If you are interested in seeing the apartments just contact me at 203-554-0951. If youre reading about this for the first time, the general rule of thumb for rent here is $2000/mo for a one bedroom, $3000/mo for a two bedroom and $4000/mo for a three bedroom in a luxury setting.

Andy Rooney Home for Sale

I went to the estate sale there a few weeks ago and there were all manner of memorabilia,including Emmy statuettes and the typewriter Andy used on a daily basis. Its a lovely Tudor home that sits high on a hill in the seaside town of Rowayton.Here is a link to the listing which shows  the house. Call or contact me if you wish to see it or any other property in Darien or Rowayton,New Canaan and environs. Also in my categories to the right there is a great little video that talks about the town of Rowayton and all it has to offer.

Above is the only picture I could find of Andy actually smiling!

http://cmls.rexplorer.net/rex$gfc/rexSrchPage.htm

Lobby at 101 Park in Stamfords Harbor Point

Anyway, the development already has a giant Fairway market and a grand Starwood hotel in the works. My buddy tells me that restaurants and retail are on the way. So far, a Subway (ok no big deal),Le Pain Quotidian and something called Harlan Social which is being opened by the executive chef of the Tribeca Grill in New York City.

This is shaping up to be a great place to live. Being from New York City I’ve never seen a community built from the ground up. Very impressive indeed. Want to get in on the action?For rental information call me for a tour or just a talk. 203-554-0951,kmbrewer2@aol.com

But what I hope to really accomplish here is to fill in a much needed gap between information and insight…Information is everywhere.You know how it goes…3 bedrooms, two baths, dead end street… misleading photos.If you ask me its dead end information.

What is it like to live on that “dead end” street? Does it lead to the town dump? Or a nice little park? And what about those three bedrooms? Does the master bedroom face train tracks. You get the idea. I’ve posted about this before and its all about context baby. When you’ve gotten your Zestimate or whatever they are calling it these days come to www.TheGoldCoastStandard.com to find out what the neighborhood is like,how long your kid will have to ride on the bus and whether the highway is expanding into your backyard.I also provide links to Darien Patch and local newspapers to increase your feel for the place. After all you cant live in a Zestimate.  And that’s what I hope to accomplish in 2012. If I sell you a home in the process, well, win-win. Call me. 203-554-0951 or just keep tuning in here. There is much to learn grasshoppers.

Rowayton,CT , Seaside Village on the CT Gold Coast

Rowayton is a shore town,and homes are located close together in a charming mix of old, seaside houses and grander, waterfront manses. Pricing is similar to that of Darien and of course, water views carry a premium. Also in the spirit of full disclosure, taxes in Norwalk are higher than here in Darien but for many the feel of the place more than offsets the cost. William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty has produced a nice video on Rowayton real estate and I offer it here for you to consider.As always to see what’s on the market in Rowayton contact me here via the blog or at my email , kmbrewer2@aol.com.

http://media.onlinewalkthru.com/index.php?pid=135&cid=24&eid=366&mid=410&username=wpittsir&password=wpittsir

As far as the storms impact on the real estate market,its safe to say it has basically brought things to a crawl. The Darien MLS has no power but is operating out of a nearby office. New listings are negligible.Closings seem to be going forward but water in basements has hampered some efforts to close deals.

There are lots of people stranded,but thankfully no one hurt.

Call Karen Brewer, right away!

I was chatting with a colleague last night and we were discussing the current state of the real estate market in general and how it has been transformed by the Internet.It has by and large, been a great thing for buyers and sellers alike and offers information in ways no one dreamed of just a few years ago. Pictures,videos,town statistics- all at the click of a button. But there are some things the Internet can’t supply.At the end of the day, there is no photograph or chart that can offer you the information and insight of a “boots on the ground” Realtor. For example,

1.Is that adorable house on the Internet located mere steps from the interstate? Will your windows rattle in the night because it’s in the flight path of almost every plane leaving LaGaurdia.

2.Is the home located on a  preferred street for resale?

3. How close is the house to the street or will you need a electrified fence to protect your kids from traffic.

4. How do the schools differ? Really.

5. How’s the commute? Really.

6. Are taxes going up? When?

7.How long is the wait for a Metro North parking pass? Really.

8 .How crowded are the beaches? Really.

9. Why do so many homes have sump pumps?

10. How do you get your kid into nursery school? Really.

11.How many people send their children to private school? Why?

12. Are there entire neighborhoods that flood? Really.

13 .What ARE wetlands anyway?

14. What is the crime rate? Really.

The Internet, for all its advantages cant offer CONTEXT. It won’t show you whether the railroad tracks run through your yard or tell you who your neighbors are.It can’t take you under its wing and make sure you don’t make a mistake,overpay for a house, or reveal insights into the history of a home. It can’t reliably refer you to mortgage professionals, help you get your lawn mowed or answer questions when you run into it in the supermarket.  And that’s what Realtors are for.  Really.

95 Leroy Ave. has been rescued from its former life as a three family rental residence to that of a superior state of the art home that beautifully retains its historical and architecturall integrity. The exterior boasts exciting roof lines of the mansard variety, dormers,French doors and wraparound porches.

Inside is a beautiful great room and it is GRRREAT. The dimensions are 21′x42′ and it houses the living room,dining room and state of the art kitchen.As wonderful as that is, there are original, cozy rooms too such as a  library and additional family room with doors to a flagstone patio.

Upstairs, 95 Leroy has a beautiful sitting room with built ins and no fewer than 5 bedrooms,most with en suite baths. The real stunner though is the third floor which is currently in use as a guest suite but would work very well as a playroom or au paire suite.This area has a full bath and small kitchen area with sink and fridge. It also opens out onto a lovely balcony overlooking the back yard.

This historical gem is literally a few blocks to the Darien ,Metro North station ,downtown, and Tilley Pond Park. Children would attend Royle School which is also easily walkable from the house.Call me at 203-554-0951 for a private showing or email me at kmbrewer2@aol.com.

Last Sunday I had occasion to do just that and visited the famous Arthur Ave section, neighborhood to  to generations of immigrant Italian Americans and home to some of the best Italian restaurants in the tri state area.

I have been to Arthur Ave.many times having grown up in the Bronx but this time our meal at Marios’ Restaurant held a wonderful surprise. We ordered a dish called Spaghetti Parmigiano. Little did we know that its preparation would entail creating a flambe of brandy sauce that was ignited inside a full wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

The cheese was partially hollowed and a mixture of brandy and cream was ignited. Then the pasta was added making a rich ,cheesy sauce.  Ive been eating Italian food for over 50 years and I’d never heard of much less seen such a gastronomic spectacle.By all means, visit Mario’s at your first opportunity. Got a good Fairfield County or New York City restaurant recommendation? Id love to hear about it.

This home is on over 2/3 acres,set back from the street on a coveted cul de sac, convenient to town and transportation to NYC. The street has a couple of dozen kids living on it, and is a chip shot to the heralded Darien YMCA. Its a mini neighborhood!

With 4 generous bedrooms,a new kitchen and new master bath, there is very little to do in this home. The basement is finished and has outdoor access so the children can run in and out to the yard which is flat and generous. There’s a fireplace in the living room and a family room just off the kitchen.

It’s a move right in home. Call me for a showing of 4 Duff’ys Lane. I’m available this weekend. 203-554-0951 or kmbrewer2@aol.com