Archive for the 'Ridgefield' Category
2 Blockbuster Virtual Museums: History of Ridgefield and Redding
February 5th, 2010 categories: Cultural Resources, Redding, Ridgefield
Ridgefield, CT and Redding, CT History
You know how when you travel to new places, you take in the history. Like the Old North Church in Boston or the Tower of London. Then you might make your way to the museum that chronicles the entire history of a city or region. Most Fairfield County towns have a local historical society and maybe even a website. Well, what I found are a couple of blockbuster websites that track the varied history of 2 of Connecticut’s most-loved towns: Ridgefield and Redding. These are by far the best virtual museums in Fairfield County!
History of Redding will take you back before the revolutionary war and delight you with photos and stories of Georgetown, the great flood, and Mark Twain. Brent Colley shepards a complete set of Redding history for historians, readers and browsers alike.
Ridgefield’s own Jack Sanders provides netizens with another local history powerhouse of a website: Ridgefield Names. Jack has compiled the history of hundreds of local names including roads and geographical features. Mopus Bridge, Ketcham Road and Wallis’ Hoghole to name a few.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Patch has Arrived! Ridgefield, Wilton, Westport and Brookfield Benefit from a New Local Website
January 29th, 2010 categories: Buying Your House, Ridgefield, Westport, Wilton
Patch Comes to Fairfield County
Patch has come to our Fairfield County towns! Check it out. It’s an online chronicle of local news, events, meetings and more. Each Patch website is chock full of town-specific info, stuff that can’t wait for the weekly newspaper cycle. There’s full time editorial staff and public participation is encouraged: post your pictures, high school sports videos, restaurant reviews and more. Each Patch site has twitter feeds and email updates. It’s so simple to use, you got to try it!
I write a regular real estate column for Ridgefield Patch and hope to get involved in the other towns as well. Full disclosure: I don’t get paid and I have no financial interest in Patch. However, I do see the need for folks to get accurate, insightful real estate information and advice. So I contribute exclusive content twice a month along with various postings, comments and restaurant reviews. Here are my 2 latest articles:
On Real Estate: Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!
On Real Estate: Save Money, Stay Warm
If you want to check out Patch for yourself (and I encourage everyone to participate!) here are the links:
Ridgefield Patch
Wilton Patch
Westport Patch
Brookfield Patch (coming soon)
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Look Back to Move Forward: Fairfield County Real Estate Market Stats for 2009
January 14th, 2010 categories: Buying Your House, Market Data & Statistics, Redding, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Wilton
Ever wonder why our cars have a rear view mirror? Henry Ford learned this lesson long ago that to move forward safely, it’s always important to know where you’ve just been. Real estate? Same thing!
2009 presented many challenges for sellers, agents and believe it or not, buyers too. Check out the 2009 stats in the table below and you’ll see that in all the Fairfield County municipalities listed, prices fell about 11% on average. Transaction volume, well that was off in the towns but not so much in the cities. Stamford and Norwalk each posted about a 5% increase in the number of deals while Danbury showed a modest decline.
As prices fell throughout the year, the smart sellers made repairs, priced their house at market value and were able to sell quickly and painlessly. Others found the market to be hostile. Overpriced homes (probably 50% – 75% of the 2009 inventory) languished on the market, frustrating owners who did not believe that declining values hit THEIR property. Those in denial paid in frustration, anguish and ultimately a lower price for their home because it was on the market longer as prices declined.
For buyers, 2009 was a year of good deals, great deals (foreclosures and short sales) and some difficult deals as personalities, attitudes and anger made made for many acrimonious negotiations. For the most part, residential property values fell back to around 2003 levels.
Real estate agents found 2009 to be a challenge. The good ones worked on developing the new skills that the market now demands. For me, I can say that I worked harder than ever to make sure my clients’ worked out in their favor. Negotiating last year’s deals and seeing them through to close required strict attention to all the details, patience and skill.
