Archive for February, 2008
Home Sales Roundup – Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton CT – February 2008
February 29th, 2008 categories: Market Data & Statistics, Recent Transactions, Redding, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
Closings in February reflect home sales that were negotiated in the prior 30-60 days or so. Each of these transactions closed during the month. The list includes all of the single family home sales for Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton, Connecticut for the month of February 2008. Contact us with your questions regarding today’s shifting real estate market.
[table "0" not found /]| Discussion: No Comments »
11 Ways Young Athletes Win in Ridgefield
February 27th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy, Recreation & Sports, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
Ridgefield, CT is serious about youth sports. Organized youth sports is key to keeping your children on the path to success. Development of our kids’ teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership skills brings benefits across many aspects of a young person’s life.
Additionally, fresh air and athletic activity are proven ingredients to children’s long term health and happiness. As a town, Ridgefield recognizes these needs and provides an abundance of opportunities for young boys and girls to participate. Our excellent playing fields, gyms and other sports facilities are in constant use.
The Ridgefield Press plays an integral role in youth sports. Not only does The Press provide a vehicle for sign-up and registrations, but each week they publish articles, stats and results for all of the youth leagues. Every Thursday, the kids can read about their teams and how they’ve done. More importantly, they learn to read the local paper and become more aware of current events and the town and world around them.
Organized Youth Sports in Ridgefield, CT
Check out these websites for registration, schedules and general information:
Soccer Club of Ridgefield
Ridgefield Little League
Ridgefield Babe Ruth Baseball
Ridgefield Girls Softball
Ridgefield Basketball Association
Ridgefield Lacrosse
Ridgefield Youth Football
Ridgefield Youth Hockey
Ridgefield Youth Wrestling
Ridgefield Youth Cheerleading
Laurel Ridge Skating Club
We’re all thankful to the army of volunteers that make all this possible. These folks (not all are parents) dedicate untold hours to scheduling, coaching, fund raising and more to keep these organizations going.
Please contact us with any specific questions or leave a comment.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Grab your Pick Ax Now! Why You Need to Mine Nuggets From Ridgefield’s Mountain of MLS Data
February 24th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Market Data & Statistics, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate
Data, data everywhere! Like any active market, there are thousands and thousands of data points generated each year about every square foot of every house sold in Ridgefield. The MLS (multiple listing service) is very efficient at storing all this data and spitting out listings (see our MLS search page to find the home of your dreams).
But to really understand what’s happening, we’ve got to mine this mountain of data for the nuggets that unlock the true essence of value in Ridgefield Real Estate.
Most markets are complicated. Ridgefield real estate is no different. But when properly armed with the best information, you will master the market, protect the value of your real estate assets and benefit from market insights that others just don’t have.
Ridgefield Real Estate Market Analysis: House Value by Style
One statement often heard is “colonials are worth more than raised ranches”. While most people in Ridgefield wouldn’t argue with that statement, I bet not many could tell you just how much more colonials are worth than the raised ranches.
[table "0" not found /]
These nuggets were mined from all Ridgefield homes up to $1,500,000 sold in the last 12 months.
Why is this important? Because the better you understand the local real estate market, the better you can take advantage of current market conditions. What if you were comparing 2 Ridgebury homes of similar size, amenities and condition but one was a colonial and the other a raised ranch. This detailed information helps you determine which would be a better long term investment and by exactly how much.
We continue to provide our clients with the most insightful and timely economic information about the Ridgefield real estate market. We’ve got access to mountains of current and historical data just waiting to be mined. Don’t be shy in telling us what specific information you’d like to see presented on Real Estate Chocolate or if we can provide a confidential analysis.
Must Read:
Ridgefield, CT Home Sales Report: February 2008
Home Sales Roundup: Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton CT – February 2008
Why 2007 Was A Great Year for Ridgefield, CT Real Estate
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Getting To Know The Ridgebury Community of Ridgefield
February 21st, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Recreation & Sports, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
When you are looking to buy Real Estate in Ridgefield, “Ridgebury” is a section of town you should not miss!
Located in the northwest corner of the Town of Ridgefield, Ridgebury is one of the most beautiful sections of town. Homes here are spread out amongst rolling hills, working horse farms, and historic churches.
This section of town borders Danbury and North Salem in Westchester County, NY. There is a rural feeling to Ridgebury as you drive up Ridgebury Road between the High School, and I-84 in Danbury. You should drive around and take in some of the scenic, winding country roads like Chestnut Hill Road, Mopus Bridge Road and Spring Valley Road.
Ridgebury is served by the Ridgebury Elementary School, Scotts Ridge Middle School and Ridgefield High School.
It is a little further from Downtown Ridgefield than most communities in town, but is closer to convenient Danbury shopping. Shops like Trader Joes, Stop and Shop, Starbucks, Staples & Ethan Allen Furniture are just minutes from Ridgebury.
