I’m looking forward to some new campaigns in 2014 for myself. This clip gives some great ideas…

My manager asked me to participate in a video project for Sotheby’s International Realty –  I figured I’d give it a try.  Not sure how I feel about being in front of a camera –  I think I’ll keep my day job as a realtor…

Quick video showcasing our fantastic town of Greenwich, CT.

This is a test for the blog for latest transactions in Greenwich CT.

I found a great article listing tips that real estate experts had for first time buyers looking for financing.

32 Mortgage Experts Reveal Top Tips for First Time Buyers

One piece of advice that I have always given is to find a mortgage broker you trust and work well with together.  Spend the time early on with that broker to figure out what you can afford and what product is best for you. Then, when he/she gives you their pricing, shop around their offer.  Out of curtsy, you should give them the chance to match your best offer. That being said, this is business and a huge financial commitment, I would almost always go with the best rate/payment/plan.

October 25th to November 7th:

• 8 Arther St. — Robert Serrano to Merritt Holdings LLC, $575,000.
• 5 Blanchard Rd — David Rosenzweig and Karen Ross to Frank and Kristen Ingarra, $2,425,000.
• 28 Bonwit Rd — Mark and Sharon Lynn Wu to Scott Caroll and Lynn Kimura, $875,000.
• 18 Cat Rock Rd — Carol Nicholson and Jeffrey Grim to Buckfield Development LLC, $626,850.
• 16 Chapel St. — Nation Star Mortgages LLC to Advance Funding LLC, $357,000.
• 73 Club Rd (portion) — 73 Club Rd West LLC to West Mianus Neck LLC, $6,077,712.
• 73 Club Rd (portion) — 73 Club Rd East LLC to East Mianus Neck LLC, $3,422,288.
• 453 East Putnam Avenue Unit 3A — W. Braeden and Brenda Harris to Matthew and Susan Diana, $450,000.
• 70 Hamilton Avenue — Alvaro Manriquez to 70 Hamilton Avenue Associates LLC, $775,000.
• 14 Hartford Avenue — Dorothy Doyle to Milly Fernandez, $450,000.
• 5 Irvine Rd — Julie Brennan to Kevin Michael Silva, $2,800,000.
• 453 East Putnam Avenue #4B — Jennifer Weaver to Juan Carlos Mier Giraud, $597,500.
• 11 Mill Pond Court — Eneas and Nancy Freyre to Don Williams, $1,315,000.
• 1044 North St. — James and Melissa Raezer to Frank Verni, $1,050,000.
• 44 Prospect St. — Miguel Angel Palavo to Ji Even Lee, $600,000.
• 16 Ridge Rd — Kevin Mora to Michael Mora, $512,500.
• 75A Richland Rd — Diane Long to Diane Marie Long, Tamia Marie Simonis and Stephen Simonis, $1.
• 104 Ritch Avenue West — Marilyn Cassiu to Danyelle Boilard, $752,000.
• 18 Roosevelt Avenue — Patricia and Richard Quigley III to Richard and Maureen Harper, $1,755,000.
• 79 Silo Circle — The Estate of Helen W. Nicholl to Peng Tian and Xiaolong Zhu, $555,000.
• 107 Stanwich Rd — Jared Lissaver and Deborah Lizak to Gregg Moskowitz, $903,000.
• 313 Stanwich Rd Lot 4 — R. John Punnett to Traditional Building and Design LLC, $1,250,000.
• 661 Steamboat Rd Unit A — Mairtin and Berdie Brady to Dorinda Dodge Schreiber, $2,450,000.
• 31 Valley Dr. — U.S. Bank National Associates to Anthony DiPalo, $769,000.
• 62 Valley Rd — Charles Chiappetta to Julia Chiappetta, $650,000.
• 241 Valley Rd — Phyllis Dooney to Christopher Toussig Graves, $735,000.
• 340 Valley Rd Unit 2 — Greyrock of Greenwich II LLC to David and Erin Linney DePalma, $1,710,000.
• 312 West Lyon Farm Dr. — Marcia Schoeller to John and Margaret Larkin, $1,325,000.

