What a Difference a Day Makes! -- CT Nor'easter - 10/30/11 06:14 PM
What a Difference a Day Makes! -- CT Nor'easter
I really don't know what possessed me to take this one picture on Friday. I knew we were getting snow, and I guess I thought if we had enough I would take a picture of the 'after'.
 
While we out at a wedding yesterday afternoon during the Nor'Easter storm, we received a call that one of our trees had fallen across our road.  Additionally, branches weighed down by the heavy, wet snow had dropped on the electrical wires a few houses down causing sparks and a short and then just blew out … (17 comments)

What Are The Property Tax Rates in Fairfield County CT? - 10/27/11 07:37 PM
What Are The Property Tax Rates in Fairfield County CT?If I had a dollar for every time I am asked what the property tax mil rates are in various Fairfield County CT towns,  I’d probably be able to pay my own tax bill for the year. (Well, that’s a stretch….but wishful thinking).  Property tax rates are certainly an important piece of the homebuyer’s criteria for purchase.  Property tax rates vary from town to town. In CT the tax rate, or mil (interchangeably ‘mill’) rate, is applied to each $1,000 of assessed value. The assessed value is established by each town’s tax … (14 comments)

6 Ways to Lower Your Energy Costs - 10/26/11 09:42 PM
6 Ways to Lower Your Energy CostsI just walked around my house and shut off eight lights – yes 8 --  that no one was using.  My family seems to think light switches go only one way – in the ‘on’ position.   They just don’t turn anything off.  They wait for me to shut everything off. Sometimes I think they do it just to get me going. 
Today people are looking for creative ways to reduce spending. Utility costs and just overall living expenses keep increasing.  There are ways, though, to lessen the financial burden of heating, cooling and electric … (14 comments)

Are You and Your Family Fire Safe? - 10/25/11 12:23 PM
Are You and Your Family Fire Safe?
My heart sank yesterday when I heard that a 7-year old boy was killed in an early morning house fire in a neighboring town. While details are still unknown, I can’t help but think how many tragedies like this can be prevented with simple fire safety measures.Did you know that nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes where there are NO smoke alarms OR where there were smoke alarms present but they were not operating?Here are some smoke alarm guidelines:
Replace if older than 10 years Place alarms   On every level              … (7 comments)

Beechwood Market Celebrates 52nd Anniverary in Huntington Plaza Shelton CT - 10/24/11 03:10 PM
Beechwood Market Celebrates 52nd Anniverary in Huntington Plaza Shelton CT
Beechwood Market in Huntington Plaza Shelton CT will be celebrating its 52nd anniversary in the area and 88 years in business on Saturday, October 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m with lots of incredible specials, samplings, and giveaways.  The original Beechwood Market was established in 1923 in Bridgeport and brought to Shelton in 1952.  Shelton resident Bob Scanlon became sole owner in 1984.  
In 2010, Bob’s son Kevin bought the shares of the corporation and began a complete interior renovation of the market bringing a genuine country market feel … (3 comments)

Advice for Sellers: How to Get an Offer on Your Home - 10/22/11 11:29 AM
Advice for Sellers: How to Get an Offer on Your HomeSelling your home is really not rocket science.  There ARE factors involved, though, that work together to help get an offer on your home and get it sold!   Be realistic about the pricing.  Establish a price range and price your home at the lower end of that range.  Your agent has shown you the comparables. The buyer’s agent and buyer(s) will have the same information. Prepare your home for sale.  De-clutter, de-smell, clean, paint, spiff up the curb appeal and make your home sparkle.  Have the home ready to show the … (12 comments)

Oil, Oil, Toil and Trouble – Home Heating Oil Plans in CT - 10/21/11 09:31 PM
Oil, Oil, Toil and Trouble – Home Heating Oil Plans in CTI finally got my act in gear today and signed up for a home heating oil delivery plan that is capped out at $3.749 a gallon.  
I’ve been procrastinating because I am not a cold weather person and getting my oil plan set up for the winter just validates that the cold weather will be arriving soon.Last year, I capped at $2.799.  Quite a bit of a difference.  I actually paid $4.199 a gallon this past May, so I guess the $3.749 I will be paying doesn’t seem as … (6 comments)