The Danbury Fair Mall is within 5 minutes as well. You’ll enjoy dining at popular Danbury restaurants like Spasi, The Windmill Diner, and 121 Restaurant , in North Salem.
Ridgefield’s beautiful DHLY Public Golf Course is located in the Ridgebury section of Ridgefield.
There are two planned communities in Ridgebury including Pleasantview Estates and Stone Ridge Estates. Pleasantview provides facilities for swimming, tennis and field sports. Both are very sought-after places to live in North Ridgefield.
Those who live in Ridgebury and commute to NYC or White Plains will usually use the Purdy’s or Golden’s Bridge stations on the Harlem Line of Metro North commuter railroad.
Trains depart often and go directly to Grand Central Terminal in NYC. The train ride is just over an hour, and there is ample parking for $3 per day. Danbury Municipal Airport is just minutes away!
Wherever you decide to live in Ridgefield, Ridgebury is just one of the many special places from which to choose.
Happy hunting; let us know how we can help!
| Discussion: 5 Comments »
3 Reasons Why Ridgefield is a Hiker’s Paradise
February 20th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Recreation & Sports, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
One of the biggest benefits to Ridgefield home buyers is our open space. Ridgefield is dedicated to maintaining these undeveloped forests, meadows, lakes and mountains for several reasons. In the Plan of Conservation and Development, our town leaders have declared a goal of permanently preserving 30% of Ridgefield’s land as open space.
Reasons for making open space such a priority include recreation, maintaining Ridgefield’s rural character, keeping ecological peace and long term economic value.
More and more, people moving to Ridgefield see the value in open space for passive recreation. They’re willing to pay more to live in a community that makes trail accessibility a priority. Today we’ll take a look at some of the incredible hiking opportunities offered in Ridgefield and see one of the reasons why so many people move here.
Hiking in Ridgefield
Currently, over 5300 acres of Ridgefield’s area is preserved as open space (23%). Folks travel from all over the region to enjoy our wonderful hiking trails. The Ridgefield Walk Book lists over 30 places to hike complete with directions, difficulty and features of each area. My favorites include:
Bennetts Pond – This state-owned parcel features 440 acres of lush forest with beautiful Bennetts Pond as the centerpiece. The trails are well marked and include everythign from flat to steep. The topo trailmap will help you steer clear of the steeps if that’s your preference. There’s also some great rock formations on the far side of the pond for any climbers out there. Bennetts Pond trails connect with the Lake Windwing, Pine Mountain and Hemlock Hills trail systems.
Pierrepont State Park – I love this park for it’s mountain top views from Barlow Mountain and I often spend hours here hiking with my yellow lab, Bentley. The trails start off flat along the lake and then, if you choose, you can climb up one of several routes. Barlow Mountain is particularly fun for the kids if you take a lunch or snacks and hang out at the summit for a while. It’s about 40 minutes to the top. Check out the Pierrepont trail map to plan your hike.
Pine Mountain – This is Ridgefield’s highest point, 1060 feet above sea level. The views are breathtaking from the top of Pine Mountain: you can see the Long Island Sound and all the surrounding ridges, mountains and hills to the north and west. There are over 360 acres of well marked trails. I’ve also come across a campsite or 2 while hiking across the higher elevations of Pine Mountain.
Can you believe what wilderness exists just an hour away from New York City! What else can I tell you about what awaits the outdoor enthusiast in Ridgefield?
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
How a “Family Reunion” Makes Us Better Realtors
February 15th, 2008 categories: For Agents, Talking Real Estate
We just spent 4 days working with the top minds in real estate. The successful agents in Ridgefield’s changing real estate market are the ones committed to “best practices” including pricing, client service, negotiation and more. Rob and I reaffirmed that commitment at KW’s Family Reunion.
Family Reunion is our annual real estate conference where KW brings together the absolute “best of the best” in real estate. Over 8000 North American agents converged on Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center to attend educational seminars, presentations and workshops.
Topics ranged from deciphering the changing real estate market to maintaining a positive outlook. We are now equipped to be the best Realtors and business owners we can be. It was truly inspirational.
We joined the Keller Williams Ridgefield office in October 2007, after attending KW’s Mega Agent Camp (another KW professional development conference). At Mega Agent, we learned that there is an entire international company of like-minded people who share our outlook and approach. We firmly believe that if you go to work every day with the intent to truly serve your clients with the best service imaginable and the highest level of integrity, your business has no choice but to thrive.
Rob and I formed The Kimmelman-Gutman Group when we joined forces almost 2 years ago. We decided to merge our resources because we share a common philosophy in our approach to our work and what it means to run a customer service real estate business. We believe that the business is not about us, but about and for our customers and clients.
