A fun day and activity for the whole family this Summer is to take a ride on the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat In Essex, CT.  At Essex Steam Train & Riverboat not only do you get to bring back history by taking a ride on a train from the past, you also get to tour the CT River on a Riverboat from yesteryear. My family and I have enjoyed the Essex Steam Train for many years.  As much fun as the Summer events are, our favorite event when my two boys were younger was always their Christmas time ride with Santa and Ms. Clause.  The look of excitement on their faces as Santa and Ms. Clause went up and down the isle handing out candy was priceless.  The Essex Steam Train has created many special memories for me and my family, and I know it will create special memories for your family as well... 07/05/2017

 The Middlesex Chamber of Commerce hosts the best Business After Work Events in the area, and the Middlesex Chamber Business After Work At The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on May 18th will be the next one.  This will be the first Business After Work the Chamber has held at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, and I am looking forward to attending it this one Thursday, May 18th.  The last time I was at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat was when my two sons were younger, so this Business After Work will bring back some great memories.  On top of the great memories, there will be lots of great food & drink, and excellent networking opportunities.  I would encourage everyone to plan on being at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat this Thursday, May 18th for the Middlesex County Chamber of Comm... 05/17/2017

  Tomorrow is the Middlesex Chamber Business After Work, At Essex Steam Train & Riverboat.  I always have my eye out for networking events, and this one will be a good one.  The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting this Business After Work event in an effort to create more of a partnership between the Realtors in Middlesex County and Realtors along the Shoreline. This will be the first Middlesex Chamber Business After Work, held at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, so all the more reason why I am looking forward to this on.  I am sure the staff at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat will do everything possible to hold to the standard the Middlesex Chamber has set for all of their Business After Work events and will go to make sure theirs does not disappoint.  There will ... 09/14/2016

  The Amtrak Exhibit Train Coming To Essex, CT.  Amtrak Exhibit Train will pull into the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on August 23-24 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The Amtrak Exhibit Train is a mobile Amtrak Museum, and this will be the visit it will make to Connecticut this year. The Amtrak Exhibit Train provide visitors with a glimpse into both the history and future of Amtrak.  Visitors will be treated to Amtrak's past advertising, menus, uniforms, and other Amtrak items from 1971 to the present modern-sleeping accommodations, and high-speed rail service displays.  Visitors will also be treated to hands on activities like interactive displays, railroad horns, workable signals, engineer's stands, and trivia games. Everyone loves a train so the Amtrak Exhibit Train is something the w... 08/19/2014

Credit Repair in Essex Connecticut National Credit Fixers: 330 Roberts Street 4th Floor East Hartford CT 06108 phone: 860-282-6181. National Credit Fixers boasts of 13 years experience repairing low FICO scores. Whether your credit has been damaged by a foreclosure, bankruptcy, slow credit, collections, judgments, repossessions, etc. we can help. We are the experts in credit restoration and credit repair. We have helped numerous residents of Essex CT. We are experts in Credit Repair.   If today is the day you are going to reclaim your financial freedom and fix your credit then call us now! :)MattToll Free: 888-NCFIXER (623-4937)Toll Free Fax: 888-FAX-4020 (329-4020)Local: 860-282-6181330 Roberts Street 4th FloorEast Hartford, CT 06108 credit repair company 10/26/2009

It's been a week or so since I attended the second of five concerts in the 31st annual Essex Winter Series.  Even though living in Essex for 8 years, I just never heard about the Winter Series and didn't know anyone who attended When I first received complimentary tickets (my company is a sponsor) to the "great jazz" concert, I was apprehensive - who are the musicians?  What is the program?  What a surprise! I quickly found out (after reading the program briefly before the program) that is was no ordinary concert: Jeff Barnhart, piano, Scott Philbrick, Trumpet, Dan Levinson, Clarinet and five other WORLD CLASS musicians and entertainers. The program focused on the early Jazz years from 1890 to 1935 and the first number "Twelfth Street Rag" blew me away - truly outstanding Jazz right her... 02/17/2009

When I first moved into town and got into real estate, I thought it would be good to have a catchy screen name that would be easy to remember.  Since my name is Ed and I live in Essex, why not "Essex Ed".  I even bought the domain name which is still active and directs people to my web site.   Then at the first Saturday in February, I learned that "EssexEd" was the name that the town gave to a 15 foot high fiberglass image of the town mascot:  a groundhog. So every year, the town sponsors a parade in honor of ground hog day and everybody walks through town banging on pots and pans and yelling so the groundhog will emerge from his hole (I've never seen a live groundhog in Essex!). Last year he was decorated up as a "birthday boy"        This year, the theme was "the Beatles" and Essex Ed... 02/02/2009

