Life and Real Estate in the Greater Hartford Area

Bolton CT Home for Sale ~ Great Neighborhood ~ $324,900

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 05:20:52 -0800

Bolton CT Home for Sale ~ Great Neighborhood ~ $324,900

If you are thinking of moving to Bolton, CT, you must see this three-bedroom, 2.1 bath home in a great neighborhood. With an open floor plan, recently remodeled kitchen, huge first floor family room, and fireplaced living room with vaulted ceilings, this home is perfect for entertaining. Set on almost an acre on a cul-de-sac, the outdoor space is also great for parties and BBQs.

Located at 20 Stonehedge Lane for $324,900, this 1807 sq. ft. home offer scenic views all seasons of the year and is a short walk to Lower Bolton Lake, a year-round recreational area.

Bolton ~ A Town for All Seasons

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

If you are buying or selling a home in Hartford County or Tolland County, please call me, email me, or visit my website. I would be happy to help you with your home search or provide a market analysis for your home.

Find your dream home now!

Just Closed ~ Spacious Expanded Cape in Coventry CT

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 05:44:19 -0700

Just Closed ~ Spacious Expanded Cape in Coventry CT

My clients are so happy with their new home at 213 Twin Hills Drive in Coventry CT! The house was listed for $239,900, and my clients purchased it for $236,000 with $7,300 in closing cost assistance from the sellers. The house is everything they were looking for, and they looked for a LONG time! We viewed many homes but as soon as they walked into this one, they knew it was the house for them.

I get great satisfaction when my clients find "the house" and this was one of those occasions. I will also enjoy seeing the transformation as they make this house their home because they post their progress on Facebook!

One of the other plusses of this transaction was that I was able to work with George Souto of McCue Mortgage. He helped them with all their questions and walked them through each step of the process. My clients thought he was great! Thanks, George, for all your patience and hard work!

Here's to another successful closing.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Just Listed ~ 27 Mountain Drive, South Windsor CT

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:07:28 -0700

Just Listed ~ 27 Mountain Drive, South Windsor CT ~ $310,000

Here is an opportunity to live in a great location in South Windsor CT. This U&R cape has four bedrooms, two baths, and two signature U&R stone fireplaces.

The main floor has the living room with vaulted beamed ceilings, formal dining room, large eat-in kitchen, master bedroom with full bath, another bedroom, and the family bath.

The second floor has two bedrooms, each with sliders to a balcony.

The lower level is a full walk-out family room with fireplace, wetbar, and built-in bookcases. Notice the rock holding up the bar!

The backyard is quiet and serene, with stone walls, gardens, and a 10x16 patio.

If you are looking for a four-bedroom home in South Windsor CT, check out this home at 27 Mountain Drive.

MLS#G633194 ~ 27 Mountain Drive, South Windsor CT ~ $310,000.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Open House ~ 77 Croft Drive, Manchester CT

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 08:41:21 -0700

Open House ~ 77 Croft Drive, Manchester CT

This Sunday, September 30, 2012, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., 77 Croft Drive, Manchester CT will be open for your viewing. This home is located in a quiet neighborhood on the Manchester/South Windsor line.

Listed at $259,900, this U-shaped ranch features:

three bedrooms
two full baths
large master bedroom with 16x10 sitting area, vaulted ceiling, and sliders to deck
large eat-in, updated kitchen with granite counters and tile backsplash
two-station home office/family room with lots of cabinets
wine room with built-in wine storage
formal dining room with sliders to wraparound deck
formal living room with dark hardwood floors
backyard oasis with pool, gazebo, pond, custom stonework, gardens, and professional landscaping

Please come to see it yourself. Everything has been updated, including roof, furnace, windows, and septic system. Nothing to do but move and enjoy the space for relaxing or entertaining.