| 2009 mean | Pct Chg from 2008 | 2009 median | Pct Chg from 2008 | 2009 #Trans | Pct Chg from 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield | 417,420 | -11.8% | 384,000 | -8.5% | 125 | -23.3% |
| Danbury | 309,927 | -13.9% | 290,000 | -12.1% | 324 | -3.0% |
| Newtown | 428,668 | -15.2% | 420,000 | -9.3% | 212 | -7.0% |
| Norwalk | 529,423 | -22.7% | 440,000 | -14.3% | 439 | 5.5% |
| Redding | 664,338 | -7.4% | 559,000 | -12.0% | 70 | -6.7% |
| Ridgefield | 759,494 | -11.4% | 645,000 | -11.0% | 220 | -8.3% |
| Stamford | 665,915 | -13.0% | 575,000 | -10.2% | 488 | 4.9% |
| Weston | 936,173 | -20.4% | 825,000 | -11.3% | 92 | -20.7% |
| Westport | 1,419,436 | -16.9% | 1,188,500 | -12.0% | 250 | -7.7% |
| Wilton | 915,137 | -12.9% | 756,250 | -10.7% | 136 | -16.6% |
All data is from the CMLS and believed to be accurate and reliable.
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Hey, What’s the Big Deal! 2009’s Biggest Home Sales and What This Means for 2010
January 5th, 2010 categories: Buying Your House, Market Data & Statistics, Redding, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
How big were the biggest deals of 2009? Big? Really big? Well, actually, not so big. Last year we witnessed a major pullback in luxury home sales at the highest end of the market. In the 7 towns surveyed, the average “biggest deal” was down 20% from 2008.
The transaction price erosion we saw at the highest level is driven mainly by 2 factors: overall decline in market values and the shifting focus of buyers toward more modest dwellings.
Anyone care to make a prediction? Will the high-end buyers be back in 2010? Personally, I think we’ll see more attention on luxury homes in the coming year as pent up demand will bring more buyers to this market segement while at the same time, many are tiring of the selling process and will do “whatever it takes” to get their homes sold.
Northern Fairfield County’s Biggest Deals of 2009 list won’t make the Forbes World’s Most Expensive Homes list, but they are beautiful and luxurious. Check out all the 2009 biggest deals below:
Biggest Residential Real Estate Deals of 2009
| Town | Address | BR | Acres | 2009 Sold Price | 2008 Biggest Deal | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BETHEL | 6 JENNIFERS WAY | 4 | 1.9 | $720,000 | $1,100,000 | -35% |
| BROOKFIELD | 38 SUNSET COVE RD | 3 | 1.0 | $1,350,000 | $1,850,000 | -27% |
| DANBURY | 19 PETERSONS LN | 5 | 2.0 | $1,595,000 | $1,817,000 | -12% |
| NEWTOWN | 26 BUTTERFIELD RD | 5 | 5.1 | $1,150,000 | $1,600,000 | -28% |
| REDDING | 118 MOUNTAIN RD | 4 | 5.9 | $2,300,000 | $2,950,000 | -22% |
| RIDGEFIELD | 3 PARLEY LN | 4 | 1.3 | $2,500,000 | $5,500,000 | -55% |
| WILTON | 16 MIDDLEBROOK LN | 5 | 4.2 | $4,000,000 | $2,940,000 | 36% |
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
What’s Happening with the First Time Homebuyer Credit and How it Helps Everyone in Fairfield County
December 21st, 2009 categories: Buying Your House, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Wilton
Jay Papasan tells us the latest on the home buyer tax credit (see his embeded YouTube below). The stimulus credit is providing incentives for buyers and sellers to participate in the market and it’s having a tremendous effect on activity here in Fairfield County. Even in towns like Ridgefield and Wilton, the credit is having a marked impact both directly and indirectly.
Since home values have fallen and mortgage rates are so low, I’m seeing many more 1st time home buyers looking to take advantage in towns that used to be a financial stretch. Indirectly, the home buyer credit is enabling many trade-up buyers to act since they are now able to get their existing homes sold in a reasonable amount of time.
All in all, the credit is helping all home sellers no matter if you at the “starter home” end of the spectrum or have a 5 bedroom colonial you need to sell.
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How to Find Out What the Tax Man Thinks Your Fairfield County House is Worth and Why it Matters
December 17th, 2009 categories: Market Data & Statistics, Redding, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
You’re just a few clicks away from knowing what any house is worth! Whether you’re buying a house, selling a house or just living in your house for the time being, it’s always good to know the local tax assessment. Assessments in Connecticut are updated every 5 years and represent 70% of a homes true market value.
