Life and Real Estate in the Greater Hartford Area

Spice Is Nice!   It's that time of year again when our spice usage goes way up!    It seems to start with chili season.  The cooler weather inspires us to create a little heat in our food, such as steamy, spicy, full-flavored chili, complete with chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and garlic po...

Manchester CT 2011 Revaluation Process   The Town of Manchester CT is in the process of conducting a "full, measure and list" revaluation of property for its 2012 assessment.  The town's assessor's office has been conducting revaluation workshops to educate the public about what is involved and w...

South Windsor Condo Report for September 2011   During September 2011, there were 9 closed condo sales with a median price of $152,000.  During September 2010, there were also 9 closed sales, but the median price was $136,500.  So that's a nice rally in median price.  Here are the units by comple...

Advice for Sellers:  The One Question You Must Ask Your REALTOR®   If you are thinking about putting your home on the market (or maybe you already have your home on the market), there is one question you must ask your REALTOR® or any agents that you are interviewing for the job:   What do you thi...

Bloomfield CT Market Report for September 2011   The housing market in Bloomfield CT saw a downturn in closed sales both from the previous months and from the same time last year, but it saw an increase in median price.  In September 2011, there were 8 closed sales with a median price of $228,950...

Vernon CT Market Report for September 2011 Vernon CT, a thriving town of about 30,000 people, is conveniently located about midway between Hartford and UConn.  With easy access to I-84, Vernon's residents can enjoy suburbia, including outdoor recreational activities, and still be connected with n...

Ocean State Job Lot Offers Military Discount   Operation Thank You is Ocean State Job Lot's way of showing appreciation to military personnel and their families.  For a two-week period, from Sunday, October 23, 2011 to Saturday, November 5, 2011, they will be giving a 30% discount on everything i...

Bolton CT Market Report for September 2011   What's going on in Bolton CT? Bolton is a small town with rural character; as a small town, there is usually not much activity in real estate sales in Bolton.  It's not uncommon to see two or three closed sales in a month.  But in September 2011, there...

Do You Watch Antiques Roadshow?   In this popular show, people bring their items to be appraised by antique experts.  Sometimes, people bring in their treasures, which turn out to be junk, and sometimes they hit the jackpot, much to their surprise.  The experts give a brief history lesson of each...