Fairfield and Westport CT Real Estate Guide

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

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Fairfield Beach in Review: October 2020

Market Activity on
Fairfield Beach Road, Pine Creek Avenue, & Old Dam Road

What’s On the Market?

Active Beach Listings

Fairfield Beach Road

  • 12 single-family homes are for sale.
  • Five are new construction listings priced from $1,495,000 to $2,995,000. Two have not been built yet.
  • Of note is that there are three new construction listings priced at $2,995,000. One is on more than a third of an acre and sits across from Penfield Beach and the other two are on small lots on the beachfront near the very end of the peninsula.
  • Four properties have a dock on the Pine Creek waterway.
  • Two of the properties have a guest house.

There are no active listings available on Pine Creek Ave or Old Dam Road.

What Sold, Mid-August to Mid-October?

Sold & Accepted Offers

  • Five single-family homes sold at the beach from August 15 through October 15.
  • Two condos sold, one on Fairfield Beach Rd across from the beach for $715,000 and a penthouse on Pine Creek Avenue for $1,125,000.
  • Single-family sale prices ranged from $1,560,000 to $5 million.

What About Accepted Offers?

  • There are currently six accepted offers on Fairfield Beach Rd with prices ranging from $728,000 for a non-beachfront condo to $4,495,000.
  • There is one accepted offer on Pine Creek Avenue for a home priced at $995,000.

Interestingly, compared to last year, the same sales activity occurred during this timeframe.  Five homes sold and two condos sold, one condo on Fairfield Road, and one on Pine Creek Avenue.  However, the sale prices for the single-family beach houses were quite a bit lower, ranging from $700,000 to $1,750,000 last year, mid-August  to mid-October.

So the word on the street is that air may be getting cooler, but the waterfront market remains quite warm!  Who is ready to take a dip? 🙂

 If you have any questions about this market and what it can mean for you, please reach out to me at 203.912.4440, Linda.Raymond@raveis.com , or using the form below.  I’m here to help!

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Fairfield Beach in Review: August 2020

Market Activity on
Fairfield Beach Road –  Pine Creek Avenue – Old Dam Road

What’s On the Market?

Active Beach Listings

Fairfield Beach Road

  • 12 single-family homes are for sale.
  • Four are new construction listings priced from $1,500,000 to $3,200,000. Three are complete and sit across the street from the water. Two are under construction, one on the creek, and one on the beach with a creekside parcel and a dock.
  • Seven of the listings are on direct beachfront and priced from $1,700,000 to $5 million.  Two of these have additional creekside property, and one also has a dock on the creek.
  • There are three creek-front listings priced from $2 million for a home with a dock to $2,570,000 for a new home under construction.

Pine Creek Ave

  • There is one waterfront property for sale for $2,495,000.

Old Dam Road

  • There is one property for sale on about a third of an acre that is not on the waterfront for $875,000.

What Sold, Mid-June to Mid-August?

Sold & accepted offers since mid-June

  • Four single-family homes sold since mid-June including three on Fairfield Beach Road, and one on Old Dam Road.  Two were on the beachfront and two on the waterway.
  • One condo across the street from the water sold on Fairfield Beach Road for $715,000.
  • Single-family sale prices ranged from $700,000 for a home not on the water on Old Dam Road to $3 million for beachfront renovation/new construction on Fairfield Beach Road.

What About Accepted Offers?

  • There are currently two homes under contract, a three-years-young beachfront home on Fairfield Beach Road listed for $2,795,000 and a beachfront condo on Pine Creek Avenue on the market for $1,135,000. 
  • Three homes on the beach have accepted offers with list prices ranging from $1,695,000 to $2,395,000.

1690 Fairfield Beach Rd - Sold

There have been nine sales so far this year through August 15 compared to 14 last year during this timeframe, however the five accepted offers should catch us up. One improvement we have seen this year is the beach homes selling closer to the asking price. On average the nine sales this year closed at 96 percent of the asking price compared to 94% last year.

Still, this year’s beach market has been a bit slow compared to other blazing markets driven by the pandemic. For example, in the entire Fairfield Beach Area (including homes closer to town), there were 95 sales year to date that sold for an average of 97 percent of asking compared to 78 sales YTD in 2019 selling on average for 96 percent of asking.