Take Ridgefield for example. In 2007 the Tax Assessor (Al Garzi), worked with a vendor to revalue every property in town. Based on actual sales, they objectively assign a dollar value to each parcel in order to fairly divide up Ridgefield’s tax burden. If a house has recently changed ownership, it is likely that that the new assessment will reflect this transaction price.
When I value a home for sale or purchase, I present my client with 4 different market valuation models based on several factors. The tax assessment is a major input to my valuation model for any individual home. Not only the assessment for that particular house, but the assessments for all the comparable houses that have recently sold and are currently on the market.
Contact me to learn more about how to accurately model the value of any home. Weather you’re buying, selling, or just tracking the value of you current home, it’s important to keep an accurate read on it’s market value.
Online Tax Assessments for Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton and other area towns in Fairfield County
- Ridgefield Tax Assessor
- Redding Tax Assessor
- Wilton Tax Assessor
- Danbury Tax Assessor
- Newtown Tax Assessor
- Bethel Tax Assessor
- Brookfield Tax Assessor
- New Fairfield Tax Assessor
Related Articles on Real Estate Chocolate:
- How One Ridgefielder Beat the Tax Man and You Can Too
- What Everybody Ought to Know About Ridgefield, Real Estate Taxes
- 16 Home Buying Secrets You Need to Know Before You Purchase
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Home Sales Roundup – Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton CT Real Estate – November 2009
December 1st, 2009 categories: Market Data & Statistics, Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton
Closings in November reflect home sales that were negotiated in the prior 30-90 days. 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 November 2009. Contact us with any questions regarding today’s real estate market and how best to benefit from it. I am always here to help in any way I can.
| Street Number | Street Name | Town | Bedrooms | List Price | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | OLMSTEAD RD | REDDING | 3 | $334,900 | $325,000 |
| 13 | STARRS RIDGE RD | REDDING | 3 | $398,000 | $398,000 |
| 5 | SIDE CUT RD | REDDING | 4 | $400,000 | $450,000 |
| 8 | BALD ROCK RD | REDDING | 3 | $549,000 | $520,000 |
| 19 | INDIAN HILL RD | REDDING | 4 | $750,000 | $705,000 |
| 28 | WOOD RD | REDDING | 4 | $795,000 | $680,000 |
| 24 | BEEHOLM RD | REDDING | 3 | $825,000 | $775,000 |
| 4 | JOHN TODD WAY | REDDING | 5 | $1,035,000 | $925,000 |
| 15 | CLEARVIEW TER | RIDGEFIELD | 2 | $309,000 | $310,000 |
| 60 | LAUREL LN | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $344,900 | $305,000 |
| 14 | BOBBYS CT | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $389,000 | $382,500 |
| 86 | OLD WEST MOUNTAIN RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $399,000 | $380,000 |
| 167 | HAVILAND RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $449,000 | $440,000 |
| 26 | BUCK HILL RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $464,900 | $441,500 |
| 23 | BAYBERRY HILL RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $469,000 | $467,000 |
| 366 | WILTON ROAD WEST | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $480,000 | $420,000 |
| 105 | NEW ST | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $514,900 | $470,000 |
| 24 | FULLING MILL LN | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $525,000 | $475,000 |
| 36 | RITCH DR | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $578,900 | $601,900 |
| 124 | MOUNTAIN RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $619,000 | $595,000 |
| 72 | SAUNDERS LN | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $635,000 | $600,000 |
| 1 | PEACEABLE HILL RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $659,000 | $620,000 |
| 56 | CIRCLE DR | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $669,000 | $650,000 |
| 39 | BRIAR RIDGE RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $695,000 | $645,000 |
| 36 | ACORN PL | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $698,000 | $650,000 |
| 42 | MIMOSA CIR | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $750,000 | $665,000 |
| 110 | RAMAPOO RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $877,000 | $852,000 |
| 346 | OLD BRANCHVILLE RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $1,135,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 10 | LISA LN | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $1,299,000 | $1,150,000 |
| 346 | STURGES RIDGE RD | WILTON | 3 | $579,000 | $555,000 |
| 21 | GRUMMAN AVE | WILTON | 4 | $669,000 | $645,000 |
| 139 | GRUMMAN HILL RD | WILTON | 4 | $692,000 | $670,000 |
| 264 | HURLBUTT (AKA HYLAND RD) ST | WILTON | 4 | $699,000 | $636,500 |
| 21 | FULLIN LN | WILTON | 3 | $725,000 | $685,000 |
| 31 | CLOVER DR | WILTON | 4 | $759,000 | $692,500 |
| 46 | GLEN HILL RD | WILTON | 5 | $839,000 | $790,000 |
| 9 | RICHDALE DR | WILTON | 4 | $1,249,000 | $1,150,000 |
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
How You Can Profit From Getting Rid of Your Junk
November 20th, 2009 categories: Green Living, Redding, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
You’ve decided to sell, you’re moving or you just need to clear some junk out of your house. Living in Ridgefield, I can tell you how to do it quickly, easily and profitably. I help all of my real estate clients clean-out their homes and ready them for sale. Here’s 4 ways to make it easy and profitable. I love this stuff so CALL ME to help you with any of this! 203-313-0414
Craigslist – I use craigslist to sell mostly oversized or bulky items that are tough to ship. Price items to sell quickly, not to make a huge profit and they’ll be gone in a day or 2. Remember, your primary goal is to rid your house of all the stuff you no longer need or use. When moving last year, I sold a sleeper sofa, several old dressers, bikes and more on Craigslist. And the best part is, people show up, pay you and take your stuff away…. easy money!