In previous blogs, I talked about my Ecobroker Certification and how this has had an effect on my involvement in local community here in Essex, CT Went to my first Essex Town Planning Commission meeting as an interested citizen and member of the "Essex Committee for Clean Energy".  My purpose was to support our committee of 5 to promote both an Energy Policy and a Climate Action Plan for our small town (6,000+ people).  Our committee has been working hard to find out how to get started and to convince our town to move forward on making our town "Green".  There are two initiatives:  1.  Connecticut Clean Energy Options Program:  The CT Clean Energy Fund is behind this Community program that rewards cities and towns who meet certain requirements: Once certain milestones are met, the clean... 12/13/2008

Concerned about global warming and the effects of green house gas (carbon dioxide) emissions on our atmosphere?  Want to get involved with the local community and be on the cutting edge?  Here's your chance!  It's been reported that the Obama administration's second highest priority (after fixing the economy) is to enact greenhouse-gas legislation (article in the Wall Street Journal 11/20/08, page B1).  Here's an opportunity right here in your own community, right now!  The town of Essex, CT has voted to join an International Environmental Organization called ICLEI (Int'l Council for Local Environmental Initiatives).  This group provides extensive resources and guidelines to assist towns (and businesses and residents) in measuring and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) ... 11/20/2008

Fewer home sales (closings) and a longer absorption rate (number of months to sell existing inventory) are the two statistics that show the largest decrease through October comparing 2007 and 2008.  We compared MLS data from 22 towns along the shoreline from Branford to New London and discovered that PRICES (median price) only decreased 2.7 % (from $380,842 to $370,644). A summary of statistics through October 2008 for 22 Shoreline towns (from Branford to New London) are shown below: Residential 2007 2008 Percent Chg Closings 1053 763 -27.5% Days on Market 97 106 +9.3% Median Price $380,842 $370,644 -2.7% Active Listings At Month's End 2154 2251 +4.3% Absorption Rate* 10.3 14.16 +27.2%  *Number of months to sell existing inventory.  Closings: Residential (by home selling price) 2007 200... 11/12/2008

Having completed the Ecobroker course, I became interested in what the community was doing to promote green building and clean energy.  After a Google search, I found that there is a committee in my own town (Essex Committee for Clean Energy, ECCE) and that they were looking for members!  It turns out that they are promoting clean energy in our community and are marketing to residents to sign up for the clean energy option with our local utility company.  Once your town pledges 10% clean energy by 2010 The State of Connecticut has a "Clean Energy Fund" that offers any town a 5 kw solar power system for every 100 people that sign up for the Clean Energy Option - which adds $6 to $8 per month to your utility bill to support energy from hydro, wind and methane gas emmissions.  I learned th... 09/02/2008

One Railroad Avenue Essex, CT 06426 Phone: (860) 767-0103 • (800) 377-3987 In the last few weeks, I've spoken with some people that have gone on the Steamtrain and Riverboat Ride in Essex, CT.  The steamtrain is from yesteryear, and brings one back to the old days.  The Valley Railroad has been since 1869.. can you think of a better way to cool off in the summer than in an open car? There is even Thomas the Train there too, where you can meet Sir Topham Hatt. There is even a riverboat (Mississippi style) called the Becky Thatcher for those who wish to go out on the Connecticut River. Want to spend the day with the family and take in the old trains, and be on a riverboat... I can't think of a better place. 07/12/2008

We are pleased to have the Eagle Festival again this year in Essex, sponsored by the Connecticut Audubon Society.  Yes, you heard right, the Eagle Festival with real, live, wild American Eagles, within view of the naked eye (but better with binoculars or spotting scopes). For more details go to: www.ctaudubon.org/about/eaglefestival.htm                                                The weekend is filled with seminars, bird carving, live bird demonstrations, art exhibits, horse and buggy rides, and talks on conservation.  It's a great way to brush away the winter doldrums and learn something new.  Even if you're not a birder, you can enjoy many of the fun filled activities.  Celebrities?  You bet, Phil Donahue and Faith Middleton ( a local TV personality) are the honorary co-chairs.Brin... 02/10/2008