So the word on the street is that we may be in the dog days of summer at the beachfront, but the market overall is still hot!

 If you have any questions about this market and what it can mean for you, please reach out to me at 203.912.4440, Linda.Raymond@raveis.com , or using the form below.  I’m here to help!

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Fairfield Beach in Review: June 2020

Market Activity on
Fairfield Beach Road –  Pine Creek Avenue – Old Dam Road

What’s On the Market?

Fairfield Beach Road

  • 13 single-family homes are for sale.
  • Four are new construction listings priced from $1,500,000 to $3,200,000. Two are complete and sit across the street from the water. Two are under construction, one on the creek, and one on the beach with a creekside parcel and a dock.
  • Eight of the listings are on direct beachfront and priced from $1,350,000 to $3,775,000.  Five of these have additional creekside property, and two also have a dock on the creek.
  • Two listings are on the creek priced at $2,195,000 for a home with a dock, and $2,269,000 for a new home under construction.

Pine Creek Ave

  • There is one property for sale, a penthouse condo at Kensie Point, 10 Pine Creek Avenue, 501S for $1,135,000.

Old Dam Road

  • There is one property for sale on a 0.72-acre creekside parcel with a dock listed for $1,980,000.

What Sold So Far in 2020?

  • Four single-family homes sold in April and May including one on Fairfield Beach Road, one on Pine Creek Avenue, and two on Old Dam Road.
  • Sale prices ranged from $580,000 for a home off the water at 57 Pine Creek Avenue to $1,375,000 for a home at 2087 Fairfield Beach Road.

What About Accepted Offers?

  • There are currently two homes under contract, (my listing), a creekside home with a dock at 1690 Fairfield Beach Road listed for $1,095,000 and a newly raised home that is currently under construction on the beach at 1092 Fairfield Beach Road listed for $3,000,000. 
  • Two non-waterfront properties have accepted offers. One condo on Fairfield Beach Road and one house on Old Dam Road, listed for $729,000 and $700,000 respectively.

Sales activity on the waterfront this year has some catching up to do to match 2019 activity. Last year there were seven sales in February through May with sale prices ranging from $980,000 on Old Dam Road to $2,455,000 for (my listing), a large home on the beach with a creekside garage and finished space above it.  The late start of this year’s beach market is not surprising given the onset of the pandemic. However, the real estate market overall has seen an influx of activity from low interest rates and swarms of people leaving New York City, so the word on the street is that ‘summer is the new spring‘, and many anticipate a busy beach market ahead!

 If you would like to discuss the value of your property in this market and how I would market it for you, please contact me at 203.912.4440, Linda.Raymond@raveis.com , or using the form below.

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Beach in Review: Fairfield 2019 into 2020!

Market activity on
Fairfield Beach Road –  Pine Creek Avenue – Old Dam Road

What’s On the Market?


On the Market: 1690 Fairfield Beach Road

Fairfield Beach Road

  • 10 single-family homes are for sale.
  • Three are new construction listings priced from $1,900,000 to $3,200,000. One is nearing completion and sits across the street from the water. Two are proposed new construction on direct beachfront.
  • There are two listings on the creek with a floating dock, 1690 and 1522 Fairfield Beach Road, priced at $1,150,000, and $2,350,000 respectively.
  • Seven of the 10 listings are on direct beachfront and priced from $1,699,000 and $3,775,000.

Pine Creek Ave

  • There is one property for sale at 57 Pine Creek Avenue for $599,000.

Old Dam Road

  • There are three properties for sale on the creek with a dock with prices ranging from $649,000 to $1,099,000.

Source: SmartMLS Updated 2/12/2020

What Sold in 2019?

  • 20 single-family homes sold including 15 on Fairfield Beach Road, four on Pine Creek Avenue, and one on Old Dam Road.
  • The highest sale price was $2,900,000 on Pine Creek and the lowest was $549,000 for an antique cottage on Fairfield Beach Road.
  • Two condominiums sold, one in the Burr Court complex on Fairfield Beach Road, and one at Kensie Point on Pine Creek Avenue.
  • There is currently one home under contract on Fairfield Beach Road listed for $3,000,000. 