It is our constant goal to help our clients and give back to our community as real estate economists and service professionals. We are back, re-focused, re-energized and determined to make 2008 a great year for all who we come in contact with. We are very lucky to be a part of such a great team, office, and network of Keller Williams real estate agents who are as devoted to excellence as we are.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Rudy Fights to Protect Ridgefield
February 13th, 2008 categories: Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
It’s clear that Ridgefield’s town leadership is always fighting external forces to protect “the character of the town” and indirectly, the value of our real estate. First Selectman Rudy Marconi (”first Selectman” is what we call our mayor) is at it again. Go Rudy!
There’s constantly pressure from outside Ridgefield that threatens some part of what makes our town such a delightful place to live. Over the past few years we’ve seen out-of-state land developers attempting to build oversize condo complexes and an Indian tribe trying to build a casino in neighboring Danbury. But this time it’s the FAA and their proposed regional air traffic control plan that has Rudy going to bat for us in a big, big way.
Additional, unnecessary air traffic over head brings added noise and pollution that deteriorates our “quality of life”. Watch the YouTube video to see Ridgefield’s First Selectman is leading the charge and working hard to keep Ridgefield clean and quiet, retain the value of our local real estate and make sure our voice is heard in Washington. See more at the Alliance for Sensible Air Space
What do you think about Rudy’s interview? Leave a comment and let us know what you are thinking…
| Discussion: No Comments »
7 Reasons Why Ridgefield is so Convenient for Business Travelers
February 10th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Redding, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
People can’t believe that we have 7 airports servicing the Ridgefield area. In fact, getting out of town for a weekend or a week is so much easier than most of us ever realize.
Air travel continues to play an important role in everyone’s business and leisure lifestyles. The variety of airports meets every taste and need. The largest international, major regional, and general aviation airports are all within an hour or so.
With all of these airports, Ridgefield is extremely convenient for the frequent business traveler.
7 airports close to Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton
- White Plains Airport – 40 minute drive (directions)
- La Guardia Airport – A little over an hour’s drive (directions)
- John F Kennedy Airport - About an 1 hour and 20 minutes (directions)
- Bradley International Airport - About an hour and a half (directions)
- Danbury Municipal Airport - Just 10 minutes from Ridgefield (directions)
- Tweed New Haven Regional Airport – Almost an hour (directions)
- Stewart International Airport – 1 hour (directions)
(All drive times are from the center of Ridgefield but are similar when driving from Redding or Wilton.).
And while I’m talking about air travel, here are a couple of “bonus nuggets”:
Seatguru.com is the ultimate source for airplane seating, amenities and information. Don’t select your seat until you visit this web site! It’ll tell you everything about every seat on every plane and rate each one for comfort and convenience. This site is awesome.
FrequentFlier.com is the premier site for frequent flier program information and advice.
Why blog about air travel today? Brad and I flew to Atlanta this weekend to attend a professional real estate conference. We’re learning the most advanced techniques and strategies for helping our clients successfully buy and sell homes in this shifting market. We’ll share some of this valuable information in future posts.
In the meantime, please share any insights or questions you may have regarding the local airports.
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
16 Home Buying Secrets You Need to Know Before You Purchase:
February 7th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Redding, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
Your Ridgefield, Wilton & Redding, CT Real Estate Buying Experience…
…should run like a well oiled machine, and a seasoned buyer’s agent can help ensure the greatest amount of success with the least amount of stress. These are some helpful hints that you should know before you buy your next home:
1. Compared to renting, your new home is like a savings account. Property taxes and qualified home interest are deductible on your federal income tax return. Your tax professional will be able to guide you through the benefits of home ownership. The ramifications to your overall net worth are astounding!
2. For most, a home is the largest asset you will acquire. Real Estate holdings have consistently increased in value over time and are considered one of the safest investments you can make.
3. A homeowner can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gains if married filing jointly or up to $250,000 if single or married filing separately. The home must be the taxpayer’s principal residence for a total of two of the 5 years prior to the sale.
4. Unlike stocks and bonds, a home is one of the few investments you can actually use and enjoy!
5. Most times, your real estate agent can show you ALL the homes on the market whether it is listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a builder, or even a For Sale By Owner.
6. It is important to secure a mortgage pre-approval from a lender before making an offer on a house. This way the seller is assured that you are ready, willing and ABLE to make the purchase. It also helps to get your offer accepted as quickly as possible and without complications.
7. Your REALTOR can help you with the list of items that you’ll need for your loan application. It is like a scavenger hunt, so it pays to be prepared!
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Ridgefield, CT Home Sales Report: February 2008
February 5th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Market Data & Statistics, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate
As I review January’s market activity for Ridgefield single family home sales, seasonality comes to mind. As you can see from the chart, January consistently
represents the bottom of the 4–month moving average curve for real estate closings. While this January continued to show a bit of a lazy market in Ridgefield, we’re still writing business and closing real estate sales. The drop in interest rates is sure to boost activity as well. Historically low mortgage rates and the great amount of homes to choose from are encouraging buyers to make purchase decisions.
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
