My own backyard in the Fairfield beach area is one commonly referred to as a ‘postage stamp’, though it still manages to accommodate our trampoline and numerous get-togethers. However, some good friends of mine in Westport have a much more spacious backyard with abundant space for fun, games and big-time bashes. We’ve been to quite a few, with the latest one being Memorial Day weekend 2016!
It turns out, these friends have just moved their social agenda to another gorgeous yard (and home) nearby.
The good news for all of you readers out there is that the wonderful backyard my friends have left now has a brand new house on it that will be ready to support a new source of festivities!
Tucked away just off Turkey Hill South, a new home sits on a quiet country lane cul-de-sac. Carefully designed and finished on four levels, this home will feature elegant transitional style with open flow and ethereal light. Romantic landscaping and plantings surround the level property making it super for entertaining, fun in the sun, and peaceful relaxation. It is the Hillandale House.
6 Hillandale Lane, Westport CT
The builder, Coastal Construction Group, has fine-tuned the art of quality home construction by providing careful attention to site design, layout, architecture, craftsmanship and the right property location. As we all know, a home is more than just the place we live, it’s the foundation for everyday living. Added bonus? This home is located four minutes from Green’s Farms station and under an hour from Manhattan!
Ronald and Sara were a happy young couple ready to jump into home buying and get their first home together. When they called me, they knew what they wanted, a four-bedroom home with nice property and a pool in the million dollar range. There was a house, in particular, they had seen online that they were very excited to see right away. They thought this could be it, and they would be buying their first home.
I was excited for them too! I asked if they had spoken to a mortgage professional yet. They had not, so I gave them a few reputable contacts to reach out to and told them they should have a mortgage pre-approval before they started looking. They asked why, and I told them that the pre-approval serves three critical purposes, one, it confirms that they are eligible for a loan, two, it lets them know what their spending limit is and what the associated monthly payments will be, and three, it positions them as strong and qualified buyers when presenting an offer for the home they want to buy.
So they forged ahead, chose a lender, and sought their pre-approval. But they were soon shocked and disappointed to learn that they would not be eligible for a mortgage for at least another year.
Ronald and Sara were a power couple with great jobs and ample income. Sara had a Ph.D. and was the director of a graduate school. Ronald was an emergency room physician.
But, what they didn’t realize was that all the student loans they were paying off gave them a ratio of debt to income that was too high to get a mortgage. So we found a nice home for them to rent for a year. In the meantime, they worked hard with the credit expert company, North Shore Advisory to ensure they were on the fast track for managing their debt and raising their credit scores within the one-year timeline they had set as a goal.
“I do!”
This is the one!
Honeymoon in Africa
Fast forward a year later, and they sailed through the pre-approval process to obtain a Certified Pre-Approval from William Raveis Mortgage, got engaged, and found and closed on a gorgeous new home in the university area of Fairfield, Connecticut!
Ronald and Sara also managed to jet-set off to Africa for a pre-honeymoon celebration on safari before returning to their new home to plan their wedding! Clearly they were perfectly situated to live happily ever after, but what were the lessons learned along the way?
Always get a pre-approval before you start shopping for a home so that you know where you stand, avoid unexpected setbacks, and can position yourself as a competitive buyer. Besides, an offer to purchase a property is not complete or acceptable without a pre-approval letter from your lender or proof of cash.
Be sure your pre-approval is of the utmost quality, as they are not all created equal. Recent changes to national lending regulations add extra time sensitivity and make this more important than ever. There are a number of new technology enhancements available that can make the whole mortgage process faster, easier, and more transparent for consumers.
New Tech Enhancements Simplify Mortgage Process
William Raveis Mortgage is the only mortgage banker to provide a Certified Pre-Approval. This means that when they present a Certified Pre-Approval to a buyer, they have completed a full review of credit, income, and assets, reviewed supporting documentation and double-checked it all via an automated underwriting system to ensure that when the big day comes, the buyers get their loan and the sale goes through.
Play with Your Credit Cards AFTER You Close!
Last, but not least, it’s important to be aware of all the factors that can impact your credit score because, the lower your score, the more you will pay for your mortgage, (as well as insurance and other things). In fact, it’s a good idea to check your credit well in advance of applying for a loan so that you have time to work on it if need be. Visit North Shore Advisory, Inc. for an expert resource about credit tips and strategy. Once you have your good credit and Certified Pre-Approval in place, make sure you don’t do anything that can change your credit score before you close! Even a tiny negative change to your credit can bump up your interest rate and suddenly put your dream home out of reach. So check with your lender or Realtor about things you should or should not do during your home purchase process.