The 2019 waterfront market enjoyed a higher median sale price of $1,527,500 compared to $1,460,000 in 2018. Twenty single-family homes sold in both 2019 and 2018, and there was one condominium sale in 2018 and two in 2019.  As we begin 2020 with low interest rates, a nice selection of active beach listings, and one home already under contract, I’m optimistic for a great year ahead.  If you would like to discuss the value of your property in this market and how I would market it for you, please contact me at 203.912.4440, Linda.Raymond@raveis.com , or using the form below.

Linda Raymond at Penfield Beach
2020 should be great, and I can’t wait!

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My Most Cherished Walking Trail in Fairfield CT’s Beach Area!

tidal-marsh-with-creek

Everyone who walks this trail, especially my dogs, agrees that this is one of the most wonderful places to go to decompress and gain inspiration in Fairfield Connecticut’s beach area.   You may find yourself alone with the wildlife (and your dogs), or you may see other people dog-walking, jogging or bicycling. marsh-trail

There is convenient access from several beach area neighborhoods.  One entrance is on Old Dam Road.  You can jump on the trail from the Meadows condo complex off South Pine Creek Road, or you can enter at Mona Terrace by the soccer field and senior center. The latter is my favorite because there is a cut-through from an additional neighborhood near me at the Veres Park cul-de-sac.  A parking lot is also available at the senior center, next to the soccer field.

marsh-trail6

When entering from Mona Terrace, I like the fact that you have options. You can choose to go for a short and sweet stroll along the marsh-side path that leads out to Oldfield Road.  Or for a bigger commitment, you can jump onto the wide trail and go through the woods, across the bridge, and past the Meadows condos and Old Dam Road to the end of the trail and back. marsh-trail3

The woods are always peaceful and pretty, but in my view, the vistas along the tidal marsh are where I find my “Zen”.  When it’s high tide, the water winds through the tall grasses, and when the sun hits the water just right, it sparkles through the reeds and tree branches like diamonds! In the summer, the seaside greenery boasts flowers of vivid colors, and a vast variety of birds are busy doing what they do!

marsh-trail5

Last, but not least, if you take the full route to the end, you will get the prize.  What makes this my favorite trail is that it narrows along a little strip of raised land, where you start to wonder where you will end up.  But it leads you to the sweetest of surprises.  The tail takes you to a final destination, where (spoiler alert) you are surrounded on three sides by the water of a tranquil lagoon.  Beyond the edge of the lagoon, to the right, you can see two more waterways.  Old Dam Road flanks the lagoon with Pine Creek behind it.  And behind that, you see Fairfield Beach Road and the Long Island Sound.  Three different waterway views all at once, what a rare treat!   Your dogs can go for a swim, you can take some photos as I’ve done here, and then, you can head back to reality feeling renewed.

tidal-marsh-trail-end

If you have any questions about the rich local amenities in this area and what it means for you, please reach out to me at 203.912.4440, visit my website, or send a note below.  I’m here to help!  Feel free to set up your own search in the meantime to get a feel for what’s available!

-Linda

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Get a Realtor on Board!


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Home Buying Tips In A Tight Market – What can a buyer can do to combat tight inventory?

If you are a home buyer and don’t see many options during your initial search online, make sure you get a Realtor on board to help you.  Get a Realtor on Board!

Even though inventory may be low and declining, there are at least three key actions your agent can take for you.  Make sure your agent knows what you are looking for, the location you want and your ideal timing.

  1. Armed with this insight, the first thing your agent will do is set up a search for you in the MLS. This allows other agents to conduct a ‘reverse search’ for your wish list items that could match a new listing they plan to put on the market.  They can call your agent who will then be among the first to know about the new listing that could be perfect for you!
  2. The next action your Realtor can take is to send an email to fellow agents in the offices around the town where you are looking that asks if they have a possible match coming to the market.  This can encourage sellers to expedite their plans and make their property available sooner than they had originally planned.  It also gets you first dibs on these homes!

Sample letter to homeowners

3. Last, but not least, your agent can write a letter or design a postcard describing your dream home and mail it directly to the homeowners on your favorite street or in the area you are focused on.

