30 Birchwood Drive, New Milford, CT

What about New Milford CT?

Located in southern Litchfield County, New Milford is sometimes referred to as the gateway to Litchfield Hills. We are 90 minutes from New York City, an hour from Hartford and three hours from Boston. If you are looking for a train into the city, Metro North Railroad runs trains on either the Hudson Line or the New Haven Line, both convenient drives from New Milford. New Milford is the largest town area wise in the state of Connecticut at 64.8 square miles. For a wonderful history of New Milford and the surrounding towns, visit the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce Website. Bordered by Sherman, Kent, Warren, Washington, Roxbury, Bridgewater and Brookfield, New Milford offers hiking, boating on Candlewood Lake and Lake Lillinonah, fishing, easy access to golfing at world class golf courses, Bulls Bridge Golf Club in South Kent, The Club at River Oaks in Sherman as well as Candlewood Valley Country Club, a public golf course located on Route 7 in New Milford. There is canoeing or rafting on the Housatonic, minutes to the Appalachian Trail in South Kent at Bulls Bridge, many fine town and state parks. There is so much to do. We have fine restaurants, art galleries, and perhaps one of the most scenic greens in New England! Drop by and check it out for yourself. Try a driving tour through New Milford, mapped out for you by the Chamber of Commerce. As you can see, there is something for everyone in New Milford and the surrounding communities. Drop me a line, or come and see for yourself. Are you looking for a home in the greater New Milford area? Sign up for a Listingbook Account, a free service I offer to my clients. Search the multiple listing service through my account. No strings attached. Are you thinking of selling? Contact me for a confidential market analysis at andrea@andreaswiedler.com.

Real Estate Snapshot, Week in Review May 2, 09.

Single Family Homes

We are still seeing signs of improvement!

There are currently 273 active single family home listings in New Milford, CT. That is down 1 listing from last week. Lowest price: $100,000, average list price: $488,298, average days on market, 127. Highest price: $6,500,000. Out of these, 21 are under deposit, that is down 1 from last week, lowest price $100,00, highest price $550,000. Average list price: $328,324, Average market time: 103 days. (Days on market still coming down!)

There are currently 18 homes that are pending, 9 more than last week. Lowest price: $179,900, highest price: $629,900. Average list price: $317,197. Average market time: 130 days.

3 homes are showing as sold, same for the third week in a row. Average List price $419.933, average sale price: $399,500, average market time, 113 days.

Condominiums

There are currently 77 active condo listings in New Milford, CT, this is 11 more than last week. Lowest price: $62,900. Highest price: $532,900. Average market time, 170 days.

Out of these, 7 are under deposit, same as the last 2 weeks, lowest price $98,700, highest price $169,000. The average list price: $146,800, average market time: 63 days. The days on market have dropped significantly!

There are currently 12 condos that are pending, up 1 from last week. Lowest price: $89,000, highest price: $400,000. The average list price of these is $173,117. Average market time: 119 days.

3 condos are showing as sold. Average list price: $151,633. Average sale price: $146,000, market time was 91 days.

(The above information is only as good as the agents who list the properties. If the information is not entered into the multiple listing service in a timely manner, or incorrectly this will skew the data. However, I do believe it to be a fairly accurate assessment of the current real estate market in New Milford.)

Are you looking to buy or sell in the greater New Milford area? Give me a call at 203.460.1775, sign up for a listingbook account to search the area MLS, or send me an email to andrea@andreaswiedler.com. I would be happy to discuss your options.

Information provided by the Greater Fairfield County CMLS. Information deemed reliable, but not necessarily accurate.

Getting those buyers into your home

Spring is in full swing here in Connecticut. The trees are starting to leaf out, the daffodils and tulips have been up for a bit, some of the flowering trees are showing off for us. Things are looking great! Soon our gardens will be in full swing too.

What does this have to do with real estate? Plenty! If you are planning to sell your home, take a good look at the outside of your home. Curb appeal is the way to get the buyers inside your home. I can tell you for a fact that some buyers won’t even get out of the car if the outside isn’t appealing.

What can you do?

• Make sure you clean up the yard. Not just the leaves from last fall or the branches that might have fallen in the yard. Take a look at what you might be storing outside and get rid of it. You need to use a buyers eye, pretend it isn’t your house, take pictures and see how it looks. Too much “stuff” in the yard will turn buyers right off. The worst offence is old vehicles stored on the property.
• Paint your front door. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for the home.
• Get some flowering plants and place them by the entrance, but keep them weed free!
• If you have a front porch, does it also need a fresh coat of paint? Is the furniture broken down? Make sure the porch is clean and inviting.
• Check your flower beds. Make sure they are weed free, perhaps a fresh coating of mulch will help.
• Keep the grass mowed, address any dead or brown zones in the yard.
• If you have a fence, make sure it in good shape.
• The driveway should be in good shape. If you have pot holes, fix them!
• Find a place to store those garbage cans. You don’t want potential clients getting out of their vehicles and seeing overflowing garbage cans before they see anything else!
• Check your garage doors. Are they worn out? Do they need a coat of paint? Is the wood in good shape around the doors?
• How is your deck? Make sure the wood is clean, the railings are in good shape and if it is painted, and the paint is peeling, give it a fresh coat.
• Check your gutters, clean them out and keep the leaders clear and in good working order.