Then you are ready to make your dream home come true!
For questions about the process of buying or selling a home, or if you’re thinking about a move this season, send me a note below!
For the first time in a decade, a brand new enclave of homes is being built on the sunny side of Okemo Mountain Resort!
In 2014, Okemo Mountain Resort was named the “Best Family Resort in North America” by onthesnow.com. The last two seasons, it’s been tagged with three more top honors. “Top 10 Resorts” in the East (SKI Magazine), Six Best Places to Buy a Winter Home, (Investopedia), and 10 Best Places for Family Vacations, (familyvacationcritic.com). Okemo’s snowmaking expansion now includes White Lightning and Rolling Thunder at Jackson Gore. This increases Okemo’s snowmaking coverage to 98 percent of its trails. With 655 skiable acres, 120 trails, and “New England’s Best Snowmaking” to ensure fantastic ski vacations, Okemo is the place to be!
Okemo Mountain added the amazing Sunburst Six chairlift providing a quick and comfy trip to the summit with cushy heated seats and a wind-shielding bubble. The new up-and-running Sunshine Quad is ready to bring snow lovers from the heart of SouthFace Village to the SouthFace Express Quad.
Now Okemo Resort is building the new SouthFace Village!
Here’s a Top 10 List of Impressive Features-
1. LOCATION – Located on the south face of the mountain, residents enjoy first dibs on all the trails with maximum sunshine all day!
2. GATED – The village will be an exclusive gated community.
3. NEW LODGE – It will have its own new lodge with a gourmet eatery, fitness center, indoor-outdoor heated pools and more.
4. SKI-IN & SKI-OUT – With seven new access trails, the residents will enjoy ski-in/ski-out access.
5. 4-SEASONS – SouthFace Village homeowners enjoy nature and the great outdoors year-round while playing golf, hiking, biking, and skiing.
6. SMART – Homeowners will enjoy the perfect setting, every convenience, energy efficiency, top quality craftsmanship and construction, and the best of New England Nordic design by renowned eco-conscious architect/builder, Bensonwood.
7. VALUE – Exceptional value, location, amenities, efficiency, and quality for the price. Follow the link at the end of this post for more information.
8. AMENITIES – The fully furnished homes make excellent use of space to accommodate the most guests and also feature excellent energy efficiency, covered parking, convenient gear storage, and much more.
9. OKEMO COMMUNITY – Planned by a proven Okemo developer, this enclave will integrate the exceptional new homes with all the bustling programs and services of Okemo Mountain Resort.
10. BRAND NEW! Need I say more?
Sugar Maple, their first residential offering is sold out, but don’t worry, it is the first of nine ski-in/ski-out townhome buildings to be constructed. Happy homeowners of Sugar Maple will be moving in for the 2017 ski season. The next offering consists of luxury ski-in/ski-out townhomes, single family homes and two exclusive penthouse residences with private elevator access that will be constructed on top of The Lodge at SouthFace Village.
Click the link below for fresh facts on the exciting upcoming offerings including Tamarack, the single family homes, and The Penthouse. To stay abreast of SouthFace Village development with updates and photos, follow the link below. Feel free to forward this article to anyone else who may also want to be in the know, or send their contact info when you click the link.
Happy Ski Season!
Fun for everyone!
To submit a comment or ask a question about your moving or vacation home plans, send me a note below!
Okemo Resort Realty, LLC is the Exclusive Marketing Agent for SouthFace Village at Okemo. The photographs and representations included are for informational purposes only and are subject to change, or, may be withdrawn by the developer at the developer’s discretion. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate in any state. A Consolidated Public Offering Statement for SouthFace Village At Okemo is available from the developer. The developer of this project is SouthFace Village at Okemo Development Company, LLC and is not affiliated with Okemo Mountain Resort or any other entity that is involved with the operation of the ski area.
Virtual Experiences – The trend is to showcase properties while delivering consumers
an engaging experience that also saves them time. In addition to creative videos, this includes 3D touring, virtual reality, drone photography, virtual staging and even hologram projection of furniture into rooms. 3D tours enable viewers to virtually walk through a property while using their computer mouse to “go” anywhere in the home. The tool also creates a virtual doll house that lets buyers float through the floors and get an overall feel for the layout, orientation, and flow. Inman News recently talked about virtual reality tours that use special goggles to create an experience close to being there in person as well as gear that projects holograms of furniture into a space to visualize it “for real”. Last, but not least, busy or far-away consumers can benefit from a live virtual tour via Skype.