Join me at the Open House this Sunday, September 30, 2012, from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at 77 Croft Drive, Manchester CT!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath Ranch with Pool in Manchester CT

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 10:43:56 -0700

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath Ranch with Pool in Manchester CT

77 Croft Drive, Manchester CT

$274,900

Just listed is this beautiful three-bedroom, two-bath U-shaped ranch in a park-like setting in Manchester CT. Meticulously maintained and updated, this home offers plenty of space for relaxing, entertaining, and living. Custom features include:

A master bedroom suite with 16x10 sitting room with vaulted ceilings
Crown moulding and new woodwork
Refinished hardwood floors
Updated baths
Granite countertops and tile backsplash in kitchen
A two-station home office space in the lower level family room
Wine room with built-in wine racks.

Outside is a backyard oasis, complete with inground pool, pond, gazebo, wrap-around deck, stone patio, and easy-care perennial gardens. Take a look for yourself - it's a great place to call home!

Agent-Owned

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Call Me Maybe...

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:32:19 -0700

My brother in Colorado sent me this video. I was even more surprised to find out it was by another Active Rain member, Jessica Riffle Edwards from Wilmington NC. It's nice to see some creativity and energy. I'm not sure how she did it, but it was fun to watch!

Via Jessica Riffle Edwards (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty):

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Sometimes Change Is the Best Thing That Could Happen!

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:24:21 -0700

Sometimes change is the best thing that could happen.

This morning, I was having coffee on my deck and saw my new neighbor watering some shrubs she had just planted along her rear property line. She had moved in a few months ago and had already replaced the front walkway, planted flowers, placed tasteful decorations in her yard, and was meticulous about maintaining her lawn and gardens.

It wasn't always like this. Last winter, the house went on the market as a bank-owned property. I don't really know what happened, but the former owners were elderly and one day they were not there anymore. When the house went on the market, it was looking a little tired and in need of some sprucing up.

Of course, no one wants to hear that there is a bank-owned house in the neighborhood. The first thing we think is that property values will be going down, and we hope that this is just an isolated case. A few bank-owned properties on the same street is never a great situation. Or so we think.

But then someone buys the house - someone who is excited about owning a house and eager to fix it up and make it their home. Someone like my new neighbor, who has already worked hard and made a difference. The neighborhood is looking better and we are all relieved.

Sometimes change is the best thing that could happen.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

The Color of Happy

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 05:05:55 -0700

The Color of Happy

I had one of those weeks where it seemed that the work would never end. Real estate, inside chores, outside chores, errands, maintenance, etc. I felt as though I was never was going to find time to sit back and enjoy the beautiful weather which is so fleeting here in Connecticut.

I looked around the yard and saw nothing but more work--painting the shed, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, fixing the deck, etc. I was getting tired and feeling just a bit overwhelmed.

Then I decided that I needed a new umbrella for the deck, and I found this beautiful one in a color that just makes me happy. I put it up and instantly had a whole new outlook. Now instead of seeing all the work that needs to be done, I just see the color of happy.

What color makes you happy?

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Just Closed ~ Classic Colonial in Glastonbury CT

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:00:12 -0700

Just Closed ~ Classic Colonial in Glastonbury CT

This beautiful house at 309 Farmcliff Drive, Glastonbury CT just closed! The house is set up on a hill with fantastic rock structures in the front yard and a broad expanse of lush grass in the back yard. The neighborhood is just stunning with many beautiful stone walls and a quiet serenity.

The house itself is a four-bedroom, 2.1-bath home with 2176 sq. ft. Not included in the square footage, however, is a large sun room (11x23) overlooking the backyard, which can be used throughout the year. Among the most stunning features of this house is the massive center chimney for the home's three fireplaces. The exposed brick walls, wide plank flooring, and dark wood mouldings and woodwork give the home its reproduction look.

The list price was $439,900; my clients put in an offer two weeks after the home was listed and purchased the home for $427,000.

This is a beautiful home, meticulously cared for, and I hope the buyers will enjoy this home for many years. I am always glad when my buyers find their new dream home, but this wasn't just any closing! These buyers were relocating from Maryland and were referred to me by Active Rain Ambassador Margaret Rome. I was thrilled to be able to help them find their new home in Connecticut and I wish them all the best!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Baby Boomer Series ~ What To Do with Too Many Books

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:37:03 -0700

Baby Boomer Series ~ What To Do With Too Many Books

In previous posts, we have dealt with the process of downsizing possessions especially if people are thinking about moving to smaller homes. In addition to cleaning out the attic and sorting through old photographs, another special category that must be addressed is what to do with book collections. Like photographs, books often have sentimental value so people may not be able to part with them.