 

Sample Postcard

 

 

 

If you are a seller dealing with buyers that are circling and taking no action or facing a complete lack of buyers altogether, there are key action steps you can take too.

So don’t give into a slowing market, surge ahead, get the market to work for you, and make your move!

For questions or help in this market, send me a note using the form below.

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Moving is So Bittersweet

You might say the phenomenon is like a rollercoaster ride when a house changes hands. It goes from someone’s beloved home to being the commodity of ‘a house’ and then back to a dear home again when the new owners move in.

And during this process, the lives of those connected to the transfer undergo such a monumental, emotional and bittersweet transition.

Cathy & Sal

Cathy & Sal

Cathy and Sal passionately enjoyed two decades of raising a family on Charles Street in the Fairfield Beach area. They always celebrated holidays to the hilt. Their elaborate lawn displays each Halloween included their camouflaged kids as spirited spooks who actively taunted trick-or-treaters before handing out candy. And their Christmas displays included every conceivable festive (inflatable and not!) item they had in their attic during the off season! Top these 20 Halloweens and 20 Christmases with a beautiful wedding ceremony for their eldest daughter this past summer, and you have just a few exceptional memories in your chest.

But now that the last of two girls and a boy have grown up and found a place of their own, it was time to move on. They didn’t expect it all to happen so quickly, but they priced their house to sell , staged it to look great and had it under contract for above their asking price in just 23 days!

Cathy and Sal found another fantastic home near the shore in New York and will be much closer to their family. This was an exciting change and the start of a new chapter, yet I know Cathy was fighting back the tears as she waved goodbye to her old house and smiled for the picture before making the full transition to her new home.

Today Charles Street welcomes a new family with two little boys, and like Cathy and Sal, they’re ready for lots of new good times to be had!

For questions and about your own transition, just send me a note below, and I’m happy to help. -Linda

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Annie and Andrew’s Story

 

Annie & Andrew

A seasoned recruiter for a financial firm on Merritt 7 in Norwalk Connecticut, Annie knew a good candidate when she saw one.   The perfect asset for the current position was one she had already recruited once before, and that would be her husband!  Given their relationship, Annie’s boss had to step in and seal the deal, but Andrew was on board in no time.

The next step was to move from their home in Avon to a town closer to Norwalk that was affordable and had good schools.  Annie’s boss lived in Fairfield and was a strong advocate.  She convinced Annie and Andrew that this town would fit the bill.

So Annie and Andrew’s agent in Avon called me to help them find a new home in Fairfield.  We spoke on the phone, and I set up their online search.   Immediately Annie saw something she liked and came to see it the next day.  Andrew couldn’t get free until the weekend, and by then the house was gone.  Three more times, the timing was too late or multiple bids got in the way, and three more homes were lost. Homes in their price range in the Fairfield university area were in extremely high demand and flying off the shelf!

New Home in Fairfield

Although Andrew liked the homes he had seen, he was still having a little trouble understanding the value for the prices in Fairfield compared to Avon.  Annie and I gushed about the treasured amenities in Fairfield such as the gorgeous beaches, convenient train stations, chic eateries, vicinity to Manhattan and the fantastic vibrant community. I wish I had this video tour of Fairfield at the time! Still, Andrew just shrugged his shoulders and went with the flow, primarily motivated by a quick commute.  

Finally, a lovely pricier home had a price reduction.  We immediately went to see it and this time lucked out.  Annie and Andrew landed a beautiful expanded Cape on a pretty university area street.  They lost no time starting to make memories with their little son George, their new neighbors and all the block parties scheduled for the year.

A short time later, Annie sent me a note that said, “Hi Linda, we love the house, and we have fallen in love with Fairfield.  We have only been in the house a little over a month, but it truly feels like home, and I would say George agrees!  We cannot thank you enough for all of your help. You were terrific to work with, patient and helped us every step of the way. Relocating to a new area is overwhelming, and you really made us feel at ease throughout the whole process.  Thanks again for everything.  We hope to see you around town!”