Szabos Seafood Celebrates First Year Anniversary in Shelton CT with FREE Seafood Sampler - 10/19/11 07:43 PM
Szabos Seafood Celebrates First Year Anniversary in Shelton CT with FREE Seafood Sampler

How would like to taste some delectable seafood samples for FREE? What? Where?
On Wednesday, October 26, 2011, Szabos Seafood on 615 Howe Avenue in Shelton CT is celebrating its one year anniversary in the Shelton location by providing free seafood samples of clam chowder, crabcakes, and stuffed clams to thank the city of Shelton for a great first year!


Operated by Danny and Cathy Szabo, Szabo’s Seafood Restaurant and Catering has been a part of the Fairfield County landscape for over 30 years. … (15 comments)

Fairfield County CT Real Estate Market Report ~ January to September 2010-2011 - 10/17/11 09:01 PM
Fairfield County CT Real Estate Market Report ~ January to September 2010-2011
Where exactly is Fairfield County in the State of Connecticut (CT)?
What cities and towns are in Fairfield County?  Where can you get quick access to information about each town?
How's the market this year in Fairfield County compared to last year?
This blog post will answer all of those questions and more. 
Let's start with a little geography lesson.
Fairfield County is located in the southwestern corner of Connecticut (CT).  
 
According to the 2010 U.S. census, the county population is 916,829 and is the most populous county in the … (8 comments)

Shelton CT Condo Market Report ~ September 2011 ~ Shelton CT Real Estate - 10/15/11 10:37 PM
Shelton CT Condo Market Report ~ September 2011 ~ Shelton CT Real Estate



The condo market report in Shelton CT for September 2011 compared to the same period last year was UP UP UP!
Sales were up 22%
Average List Price was up 48%. Yes, you read that right.
Average Selling Price was up 50%.  Another yes.
The Median sales price was up 57%.



SO, what is going on with condo sales in Shelton CT?
Take a look at the numbers.


 
That is some awesome improvement. BUT, let's dig deeper and … (5 comments)

A Deer WITH Headlights? - 10/15/11 03:43 PM
I thought the saying was 'like a deer IN headlights"
NOT
"like a deer WITH headlights!"
My dog and I surprised this buck early this morning in the woods behind my house.

 
 He had four family members with him, but they were too spread out and very elusive and pretty camera shy.  This one  actually held this pose for about a full minute.  I think he was trying to figure out what I was holding ... my dog!
… (23 comments)

14 Kingswood Manor Shelton CT Condo For Sale with Garage - 10/14/11 02:49 PM
14 Kingswood Manor Shelton CT Condo For Sale with Garage
14 Kingswood Manor, Shelton CT is truly a condo for all seasons perfect for the downsizer or anyone seeking easy one-level ranch living.Remember this from last winter?

We had icicles and snow like we have never seen.  Hopefully, we won’t have a repeat performance this winter, but we will still have cold and some snow.  Now wouldn’t it be great to find a Shelton condo WITH a garage at a good price?  ($169,900).  Well look no further.
This lovely Kingswood Manor condo has an interior access garage. In the … (9 comments)

Monroe CT Single Family Market Report - September 2011 - Monroe CT Real Estate - 10/12/11 03:35 PM
Monroe CT Single Family Market Report - September 2011 - Monroe CT Real Estate
Monroe CT September 2011 single family home sales dipped a bit from last month, but are UP from the same period last year.  