I just spent the last two weeks going through my book collections so I know how difficult this can be. I had a full range of book types, from old paperbacks to beautifully-bound editions, from text books to coffee table books. Some I look at frequently, and some I haven’t glanced at in decades. The task of deciding what to keep and what I could part with was daunting. Here are a few ways to make the task manageable:

Sort Books into Categories

The first step is sorting. Depending on your collection, you may come up with different categories but mine fell into these categories:

Textbooks
Paperbacks (fiction and non-fiction)
Children’s books
Reference books
Library-edition bound classics
Business books
Hard cover fiction
Coffee table books
Instructional books

Separate Each Category into Three Piles

For each category, I further separated them into three piles: those I wanted to keep, those I might want to keep, and those I didn’t want to keep. The smallest pile was the last one, so I knew I had to eliminate some books from the first two piles. By asking myself a few questions, I was able to bring myself to part with many of my books:

Will I ever read it again?
Is the information still current?
Can someone else get more use out of it than I currently do?
Will I regret giving it away?

From there, I was able to really downsize my collection. I ended up keeping many of my coffee table books, some reference books, some of my favorite fiction and non-fiction books, most of my travel guides, a few instructional books, and the gifts that people gave me. So I will still have all the books that I use frequently as well as enough books for a small bookcase.

What To Do with Books You Don't Want

That left hundreds of books that I wasn’t sure what to do with, but I still wanted them to go to good use. So I searched for options for the books and found several great outlets.

I asked friends and family to take what they might be interested in.
I donated books in good condition to my local library for their Friends of the Library book sale.
I donated many children’s books to local literacy programs.
I found a religious organization that ships encyclopedias and textbooks (which the library won’t accept) to other countries. I’m not sure where they will end up but I felt better that they were going somewhere.
I sold some textbooks on eBay. You can also sell all your books on eBay, but I decided that I didn't want to do that so I chose other options.

If you want to know whether the organization you are donating to (for books or other items) is reputable, check it out on Charity Navigator or another charity-ranking site.

Sorting through old books was another time-consuming task, but it will make your next move easier if you decide you want to downsize.

They Have Flown the Nest!

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 05:49:29 -0700

Before I left on a week-long vacation to South Carolina, I took this picture of the baby birds that hatched in a nest in my Christmas wreath. They had grown so fast over the previous few days that I was sure they would be gone by the time I got back.

I'm glad I took the picture because the nest was empty when I got home. Mission accomplished, Mama Bird!

Now I can take my wreath down!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Congratulations! Bloomfield Girls Win State Open Track Meet!

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:28:28 -0700

Congratulations! Bloomfield Girls Win State Open Track Meet!

The Bloomfield High School Girls' Track and Field Team won the CIAC Outdoor State Championship! Bloomfield scored 65 points, followed by Hillhouse with 50, Windsor with 49, Glastonbury with 34, and Norwich Free Academy with 32 in the top five places.

Bloomfield won the 4x100 meter relay, and Natori Jones won the high jump and the long jump (10 points are awarded for first place), which contributed greatly to the point total.

Bloomfield also picked up significant points with Adrian Jones placing 2nd in both the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash (8 points are awarded for 2nd), Rayanna Relerford placing 3rd in the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter dash (6 points are awarded for 3rd), and Breanna Banks placing 3rd in the shot put. Alleah Red also picked up 1 point in the 100 meter dash.

The meet was held on Monday, June 4 at Willowbrook Park in New Britain. Congratulations to Bloomfield Girls' Track and Field Team and to all the other athletes throughout the state who put in their best efforts.

