Greenwich Real Estate

2008-11-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

My listing in Old Greenwich, located in Hillcrest Park, just sold in October 2008 for $1,525,000. With 1.11 acres of land and 4,500+ square feet, the buyers got a great deal. The sellers were happy to have a ready, willing and able buyer that could close quickly so they could move on with their plans. Everyone is happy. Could the sellers have gotten more money a year ago? Perhaps. An offer is not always about the money.

With all of the uncertainty in this market, there is great value in having an offer from a party that is able to carry through with their bid. What's the use in having a promise of more money from someone that may not be able to get a mortgage to seal the deal? Or what about the scenario where the buyer is perfectly qualified but the bank appraisal comes back short? If that buyer does not have extra cash to put down, the house will quickly be restored to its previous "available" status with a slight cloud over it. People might now wonder if it was something in the home inspection that went wrong or, now that an appraisal has been performed, the house must be overpriced. Mortgage commitments have been harder to come by with underwriting guidelines changing almost daily and reams of documentation required. Personally, I feel this is an over reaction to the current situation. The pendulum has gone from one extreme to another. While previously cash was practically thrown at unqualified borrowers, now persons with perfectly good credit and responsible financial histories are being turned down. I have confidence though that level heads will eventually prevail. A little self-examination of our spending habits and, therefore our priorities is probably long over due.

2008-08-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

I know, I know this blog is supposed to be about Greenwich Real Estate and this new listing is in Westport but, truthfully, when I got into the business 11 years ago at Prudential Connecticut, I noticed something. While I loved living here and most of the business that I did was in Greenwich, there would be the occasional person that would come in to meet with me, take one look at what was available and become thoroughly depressed. Yes, it is expensive here no doubt about it. The further you get from New York City, the less you pay per square foot, generally speaking. I don't ever want to see anyone feel that they cannot find a place that they would be happy to call home. So...early on I joined the CMLS, Consolidated Multiple Listing Service, that serves much of Fairfield County. I've sold and rented homes in Ridgefield, Stamford, Norwalk, and Westport to my clients and friends. Now, I have the honor to represent my friends in the sale of their home at 30 Maplewood Avenue in Westport. Please visit http://www.martastroll.com for all of the details.

2008-05-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

I am sitting at a public open house for one of my listings as I write this. It is raining steadily so I have a lull in traffic, though admittedly, the attendance has been light. I'm sure it is due to the weather mostly.

There are some signs that tell me there is still life left in this market. While the usual Greenwich spring market begins at the end of January or early February depending on the harshness of the previous winter (again the weather!), this year has seen a delay. The buzz that reaches a crescendo in late March or early April is happening now, in my humble opinion. There had been reported sales and contracts in drips and drabs every week

2008-05-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I will magically be in two places at the same time! OK, not really but I will have a Public Open House at two of my listings on the same day. How is that possible you ask? Well, they are both located in Old Greenwich - a terrific place to live if I do say so myself. I lived there for a little over 20 years and all four of my kids went through the Greenwich Schools starting with OG Elementary School.

This particular house is brand new construction built by very good friends of mine. Every detail was lovingly overseen by this wonderful couple in the construction of this, their dream home. It is located on Sound Beach Avenue midway between OG town and Tod's Point. Come to the open house on Sunday, May 18th between 12 and 4 PM and I'll show you the perfect spot to set up the party to view the annual Memorial Day Parade. Check out the website for more information and pictures, http://www.348soundbeachavenue.com/ .

2008-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my listing at 13 Irvine Road in Old Greenwich. It was built by a local builder, Tim Gilson, in 1998 for his own family. The current owners have kept it in excellent condition and have made several improvements (call me @ 203-637-6214). It has many of the features found in today's new construction - high ceilings, beautiful trim work, built-ins, open plan, etc. This is quintessential Old Greenwich living at its best. It is in walking distance to OG School. After dropping the kids off, you can stroll to Arcadia Coffee or Upper Crust Bagels for breakfast. Take your morning walk through Binney Park. If you are feeling ambitious, it is 5.5 miles from the front door all around Tod's Point and back again.

How do I love OG? Let me count the ways! Come join me at the Public Open House this coming Sunday, May 18th from 2 to 4PM and say, "Hello!" I'll give you the skinny on living here as I have for the last 20 years! Please visit www.13IrvineRoad.com for more pictures and information.