November 8th to November 13th:

• 11 Angus Ln. — 11 Angus Ln. LLC to Angus 11 LLC, $1,875,000.
• 171 Cognewaugh Rd — Melinda Scrivner to Isolino Marcal, $1,000,000.
• 55 Cutler Rd — Laura Ruffolo to Orlando and Samantha Ashford, $1,650,000.
• 3 Dingletown Rd — Gary and Isabel Leeds to Rodrigo Placido, $2,137,500.
• 7 Edgewood Dr. — Michael and Amy Grantor to Lydia Plaskon and Shane Hegarty, $970,000.
• 529-531 Indian Field Rd — Nippawin Ln. LLC to DFTJV LLC, $25,000,000.
• 28 Mianus View Terrace — Robert and Vivien Stern to 28 Mianus View Terrace LLC, $1,400,000.
• 53 Oak Ridge St. — Susie S. Brodnax Family Limited Partners to James Sun, $400,000.
• 55 Oak Ridge St. — Susie S. Brodnax Family Limited Partners to James Sun, $422,500.
• 22 Oval Avenue — Brian and Faith Stengel to Christopher and Esther Stehmann, $2,110,000.
• 5 Putnam Hill Apt. 4D — Fredrica Arcade to Serafina DeStefano, $384,500.
• 414 Stanwich Rd — Pepper and Carlton Anderson II to William and Hilary Kallop, $1,550,000.
• 335 Valley Rd — Johan Moolengar to Jan Prasens, $2,175,000.
• 84 View St. West — Penie Jarrett to 68 Byram LLC, $375,000.

November 14th to November 20th:

• 415-417 Greenwich Avenue — The Robert Dietrich Family Limited Partnership to 415 GA Acquisition LLC, $4,650,000.
• 17 Davenport Avenue — Jane Gibson to Mario Marcangeli, $975,000.
• 4 Dearfield Dr. Unit 15 — Alfred Padilla to Greenwich Estates LLC, $435,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue #625 — Benjamin Heckscher to Samantha Mirabella, $359,000.
• 16 Elizabeth Ln. — Michael Fox to Isabel Leeds, $850,000,
• 10 Knoll St. — David and Melissa Bennett to James and Alison Soldano, $2,195,000.
• 1076 Lake Avenue — Ronaldo and Betty Steinberg to Edward and Helen Pardoe, $2,875,000.
• 3 Long Meadow Rd — Marla Leamon to Brett and Monica Harriss, $2,200,000.
• 12 Long View Avenue — Richard and Marjorie Rosencrans to Element 12 Long View Avenue LLC, $2,675,000.
• 11 Meadow Dr. — Moira Burke to Richard and Lauren Dietrich, $739,600.
• 337 North St. — Jill Jordan to Frank Prezioso, $4,050,000.
• 9 Riverside Ln. — Janet and Arthur Fronio to Anthony D. Inverno, $781,250.
• 329 Riversville Rd — Fisk Management LLC to Lawrence Herzing, $2,575,000.
• 514 Riversville Rd — David and Gabrela Wehner to Seth Harris, $3,175,000.
• 9 Roberta Ln. — William and Heather Hambleton to John and Maura Leo, $3,050,000.
• 7 Shady Brook Ln. — Jennifer Huebner to Hongzhi Chen and Mei Ming, $1,525,000,
• 191-193 Sound Beach Avenue (6.959% portion) — Mary Louise Bennett and Phyllis Odiseos as trustees to Mary Louise Bennett and Phyllis Odiseos as trustees, $43,000.
• 14 Stag Ln. — John and Tara Boris to Daniel Foell, $1,100,000.
• 72 Stanwich Rd — Gregory Hayes as trustee to Robert and Mary Rosmus, $1,300,000.
• 375 Stanwich Rd — Robert Shaftoe and Lorinda Bryan to David and Melissa Bennett, $2,600,000.
• 622 Steamboat Rd Unit 1 — Barry and Robin MacTaggart to Gillian Lakeman, $1,100,000.
• 218 Valley Rd — Graham Gyesky and Lori Sonstrom, $1,525,000.

November 21th to November 27th:

