about how I serve my clients, visit my websites at LindaRaymondRealEstate.com and Raveis.com/LindaRaymond .  Please send me a note below if I can assist you with the home of your dreams.

Sincerely,
Linda

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Question: Which June Housing Market was Better, 2013 or 2014?

What’s the answer?

2014_05_05_0213

Featured property for sale in Fairfield, CT: $379,000. Click image for more info!

Let’s see how the towns did in June this year as we were having fun in the sun…

It helps to look at the rate that homes are selling, known as the “absorption rate”.  It’s calculated by dividing the sales per month by the number of homes on the market at the end of that month.   The higher the percentage, the faster homes are selling and the stronger the market.

At the end of June in Fairfield, there were 90 sales with 622 homes on the market.  So 90/622 is an absorption rate of 14%.  Last June, there were 79 sales with 556 homes for sale equating to the same absorption rate of 14% indicating little change in the pace of the market in Fairfield.

In Westport however, 39 homes sold with 405 on the market and an absorption rate of 39/405 = 10%.  Last June there were 49 sales and 346 active listings, or a rate of (49/346) 14%, showing a weaker market so far this summer.

In Weston 19 homes sold in June with 191 for sale, and a ratio of 19/191, or 10%. Last June, Weston saw 29 sales and 183 homes for sale, an absorption rate of 29/183 =16%.  So the Weston market has slowed as well.

An absorption rate below 15% is considered to be a good market for buyers with greater months of supply and slower sales, whereas a rate above 20% is typically a faster-selling market favoring sellers.

Take a look at the town numbers for June 2013 versus 2014 here: 2014 June Real Estate Fairfield, Westport, Weston

The second half of 2014 is expected to be stronger than the first half according to researchers at Redfin brokerage as reported by RealtorMag.   Click here for the article and to find out why, and let’s get ready for the pace to pick up as we enjoy the breezes of the remaining summer!

Featured home for sale in Fairfield, CT $1,395,000. Click image for more info!

Featured home for sale in Fairfield, CT $1,395,000. Click image for more info!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more answers…or more questions, feel free to submit a request below.

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How’s the Winter 2014 Real Estate Market Fairfield in County CT?

We sure have been hit hard with winter extremes since the New Year with everything from sub-zero temperatures to multiple blizzards and some freezing rain mixed in for good measure! No doubt the weather has been keeping our spring real estate market at bay, but how did sales look in our neighborhood markets in January after the holidays?
Let’s take a look at a few measures across three towns, and see how they relate to last year. Comparing the number of homes on the market, total sales and the average market time in January, we see some promising numbers.  View or print charts here.
 
In Weston, Westport and Fairfield inventory of homes for sale was up between nine and twenty-two percent suggesting stronger seller confidence in the market this year.   Sales in fact, were way up in Weston (50%) and Fairfield (42%) compared to January 2013. Westport sales were down twenty-two percent, but there had been a big spike in the December sales.  The average days on market was way down (-40%) in Westport, though up a bit in Weston and Fairfield (5% and 12% respectively).
 
Overall, the increased inventory and sales in addition to average market time as low as 80 days in Westport, suggest to me that there is pent up demand on both the buy and sell sides of the market.   It would be great to see the market jump up to the pace noted in my post from last June.   I expect to see a flurry of activity in the housing market instead of snow as soon as Mother Nature decides to get the weather under control!
 
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New Family Joins Fairfield’s Beach Area

The Fairfield Beach Area will soon be welcoming a very excited young family!
Relocating here from North Carolina, the wife is working in Wilton and the husband is the new branch manager for a bank on Black Rock Turnpike.  Only Ken was present for the closing yesterday while Jenn was off to Belgium on business, but they will be together again shortly with their two little ones and nearby relatives.

97 Cummings Ken at Closing

This happy family can’t wait to enjoy their gorgeous new home on Cummings Avenue and to meet their new neighbors this spring!  97 Cummings Ken at House