 
 
A comparison to the same period last year shows sales went UP 40% over the same period last year.  List and sales prices decreased at 7% and 6% respectively.  The median was pretty flat at 1.6% and days on the market went up 22%.
Market absorption, the number of months it would take to sell a home at the today's … (6 comments)

Why a Tenant Needs Renter’s Insurance - 10/11/11 11:57 AM
Why a Tenant Needs Renter’s Insurance
If you are renting or about to rent, don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need renter’s insurance to protect your valuables and protect against liability because you think your landlord’s policy covers it.
In CT standard leases contain the verbiage that the tenant must provide the landlord with a certificate of insurance evidencing that the tenant has secured the insurance as required by the lease before occupying the rental.  Good idea. Why?
Think about all the ‘stuff’ you have. TV, computer, furniture, clothing, jewelry, phone etc. Now add up the cost to replace all … (15 comments)

Trumbull CT Single Family Real Estate Market Report for September 2011 - 10/10/11 10:41 PM
Trumbull CT Single Family Real Estate Market Report for September 2011
 
Trumbull CT single family home sales for September 2011 were exactly the same as September 2010. 
List and selling prices decreased 7% and 5% respectively. 
The median came in 14% lower and days on the market went DOWN 12%. 
 

 
What houses sold in Trumbull CT in September 2011?
 
Trumbull CT September 2011 Property Transfers(as recorded in the Greater Fairfield County MLS)

 
29% of homes sales fell in the  $300K-$400K range, which has consistently been the price range most in demand.   Depending on inventory in … (2 comments)

Advice to Buyers: You Can Change a House, But You CAN’T Change the Location - 10/08/11 10:33 PM
Advice to Buyers: You Can Change a House, But You CAN’T Change the Location.I always tell my clients, “You can change a house, but you can’t change the location”.Stay focused if you are looking for a house where you could put a playscape or later on a pool or  would love a quiet neighborhood street where the kids can safely play.  Don’t compromise on the location. While one house may have an outstanding kitchen, it might have a cliff for a backyard.  Another might have the most ideal room configuration for your needs but is located way off the beaten path … (42 comments)

Shelton CT Single Family Market Report - September 2011 - Shelton CT Real Estate - 10/07/11 11:16 AM
Shelton CT Single Family Market Report - September 2011 - Shelton CT Real Estate
If you follow my monthly market reports, you know that I don't just report the numbers. I generally add in an analysis offering reasons why the numbers may be as they are.
Homes sold in Shelton CT in September 2011 have gone down from the same period last year as well as from the previous month.  Let me offer a few reasons. 
1) September 2010 was the closing deadline for the homebuyer tax credit.  The original date was June, 30, 2010, but Congress extended it due to short … (7 comments)

Homeowner’s Insurance – When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Coverage? - 10/04/11 02:26 PM
Homeowner’s Insurance – When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Coverage?Back in August, many of us in CT got slammed by Hurricane Irene.  Houses floated away at the shore, others took serious hits from fallen trees, flooding was pervasive, and trees toppled like matchsticks.My property was the victim of multiple fallen trees – down on the ground – on top of each other – resting precariously on power lines – across my driveway – and arranged like pick-up-sticks against each other.  My yard looked like a war zone.  People drove by, stopped in front of my house, and took pictures. … (50 comments)

Advice for Sellers: PREPARE Your House BEFORE It Is Listed - 10/01/11 11:44 AM
Advice for Sellers:  PREPARE Your House BEFORE It Is Listed

Today I saw what was the third house in the last week that was not ready to be listed.  I just don’t understand it. The most precious and important time for a house to be in tip top shape is the first few weeks of listing.  

When it’s showtime and that listing goes live and the curtain in drawn, that house better be making the performance of its life.  Sadly, this is not always the case.




Here is a conglomeration of what I noticed … (23 comments)

 

Author Bio: Barbara Altieri, CT REALTOR®, helps Fairfield and New Haven County buyers and sellers successfully navigate through a real estate transaction. A proven sales and marketing professional, Barbara provides exceptional customer service and market knowledge. Call 203-520-6930 to discuss your needs and housing dreams.


 

 

 

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