• 282 Bruce Park Avenue Unit 1 — Rishi Shah to Patrick and Diane Malloy, $975,000.
• 84 Burning Tree Rd — Frederick and Kristy Nahm to Todd and Ana Wilkowski, $1,775,000.
• 57 Byram Shore Rd — Judith Egbert to Warhorse LLC, $1,870,000.
• 2 Cary Rd — The Estate of Heimo Ek to Laura Weiss, $205,000.
• 2 Cary Rd — The Estate of Lorraine Am Ek to Laura Weiss, $205,000.
• 16 Chapel St. — Advanced Funding LLC to 16 Chapel LLC, $415,000.
• 20 Church St. B41 — 20 Church St. LLC to Charlotte Oieni, $1,204,500.
• 43 Glenville St. — Christer and Deborah Larsson to James Zhan, Sai Yee and Kit Yi, $635,000.
• 3 Hearthstone Dr. — CPP Hearthstone LLC to Neil and Shelly Shah, $3,120,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue Unit 510 — Debbi Anne Pearlman to Beverly Graziano, $316,500.
• 52 Lafayette Place #414 — Allan and Darby Cartun to Graham and Brenda Underwood, $315,000. 
• 40 Lincoln Avenue — Dean Jorgensen to Harrison and Bonnie Wreschner, $2,176,666.
• 5 Martin Dale — Coastal Fund LLC to Stuart and Ashlea Brown, $2,925,000.
• 0 Mason St. and 71 Lewis St. — 100 Mason St. LLC to Patriot National Bank, $9,000,000.
• 542 North St. — James and Ghislaine Shallcross to Patricia Jackson, $3,960,000.
• 34 Park Avenue — Jane and Erford Porter II to 34 Park Avenue LLC, $1,712,500.
• 177 RailRd Avenue Unit C — The Woodland Ledges LLC to Gina Silvestri, $1,425,000.
• 9 Ridgeview Avenue — Customers Bank to Dennis Olmstead, $2,500,000.
• 8 Salem St. — Wendy Van Ness to Brendan and Susan Donoghue, $715,000.
• 11 Sheephill Rd — Rose Chiappetta to J Greenwich Properties LLC, $665,000.
• 18 Spezzano Dr. — Michael and William Kalinski, executor to Joseph Fuscaldo and Bethany Cook, $465,000.
• 6 Stanwich Ln. — Natasha Justina Pray to William Hughes, $1,620,000.
• 24 Stillman Avenue — Shay Homes LLC to John and Kristen Lamendola, $4,750,000.
• 19 Stuart Dr. — The Estate of Virginia L. Stephansen and Susan Fahey as executors to Kristina and Andreas Schad, $855,000.
• 475 Taconic Rd — John Ryan and John Ryan as executor of the Estate of John J. P. Ryan to Linda Latrenta, $30,000.
• 316 Valley Rd — Florence Boogaeit to Andrew and Aimee Freedland, $900,000.
• 73 Weaver St. Unit 18 — Robert and Elizabeth McKay to Richard and Karen Tontodonato, $1,065,000.
• 76 Winding Ln. — Sheldon and Christine Gordon to Carl and Marsha Hewitt, $10,832,000.

November 28th to December 5th:

• 8 Bailiwick Woods Circle — Lawrence Brookman to Timothy Alexander, $1,341,562.50.
• 167 Bedford Rd — David and Patricia Henderson to Anthony Low-Beer, $3,350,000.
• 2 BRd Rd — Yonsuk Derby to Jason and Scottie Bonadio, $8,450,000.
• 12 Circle Dr. Extension — The Estate of Frederick P. Scheuritzel and Frederick P. Scheuritzel Jr. to Kresimir Lozina, $665,000.
• 44 Conyers Farm — Thomas Theobald to 44 Conyers Farm LLC, $13,400,000,
• 16 Dingletown Rd — Kenneth and Michelle Peacock to Stephen and Ann Zaminski, $4,950,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue Unit 419 — Andreas and Lauren Matthiesen to Paul and Barbara Cioffari, $320,000.
• 61 Greenwich Hills Dr. — Gabriele and Peter Farinella to Gabriela Castillo-Espejel, $650,000.
• 70 Gregory Rd — Noel and Elizabeth Bourdin to Christope and Cecile Tiberghien, $985,000.
• 39 Hearthstone Dr. — Todor and Alexandra Delev to Mark Wenitzky, $1,645,000.
• 72 Hillcrest Park Rd — Richard and Barbara Levy to Laura Richey, trustee of the Laura Richey Revocable Trust, $2,300,000.
• 25 Indian Harbor Dr. Unit 4 — Cecile Abbruzzese to Jessica Murphy and Andrew Walker, $635,000.
• 1038 Lake Avenue — Pinpat Acquisition Corp. to Chene Vert LLC, $4,020,000.
• 111 Lockwood Rd — Joseph Middelburg to Gonzalo Rodriguez del Valle, $1,800,000.
• 21 Meadow Woods Dr. — Lawrence and Jennifer Goichman to James and Jesse Eisenberg, $1.
• 24 Midbrook Ln. — The Estate of Frank Henderson to Matthew and Mary Ann Ranalli, $1,020,500.
• 16 Midwood Dr. — Robert Weltz to MDCT 3 LLC, $5,000,000.
• 530 North St. — Timothy Hall and Lisa Scinto to Jason and Leah Butler, $2,587,500.
• 36 Old Wagon Rd — Constance Walton to Amy and David Perskie, $917,500.
• 15 Otter Rock Dr. — Ulrik Trampe to Montague Yort, $6,200,000.
• 197 Otter Rock Rd — David and Anne Oglivy to Nicholas and Shauna Graziano, $5,400,000.
• 123 Pilgrim Dr. — Andrea Garabedian to Andrea Basso, $1.
• 1 Putnam Hill Unit 4J — Margaret Casey to Carolyn Beaudry, $260,000.
• 78 River Rd #10 — Muriel Ferland as trustee of the Muriel Ann Ferland Living Trust to Matthew and Christiane Lombardi, $850,000.
• 78 River Rd Unit 11 — Robert and Mary Rozmys to Michael More, $810,000.
• 717 Riversville Rd — Stonewich LLC to David Gluckman, $6,500,000.
• 12 Shore Rd — Wood Builders Inc. to 12 Shore Rd LLC, $2,500,000.
• 471 Stanwich Rd — Greenwich Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Inc. to Ning Li, $1,050,000.
• 630 Steamboat Rd Apt. 1A North — Kathleen Grant, executor of the Estate of Joyce A. Grant, $1,380,000.
• 21 Sunshine Avenue — Janet Greywaz and Carole Harper to Prem Lawrence DCruz, $830,000.
• 18 Tomac Avenue — Richard and Tiffany Kent to Marcus and Jane Franks, $2,400,000.
• 25 Woodside Dr. — Deanna and Arthur Moren Jr. to Yonsuk Derby, $2,600,000.