If you want to get them out of the car and into the house you need to look at your yard and the outside of your home with a new eye! There are many websites with great ideas and photos to help you out. I found a few interesting ones, try Myhomeideas.com or a great article written by Elizabeth Weintraub about curb appeal on About.com.

© 2009 Andrea Swiedler. Unless otherwise noted, the content, both written and in pictures, is the property of Andrea Swiedler. If you wish to use something you see here, please email me (andrea@andreswiedler.com) with your request. Most likely I will oblige, with a link back to my original content as well as an acknowledgment. Although imitation is the highest form of flattery, please let me know before you decide to bestow this form of flattery on me! Thank you.

Looking to purchase or sell a home in the greater New Milford CT area? Please contact me , or visit my website to find out more about me.

What is good about New Milford and the surrounding communities? Check it out! More information about local real estate, local happenings and local photography.

New Milford Weekly Market Watch

April 18, 2009

Week in Review, New Milford, Connecticut

Single Family Homes

The market is definitly showing signs of improvement. Not only in the numbers, but in speaking to other agents, they seem to be MUCH busier than they have been with buyers!

There are currently 268 active single family home listings in New Milford, CT. That is up 4 listing from last week. Lowest price: $100,000. Highest price: $2,100,000, Out of these, 22 are under deposit, that is up by 6 from last week, lowest price $100,00, highest price $629,900. Average list price: $341,634, Average market time: 139 days. (Days on market seems to be coming down!)

There are currently 4 homes that are pending, 4 less than last week. Lowest price: $179,900. Highest price: $384,000. The average list price of these is $281,950, average market time: 103 days.

3 homes are showing as sold, 1 up from last week. 2 of these homes were foreclosures. Average List price $242,967, average sale price: $198,333 average market time, 50 days.

Condominiums

There are currently 81 active condo listings in New Milford, CT, no change from last 2 previous weeks.

Out of these, 7 are under deposit, up 3 from last week, lowest price $98,700, highest price $220,000. The average list price: $153,000, average market time: 78 days. That is down 6 days!

There are currently 2 condos that are pending, down 9 from last week. Lowest price: $89,000, highest price:$135,000. The average list price of these is $112,000. Average market time: 122 days.

1 condo is showing as sold. . Sale price was $125,000, market time was 135 days. This information seems to be off, we will wait to see what happens for next week. There should have been more condos showing as sold.

Information provided by the Greater Fairfield County CMLS. Information deemed reliable, but not necessarily accurate.

Local Happenings, New Milford CT

Looking for something to do locally? Check out these upcoming events in New Milford.

A FREE DAY ON THE GREEN, ARTISTS, FOOD AND MUSIC!

On April 25th from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm, The Village Center for the Arts, located at 12 Main Street, New Milford, CT, 06776 is hosting a FREE event, fun for all ages! To mark their entrance into the non profit realm, the Center is hosting "Artist Lockdown", showcasing local artists. There will be demonstrations by artists, work for sale, sampling of cuisine from local restaurants, and music entertainment all day. For more information about this event please contact The Village Center for the Arts at 860.354.3418.

The Village Center for the Arts is a great place for all ages. It is a fully stocked art supply store, a "paint your own pottery" place, a "drop in" open art studio, and offer classes in fine arts for all ages. There is also a "Birthday Party Program" available.

AN EVENING OUT AT THE THEATER

Looking for other events? How about Theatreworks New Milford. The month of May The Fourth Wall by A.R. Gurney is running. A hilarious comedy about a woman who redecorates her living room to mimic a theater set, and her frustrated husband, it is sure to please all. Theatreworks New Milford has had some great reviews, and for the price of $20 per ticket, why go any further? To read more about the production, about Theaterworks or to order tickets online, visit their website, Theatreworks New Milford. They are located at 5 Brookside Ave, New Milford, CT, 06776.

MUSIC AND MORE IN MERRYALL

On May 9th at 8:00 pm, the Merryall Center for the Arts will host an evening of Irish music and laughter. The Kerry Boys, Mark James from County Kerry, and Pierce Campbell, the 2007-2008 Connecticut Troubadour will perform Irish music with audience participation. Come listen, laugh and sing along! Price for a ticket is $20 per person.