If you are looking for a house in the town of Bloomfield, you should consider this split level, three-bedroom, two-bath home on a cul-de-sac in a great neighborhood, listed for $239,900! See all the pictures for 7 Boxwood Circle, Bloomfield CT

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

The Ever-Changing Landscape

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:52:40 -0700

The Ever-Changing Landscape

Life is an ever-changing landscape. People who don't anticipate change may find that they will suffer when change does occur. We can plan for change so we are better prepared, but sometimes change just happens. Then we just have to deal with it. That's life.

The ever-changing landscape applies to real estate, careers, politics, personal life, etc. but it also applies to...well, landscape!

After last October's freak storm, my landscape looked like this:

We had trees down everywhere, which had to be removed.

We also realized that we had to replace the septic system which further destroyed the yard. Imagine huge excavating machinery digging trenches and digging up the yard.

Long story short, the septic system has been installed, the yard was graded and reseeded, and the grass is growing nicely. We didn't think we would ever be done, but we are.

Except for one thing: With the loss of our big beautiful trees, my shade gardens are now in full sun, so I spent last weekend moving my prized Frances Williams hostas to more hospitable areas. No small task, given that they are three feet in diameter.

I could never have planned for this. I just had to deal with it. The landscape changes whether we like it or not!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

South Windsor CT Market Report for April 2012

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:28 -0700

South Windsor CT Market Report for April 2012

During April 2012, there were 11 closed sales in South Windsor CT with a median price of $270,000 (average price was $312,195). During April 2011, there were 17 closed sales with a median price of $220,000 (average price was $303,153). So although the closed sales were down this year, the median and average price were up.

When we look at how April 2012 compared to March, we see that there were 13 closed sales, with a median price of $230,000 (average $259,590) so the same pattern emerges: lower closed sales but higher median and average prices.

The homes that sold in South Windsor CT during April were:

60 Ronda Drive $135,000
200 Diane Drive $152,500
20 Henry Road $172,000
55 Laurel Street $191,000
646 Foster Street $250,000
61 Murielle Drive $270,000
34 Gail Lane $329,900
33 Windy Hill $460,000
318 Felt Road $485,000
164 Frazer Fir $491,250
51 Green Lane $497,500

The list price/sale price ratio for April 2012 was 97.1 (median) and 97.05 (average). Days on market were 68 (median) and 78 (average).

There are also currently 38 homes under deposit and 28 under contract, so May and June should show good activity. If you are looking for a home in South Windsor CT, there are only 113 currently on the market. The median price is $272,900 (average is $327,622). Of course, of those 113 homes on the market, the greatest number of homes for sale are in the $200,000-$249,999 price range (27 active listings) and the $250,000-$299,999 price range (38 active listings). If you would like to see what is in your price range, you can view homes for sale in South Windsor CT or give me a call. I would be happy to help you with your search!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Price Reduced on Beautiful Split-Level Home in Bloomfield CT

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:34:12 -0700

7 Boxwood Circle, Bloomfield CT ~ $239,900

This beautiful three-bedroom, two-bath split-level home in Bloomfield has just been reduced to $239,900! If you are looking for a home in Bloomfield CT, you must check out this home. It's located in a desireable neighborhood on a cul-de-sac on .79 acres. The backyard abuts town-owned land so you can enjoy the peacefulness and greenery from your deck. If you would like more information about this property or would like to see it for yourself, please contact me at 860-748-8900.

Some of the features of this home are:

Three Bedrooms
Two Baths
1658 sq. ft
Hardwood Floors on Main Level
Cathedral Ceilings on Main Level
Eat-in Kitchen
Sliders to Deck
Fireplaced Family Room in Lower Level
Two-Car Garage
Custom Shed with Hay Loft

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

My Fine Feathered Friends!

Sat, 19 May 2012 18:02:07 -0700

About a week ago, I posted a picture of three bird eggs that I found in a nest in the Christmas wreath that I left up too long. I was surprised to see the nest and the eggs.

The only reason that I saw the nest was that every time I opened my front door, a bird would fly out of it. When I went to see where the bird was coming from, I saw the nest. I hated that I had disturbed the bird so often by my frequent coming and going, so I started leaving my house through another door. After all, the bird was just trying to do its job. Did I really have to make it so difficult?