I am asked frequently how I got hold of GreenwichCT.com as everyone assumes it was registered ages ago. They are right, it was registered a long time ago right when domains were starting to be used up. I purchased the domain from someone in california that had bought it as an investment and was “sitting on it” earning money from people clicking to generic links about Greenwich CT. This domain was not inexpensive and cost a lot of money, though I feel that it was well worth it to me as it has helped to kick my brand as a Greenwich CT Realtor.

Google says that they don’t place much value on the terms in your domain, though my site, which I have been working on for only a couple years, places on the first page for almost all Greenwich ct real estate search terms. Yes, I feel that this is due to a ton of hard work in posting and building up a site containing original content on my market, but I also feel that the domain itself has had a ton to do with the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) placement.  I believe that paying up for a domain is a wise investment, but only if you are getting the absolute best domain name in your market. A AAA+ domain like GreenwichCT.com in a town where the town’s own website is GreenwichCT.org can be a huge factor in getting your site up and running. I also own GreenwichCTRealEstate.com, which I plan on using in the coming months.

Paying up for an A- (or lower) domain domain might not help you in the search results, so I wouldn’t recommend going crazy. There are plenty of good domains (your name for example) that might be available to grab or buy on a site like Sedo.com for a decent price.

It is, without question, a fantastic time to buy a home.  I know, I know, I’m a realtor and you expect me to say that. I don’t have time right now to dive into why I feel it’s a great time (market, cyclical, etc…) to be a buyer, but if you are interested, give me a call.

What I do want to talk about quickly is interest rates and the news yesterday of the Fed tapering.

http://live.wsj.com/video/why-should-the-fomc-start-tapering-because-it-can/78E66E6A-024B-4E03-8D45-E8C0778A9542.html

While it was a surprise that the Fed will be tapering its monetary stimulus, the market was pleased to hear that the Fed pledges to keep interest rates low until unemployment falls under 6.5% (currently US unemployment stands at 7%).  This was considered by many as very positive news for the residential real estate market and I agree with them for the most part. The difference I have in opinion has to do with my own market in Greenwich Connecticut.

In our small, but very diverse, town here we have seen some areas of real estate that can’t sell quicker (Old Greenwich and Riverside priced under $3m) and areas that are fairly stagnant (back country between $2m and $6m).  We have seen cash, well financed, builders sweep in and buy land close to the town centers (downtown Greenwich/Greenwich Avenue & Old Greenwich/Sound Beach Avenue). In addition, inventory is rock bottom – though this is mid-December and that is fairly typical.

All signs point to a great 2014.