Social Media Exuberance – Okay you might have guessed this one, but it shouldn’t be underestimated. Social media can provide a much richer perspective and bring added value beyond what a typical website can offer when evaluating a potential Realtor. Does the agent share useful information and resources? Do they have a strong presence on multiple platforms including a blog? Do they leverage this presence to promote client listings for maximum internet exposure? Are they creative, resourceful, knowledgeable, personable? Do they share insights from past customers? What do they do in their spare time? Many consumers are looking into these types of questions with a simple online search or searches within social media platforms.
Mobile Optimization – Everyone’s on the go! The trend is for people to consume web content on their mobile devices. Statista.com predicts a 57% increase in global mobile web traffic per year through 2019. The most recent click reports I received from my e-newsletter show that readers opening the email on a mobile device versus a computer range between 50-70%. So more and more real estate websites and blogs are becoming mobile friendly and optimizing for the best mobile experience. Mobile apps are also on the rise. William Raveis provides a comprehensive Real Estate App. The company has also released a Mortgage App that enables home buyers to start their pre-approval process right from their phone! And hot off the press is the Raveis Open House App that lets guests type in their name, phone, and email and then request a complimentary home value report, mortgage pre-approval and Local Housing e-Newsletter for the town of their choice!
Mortgage Magic – Instead of misery. The complex process is now streamlined with new technology that gives consumers the efficiency and transparency they need and deserve. William Raveis Mortgage addresses the first critical step by providing buyers with a certified loan pre-approval followed by electronic milestone tracking of their loan process that also keeps all the players on track. Borrowers view a bold graphic showing a clear progression of the steps and status across their screen. The icing on the cake? Sign documents electronically from wherever you are!
Accurate Value Estimates – We’ve all heard of the Zestimate, and most of us are well aware of the frustrations with inconsistent results, incorrect data and inability to correct errors. “What is my home worth?” is the question people are always asking. Savvy consumers want a quality tool to help them estimate the market value of their property. William Raveis recently launched the RAVestimate. The interactive technology lets consumers input specific home improvements and then work with comparable sales data that they select. The company tested the tool and documented extraordinary accuracy.
Predictive Marketing – Advanced intelligence and predictive modeling to help buyers before they ask are up and coming. Consumer data and predictive analytics will be used to anticipate home buying goals, preferences, and timing. So in the not-too-distant future, Realtors, lenders, and perhaps the perfect home may be finding the buyer before they even know they are going to buy!
Which trends to you think have the most promise? What other trends are you seeing that are consumer driven? From a consumer perspective, what new technology services would you like to see?
For more information or questions about your moving plans, contact me using the form below.
Well, the winter weather was balmy for awhile, but we’re off to a brisk start for the New Year. It’s a perfect time to dream about summer, so mark your calendars for some great beachfront open house events you can look forward to!
Birdhouse by Russian Beach, Lordship
Lordship Lifestyle at Russian Beach OPEN HOUSE: Sunday, January 24, 1-3 PM
Visit this better-than-new colonial with a new price of $859,000 and water views from every room! Enjoy an open flow, high ceilings, ample light and a private fenced yard for relaxing and entertaining.
Here are five cool facts about Lordship Connecticut, that you probably didn’t know before. Read on and enjoy!
ONE– Two movies were filmed in Lordship: “Butterfield Eight” with Elizabeth Taylor in 1960, and “Hell Island” between 1981 and 1983.
TWO – The gigantic German dirigible, The Hindenberg was seen by residents flying about 1,000 feet over Lordship on Thursday, May 7, 1937 at about 2:30pm during the flight that would be her last.
THREE – The Dixie Doodle Diner was one of the first of Lordship’s drive-in eateries in the 1940s.
Dixie Doodle Diner Photo courtesy of Stratford Historical Society
FOUR– In the 1890s, the Lordship Casino was both the commercial and cultural center in addition to housing the first firehouse on its first floor and the first school on its second floor.
FIVE– I can help you find a lovely home in Lordship! Send me a note below and tell me what you’re looking for or ask any real estate questions. I’m here to help you make you make your move!
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!
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!
Remember the fun and adorable couple, Michael and Ella from HGTV? If you missed the original airing of their eposide, it’s airing again September 19th at 9:00 AM on HGTV’s House Hunters Renovation, “An Old House Gets a New Master Plan”. Click here for a description and show times.
