Karen Brewer

Buyers Category

Darien,CT Rental Market Heats Up For The Summer

Where have all the buyers gone? To rentals is seems. At this time of the year when families wish to secure a place in the lauded Darien school system, rentals do take a bounce. This year was no exception except that the rush to rent seems sooner and faster than years past. The bad news from Wall Street about potential layoffs,and  bad national economic news seems to have sent potential buyers headed toward leasing. I had a rental listing that leased well over asking after just a few days. Coule be a quiet summer. Listings however, continue to dribble onto the market (there were three today) and price reductions continue as well. Stay tuned.

Hyper Local Blogging, Darien CT

I’m told the thing these days is to blog hyper locally.So instead of just writing about Real Estate or even Darien,CT real estate,I’m supposed to write more about local events and news in town. OK Ill bite.If you’re looking for a taste of Darien and what its like to live here heres a sample of this weeks news.

• A local teen was arrested for burglary after being spotted wearing the stolen wrist watch at the Darien High School prom.(Dopey kid)
• It seems there are at least two mountain lions wandering  in or around the Greenwich area.(shoe shopping on the Avenue probably)
• The Farmers Market returns to Darien this Wednesday on Mechanic Street.( Forget the veggies.Best pies and flowers around.)
• 81st Ox Ridge Horse Show opens this week. (The parking lot at the Doubletree Hotel will be a sea of horse trailers. Don’t miss it.)

Darien Real Estate,May YTD 2011

I could regale you with stats again this month but basically the market here is down about 10% in sales from last year.More importantly though is the way the market feels to me right now….frankly kind of schizophrenic.

Normally, (and who knows what that is anymore) we would be winding down theDarein real estate spring season and coasting into summer with sales coming from those families wishing to be in a new home in time for the 2011/12 school year.

Instead, last week we had over a two dozen new listings albeit most in the rental category.Many homeowners who could not sell this spring are turning toward renting their properties and doing quite well at it.

The recent articles in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal citing bad news seems to have had a scary effect on potential buyers are we are seeing many turning tail and renting.Thus the rentals come and rentals go…that quickly.

Now this week so far there are only a couple of new listings in total. I’ts all so unpredictable. The new normal is so abnormal.Stay tuned.

So How’s the Market?Darien CT Homes for Sale…

So I don’t really feel like doing the whole statistical thing this week. For the most part things remain the same as they have been since the start of the Darien real estate season.If you haven’t been reading this blog regularly, the spring market started late, houses are selling largely in the lower price points for Darien which is $700-$1,5million and only those who are priced according to the market are moving…some in as little as a weekend.It’s no feeding frenzy but there is activity.Overall the years numbers are down and the days on market are increasing.

This weeks articles in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times have not helped things except to get sellers to realize the cold truth.And it is cold.I am a Darien homeowner too and its a bitter pill to swallow when you realize that they money you thought you had in a home is gone and ain’t comin’back.At least for awhile.

Darien Weekly Report ,June 1, New Listings and Closings

Much Ado About…Shakespeare on the Sound

This blog is largely focused on Darien and homes therein but no discussion is complete without at least mentioning Rowayton,CT. Rowayton is kind of a sister town to Darien.Although part of the city of Norwalk,Darien and Rowayton share a border in various spots including, of course the shoreline.Anyway, every year Rowayton produces a wonderful Shakespearean play al fresco in its very own Pickney Park right on Five Mile River.

They are very professional productions yet the atmoshphere is VERY family oriented and picnic style.This years production is Much Ado About Nothing and performances will take place  nightly from June 16-26. except Mondays.Admission is by donation with $20 for adults suggested and $10 for the children.

No worries about your children behaving badly either.Kids are running around throughout the performance and the atmoshphere is festive.Grab some wine ,a blanket and come on down.

What’s So Great About Darien,CT?

                                                                                       

It is not an easy thing to choose a new community in which to live.Many families move here to Darien,Ct from the New York City or other areas with only the recommendation of a friend or family member. So, whats the best way to find out what a community is really like? How do you know if Darien is your kind of town?For starters take a look at local blogs,websites and Darien Patch.

But better yet,get your hands on a copy of a good, old fashioned, local newspaper like the Darien News Review or Darien Times.Sometimes a thread emerges from the printed page that somehow gets lost online. This week the Letters to the Editor page in the local paper was filled with thank you notes from several charitable organizations. It occurred to me that week after week, and month after month the paper publishes photos, articles and notes from one needy organization or another,thanking the Darien community for its support.  Whether its the local schools,sports teams,homeless shelters,battered womens organizations,churches, or medical causes- Darien delivers.

This week alone,thank yous rang out from the local Boy Scout troop,Fairfield County Visiting Nurse and Hospice Service,The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Person to Person and the Darien Firefighters Association. That’s amazing!

So if one of your criteria for selecting a community is its’ compassion and willingness to help others, then welcome home.

July 4 Fireworks….Actually in the Works

 

A dry run, as it were of  July 4 fireworks here in Darien was completed and deemed successful.As a result we may have our town fireworks show reinstated this year! Fingers crossed.

Darien Real Estate Market Update,May 25,2011

 As  all you bloggers know I was predicting an uptick in sales activity and volume in April and in fact the market delivered. Dollar volume was up 28% to almost $40 million up from $25 million in 2010. That’s a whopping 28%.Average sale price was way up to $2.327 million over $1.391 million in the previous April.Looked like we were on a roll.

The year to date stats however tell a different tale. Darien real estate is actually down in units for the year to 45 from 56 in 2010.If we are to even approach last years number of 250 units, we’d better get hopping.And with average days on market  still up around 160, it’ not a pretty picture.

That said, and this seems to run counter to the numbers but some homes continue to sell in record time.I know ,I know Ive said it a million times.The houses that are priced correctly SELL. So there is hope. If you really want to sell your home and can live with the realities of this market,just price it right and they will come.Otherwise be prepared to sit tight for 160 days longer in Darien than you’d hoped.

Pssst…New Home to be Listed Soon…

Attention first time buyers.Need a starter home in Darien? 3 bedrooms perhaps. Around 1600 sq ft perhaps? Walk to train and town too? Contact me ASAP for an in house, exclusive listing that is not on the MLS and will not disappoint. It’s an adorable bungalow, cute as can be and in great shape.Great way to get into town without breaking the bank. Price to be determined. Stay tuned.kmbrewer2@aol.com or 203-554-0951