One area, though, that I am concerned about are those buyers who have been sitting on the fence (in some case for years) waiting for the right home, the right time, the right everything.  When asked why they haven’t jumped the quick response has been “because we haven’t found the right home.” But upon further conversation you hear – “market isn’t moving the way that it did years ago and interest rates are holding low, so Ill just wait another year, keep renting and save up more money.” Saving up more money is always a good thing, though this post is about the real estate market and what is happening to prices.

You see, these on-the-fence buyers consists of a fairly large section of the Greenwich real estate demand. I may be in the minority here, but I believe that a quick sharp uptick in interest rates (just enough to scare many off the fence) could be a great thing for real estate in Greenwich.

Zillow is both a fantastic and horrible website.

Fantastic – I wish I had invented it. Its brilliant. Its really not there for homebuyers, but there for everyone who owns a home and is curious about what it is worth. Scratch that. Its there for people who are curious about what their friend’s homes are worth. Its voyeuristic.  ”Sally lives in a $5 million home!?” “Danny’s home isn’t worth squat.” As a friend once described it, Zillow is Real Estate Porn. I wish I had invented it. Its a fun site to play around with.

Horrible – The data and valuations on Zillow are compiled and created by a computer program in some other area of the world. It doesn’t come visit your house. It doesn’t know about that new kitchen you put in. It doesn’t know about the basement that flooded yesterday. By definition, the valuations are NOT GOOD! They are not there for you to get a precise idea of what your house is worth (ask a realtor), they are there for fun. In many cases the computer program pulls the wrong tax records or closing statements from your town’s own system (probably the town’s fault though), so in addition to the calculation not being perfect, the data going into the system is off.

Have fun using Zillow. I admit, I have played around with it. But if you want to get a true understanding of what your house is worth, ask a couple realtors.

The ad men working for Mercedes  came out with a pretty fun and clever ad:

The only problem is they were completely outmatched by the geniuses working for Jaguar:

Wishing everyone out there in the internet world a fantastic Holiday and safe New Years!

For those of you looking for a good event this New Years Eve, check out the NYE 2014 EPISODE in South Norwalk at 112 Washington Street. While this is not in Greenwich, it is sponsored by Blackstones in Greenwich.

Some other ideas in town include:

New Years Eve at the Cos Cobber

New Years Eve at l’escale

New Years Eve at Morello

New Years Eve at J House

Wishing everyone a fantastic New Years!

Scott Elwell, of Sotheby’s International Realty,  quoted in a Greenwich Time article: North Street leads Greenwich in single-family home sales for 2013.

 November 28 and December 5:

• 8 Bailiwick Woods Circle — Lawrence Brookman to Timothy Alexander, $1,341,562.50.
• 167 Bedford Rd. — David and Patricia Henderson to Anthony Low-Beer, $3,350,000.
• 2 BRd. Rd. — Yonsuk Derby to Jason and Scottie Bonadio, $8,450,000.
• 12 Circle Dr. Extension — The Estate of Frederick P. Scheuritzel and Frederick P. Scheuritzel Jr. to Kresimir Lozina, $665,000.
• 44 Conyers Farm — Thomas Theobald to 44 Conyers Farm LLC, $13,400,000,
• 16 Dingletown Rd. — Kenneth and Michelle Peacock to Stephen and Ann Zaminski, $4,950,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue Unit 419 — Andreas and Lauren Matthiesen to Paul and Barbara Cioffari, $320,000.
• 61 Greenwich Hills Dr. — Gabriele and Peter Farinella to Gabriela Castillo-Espejel, $650,000.
• 70 Gregory Rd. — Noel and Elizabeth Bourdin to Christope and Cecile Tiberghien, $985,000.
• 39 Hearthstone Dr. — Todor and Alexandra Delev to Mark Wenitzky, $1,645,000.
• 72 Hillcrest Park Rd. — Richard and Barbara Levy to Laura Richey, trustee of the Laura Richey Revocable Trust, $2,300,000.
• 25 Indian Harbor Dr. Unit 4 — Cecile Abbruzzese to Jessica Murphy and Andrew Walker, $635,000.
• 1038 Lake Avenue — Pinpat Acquisition Corp. to Chene Vert LLC, $4,020,000.
• 111 Lockwood Rd. — Joseph Middelburg to Gonzalo Rodriguez del Valle, $1,800,000.
• 21 Meadow Woods Dr. — Lawrence and Jennifer Goichman to James and Jesse Eisenberg, $1.
• 24 Midbrook Lane — The Estate of Frank Henderson to Matthew and Mary Ann Ranalli, $1,020,500.
• 16 Midwood Dr. — Robert Weltz to MDCT 3 LLC, $5,000,000.
• 530 North St. — Timothy Hall and Lisa Scinto to Jason and Leah Butler, $2,587,500.
• 36 Old Wagon Rd. — Constance Walton to Amy and David Perskie, $917,500.
• 15 Otter Rock Dr. — Ulrik Trampe to Montague Yort, $6,200,000.
• 197 Otter Rock Rd. — David and Anne Oglivy to Nicholas and Shauna Graziano, $5,400,000.
• 123 Pilgrim Dr. — Andrea Garabedian to Andrea Basso, $1.
• 1 Putnam Hill Unit 4J — Margaret Casey to Carolyn Beaudry, $260,000.
• 78 River Rd. #10 — Muriel Ferland as trustee of the Muriel Ann Ferland Living Trust to Matthew and Christiane Lombardi, $850,000.
• 78 River Rd. Unit 11 — Robert and Mary Rozmys to Michael More, $810,000.
• 717 Riversville Rd. — Stonewich LLC to David Gluckman, $6,500,000.
• 12 Shore Rd. — Wood Builders Inc. to 12 Shore Rd. LLC, $2,500,000.
• 471 Stanwich Rd. — Greenwich Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Inc. to Ning Li, $1,050,000.
• 630 Steamboat Rd. Apt. 1A North — Kathleen Grant, executor of the Estate of Joyce A. Grant, $1,380,000.
• 21 Sunshine Avenue — Janet Greywaz and Carole Harper to Prem Lawrence DCruz, $830,000.
• 18 Tomac Avenue — Richard and Tiffany Kent to Marcus and Jane Franks, $2,400,000.
• 25 Woodside Dr. — Deanna and Arthur Moren Jr. to Yonsuk Derby, $2,600,000.