Freecycle – Free/Recycle… “Freecycle”. It’s a national network of freecyclers with a growing local presence. I’ve been hearing more about Freecycle lately but haven’t yet tried it myself. The idea is if you’ve got something that’s still within it’s useful life but you need to get rid of it, say an old Laz-y-Boy, a washer/dryer or garden tools, there’s someone out there that will take it for their own use. This gets it out of your house and keeps it out of the landfill; very environmentally friendly. Although you get no cash for your stuff, you get it removed for free.
eBay – I use eBay mostly for things of relatively high value that are easy to ship. I’ve sold used mp3 players, cell phones, cameras and more on eBay with little effort and much success. You can set your own price or run an auction. Either way it helps you clear out your attic or basement of old video cameras, telescopes, toys, shoes, clothes and more.
Goodwill – Donate items at Goodwill. Goodwill Industries has convenient drop-off locations throughout the area and can even be called on to pick up furniture and other large items. Here’s a reliable way to donate items and they’ll also give you a receipt for your taxes.
The Dump – When all else fails, take it to the local transfer station. For a fee, you can drop most anything. The trouble is you do all the work and then pay for the privilege of filling a landfill with your old couch. This is usually my last option but they are always ready to take whatever I’m getting rid of.
Remember, I am always available to help you use any of these websites. Together we can get your house de-cluttered and put some cash in your pocket!
Related Posts on Real Estate Chocolate:
- Now You Can Have Local Organic Food and Live Healthier in Ridgefield
- 4 Ways to Live Clean and Green in Ridgefield, CT
- Home Sellers: Don’t Make This Mistake!
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Home Sales Roundup – Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton CT Real Estate – October 2009
November 1st, 2009 categories: Market Data & Statistics, Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton
Closings in October reflect home sales that were negotiated in the prior 30-90 days. 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 JOctober 2009. Contact us with any questions regarding today’s real estate market and how best to benefit from it. I am always here to help in any way we can.