The Merryall Center for the Arts is located at 8 Chapel Hill Road, New Milford, CT, 06776. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 860.354.7264.

Why travel elsewhere when you can see it right here?

So, you think you want to buy your first home.

The news is all good, interest rates are lower than ever. Housing prices are down. The first time home buyers $8,000 tax credit is a great incentive to purchase a home this year. Check out what the National Association of Realtors has to say about it. What to do first?

• 
  Find a reputable lender. Find out how much you are qualified for, make sure that you look at what your mortgage payment will be per month, include your real estate taxes in this computation. You want to know this first, before even looking at homes. I insist on this with my buyers. Looking at homes with a price range you think will work often leads to heartache. Check out tips for finding a reputable lender by Mortgage RX.


• 
  Ask about first time home buyer programs. There are many good programs available to you, make sure you investigate all the options. One I have had great success with is the Housing Development Fund. Take a look at what they have to say.


• 
  Find a reputable Realtor. Remember, you will be spending time with this person, looking to them for advice, putting your trust in them to assist you with the largest purchase you will make in a long time. This is not a car, this is your home! About.com has written some very extensive articles that will answer questions you may have or didn't even know you had about chosing a Realtor.


• 
  Be ready to make changes. You should have a wants and needs list. But be prepared to make adjustments in these lists as you visit more homes. Perhaps the homes in your price range will not have that extra half bath you thought you couldn't live without. Maybe the home will not have a granite countertop. Be flexible and realistic. Here is a great article from about.com on things to think about when making the choice of what is important to you.


• 
  Be honest with yourself. If you fall in love with the idea of a particular home, but for instance, it will require too much work that you are not capable of doing or paying for, move on. This Old House has some good information on this subject.


• 
  Don't assume that all homes are overpriced. Putting in low ball offers can really become problematic. Let's say you find the home of your dreams, you really want this home and put in an offer. Because you have read somewhere that all homes are overpriced by at least 25% you base your offer on that premise. The seller does not have to sell, and never responds to you. You may anger them so much they may not look at any other offer you make as serious. Ask your Realtor to do a buyers market analysis for you. Trust your Realtor to do their job! A good Realtor will tell you if the house is priced correctly or not.


• 
  If you want that bargain priced home, look at foreclosures. Even short sales have to be approved by the bank, and they are not so willing to let it go for the price it might fetch when it has been foreclosed on and left vacant for a year. This is a reality of todays market.


• 
  Be patient. It could take time, especially in the lower price range.

Yes, it really is a good time to buy. But are you honestly ready? Have you done YOUR work? I will do my part for you to make your first home purchase a smooth transaction. If you are looking to purchase a home in the greater New Milford area I would love to hear from you. Give me a call, 203-460-1775, or drop me an email and we can discuss your options. I have great resources for you to check out lenders, I have a program called Listingbook that allows you to search the multiple listing service just like I do. Drop by my blog, real estate, real photography, real life and learn more about me and about the area, leave me a comment, tell me what you think. I hope to hear from you soon!

Silo Art

But how did he do that?

I love art outdoors. People decorate their barns, yards, garages, homes, whatever. They are often very clever about it. This particular work is by C. J. Flynn, and called "Pride of the Pasture".

Check back, I will post more as I find them.

Check my photography out at my Picasa Web Album.

New Milford Weekly Market Watch

April 10, 2009

Week in Review, New Milford, Connecticut

Single Family Homes

Although the numbers don’t show it, I know that I am busier than I have been, and my office is busier! I believe we are seeing an improvement in the market.

There are currently 264 active single family home listings in New Milford, CT. That is up 2 listing from last week. Lowest price: $100,000. Highest price: $2,100,000, Out of these, 16 are under deposit (same as last week), lowest price $179,900, highest price $495,000. Average list price: $357,568, Average market time: 144 days.

There are currently 8 homes that are pending, 2 less than last week. Lowest price: $163,800. Highest price: $449,000. The average list price of these is $287,746, average market time: 147 days.

2 homes are showing as sold. Average List price $201,850, average sale price: $202,800 average market time, 49 days. This is down by 9 homes!


Condominiums

There are currently 81 active condo listings in New Milford, CT, no change from last week.
Out of these, 4 are under deposit, lowest price $99,900, highest price $220,000. The average list price: $164,475, average market time: 84 days.

There are currently 11 condos that are pending, up 1 from last week. Lowest price: $129,500, highest price:$400,000. The average list price of these is $170,936. Average market time: 129 days.

2 condos are showing as sold. This is up 2 from last week. Average List price $140,500, average sale price: $131,750 average market time, 91 days.

Information provided by Fairfield County CMLS. Information deemed reliable, but not necessarily accurate.