2008-05-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hmmm! That is quite a break to take, isn't it? Much has happend since I have written last but let's try to catch up a bit. What has been happening since the last time I posted something? Well... I have never been busier. It is taking much longer to sell a home in this market meaning doing much more to keep a listing fresh and buyers aware of its existence. It is actually an exciting challenge to get really creative and try to think out of the box.

Buyers also have so much more to choose from making it all the more important to organize their needs and wants. It can get pretty confusing to look at 15 houses in one day. You start to create the perfect home in your mind - a great yard from one house and wonderful kitchen from another across town. In reality, no matter the price range, my experience has been that it is a rare thing to find a truly perfect home. It comes down to priorities. Sometimes seeing all those homes helps to solidify what those priorties are.

Let me know if you have any creative ideas that either a seller or buyer could benefit from.

2006-10-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

What is this market up to? It seems to me that anyone can find "facts" to back up their opinion. Sellers point to those that say Wall Street (a formidable contributor to our local economy) is expecting "phenomenal bonuses" and that the spring market (usually begining here in mid-January if the winter is mild) will once again bring a flurry of activity. So they hold their prices in wait for the post holiday season when thoughts of sugar plums have faded into fond memories and nesting instincts once again surface. Buyers, converesly, anticipate a precipitous drop in prices with every mention of Fed meetings, unemployment reports, and other indices. Everyone waits and watches each factor. Remember, talk of the "Real Estate Bubble" was just that for seven years - talk. Who knows? The market eventually catches up to whatever theory as it is so often cyclical.
I feel one thing is certain in this uncertainty. It is a great time to be a buyer of real estate here in Greenwich. For the last seven years, sellers had been in the driver's seat, calling all the shots. During that time, I had found myself, more than once, turning to a buyer/client to say that the multi-million dollar property that they were interested in might be gone if they did not act very quickly. I am a pragmatic person but the market was white hot and those were the market conditions to deal with.
Now, they have more inventory to choose from and the possiblity to negotiate a fair price with a seller more willing to listen. It all comes down to motivation. Does the buyer need a home and does the seller want to move on with their plans?

2006-07-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

I have to share this with you... The Greenwich Water Club, opened in February of this year, is one fabulous place! Situated on the Mianus River, it offers lovely water views despite the looming presence of I-95 nearby. The facility is absolutely beautiful with a mix of not only the newest machines and equipment but a wonderful staff of friendly trainers eager to help sculpt you to perfection. The restaurant, finally opened in late August, has a nautical theme and is elegantly understated. The food is always fresh and flavorful and is a great place to bring friends and clients. My only regret is that the pool is seasonal. I have heard rumors that they were considering placement of a bubble to enclose it for the winter but could never figure out if it was a true consideration or if my husband was just trying to start a movement. The place is so nice and spa-like that I always feel that I'm being spoiled so I hardly ever miss more than a day or two from my workout routine. Believe me, this is a first for me! If I ever go missing check the ladies locker room... I can't decide what I like more, the plush robes, the steam room, the sauna, the beautiful dark wood lockers with shiny brass knobs, the shelves brimming with everything you need from Q-Tips to mousse to Witch Hazel, to emery boards, to... they have thought of everything!

2006-07-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

2006-07-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

If I compare myself to many of my colleagues, I seem to be ahead of the technology learning curve. I created my own website. I make my own virtual tours for my listings. I can even handle making a playlist on my iPod Nano. But I have only to overhear a conversation between my kids to see how much I have yet to learn about this space age. I may feel like a smarty pants at the office when someone asks me how to get MS Word to stop deleting things when typing (the insert button and, yes, that was a real question) or, simply, how to move text around. The holes in my knowledge are apparent (glaringly, at times). For this reason, please forgive me for stating the obvious. I am sure many of my "Aha" moments will be "Duh!" for many of you.
So, that being said, "Hi!"
I understand this blogging stuff is a way to get the word out and I thought I'd give it a try. My mission, should you care to accept it, is to talk about the goings on in my little part of the world. I am no savvy insider on the much talked about hedge fund world nor am I privy to the happenings at any country club. Simply, I have lived in Greenwich for twenty years (a newcomer to many here) and have loved every minute of it (mostly)!
I am a real estate agent in a town with about 62,000 residents and just over 800 agents. Yup! One in every 77.5 persons is an agent. And yet, I still love my job!
I would like to have a conversation with you about why it is so great to live and work here. So please be patient and of good humor. Contribute your thoughts. I have much to learn!