The Gold Coast Standard and Darien Real Estate

Sellers Category

Postcards From the Edge….Darien Homes

This has nothing to do with Darien CT real estate but today I had an interesting experience. While showing a home, I was bitten by a pit bull. Luckily, it decided to let go after a second or so. As my husband wryly remarked,"Well, you didn't get a sale, but you got a bite. I feel like Rodney Dangerfield....no respect.Continue Reading!

Mortgage Fees Set to Rise this Spring

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports that the cost of getting a mortgage is about to get a lot more expensive. If you're thinking about buying a home here in Darien or just about anywhere ,consider the following: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are adding new fees to borrowers with even the best credit ratings.Previously,there had been no fees assessed on those  with credit ratings of 720 or higher who put down less than a 25% deposit.Now there will...Continue Reading!

14 Broker Open Houses Tomorrow

Here we go....as promised... the Darien real estate market will begin to heat up as the weather warms.Tuesdays and Thursdays are"Broker Open House" days and tomorrow will be busy one.There are 14 homes on the tour in Darien and Rowayton alone.Some  of the homes for sale are inventory leftovers from the winter but many are new and range in price from $700K to $6million.Ladies and gentlemen.....start your engines.Continue Reading!

44th Annual Darien Antiques Show Opens This Week

The 44th Annual Darien Antiques Show open here in town with a preview party on Friday,March 4. The show itself runs through the weekend to Sunday March 6. The  show is run by the First Congregational Church of Darien and the proceeds support local charities including emergency shelters,and food banks.The weekend of events will kick off with a preview party ,"An Evening Out" on Friday March 4 from 7-9PM. The preview party will specifically benefit St.Lukes LifeWorks, a non profit organization...Continue Reading!

Why is The Darien Real Estate Market Like The Weather?

Why is the Darien real estate market like the weather? Well think about it. This has been one of the worst winters in recent history for most of the country and particularly in the Northeast. The snow has piled up, literally holding us hostage in our homes as we wait for the next storm. The real estate maket has behaved similarly. We've been hit by one punch after another for the past couple of years. While some volume has returned to...Continue Reading!

Darien Downsizers, Where to Go?

If you're a downsizer in Darien,don't get all excited.I don't have a reasonable answer to the question.Lots of my contemporaries, with kids out of the nest,wish to  move to smaller digs yet,stay in the town of Darien. However,Darien has a  real lack of  alternatives for those wishing to rid themselves of  lawn maintenance and snow plowing. There are of course condominiums in Darien such as Middlsex Common,Villager Pond,Sedgewick Village and Darien Close.Few if any of these offer one floor living or...Continue Reading!

Year End 2010 Real Estate Market Report, Darien and Fairfield County.

Every quarter and and year end,William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty publishes a recap of the real estate markets in Fairfield and Litchfield,Ct counties.Unlike other reports that just provide statistics, this report is well worth reading.It provides context for the various marketplaces in Connecticut and offers excellent insights into,what's selling,why and who is, in fact buying.Its a must read primer for anyone entering the Darien real estate market in 2011. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/ddb5fafd#/ddb5fafd/1Continue Reading!

Why Your Darien Home Won’t Sell,and What You Can Do About It.

2011 is a brand new year but there is one thing that I guarantee has not changed form 2010. An overpriced listing in Darien or anywhere, will not sell. Contrary to popular belief, it is the MARKET that determines value. whether it is for a stock, a used car, or your home.The only thing that counts is what someone is willing to pay. One of the first things a  Darien homeowner does when they wish to sell their home is call their real estate agent.Typically, that...Continue Reading!

Home Staging for Sellers….If You Do One Thing….

When you live in a home, it is obvious when you need a new roof or the furnace is on the fritz.But when it comes to selling your home, we all have a blind eye about certain things. I don't have my house on the market right now but I did have an  personal home staging epiphany. One of my daughters thought it was time to remove some dated wallpaper from her room and she was correct.We did that and  then...Continue Reading!

Darien Real Estate,2010 Year End Market Report

I've published a snapshot report of how the real estate market in Darien fared over this past year. In spite of gloomy reports from other markets around the county, Darien is bouncing back from a poor 2009. All the numbers are headed in the right direction for recovery,owing largely to the recuperation on Wall Street. For those of you who don't know,Darien, Ct is to Wall Street what Silicon Valley is to Northern California.It's the engine that drives this market. As ...Continue Reading!