April Skies over New Milford CT

Picture taken on Ridge Rd, New Milford, CT April 8, 2009.

"April Skies"

Looking to sell your home?

Looking to sell your home? In this real estate market you have to offer the buyer a reason to see your home, and then to like your home well enough to make that coveted offer. Just being on the market is not going to get the job done. Here is a checklist to see if you are ready to list your home.

• 
  Curb appeal. It all starts here. When a prospective buyer pulls up to your home, what are they going to see? Discarded items in the bushes, branches all over the yard, large areas of dead grass? I hope not. Set flowers by the entryway, clean up the yard, mow the lawn, paint the front door and garage doors if necessary. If you can't get them past the outside and in the front door, you can't sell them the house.


• 
  The Entrance. Make sure when a prospective buyer walks through the front door they see clean, they see fresh paint if needed, make sure there are no strange odors emanating from you house!
  
• 
  De-clutter. You must de-clutter and organize. What you have become accustomed to living with may really turn off a potential buyer. Keep items off the floors and counters. Keep your closets organized, if they can't see the closet for the junk accumulated in it, they will think you don't have enough storage space in the home for their own "stuff".
  
• 
  De-personalize. That wall that has the 50 portrait pictures of your family will do 2 things. It will highlight to the buyer that there will be 50 holes in the wall to repair, and it will distract them from really looking at the house. They will be too busy looking at the photos, and they will see YOUR family in the home, not theirs.
  
• 
  Clean. I can't stress this enough, the house MUST be kept clean. Clean floors, clean windows, clean tile and grout, clean towels in the bathrooms, clean all the way around.
  
• 
  Paint. Does your home need a fresh coat of paint? Probably. This could make all the difference in the world. That orange color that you just had to have in the dining room may just kill the deal.
  
• 
  Call a professional stager. It really is a monumental task to assess the situation when you are so close to it. If you find that you are overwhelmed, perhaps you need to contact a professional stager to help you reorganize, re think design, get it ready for sale.
  
• 
  Price it right. This is a BUYERS market. In order to sell your home needs to be priced to reflect a realistic selling price. Adding $50,000 for "negotiating room" will discourage prospective buyers from even looking at your property. Be realistic, reasonable, and listen to what your realtor is telling you!

If you are ready to make that move, contact a real estate professional. They will guide you through the process. If you owe more than it is currently worth, there are options available to you. Make sure you let your Realtor know in the first meeting that this is the case.

If you are in the greater New Milford area and would like to meet with a real estate professional, give me a call or drop me an email. I would be happy to discuss your options.

Local Happenings, New Milford CT

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny!

When was the last time you had breakfast with the Easter Bunny? On Saturday, April 11th the Easter Bunny will be having breakfast at the New Milford VFW Post 1672. Breakfast is from 9-11am, followed by an egg hunt. The VFW is located at 11 Avery Road in New Milford, behind Peggy's Coffee Shop, just off Route 202. Donations will be accepted at the door. For more information call 860.354.7995.

Easter Egg Hunt and More!

Egg hunt, games, refreshments and fun fun fun! Saturday, April 11th at 1:00 pm the Northville Baptist Church will host an Easter egg hunt for youngsters through the 5th grade. Bring your own basket. There will be refreshments served, and crafts and games! Please call 860.350.8397 for more information. The Northville Baptist Church is located on 9 Little Bear Hill Road in New Milford.

Merryall Nostalgia

I pass this place every time I go to Merryall, I love this old barn. The owners have really done a good job making it look very nostalgic.

New Milford Weekly Market Watch

April 3, 2009

Week in Review, New Milford, Connecticut

Single Family Homes

The market is showing signs of improvement!

There are currently 262 active single family home listings in New Milford, CT. That is down 1 listing from last week. Lowest price: $100,000. Highest price: $2,100,000, Out of these, 16 are under deposit (up 6 from last week), lowest price $179,900, highest price $495,000. Average list price: $357,568, Average market time: 123 days.

There are currently 10 homes that are pending, 4 less than last week. Lowest price: $163,800. Highest price: $449,000. The average list price of these is $270,574, average market time: 127 days.

11 homes are showing as sold. Average List price $350,283, average sale price: $329,909 average market time, 110 days. This is up 9 from last week!


Condominiums

There are currently 81 active condo listings in New Milford, CT, up 3 from last week.
Out of these, 7 are under deposit, lowest price $62,900, highest price $220,000. The average list price: $155,414, average market time: 97 days.

There are currently 10 condos that are pending, up 1 from last week. Lowest price: $129,500, highest price: $400,000. The average list price of these is $174,530. Average market time: 122 days.

No condos are showing as sold.

Information provided by Fairfield County CMLS. Information deemed reliable, but not necessarily accurate.