Michael on HGTV’s House Hunter’s Renovations
Well Michael and Ella have been back in action with a new endeavor! About a month ago, Michael called me and said they wanted a new space for Ella’s hair salon. They wanted to create an all new CKC salon in Fairfield where their clientele could better enjoy a cut, keratin and colour. Their current CKC was outgrowing its space, and business was booming!
So I ran a search, and the perfect opportunity surfaced. The owner of a struggling salon business wanted to call it quits and move to Florida making her space available for lease! It was an ideal property- in a nice busy plaza on the Post Road in Fairfield with plenty of visibility and parking. The space was a step up in size and amenties but not too big. It had all the necessary mechanicals and just needed a face lift.
CKC salon & Keratin bar
We set to work on negotiations, and within a couple of weeks CKC salon & Keratin bar opened its doors in a glamorous new home!
First where they live, then where they work, Michael and Ella have done complete make-overs in their new spaces. For their new salon, they opened-up walls, infused a fresh chic style and brought in all new furnishings!
Now clients enjoy a bright, airy and elegant atomosphere where they are treated like honored guests. When they come, they can get a specialized Brazilian Keratin treatment for an unbelievable smooth shiny finish as well a precision cut and colour.
I’m lucky enough to have been one of the first customers at the NEW CKC salon, and they were lining up behind me! Be sure to visit online and in person for your appointment.
So how’s the summer real estate market in Fairfield and Westport Connecticut? Are sellers listing their homes? Are buyers making offers? Here’s the summer 2015 scoop in Fairfield and Westport with a spotlight on the Fairfield beach and Greens Farms areas.
As of last week, there were a lot of single family homes on the market in Fairfield, 633 to be exact, compared to 542 at the end of July last year! Fourteen percent (14%) of thesehouses had accepted offers. This is great compared to only 9% with binders last July.
The beach area market was not quite as strong as the town-wide market, with 12% of listings securing offers. However, this ratio was more positive than last summer when the beach area’s home sellers accepting offers matched the town-wide tally of 9%. Of the 15 beach area homes with offers, seven were priced over $1 million, four were between $600,000 and $1 million and four were under $600,000. So there was a good range of prices.
Click Image for Flipogram!
Click Image for Full Listing!
Beach area new construction was exceeding the town’s ratio, with five accepted offers out of 30 listings, or 17%. Click the image above for a representative view of the construction going on all over the beach area right now. Direct waterfront in the beach area demonstrated more sluggish activity than the rest of the beach area and town with a 10% ratio of offers to active listings, that’s 4 out of 39.
Westport inventory was also high with 402 houses for sale compared to about 350 in July last year. This season’s market was slightly more positive than in July 2014 with 7% of listings taking offers compared to 6%.
Greens Farms was a hot subset of the Westport market, with 12% of the 49 listings securing acceptable offers. Half of the six offers were listed above $1 million and half below.
New construction listings in Greens Farms weren’t moving as fast as the rest of the neighborhood with one binder out of 12 listings, or 8%.
So yes, sellers are listing their homes, and buyers are bidding on them. The ratio of accepted offers to active listings is a leading indicator of what’s to come, and this summer it’s shown variablility based on town, neighborhood, and property type.
As always, pricing your home competitively and staging it for maximum appeal will attract buyers to your listing. There’s still time before August vacations to get your price right if you’re selling and get your bid in if you’re buying. Be sure to check out the featured homes for sale below!
I wanted to alert you to a couple of Open House and property updates. Click the images for more info.
There will be an Open House Sunday, January 24th, 2016, from 1 to 3 pm at 25 York Street in Lordship / Stratford. This home sits across from Russian Beach with water views from every room and is minutes to Short Beach with the gorgeous golf course, as well as Long Beach. Asking price is $859,000.
For turnkey and carefree living at the beach, consider 10 Pine Creek Avenue 401W at Kensie Point. The next open house will be February 28, 2016, from 1 to 3 pm. This is beachfront living at it’s best with water views from every room and four balconies, elevator access right to your foyer, two bedrooms two full baths, an office space, central air and a furnished private beach garden- all for $845,000.
Contact me anytime with questions or to request a showing!
So more and more real estate websites and blogs are becoming mobile friendly and optimizing for the best mobile experience. Mobile apps are also on the rise. William Raveis provides a comprehensive 
Fairfield and Westport CT Real Estate Guide 