So we welcome Annie and Andrew to Fairfield and the university area along with some of our other recent new neighbors, Ping and Danian and Rich and Chris.  Annie and Andrew’s story is all about taking that leap toward the next chapter of exciting new beginnings- A new love. A new job. A new town. A new home.  Follow your dreams, and the rest is history in the making!

For questions about your next move, contact me any time!

If you're thinking of moving in the next 12 months, call now for your free consultation -> 203-912-4440

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Homeowner Use of Social Media: Lifeline or Liability?

Most of us use social media networks like Facebook as a convenient go-to tool for fun, entertainment, communication, sharing, advice and recommendations.  And it’s a great way to get some instant gratification for all of these things.    Buyers Browse Facebook

But most of us also know there can be a dark side to these perks. We’ve all heard about the folks who’ve shared embarassing moments and pictures online that they’ve since regretted.  Once it’s out there on the web, it’s likely to always be out there on the web… somewhere.

Well, if you are a homeowner seeking advice or recommendations for repairs to your home, remember the point above.  If you illustrate a leak in your dining room ceiling in a photograph on the world wide web, remember that it will still be out there when you ultimately decide to sell your home.  Not that there is any harm done here.  However, if you present an important issue with your house online such as a leak, or a mold problem, etc., be sure to disclose it when you sell.   In Connecticut the Department of Consumer Protection requires sellers to complete a residential property disclosure report for potential buyers or pay a penalty of $500 at closing.

Buyers are excited, curious, nervous and saavy people… as well as frequent users of the internet. They might just be browsing your social networks.  If your leaky ceiling issue is disclosed on Facebook, but not on the required property disclosure when you sell, you could heading for trouble.  If you try to conceal an existing issue with your house, there is risk for liability.

So think about what you post online when it comes to your home repairs, and remember what you posted when it’s time to sell your house.  If the problem has been repaired, that’s great, your buyers will be happy to know about it!

Feel free to contact me any time with questions about buying or selling a home!   -Linda

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Pricing Your Home Right

Here are a few true stories that occurred in May of 2015.  Three comparable university area homes for sale in Fairfield Connecticut accepted offers.  The properties and prices were similar in scope, but the paths the sellers took to get an offer were quite different.   I’ll assign each house a color instead of using the address to protect privacy.  I am privy to the information because my buyers bid on all three of these homes.

White House

A White house with 2,293 square feet, four bedrooms and two and a half baths on .31 acres came on the market for $675,000 the previous November.  The listing canceled and put back on the market as a new listing for the same price in January 2015.  Over the next 130 days the price was reduced to $669,000 and then 649,000.  It was newly listed again in May for $625,000.  The sellers accepted an offer of $610,000 which was 97% of their final asking price but 90% of their original price from more six months prior.

green house

A Green house was listed in March for $650,000.  It had 2,352 square feet, two and a half baths on .49 acres.  The price was reduced to $619,000 and then to $610,000 and was ultimately re-listed with a new price of $600,000. Less than two weeks later, the sellers received multiple full price offers for $600,000.  The sellers got 100% of their final asking price, but 92% of their original list price.

On May 12, homeowners listed a Red house for sale with 2,164 square feet, three bedrooms and two baths on .22 acres for $619,000 and accepted an offer the next day!

Since the two homes above sold for 97-100% of their final asking price, and the average sale-list ratio in Fairfield from January to mid-May was 97%, my guess is that the sellers got very close to their asking price, and in one day, not bad!REd House

So what are the take-aways?

Price: You won’t get more by pricing your house much higher than market value.  Remember you have to sell your house three times- to the buyer’s agent, to the buyer, and to the appraiser. Buyers may be attracted to your house based on emotion, but their final decision is based on the market data that their Realtor provides to them.

Time: The higher above market value you price your house, the longer it will take to sell, and remember, time is (taxes, utilities, insurance, repairs, maintenance, personal time and energy…) money!  The stories above show that in this price range, a list price of 8-10% above the market value is too high to attract an offer.

Since the market is what determines your property’s value, not your personal finances (or Zillow!), price your house within 5% of, or right at market value.  This way you can enjoy a fast sale at a fair market price, and get to where you want to go sooner rather than later!

Feel free to contact me for a pricing recomendation and custom marketing plan or any questions you may have about the buying and selling process.   I’m here to help!

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