Fairfield and Westport CT Real Estate Guide

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

Tag Archives: housing market


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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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Great Finds on Both Sides of Town!

Whether you know someone looking for a cute cape close to Black Rock Turnpike shopping and the new Fairfield Metro Center, or a proposed new construction on the beach near Fairfield’s bustling downtown scene and train, there’s a home for the taking!

Fairfield Metro StationHere are two featured properties for sale.  Scroll down for a link to browse all listings or request to have a search set up for you.

Beautiful Updated Cape, also for rent, in a super convenient location near ample amenities and the new train station! Some of the great features include three bedrooms, two full baths, vaulted ceiling family room with sliders, renovated kitchen, covered deck, central air, fully fenced and landscaped back yard with newly expanded shed and double driveways. Opportunity knocks!

A rare moment is here for you. Introducing Beach Life. Have your custom home built by world class craftsmen on a spectacular near-third acre stretch of beach with mature trees and high dunes! Deep sandy beach and 51 feet of beach frontage at the coast’s curve offer expansive views of the entire shoreline. Dreamy vistas of changing light, tides and the iconic Penfield Light House never lose their magic. Other multi-million dollar new homes nearby add to the great value and good company. Your home will be finished on three levels with a spacious carport underneath for two cars plus extra multi-use space and plenty of expansion potential. One of the very deepest and highest sections of beach five minutes from town, restaurants and train, and an hour from Manhattan is where you will call home. Get ready for your new beach life to begin!

Photo Oct 30, 11 37 20 AM    Photo Oct 30, 11 47 19 AM

 845 FFBR - elevation- 10 - 21 - 14  Photo Oct 30, 12 55 20 PM

 

 

 

 

Search for your home here or submit a request below.   I’m here to help. 🙂

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Quick Scoop on July’s Local CT Housing Markets

Word on the Street: Fairfield, Westport & Weston
2013 vs. 2014

House Clip Art

Just checking in with a quick report on the real estate markets in July before joining the masses and taking a little vacation-

We would expect the housing market to be seasonally slower in the months of July and August as people are in full summer mode and focused on enjoying the warm weather.  However, this July appeared to be slower than last July in Westport and Fairfield.  Weston was singing a different tune though-

In Fairfield, unit sales were down almost 43% from 122 to 70 last month.   The median (midpoint) sale price was also down 9% to $577,500.  The average time on market was up 9% to 97 days.   All this is good news for the buyers out there though since it affords them more bargaining power.    One measure that favored sellers was a 5% increase in the price per square foot from $290 to $305 of homes that sold.

Sales were also slower in Westport with a 6% reduction and 44 July closings.  The median sale price was $1,225,000, down almost 2% from last year.  Market time increased 37% to 101 days.  Yet the price per square foot increased 11% to $436.

Sellers take note: Weston rallied last month with numbers in your favor!  Unit sales were 24% higher this July with 31 compared to 25 last year. The median sale price was up 6% to $820,000.  Giving some leverage to buyers was market time up 40% to an average of 137 days and price per square foot down 3% to $257.

So that’s the quick scoop for now.  Check out the charts with more numbers and print this report following the link below.  I assume there will not be much change in pace next month, but I’m anticipating a rally in September and October when everyone works on making their moves before the holidays and cold weather take over.

Word on the Street Snapshot JULY 2014


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Family Finds New Home in Old Hill

The journey was long for Eric, Roberta and their young son and a new puppy.  Of course, it would be a big lifestyle change from an apartment in Manhattan to a house in the suburbs. First of all, when you could routinely have any nationality of cuisine delivered to your doorstep within 20 minutes, anything less seemed quite inconvenient.  Add to this the perspective of coming from a classic doorman building on the Upper West Side near parks and subways with magnificent pre-war details and 11-foot ceilings, and you were starting with high expectations… as you should!  There was no pressure to move, but it was time for a new experience, a home to spread out in with a yard, an active town, and excellent public schools.

Roberta was drawn to the open space and pastoral scenery in upper Westchester County, New York.  Eric wanted a town with direct train service to Grand Central to make the commute to his Park Avenue office as painless as possible.  The family began their search in Westchester, but after evaluating the homes, amenities and property taxes there decided that Fairfield County Connecticut would be a better fit.

