School Calendar for Darien CT 06820 2011-2012 The school calendar is out and ready for all of the parents in Darien CT  to start planning their year!   It is the family Bible when planning vacations and events for the family.   Darien businesses also rely on knowing when to trigger their "back to school" advertising, and when to be aware of school vacations because of their employees.    SCHOOL CALENDAR 2011-2012 FOR DARIEN, CT 06820   School Calendar for Darien CT 06820 2011-2012 08/17/2011

  Real Estate Recovery and Mobile App’s.   Depending on what statistic’s you look at somewhere between 80% and 90% of home buyers use the internet when looking for a home to buy. (http://www.realtor.org/library/referral/howmanyhomebuyersareusingthein) Someone once said ‘an educated consumer is our best customer’ and the does apply to real estate as well. All this availability to information when considering a purchase of a home will help out in the Real Estate Recovery that North America is just beginning to see. Having statistics, town and neighborhood information, taxes, local news at your finger tips will allow the buyer to be able to make a better and more decisive decision when putting in an offer. This same information will also help sellers realize a proper asking price when mark... 08/02/2011

  Real Estate Recovery ~ Importance of Local Markets.   Real Estate guru and founder of William Raveis Real Estate, Bill Raveis, speaks on the importance of local market housing data verses single national index indicators. For the majority of the New England states local data from multiple sources show that the average residential sales price going up and the number of single family unit sales going down. For more take a look at what Bill Raveis has to say.     William Raveis Real Estate is the ninth largest real estate brokerage in the country, is encouraging agents and clients to take a more intelligent approach to the housing market by looking at seasonal trends and the latest data within their own markets. William Raveis utilizes a comprehensive system that tracks major local marke... 07/31/2011

  Home Prices are Hyper-Local with Regional Economics, Fairfield County, Connecticut.   The Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price index report released Tuesday shows that home prices continue to bounce along. The S&P report showing home prices recovered from April to May with slight increases in major cities. Data on home prices from the Census Bureau show falling sales despite a rise in prices for new homes in June. To read more on Forbes article ‘Home prices bouncing along bottom Case-Shiller shows’ click on link.  Over all inventory is down and prices are up. According to JP Morgan new home inventory is 71% below its July 2006 peak. (Click here to read more at the WSJ blog)   For Fairfield County, Connecticut some towns are seeing a year to date (June) increase in average sales p... 07/27/2011

  Summer Flowers in Darien, Connecticut. Mid July and we have plenty of blooming flowers here in Connecticut. Some are right in the middle of their cycle such as the Bee-balm, Daisy, Echinacea, and Black Eye Susan’s. The Dahlia, Sunflowers and Phlox are just beginning to bloom while the Daylily and Hollyhock are nearing the end of their blooming cycle.                                                             David Popoff is a license Realtor in Connecticut with William Raveis office in Darien.   A resident of Fairfield County for over 40 years with 30 years of work experience throughout lower Fairfield County and now resides in Darien, Ct since 2004.  Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, CAR. Member of the National Association of Realtors, NAR. Member of the Darien MLS,... 07/21/2011

WSJ MarketWatch ~ Lower ‘Jumbo’ Loan Limits Coming Soon. July 17, 2011 Great article by Amy Hoak from Wall Street Journal about current conforming mortgage limits are scheduled to expire with limits for jumbo loans falling from $729,750 to $625,500. Limits vary by market, and the lower limits are equal to 115% of the median single family home price, ranging from $417,000 to as much as $625,500. This change in high cost Zip Code areas will cause mortgages to get more expensive. The change is expected to officially take effect on October 1st, but it may be reflected in loan quotes as early as the end of July. If you are thinking of refinancing your home, talk to your local mortgage banker soon before the change. To read the whole article click here.   William Raveis Real Estate is a full ... 07/18/2011

Fairfield County, Connecticut Property Tax Mill Rates ~ 2011.July 1ST, 2011. UPDATE ~ 2015 Property Tax Mill Rates for Connecticut & Fairfield County.The property tax rate is expressed in mills or thousandths of a dollar. A tax rate (mill rate) of 11.74 mills is equivalent to $11.74 of taxes per $1,000 of assessed value. In Connecticut the property assessment is equal to 70% of the fair market value of the property as established by the municipal Assessor. Each town sets its own mill rate; some municipalities have different mill rates for different districts within that town. Assessment dates for property on the Grand List must be assessed by October 1st of the preceding year. So for property taxes due July 1st, 2011 and January 1, 2012 are determined from assessments computed by the to... 07/12/2011

