The Gold Coast Standard and Darien Real Estate

Which School District in Darien,Ct is the Best?

  There are five elementary schools in Darien, Tokeneke,Royle,Ox Ridge,Hindley and Holmes.Those schools all feed into the Middlesex Middle School and ultimately to Darien High School.Almost everyone I know who has looked for a home,knows someone already here in town.Invariably, they tell me they want to buy in oneschool district or another because they were told it was the best one. Mind you I've heard this about every one of the five elementary schools. . Come to Darien but don't worry about the schools districts....Continue Reading!

CT Real Estate Sales Tax Increased,Darien Homes

Just when we thought it was safe to dip our toes back in the real estate market in Darien and Fairfield County the government goes and steps in. It's no secret that Connecticut like so many other states are facing huge budget deficits.So in its infinite wisdom the legislature  has raised the cost of selling a home. Connecticut has long had what is termed a "conveyance tax". Basically that means when a homeowner sells property, there is a sales tax levied.The new...Continue Reading!

Darien, CT Homes,How to Buy or Sell A Home in 2011

The beat goes on in Darien,CT and Fairfield County real estate.The market is robust and the market numbers for the month of April when they are tallied will bear me out.At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the spring market has arrived and as regards sheer volume of homes being sold,is doing quite nicely.The only issue whether you are a buyer or a seller, is one of pricing. The homes that are selling are the ones where there is perceived value and...Continue Reading!

Property of the Week..95 Leroy Ave. Another Great Darien Antique…

 You've driven by it a hundred times.You know that house near the corner of West Ave. and Leroy Ave. that used to look so old and sad...the one with the mansard roof.Yea, that one.I know.You've always wanted to go in and see it.Well, now you can and you can even own it if you like what you see and I guarantee that you will. This familiar Darien,CT landmark is on the market for $2.395 million and worth every cent. 95 Leroy Ave. has been rescued from its...Continue Reading!

A Peek into the Listing Future,Norwalk CT. Bit of Paradise

Generally, I write about Darien CT and all the beautiful homes it has to offer for sale or rent. From time to time however, I list homes in the neighboring town of Norwalk ,CT. Just such a  home is located on one of the most spectacular pieces of property I have ever seen in Norwalk or anywhere for that matter. This five bedroom, six and a half bath home sits directly on Florsheim Pond and is just steps from a gorgeous waterfall. An original...Continue Reading!

Not Yet on the Market, Darien CT Historic Home

Shhhhh.It's still a secret. Yet another Darien historical home will be listed next week. This house contains over 5000 square feet of totally renovated space.Built in 1900 and redone in 2001, this secret listing has 5 bedrooms, 5 1/2 baths, a gourmet kitchen,family room,and library.The center of the home is a great room measuring approximately 42'x42'which contains the kitchen,living room and dining area.There are french doors,a fireplace and large mudroom too. Upstairs is a large sitting room,master suite and four...Continue Reading!

Darien,Ct Real Estate,Good News and Bad News…

This is a good news/ bad news kind of post. The attached report showing the state of the Darien real estate market is completely depressing. It indicates across the board loses in listings, sales and average price. Only "days on market" numbers are moving in the right direction. The numbers can be explained by an extremely late spring (I'm not even sure it's here now) that kept buyers hunkered down. Now the good news.Since April 1, the entire market has turned around. Homes, if...Continue Reading!

Pasta Parmigiana,Worth Traveling For…

Every once in a while I write about things that have nothing whatsoever to do with Darien real estate.Living in Fairfield County and particularly Darien, allows for a quick and relatively painless commute into New York City, whether its for work,theatre,shopping etc. One of the  lesser known perks though is the ability to travel just 30 minutes down the road to a less heralded part of New York City,namely The Bronx.There you can take in a Yankee Game,visit the world famous...Continue Reading!

Property of the Week, 4 Duffy’s Lane. $1,399,000.

I wrote about this house back in January before it was ever listed. Well, 4 Duffy's Lane in Darien, CT is now on the market.At an asking price of $1.399 million it resides right in the "sweet spot" of  Darien home sales. The most popular price point is the $900K-$1.5 million range and these homes allow first time buyers and those trading up in town to take advantage  of a nice location and more than a postage stamp sized yard for the little ones. This...Continue Reading!

State of the Market, Darien Homes for Sale

I usually post the new listings and closed prices each week for Darien real estate but lists and charts can only go so far.What those weekly reports lack (and I'm just as guilty of putting them out there as anyone) is context. The spring Darien real estate market has gotten off to a belated start but has finally begun. In my mind, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that there 22 accepted offers in the past month, with some...Continue Reading!