So they set their focus on Westport and rented a summer house there to get to know the town.   Their wish list included a neighborhood with a country feeling and a location on a quiet street, but not too far from the train.  The home needed to be something special- an older house with charm and good bones, or maybe a new construction with timeless style.  There needed to be at least an acre of property with bucolic surroundings.  The ceilings had to be high, and the flow had to be practical as well as aesthetically pleasing.  The architecture had to be true to its form and consistent throughout. High-quality details such as wide plank wood floors and large windows for ample natural light and pretty views were key. A front porch was a plus, and so was a pool.  Last but not least,  the chemistry had to be there.

So we looked.   And we looked.   Over time, we found that the Greens Farms and Old Hill neighborhoods had the location and feeling that Eric and Roberta were looking for.  We saw many, many homes that had many great features. But finding the perfect blend was not easy- as a typical suburban home would not do.   See what Eric, as well as other clients, thought about the process.

Eric & Roberta in Westport

Finally, after two an a half years, the winning home was found!  It was gorgeous.  It was custom built and designed by talented architect, John Fifield.  It had the special combination of flow, uniqueness, proportions,  elegance and setting.   It had a romantic wrap around porch and a pool.   It had the chemistry!

And that’s how the story begins.   A family’s quest leads to their new castle in Old Hill.

…a few months later, all is well!

Photo Jan 07, 11 41 26 PM


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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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New Listing- New Price- New Neighbor! Westport, Fairfield Housing Update

Ever wonder about the market chain of events prior to your new neighbors moving in?  Well here’s a quick view of the current flow in Westport and Fairfield.

Twenty-six Westport home owners just put their houses on the market within the past 14 days. Three hundred and thirty three (333) homes are for sale in total. Of these homes, 28 have been on the market for awhile but have a brand new price. Eighty-five (85) properties have an accepted offer or are under contract for sale and will result in new neighbors very soon!

In Fairfield, there are 51 new listings and 501 total homes for sale. Sixty-eight (68) listings have been on for awhile but have new prices. There will be 157 new neighbors in town soon, based on the total accepted offers and homes under contract.

Cool Cape with central AC, private fenced yard, two driveways and many updates

Cool Cape with central AC, private fenced yard, two driveways and many updates

One featured listing in Fairfield with a brand new price is 286 Old Stratfield Road, now listed for $382,000 (down from $389,000). This is a cool cape with central air and great curb appeal, located near the new Fairfield Metro. For more market intelligence or to request a showing, please inquire below.

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Beach Brief: Fairfield & Westport CT Housing Markets

As this week of perfect beach weather continues, it seems like a great time for an update on shoreline housing in Fairfield and Westport.

Direct beachfront property! Click for more pics.

Today, there are 80 single-family homes for sale in Westport in the coastal neighborhoods of Compo Beach, Saugatuck Shores and Hillspoint.  Twenty-seven of these properties are on direct waterfront.  Asking prices range from $525,000 to $12,985,000.  One listing has an accepted offer.

In Fairfield, there are 121 active listings in the Beach area and Sasco.   Thirty-three of the homes are directly on the water or beachfront.  Asking prices run the gamut from $260,000 to $62,000,000!  Sixteen of these listings have accepted offers.

For additional housing information or to request a showing, please inquire below.

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Flags at Penfield Beach, Fairfield, CT

Flags at Penfield Beach, Fairfield, CT


  Photo Jul 08, 11 32 10 AM   Photo Jul 08, 11 49 48 AM

Photo Jul 08, 11 50 23 AM


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Another Dream Comes True!

Tina had an exciting day today, because she closed on her long awaited condo in the Foxwood community in Milford, Connecticut.  Today was smooth sailing, but it was quite a journey to get here.

We had been looking for the perfect unit since last year.  It had to be on the first floor with plenty of space, two entrances, two bedrooms, a den, space to install full-size washer and dryer (vs.  smaller stacking ones)  and in good condition.  We thought we found it the first day when we looked at a nice For Sale By Owner.  But we got all the way to contract signing before finding out that this section of the complex did not allow hard wood floors to be installed- a deal-breaker for Tina.