December 6 and December 12:

• 46 Bowman Dr. — Anna Donovan to Andrew Korn and Brooke Alexander, $1,352,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue Unit 115 — Kenneth Karamani to Mildred Yuen and Janet Wong, $340,000.
• 1465 East Putnam Avenue Unit 122 — John and Milagrosa Elia to Donald Lovelace, $420,000.
• 10 Edgewood Dr. Unit 7B — William and Susan Friesell to Rona Javitch, $3,010,000.
• 4 Florence Rd. — Christopher and Karen Harris to Gabriel and Diane Swire, $1,266,200.
• 44 Glenville Rd. — Rona Javitch to Scott Mohr, $4,300,000.
• 129 Havemeyer Place — Steven and Elizabeth Gustavson to 129 Havemeyer Place Owners, LLC, $1,050,000.
• 21 High St. — Beatrice Walko to Jennifer Smith, $530,000.
• Indian Spring Rd.  — The Indian Spring Land Trust to INCT, LLC, $10,000.
• Indian Spring Rd. (five undeveloped plots) — The Indian Spring Land Trust to INCT, LLC, $17,490,000.
• 14 Licata Terrace — Joan Lynch to Keith and Suzane Cunningham, $1,140,000.
• 32 Loughlin Avenue — 32 Loughlin Avenue, LLC to Richard Sanders, $1,817,413.59.
• 11 Meyer Place — Virginia Lawson Mayer to 11 Meyer Place, LLC, $850,000.
• 23 Nicholas Avenue Lot B — Elizabeth Augustine as executrix and as trustee to Joseph Granitto, $185,000.
• 45 Overlook Dr. — Stephen and Ann Zaninski to Pheacians, LLC, $2,235,000.
• 90 Putnam Park — The Estate of Helen M. Mannix to Alison Allen, $485,000.
• 85 Richmond Hill Rd. — Michael Lorig to Michael Richard and Caroline Bergman Gottschalk, $4,825,000.
• 52 Ridge St. — Mary Maloney to 52 Ridge St., LLC, $1,525,000.
• River Club Slip D-10 — Joseph Boniauto to Timothy Yanoti, $64,000.
• 291 Round Hill Rd. — Ilan Kelson to Elizabeth and Martin Plotnick, $3,650,000.
• 407 Round Hill Rd. — Coastal Fund II, LLC to Adam and Sarah Dolder, $2,300,000.
• 196 Stanwich Rd. — Peter and Rachel DaPuzzo to Carnaree, LLC, $7,400,000.
• 523 West Lyon Farm Dr. Unit 523 — John and Divera Galvin to Charles Coske, $1,205,000.
• 22 Wildwood Dr. — Danette Stephens to Suzanne Smith Guerin, $1,840,000.