Today, I decided to check on the progress because the bird was still flying out of the nest every time I went to get the mail. I was hoping the eggs were still there, but they weren't there because they had hatched.

I snuck up to the nest with my cell phone so I could get a picture. It's not very clear but there are definitely baby birds there. In a few days, I hope to get a better picture before they leave the nest.

Ah, spring! Isn't it wonderful?

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Manchester CT Market Report for April 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:35:15 -0700

Manchester CT Market Report for April 2012

Real estate activity was clicking along in Manchester CT during April 2012, with 27 closed sales. While this was down somewhat from March 2012 (32 closed sales), it was up from the previous April (23 closed sales).

On a positive note, however, were median and average price which increased over the prior month as well as over the same period last year. This April, the median price was $160,000 and the average price was $192,070, compared to a median price of $147,400 and an average price of $175,000 in March 2012 and a median price of $155,000 and an average price of $164,313 in April 2011.

Also improving were the median and average days on market, with a median of 32 and an average of 71 days this April compared to a median of 52 and an average of 79 last April.

Here is a recap of the statistics:

Summary	April 2012	April 2011
Closed Sales	27	23
Median Price	$160,000	$155,000
Average Price	$192,070	$164,313
Median LP/SP Ratio	96.5%	96.8%
Average LP/SP Ratio	94.97%	96.8%
Median DOM	32	52
Average DOM	71	79

In looking at pending sales, there are currently 47 homes under contract and 61 homes under deposit, so the coming months should show good activity as well.

If you are looking for a home in Manchester CT, there are currently 254 homes on the market with a median price of $183,400. Manchester offers plenty of opportunity for first-time homebuyers as well as buyers looking to move up or downsize. If you are interested in finding out whether your dream home is available, please give me a call.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Advantages of Home Ownership

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:52:02 -0700

Advantages of Home Ownership

One of the most over-looked advantages of homeownership is that yardwork is a great workout! If you are a homeowner who does all the yardwork in the spring, you certainly don't need a gym membership!

After working all day on Sunday and Monday (feeling quite sore the day after), I realized that I don't need to do a treadmill or weight machine this week.

Pulling weeds - great for arms and back.
Picking up sticks - works the hamstrings.
Raking maple seedlings out of the lawn - super workout for core, shoulders, and arms.
Splitting hostas and daylilies - great arm, back, and chest exercise.
Trying to finish it all before the rain - a true aerobic workout.

We are expecting rain over the next few days, so I have a respite from yardwork, but I will be gearing up for my marathon of weeding and mulching this weekend when the rain stops.

So when you are evaluating the advantages of home-ownership, be sure to include the free health benefits of a great workout without the price of a gym membership--priceless!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Is the Condo Market Heating Up in South Windsor CT?

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:42:11 -0700

Is the Condo Market Heating Up in South Windsor CT?

I keep track of what sells in all areas I serve, and I have been noticing that there were quite a few recent condo sales in South Windsor CT compared to prior activity. I haven't reported on condo sales in a while because the numbers were so low.

But April 2012 showed great activity, recording 8 closed sales. Here are the closed sales for April 2012:

207 Misty Meadow Lane, 1B/1BA, sold for $69,000
64 Cinnamon Springs, 2B/1BA, sold for $93,500
1201 Sunfield Drive, 2B/1BA, sold for $105,000
134 Candlewood Drive, 2B/2BA, sold for $106,000
905 Twin Circle Drive, 2B/2BA, sold for $108,000
301 Mill Pond Drive, 2B/1.1BA, sold for $147,000
1 Arrowwood Circle, 3B/2.1BA, sold for $180,000
59 Riverview Drive, 2B/2BA, sold for $323,500

To put it into perspective, I compared condo sales in each of the months this year and in the same four months last year. Here is a recap showing closed sales and average price:

Month	2012	2011
January	4	2
February	4	3
March	3	3
April	8	3

Month	2012	2011
January	$117,163	$130,000
February	$145,350	$139,667
March	$131,667	$158,333
April	$141,500	$158,333

As you can see, condo sales in South Windsor have been plugging along and then along comes April with 8 closed sales. In addition, there are 8 homes under contract and 13 homes under deposit. I would say that the condo market in South Windsor CT is heating up.