So, we looked at several others that fell short of the requirements and then waited and waited for the right unit it come to the market.  Units came and went without anything fitting the bill.  I created custom postcards and mailed them to all the owners in qualifying units…  Nothing.

Mailer for Tina

Mailer for Tina

Then finally one day a few months ago, the ‘perfect’ unit hit the market, so we went for it.  We got it- the listing agent wrote in an email to me.   But after she told me our offer was accepted, a client of hers came in with a cash offer.  Ours was higher but still declined.  We didn’t get it!

So we waited, and I sent another mailing.

Finally, the absolute perfect unit came to the market.  It was like the one she lost, but a nice end unit with a park bench right out front.  This one was meant to be.

Tina was so excited she planned to have the entire unit renovated before she even closed on it.  She arranged to open up several walls, install hardwood and tile floors, redo the kitchen and change from her previous beach style to ‘country’!

The road was long, but the closing was short and and the reward was the perfect new home.  I think the rest will be history!

Here’s a note from Tina a few months later, “Hi Lin’,  I really love living here….I couldn’t be in a nicer spot.   Thank you for finding this home for me….I will always send you more clients when I can.”

Tina and her new Foxwood Condo

Tina and her new Foxwood Condo!


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Westport & Fairfield CT Housing Market Conditions- Plus Some Beachfront Competition

Welcome to my new blog!  Please come and visit for posts about real estate and happenings from around town and beyond.

I’ll share  updates on Westport and Fairfield Connecticut housing market conditions , snippets about my services and briefs about a day in the life of an area resident!

First off- please enjoy the pic’ of a swimmer’s demise at the teeth of a Land Shark!  This was one of the sand sculptures in last weekend’s beachfront competition at Penfield Beach titled, “Beach Bum”.    It appears that the Land Shark was the happy winner in this competition.

A look at the local Westport and Fairfield Connecticut housing markets shows some factors in favor of buyers and others in favor of sellers.  The amount of supply is one element of importance.  There has been reduced inventory of single family homes for sale in both towns this year so far.  The number of homes for sale was down to six months worth of supply in Fairfield and nine months in Westport at the end of July. This is good for sellers, because there’s less competition but not so great for buyers, because there is less to choose from.

Market time is another factor to be considered, and the days on market have been increasing lately in both towns.  In Westport, the median market time was 142 in July compared to 117 last year. 

In Fairfield, median days were up to 113 from 99 the year prior.  
The longer a home sits on the market, the less leverage the seller has, giving a stronger position to the buyer.

One parameter in the mix that works in favor of both buyers and sellers is the low interest rate environment.   Now, the sellers’ properties are affordable to a larger buyer pool, and the buying power is improved for everyone who wants to get into the purchasing game.   All in favor of healthy Westport and Fairfield Connecticut housing market conditions raise your hand!


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Loyal Praying Mantis Loves Fairfield, Plus an Update on the Housing Market

The loyal Praying Mantis has returned to our front porch again this year!

I was working in the garden outside our front door on Sunday and suddenly felt something on my back, which I instinctively brushed off.  There on our front walk landed a beautiful bright green mantis. Oddly, every summer we see a mantis appear right at our front door. This year, he obliged me with a photo shoot and live video performance. Take a look…

The mantis knows a good town when he sees it!

PRAYING MANTIS

Let’s take a quick look at the Fairfield housing market. As of today (Aug. 16), we have 493 single family homes for sale, 34 (7%) of which have an accepted offer. This ratio of accepted offers to active listings has held steady over the last few weeks. Seventy-one more homes have a signed purchase contract.

Since January, 315 homes have sold compared to 422 during the same time frame last year, reflecting a 26-percent reduction. However, the average sale price during this time was $690,000, which is just 1 percent away from the average sale price  of $698,000 last year.

The average sale-price-to-list-price-ratio for these transactions was 94 percent last year and 95 percent this year — indicating an improvement. Attached is a chart showing how many homes sold in each Fairfield market area.

Sales by Market Area Aug 2011If you would like to see an upcoming blog post with a breakdown of sales activity in your market area, just send me a note!

Originally Posted on Fairfield Patch August 17, 2011 at 9:30 am