Mid Year 2011 Home Data Report, Darien, Connecticut With an area of 14.9 square miles Darien has a population of about 19,710 (2007) with an estimated median household income of $176,442 (2009). Darien has six parks, two town beaches, athletic fields, tennis courts and nine private clubs along with an ice rink and YMCA.   Year to Date for 2011 market housing data for single family homes in Darien, Connecticut. Unit Sales total year (YTD) to date is 115 down 6.5% from 2010. Median Sale Price, YTD, are up though from $1,395,000 (June 2010) to $1,450,000. June’s inventory is at 208 down 7% compared to June 2010 of 224.         William Raveis Website, Raveis.com, has a great tool for owners, sellers & buyers called ‘Local Housing Data’.  On this page it will give you all the local up to dat... 07/11/2011

Busiest Week For Property Sales In A Year, Darien, Ct.   23 closings in Darien, Connecticut were recorded at the Town Clerk’s office last week, June 27 to July 1st, 2011, making it the busiest week for property sales in a year. The highest price sale price was $5.3 million for 12 Pratt Island Road and the lowest was at $570,000 for 4 Devonshire Drive, with the 23 closings totaled $41.7 million. Click here to see all the property transfers for the week at DarienPatch.com. According to the Darien Multiple Listing Service for the month of June there were 39 single family homes sold. This does not include the $12.5 million home auction that took place last week, click here to see article.     David Popoff is a license Realtor in Connecticut with William Raveis office in Darien.   A life tim... 07/06/2011

Fourth of July is Independence Day Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. CLICK HERE TO READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE       David Popoff is a license Realtor in Connecticut with William Raveis office in Darien.   A life time resident of Fairfield County he has worked throughout lower Fairfield County for over 30 year. He grew up in Rowayton and now resides in Darien, Ct since 2004.  Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, CAR. Member of the National Association of Realtors, NAR. NAR Green Desig... 07/04/2011

 Million Dollar Auction Home in Darien, Ct. SOLD. If you read my previous blog on the luxurious water front property listed for sale for $12.5 million that went to auction on June 25th, 2011. The live auction held by Concierge Auction house was a success resulting in generating nearly $8 million for the property, which upon closing next month will be the highest residential sale year to date in the Darien Multiple Listing Service. Andrew Osinski, the seller says “The team at Concierge Auctions and Doug Milne were exceedingly professional ….The auction process attracted interest, generated competition and created a market…the future of luxury home sales will be increasingly weighted towards the Concierge Auctions methodology.” To read more on the auction click here to news press release ... 06/28/2011

What is a walkout basement? I consider a walk out basement a property with either sliders or regular full size door. I showed some properties a couple weeks ago, where the agent said on the listing that the finished basement is a walkout. The properties didn’t have a true walkout. You can get out from the basement from the garage or a bulkhead. I don’t consider those to be classified as a walkout, since they do not provide as much light into the basement and it is easier to get out to the backyard or patio. 06/17/2011

Darien, Connecticut Housing Data May 2011. Single family housing sales in Darien, Connecticut for May 2011 were 29, up one sale compared to May 2010 of 28.  Over a 3 month period unit sales for May, 2011 were 57 compared to 65 for May 2010, a 12.3% drop. The good news is that over a 3 month period average sales price in 2011 vs. 2010 were up 7.3% and the median sales Price up 5% (see chart below) Inventory of 221 in May was up 9.4% from 202 in April but down 9.1% from 243 in May of 2010. New listings in May moved up to 57 from 55 in April.       William Raveis Website, Raveis.com, has a great tool for owners, sellers & buyers called ‘Local Housing Data’.  On this page it will give you all the local up to date data & statistic for the town you are interested in.   Median Price: is half a... 06/14/2011

$12.5 Million Water Front Home Up For Auction, Darien, Ct. No this is not a foreclosure, short sale or fire sale but this is about buying LUXURY REAL ESTATE at auction.  Concierge Auctions who specializes in only high end home auctions throughout the United States will be handling the auction that is to take place on Saturday June 25th, 2011. To be able to attend this auction one must down load the bidder’s package, fill it out and return it within 3 days of the auction along with $250,000. The winning bidder will have to put a full 10% down at the end of the auction and has 30 days to close on the house. .     . The house on auction in Darien, Connecticut is in the exclusive neighborhood of Tokeneke that is architecturally design in an elegant French Norman-style estate situated on 2.0... 06/09/2011