| Street Number | Street Name | Town | Bedrooms | List Price | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 173 | PICKETTS RIDGE RD | REDDING | 4 | $340,000 | $332,000 |
| 72 | OLD STAGECOACH RD | REDDING | 4 | $399,777 | $452,024 |
| 20 | DEACON ABBOTT RD | REDDING | 4 | $405,000 | $402,500 |
| 573 | REDDING RD | REDDING | 3 | $539,000 | $530,000 |
| 7 | SULLIVAN DR | REDDING | 4 | $550,000 | $525,000 |
| 280 | BLACK ROCK TPKE | REDDING | 4 | $1,159,000 | $995,000 |
| 252 | BENNETTS FARM RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $239,900 | $239,000 |
| 350 | BENNETTS FARM RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $335,000 | $297,050 |
| 10 | ISLAND HILL AVE | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $399,900 | $385,000 |
| 340 | BARRACK HILL RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $488,876 | $447,500 |
| 34 | MADELINE DR | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $499,900 | $479,500 |
| 45 | TACKORA TRL | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $539,900 | $495,000 |
| 15 | DOWLING DR | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $599,900 | $430,000 |
| 27 | SARAH BISHOP RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $639,900 | $617,000 |
| 35 | MARSHALL RD | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $668,800 | $640,000 |
| 12 | EVERGREEN PL | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $699,000 | $659,500 |
| 266 | BRANCHVILLE RD | RIDGEFIELD | 3 | $722,900 | $722,000 |
| 13 | CASA TORCH LN | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $739,000 | $718,000 |
| 10 | MCKEON PL | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $749,000 | $715,000 |
| 131 | NEW RD | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $1,029,000 | $980,000 |
| 14 | RED OAK LN | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $1,239,000 | $1,175,000 |
| 20 | AARONS CT | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $1,249,000 | $1,155,000 |
| 10 | KEELER CT | RIDGEFIELD | 4 | $1,299,000 | $1,185,000 |
| 11 | TURTLE RIDGE CT | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $1,399,000 | $1,225,000 |
| 8 | KEELER CT | RIDGEFIELD | 5 | $1,475,000 | $1,230,000 |
| 217 | OLD BRANCHVILLE RD | RIDGEFIELD | 6 | $2,475,000 | $2,200,000 |
| 24 | ROLLING RIDGE RD | WILTON | 3 | $424,000 | $395,000 |
| 134 | RIDGEFIELD RD | WILTON | 4 | $549,000 | $509,000 |
| 7 | MAYAPPLE RD | WILTON | 4 | $634,000 | $585,000 |
| 254 | NEW CANAAN RD | WILTON | 4 | $699,000 | $671,000 |
| 411 | OLMSTEAD HILL RD | WILTON | 5 | $719,000 | $670,000 |
| 31 | WEEBURN LN | WILTON | 4 | $799,900 | $750,000 |
| 33 | SEIR HILL RD | WILTON | 5 | $988,000 | $991,000 |
| 281 | STURGES RIDGE RD | WILTON | 4 | $1,195,000 | $1,100,000 |
| 269 | STURGES RIDGE RD | WILTON | 5 | $1,695,000 | $1,500,000 |
| 21 | WOLFPIT LN | WILTON | 5 | $1,699,000 | $1,625,000 |
| 6 | HUNTING RIDGE LN | WILTON | 5 | $2,399,000 | $2,100,000 |
| 7 | SPRUCE MEADOW CT | WILTON | 6 | $3,190,000 | $2,860,000 |
| Discussion: No Comments »
Ridgefield Connecticut Quiz Bowl – 20th Century History Test
October 27th, 2009 categories: Ridgefield
We’re not all just real estate and stats here at Real Estate Chocolate.. we love Ridgefield history too! Ridgefield is one of the most historic towns in Connecticut. Here are some events chronicled by Jack Sanders on his wonderful Timeline website. Test yourself and see how many dates you can identify from Ridgefield’s 20th century. Find the answers are here.
Ridgefield CT 20th Century Quiz
In June, Ridgefield High School on East Ridge closes and in September, the new Ridgefield High School on North Salem Road opens.
a) 1964
b) 1978
c) 1972
Great Pond beach formally opens in June. More than 1,200 people are counted on the beach one hot Sunday.
a) 1937
b) 1954
c) 1969
The Ridgefield Library and Historical Association is chartered and begins building a new library.
a) 1936
b) 1901
c) 1919
Ridgefield’s population reaches 3,118.
a) 1910
b) 1945
c) 1962
After a four-day strike in April, the painters’ union agrees to a wage of $7 for eight hours of work. Painters had been getting $6 for seven hours.
a) 1922
b) 1935
c) 1960
A League of Women Voters survey finds the most common reason for not shopping in Ridgefield is “not enough choice,” followed by “prices” and “parking.” Danbury is the most popular shopping destination.
a) 1957
b) 1984
c) 1992
The Girolmetti family receives approval in February to build a 16-lane bowling alley on Danbury Road; the Ridge Bowl opens Nov. 9.
a) 1970
b) 1964
c) 1951
The last passenger train from Branchville arrives at Ridgefield station (now a Ridgefield Supply Company warehouse) on Aug. 8. The service, begun in 1870, is no longer profitable.
a) 1925
b) 1952
c) 1964
Click here for the Answers.
Learn more about 21st century Ridgefield by reading Real Estate Chocolate. We are always available to answer your Ridgefield questions and to provide the best real estate advice. Call anytime at 203-313-0414.
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