December 13 and December 23:

• 32 Cliff Avenue — Ashish Sharma to Raymond and Denise Scherer, $790,000.
• 1535 East Putnam Avenue #307 — Richard Kolman and Reina Copani to Elizabeth and Vincent DiLeo, $254,000.
• 45 Field Point Rd. — Capital E LLC to BLCR Holdings LLC, $3,700,000.
• 6 Guinea Rd. — Richard and Wendlyne Murphy to Robert and Patricia Gaulin, $2,550,000.
• 2 Halsey Dr. — Charles and Rita Magyar to Sebastian Erdocian, $1,520,000.
• 38 Havemeyer Place — Michael and Eileen Hogan to 138 Havemeyer Place LLC, $975,000.
• 27 Juniper Lane — George W. Crossman III to John and Margaret Baxter, $815,000.
• 555 Lake Avenue — Cynthia Biondi to 555 Lake Avenue LLC, $25,000,000.
• 20 Lockwood Rd. — James and Robin Hughes Loughman to Jeremy Robertson, $1,819,000.
• 40 Lockwood Lane — The Estate of Bridget Shosdeck, Jody McDowell, executor, to Haihana Sun and Zhihong Yang, $800,000.
• 51 North Stanwich Rd. — David and Catherine Horowitz to Lavin LLC, $1,425,000.
• 93 Orchard Dr. — Joseph Borress to Misako Terui Makino, $2,930,000.
• 3 Parsonage Lane — Genevieve Searls to Michael Wales, $2,922,000.
• 424 Stanwich Rd. — The Estate of David F. Peabody to James McGee, $1,413,000.
• 40 West Elm St. Unit 1C — Marilyn Myers to Timothy White, $525,000.
• 40 Winthrop Dr. — Margaret Cheever to Nathan and Jennifer Lunt, $2,935,000.

 December 27 and Jan. 2:

• 88 Birch Lane — Elizabeth Louise Webster to Eric Hopp, $1,900,000.
• 34 Burying Hill Rd. — David and Sandra Joys to Carmen and Raphael Meyer, $4,750,000.
• 7 Comly Terrace — Stephen and Maria Madaffari to Nicholas Hartman, $1,340,000.
• 15 Cottontail Rd. — Stacey Aintokas, as trustee of the Mary Sakabinos Trust, to 15 Cottontail LLC, $443,750.
• 15 Cottontail Rd. — Stacey Aintokas, as trustee of the Steven Sakabinos Trust, to 15 Cottontail LLC, $443,750.
• 502 East Putnam Avenue — Ronald Donald Romaniello to Nassau Ridge LLC, $400,000.
• 51 Forest Avenue — Anastasia Wilder to Matthew Hyson, $865,000.
• 16 Francine Dr. — Thomas and Laura Feda to Gary Youm and Sophia Kim, $2,975,000.
• 67 Josephine Evaristo Avenue — Frank Fiorito to Michael Fiorito, $100,000.
• 71 Josephine Evaristo Avenue — Michael Fiorito to Frank Fiorito, $100,000.
• 16 Lakeview Dr. — Axel and Katrin Krieger to Marcano Lozano, $2,650,000.
• 15 Linwood Avenue — Gaston Vaneri and Maria Gomez-Solar to Gregory and Virginia Richard, $1,485,000.
• 10 Lockwood Avenue — Todd and Laura Khoury to Christine Heyworth, $2,760,000.
• 11 Manor Rd. — Stella and Alfonse Sorrentino Jr. to Charles and Penelope Otton, $1,055,000.
• 9 Oakley Lane — Deborah Laberge, as trustee, to Oakley Lane LLC, $12,500,000.
• 10 Spezzano Dr. — Customers Bank to Kevin O’Connor, $1,250,000.
• 36 Winthrop Dr. — Joseph and Kimball Howell to Douglas Vissicchio, $2,100,000.

I’ve been receiving a lot of questions and interest about the New York Times article on blogger Christopher Fountain and Greenwich CT Real Estate. For those of you who can’t find it, here is the article:

The Gadfly of Greenwich Real Estate

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/business/the-gadfly-of-greenwich-real-estate.html?_r=1

[If you want to go right to the list of streets we can't park on during snow emergencies click HERE - otherwise feel free to read my rant on finding this link]

If you just got a call from the Greenwich Police stating that we have a “SNOW EMERGENCY” here in Greenwich and that your car needed to be removed from all streets declared as “Snow Emergency Streets” you should be going to www.GreenwichCT.org

I just went to the site and can’t figure out for the life of me where to find these streets. Ill keep looking and get back to you.