If you are looking for a condo in South Windsor CT, there are currently 44 units available, ranging from a 1B/1BA 825 sq. ft. unit at Mill River Meadows for $79,900 to a 3B/2BA 1833 sq. ft. new ranch at Strawberry Fields for $359,900. Please give me a call if you want to see what is available.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

I Guess I Can't Take Down My Christmas Wreath NOW!

Sun, 06 May 2012 11:48:29 -0700

I admit it. I still have my Christmas wreath up. In all fairness, it doesn't look like a Christmas wreath--there is no red bow, just a few pine cones. But still, I should have taken it down a while ago.

But today I was doing yardwork, sprucing up the yard for spring (I do some things at the right time!), and I noticed that a little bird flew out of my wreath. A closer look showed me this:

I guess I can't take down my Christmas wreath NOW!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Signs of Spring

Fri, 04 May 2012 18:38:12 -0700

Today was a cloudy dreary day, but we needed the rain so I didn't mind. Around mid-afternoon, the sun came out and the day warmed up. The grass looked greener than ever, and the plants seemed to grow considerably.

I decided to check out my garden for signs of spring, and sure enough, there were glorious sights. My irises are not yet in full bloom, but by tomorrow they will be.

And my Cranesbill geraniums, which aren't due to pop with color for a few weeks yet are showing a few early flowers.

With some sunshine and warmer temperatures tomorrow, all the flowers and plants should get another boost. It's nice to take a break every now and then to see the signs of spring.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Mug Day at Birch Mountain Pottery ~ May 5, 2012

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:40:39 -0700

One of my favorite local events is Mug Day at Birch Mountain Pottery. This year it will be on Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Owner Susan Gerr has been busy making her beautiful mugs and is sure to have the perfect mug for you. I already own many, but each is unique. I think mugs also make the perfect gift because who doesn't like a special hand-made gift?

In addition to a huge selection of mugs, there are also plenty of one-of-a-kind gifts for Mother's Day, graduations, showers, and weddings, including serving bowls, dishes, cream and sugar sets, sushi sets, and decorative pieces.

But the really great thing about Mug Day is that it is a festive occasion, with live music, delicious food and beverages, and a very happy atmosphere.

If you have never been to Mug Day at Birch Mountain Pottery, check it out. Birch Mountain Pottery is located at 223 Merrow Road, Tolland, CT in the 7-11 Plaza just off 195 (about 1/2 mile from Exit 68 on I-84).

For more information, check out Birch Mountain Pottery online or call 860-875-0149.

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Stamp Out Hunger on May 12, 2012

Wed, 02 May 2012 05:54:47 -0700

The largest food drive in the country is being held on May 12, 2012 when the National Association of Letter Carriers will be collecting food across the country for donation to local food banks through its Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

This is the 20th year that Stamp Out Hunger has been held! Food drive organizers are asking that people donate non-perishable food items, such as canned goods, rice, pasta, cereal, and anything that does not require refrigeration. Please do not donate food items in glass jars or anything beyond its expiration date.

You can leave your donation in bags near your mail box before the usual mail delivery on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Help Stamp Out Hunger!

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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

East Hartford CT Market Report for March 2012

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:23:16 -0700

East Hartford CT Market Report for March 2012

Closed sales in East Hartford in March 2012 were up significantly over March 2011. This March, there were 39 closed sales, compared to 27 closed sales in March 2011.

Median and average prices were down significantly from the same period last year. The median price this March was $124,000 compared to $149,000 last March, while the average price this $118,538 this March compared to $141,599 last March.

In addition to closed sales, there are currently 37 homes under contract and 48 under deposit, so we should expect that April's closed sales will remain strong.

Here is a recap to key statistics:

Summary	March 2012	March 2011
Closed Sales	39	27
Median Price	$124,000	$149,000
Average Price	$118,538	$141,599
Median LP/SP Ratio	96.2%	96.1%
Average LP/SP Ratio	93.08%	95.09%
Median DOM	87	93
Average DOM	103	95

If you are looking for a home in East Hartford, there are 208 homes on the market, ranging in price from $12,000 for a one-bedroom, one-bath 400 sq. ft. mobile home to $299,900 for a new three-bedroom, 2.1 bath, 1800 sq. ft. colonial. The median price of all homes on the market is $149,450.