Are you looking for tile flooring and installation for your home in Darien CT? Whether it’s a kitchen floor, bathroom floors and walls, an entry way or mudroom, or even a Kitchen tile backsplash,we can help you at Floor Coverings International. We understand that it can be challenging to find the right type of tile for your floors, walls and backsplashes. What’s the right type of tile – ceramic, porcelain, tumbled natural stone, marble or granite? What’s the best style and color? What types are easiest to clean. Many customers seemed to get overwhelmed when they visit a tile store. Well here’s where we can help. Floor Coverings International makes it simple by “bringing the store to your door.” That way, you can see the samples in your own lighting and color coordinate with your cabine... 06/07/2011

William Raveis Agent Receives NAR's Green Designation.  David Popoff sales agent with William Raveis Real Estate in Darien, Connecticut has received the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Green Designation, the only green real estate professional designation recognized by NAR. David Popoff achieved the prestigious designation after completing 18 hours of course work designed specifically for REALTORS®. The courses were created in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of industry experts from across the country; ensuring designees gain comprehensive knowledge of green homes and buildings and issues of sustainability in relation to real estate. They were trained in understanding what makes a property green, helping clients evaluate the cost/benefits of green building features a... 06/06/2011

Housing Market ~ Why It’s Time to Buy. WSJ, June 4, 2011 has a great article on why it is time to buy, mortgage rates are near a 50 year low, homes have become more affordable and if you are in a market that isn’t battered by foreclosures, you may be close to the bottom. Here is a look at five key factors that will govern local markets over the next several years: Demographics Affordability Employment Credit Psychology   . 67% of renters surveyed by Zelman Associates said they planned to buy a home in the next five years. . To read complete Wall Street Journal article click here.  . .     David Popoff is a license Realtor in Connecticut with William Raveis office in Darien.   A life time resident of Fairfield County with over 30 years of local work experience, David has been living in D... 06/06/2011

  BLOSSOMING FLOWERS DARIEN, CT MEMORIAL WEEKEND 2011.                     David Popoff is a license Realtor in Connecticut with William Raveis office in Darien.   A life time resident of Fairfield County he has worked throughout lower Fairfield County for over 30 year. He grew up in Rowayton and now resides in Darien, Ct since 2004.  Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, CAR. Member of the National Association of Realtors, NAR. David Popoff is an accredited LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) Homes and USGBC member of the Connecticut chapter (CTGBC).   Associate member and an accredited Certified Green Professional (CGP) of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the local chapter HBRA-Fairfield County, Ct. . Contact David Popoff for all your real estate needs ... 05/27/2011

Difference From Mortgage Broker & Mortgage Banker.   A mortgage company can either be a banker or broker or sometimes combine the two. A Mortgage Banker is a direct lender; it lends you its own money, although it often sells the loan to the secondary market, investors or a wholesale lender. A Mortgage Broker is a middleman who finds a lender who will close the loan. Mortgage brokers do not make the credit decision or issue their own loans. The brokers work with many wholesale lenders who do not deal directly with the public and brokers ten to have working relationships with multiple lenders. Distinction between mortgage bankers & mortgage brokers:- ~ A mortgage broker will pre-screen a borrower’s application but then has to submit it to the lender for approval and has no control over th... 05/23/2011

One Fantastic Year On ActiveRain Completed With 166,842 Visitors.   166,842 Views, 61,171 clicks, 4707 profile views, 1130 comments, 613 short URL clicks, 285 blogs and 150,609 ActiveRain points.      On May 17th, 2010 I posted my very first blog ever and it happened to be right here on ActiveRain (AR). Exactly one year later and I have seen some fantastic results, met some wonderful people and learned a whole lot.  I want to share with you the statistics of what my ActiveRain blog has achieved in only one year, it is pretty amazing. I have a total of 285 AR postings with the majority being my original posts and a few are re-blogs from other ActiveRain members. Out of those 285 posts I have had 166,842 views of my posts.  From those postings I got 61,171 link clicks from those 166,842 v... 05/17/2011