It looks like this is the page the town wants you to go to - http://www.greenwichct.org/upload/medialibrary/619/Greenwich_Snow_Emergency_Regulations.pdf

So then you want to see what the “snow area” is….

Looking for Schedule XXI for these “snow routes”…

FOUND IT!!

Schedule XXI – Snow Emergeny/No Parking – Snow Route in Greenwich CT

Glad they make that easy…

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000249359

Hisham Ibrahim | Getty Images

A home in Potomac, Md.

Ranking first on the list is the “Golden Triangle” in Greenwich, Conn., which includes homes for many of top hedge funders. The mean household income in the triangle is $614,242. Higley said the average asking price of a home in the “Triangle” was $6.7 million.

Ranking second was the Bradley Manor-Longwood enclave of Bethesda, Md., with a mean household income of $599,440, followed by Potomac Manors in Potomac, Md., with $599,331. Another Potomac hood, Carderock-The Palisades, came in fifth, with $595,669.

Other neighborhoods near D.C. also ranked high, including the Swinks Mill-Dominion neighborhood in McLean, Va.,(ranking 7th) and the Glendale area of McLean (ranked 19th).

(Read more: How to become a millionaire? The answer’s changed)

Some say the rise in wealth in D.C. is a sign of the growth in the “business” of Washington, like lobbying and contractors. But Higley said it’s more a sign of the rise of dual-earners in D.C.

“In Maryland and Virginia, you have all these double-professional families,” he said. “They may be making $300,000 or $400,000 a year. But they’re not rich in the way that you’d find in New York or Los Angeles.”

Fieldstone Partners of Sotheby’s International Realty

I’m thrilled to announce my new partnership with Lyn Stevens, Beverley Toepke and Robin Kencel.

FIELDSTONE PARTNERS

With more than 55 years of experience helping clients to buy and sell homes, and a combined $1 billion track record, Fieldstone Partners is Greenwich’s leading real estate team. Partnering with Sotheby’s International Realty, the most renowned global luxury real estate brand, allows Fieldstone Partners access to unparalleled expertise and resources. From back country compounds to beachside bungalows, Fieldstone Partners’ intimate knowledge of every neighborhood and community in Greenwich allows them to offer an exceptional real estate experience that’s tailor made to a client’s individual needs.

Founded by top realtors, Lyn Stevens, Beverley Toepke, Robin Kencel and Scott Elwell, this team has garnered dozens of impressive industry awards, including consistent placement in the prestigious Wall Street Journal’s REAL Trends, Inc. ranking of the top 1% of all Sotheby’s agents worldwide. Additionally, they’re ranked among the leading agents in the Greenwich and Connecticut markets.

With complementary skills and expansive backgrounds in the real estate industry, the team at Fieldstone Partners offers a unique blend of strategy, marketing, data and analysis. With a commitment to offering highly personalized service with integrity, honesty and discretion, Fieldstone Partners provides clients with an unrivaled real estate experience.

Fieldstone Partners – Facebook Page

Scott Elwell
Fieldstone Partners of Sotheby ‘s International Realty
Stevens, Toepke, Kencel & Elwell
One Pickwick Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830
Mobile: 203.940.0444 | Fax: 203.930.2808 | Email: scott.elwell@sothebyshomes.com

 

Zillow is both a fantastic and horrible website.

Fantastic – I wish I had invented it. Its brilliant. Its really not there for homebuyers, but there for everyone who owns a home and is curious about what it is worth. Scratch that. Its there for people who are curious about what their friend’s homes are worth. Its voyeuristic.  ”Sally lives in a $5 million home!?” “Danny’s home isn’t worth squat.” As a friend once described it, Zillow is Real Estate Porn. I wish I had invented it. Its a fun site to play around with.

Horrible – The data and valuations on Zillow are compiled and created by a computer program in some other area of the world. It doesn’t come visit your house. It doesn’t know about that new kitchen you put in. It doesn’t know about the basement that flooded yesterday. By definition, the valuations are NOT GOOD! They are not there for you to get a precise idea of what your house is worth (ask a realtor), they are there for fun. In many cases the computer program pulls the wrong tax records or closing statements from your town’s own system (probably the town’s fault though), so in addition to the calculation not being perfect, the data going into the system is off.

Have fun using Zillow. I admit, I have played around with it. But if you want to get a true understanding of what your house is worth, ask a couple realtors.