Please give me a call if you would like help with your search.

Did you enjoy this post? Click here to subscribe to my blog by email.

Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

Find your dream home now!

Baby Boomer Series ~ Sorting Old Photographs

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:13:14 -0700

If you are a baby boomer, you probably have mountains of memories in the form of old photographs. If you are like me, you not only printed every picture you ever took, but you also got doubles of them because they were free! After all, you never knew who might want a set of your vacation photos. Newsflash--no one!

Yesterday, I decided that I would tackle all of the boxes of photos that I had accumulated (they never even made it into an album) as well as all the albums that I made and that I acquired from well-meaning relatives. I don't want to take boxes of photos if I decide to move, yet I don't want to lose the great ones that tell my family's history.

This is not an easy task, so here are a few suggestions that worked for me.

Sort the photographs

Sort the photos into two piles: scenery and people. I ended up throwing away most of the scenery photos because they weren't that great to begin with, they were beginning to fade anyway, and National Geographic has better pictures of the beach in San Juan anyway, if I ever need it.
Sort the people pictures into three piles: the professional photos, the super shots of family and friends, the ones that are too dark and of poor quality (if you can't see facial features clearly put them in this pile). Keep just one copy of the professionally-taken photos and put the others in a bag for family members to look at and decide if they want any. Throw out the pile with the photos where you can't recognize who is in the picture.
Sort the super shots of family and friends into piles. Eliminate duplicates and keep a sample of events (do you really need every race your child ever ran or every game they ever played?). Make sure you have at least some pictures of everyone in the family.

Scan the photographs

Once you have whittled down the collection, decide how you are going to store and save the best of the photographs. The best way is to scan your pictures into digital format so they can be preserved with integrity. When I looked at the album I compiled of a trip to England in 1975, all the pictures were now sepia-toned because they weren't stored well.

For some of the best of my family's photos like my grandparents' wedding picture, I scanned those myself on my scanner. I could then do some simple editing and they will now be safeguarded.

But for the mountains of candid shots, it will be easier and faster to send them out to a scanning service. For a fee, you can ship your photos in a box, they will scan and return a digital copy as well as the original photos. For a premium, you can also have them scanned, restored, and sharpened. Then you can share them easily with other members of your family.

Make a collage or two

Instead of having 8x10 or larger framed pictures all over your house, which you will have to pare down anyway, consider a few framed collages of key events. These will still let you look at cherished photos, yet they can be easily moved and displayed as you wish.

Share your photos

Once you have scanned your photos, you are free to toss out the real thing. You can easily share the scanned pictures with your family. If they want a paper copy, they can easily print out the few pictures. I offered the boxes of photos to my family before I threw them out, but of course no one took me up on my offer. They have lived most of their lives in the era of digital photography and have easy access to their memories. The few pictures they want from the pre-digital era will be scanned and ready for them.

Sorting though old pictures will eventually have to be done. Don't put it off another day. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, and I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted. It's just one more step toward being able to pack up and move out, if I choose to do so.

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Baby Boomer Series ~ What To Do with Too Many Books

Sort Books into Categories

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What To Do with Books You Don't Want

Other posts in the Baby Boomer Series:

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South Windsor CT Market Report for April 2012

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My Fine Feathered Friends!

Manchester CT Market Report for April 2012

Advantages of Home Ownership

Is the Condo Market Heating Up in South Windsor CT?

I Guess I Can't Take Down My Christmas Wreath NOW!

Signs of Spring

Mug Day at Birch Mountain Pottery ~ May 5, 2012

Stamp Out Hunger on May 12, 2012

East Hartford CT Market Report for March 2012

Baby Boomer Series ~ Sorting Old Photographs

Sort the photographs

Scan the photographs

Make a collage or two

Share your photos

Other posts in the Baby Boomer Series: