One home that has always caught my eye in Stratford’s Paradise Green neighborhood is a 1920 Bungalow at 62 Glenwood Ave. This historic home is now 100 years old and looks as well designed as it ever has. The exterior has a sun-kissed, muted pink and purple tone that looks wonderful as the afternoon sun hits the front door. A red maple tree stands tall out front, a tree which must be at least one-hundred years old, too. Mature neighborhoods just exude a charm that new developments just can’t recreate.
1920 Bungalow in Paradise Green
According to public tax records, it has not been sold since 1991. That’s not surprising; why would one ever leave this special home’s great location? Take a look at the dead-end road it sits upon at the corner of Reed Street. The street is lined with maple trees that tower above the homes bursting with fall color. This street view could be right out of a scene from a 1982 Hollywood movie, like Steven Spielberg’s E.T.
Glenwood Ave in Paradise Green
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Information posted is merely the opinion of Time or Space for entertainment purposes only. All information published can be found in Town Records which is made available to the Public.
Just on the market is an extraordinary oversized cape home in the heart of Paradise Green neighborhood of Stratford, Connecticut. This home is nestled just off one of the most beautiful streets in all of Stratford: Plymouth Street. Plymouth and Brewster are two of the most sought after streets to live on – homes here are usually long term ownership, just like this one. 93 Brewster last sold in 2010 for $329,000. It’s now available for the first time in 10 years at a very reasonable $375,000. Considering what smaller homes in less ideal areas are selling for, I would say this house will likely sell over the asking price.
Brewster’s Pond Looking North
This Brewster Street home is only one house away from Brewster’s Pond, a beautiful and popular spot for walkers and runners in Paradise Green. Here is a view from the other side of the pond looking towards the home.
Brewster’s Pond Looking South
Stepping out of your front door, you would be about a 10 second walk from this view of Brewster’s Pond looking South. Heading the other direction would put you right on Main Street in Paradise Green. This house has an excellent location and we think it will sell fast.
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Information posted is merely the opinion of Time or Space for entertainment purposes only. All information published can be found in Town Records which is made available to the Public.
If you’re house shopping in the North end neighborhood of Stratford, you might be looking for something – anything- affordable in the Paradise Green area. With multiple offers taking the most attractive homes off the market within days of being listed, it is challenging to find something good in today’s market. After looking around at homes listed in this area as of October 22, 2020 I have found one gem that is still available.
The home at 695 Wilcoxson Ave is a 3 bedroom 1.5 bathroom colonial offering 1,661 square feet of living space on a 4,792 square foot lot. This pre-war home was built in 1918 and offers a ton of charm with stucco siding, large windows, arched interior doorways, hardwood floors and a fireplace. The overbuilt design elements of prewar homes are just charming. After World War II, homes were built cheaper and faster to quench the demand of the booming suburbs. They just don’t build them like they used to.
695 Wilcoxson Ave
This home is listed at $284,900 and has been on the market for over two months. Considering the speed and competition with which surrounding homes are going for, it is surprising that this gem is still available. It is within walking distance just down the road from Wilcoxson Elementary school, one of the best grade schools in Stratford. The only downside that I can see with this home is that Wilcoxson Avenue is a busy road with quite a bit of traffic. However, the location is reflected in the price which still offers a great deal for this area. We think it will go contingent soon, as there is very little supply on the market today.
View from Charlton Street
This home also has an oversized two-car garage which is also unusual for the area. Most homes are lucky to have a single car garage, though the early prewar garages that are still standing are a real treat. The detached two-car garage makes a great workshop space or storage space.
Two Car Garage
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On the corner of Margherita Lawn and Park Boulevard are a group of newly constructed homes and one currently under construction as of October 2020. This corner of Lordship used to be home to a beautiful, large white historic home at 180 Park Boulevard, which appears to have been torn down in 2017. A demolition permit to demolish was issued in February 2017. If you look at Google Street View images from November 2015, the home is still standing. While the year the original home was built is not listed, I will update this post if it can be found.
New Home under Construction October 2020
In this demolished home’s place are three building lots, and the new homes going up are first class. While it is a shame any time a historic home is torn down, the modern homes built in it’s place are beautiful and make the best use of the location in today’s Lordship. Millions of dollars in development and the new property taxes that come along with them are good for the town of Stratford. These new homes enjoy what is arguably one of the finest sights in all of town, an unobstructed view overlooking the bluff at Russian Beach.
Bluff at Russian Beach
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Information posted is merely the opinion of Time or Space for entertainment purposes only. All information published can be found in Town Records which is made available to the Public.
According to data recently reported by the New York Times, as many as 10,000 or more people fled New York City for the Connecticut suburbs in search of safety in the form of more space. The current pandemic that we are living through has forced many city residents to cut their time in NYC short and make the decision to buy a house a little earlier than maybe they had planned to. The situation has been especially hard on families with young children at home, where trying to balance working from home with the entire family sharing a small city apartment space has been challenging.
With the exodus from NYC to CT that began in Spring 2020, many people are evaluating the various communities and towns Connecticut has to offer. The further away from NYC you get, the more affordable and spacious housing becomes. Stamford, Greenwich and Darien are generally a 40-50 minute commute into Grand Central on Metro North which is one reason housing is so expensive in those towns. Further out, Westport becomes a great option for families, as this town offers some of the highest rated school systems in the entire country.
Choosing a community to live in is usually based on budget range and also what one is willing to compromise on. It’s no surprise that the Fairfield County towns with the best school systems close to New York City will have the most expensive homes. There are some bargains to be found within a reasonable commuting distance however, in towns like Fairfield and Stratford.
Stratford is currently the most affordable town in Fairfield County, though home prices are rising fast here too due to the small supply of available homes for sale. To read more about the state of the Connecticut housing market in Fairfield County, read our recent report here.
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Lordship is a sleepy, quiet waterfront neighborhood on Connecticut’s Gold Coast which overlooks and is surrounded by Long Island Sound. Settlers first arrived here in 1639 when it was originally known as Great Neck. It’s been said that Lordship is a “town within a town” because it feels so different from the rest of Stratford. I would agree with that. In fact, the first time I came here, the drive over the causeway reminded me of Old Saybrook, another Connecticut shoreline town where I grew up.
When my wife and I were newly married and looking to buy our first home in 2016, we began looking in Lordship. That Old Saybrook familiarity led us to place an offer on a wonderful 1950 cape on First Avenue with views of the Sound from the front yard. We couldn’t believe how affordable the price was. We were outbid by the only other offer which was $32,000 over the asking price.
This beach enclave features several public as well as private beaches; Long Beach and Short Beach are two public town beaches available for all Stratford Town residents who acquire a beach parking pass. In the middle, Russian Beach is for town residents only. For trips to Long or Short Beach: as of 2020, the daily rate for non-residents was $20 Monday-Thursday and $40 per day from Friday to Sunday.
The North end of Lordship features Sikorsky Memorial Airport, the only airport in Fairfield County. This airport provides some great visual entertainment for beach goers, who can watch small aircraft gliding low over the Sound and beach as they come in to land. It is a really unique part of Southern Connecticut, and is just another piece of aviation history that makes Stratford great.
The Historic Curtiss Hangar in Lordship, Stratford
Next to the runway is the historic 1929 Curtiss Hangar, which has seen visitors such as Igor Sikorsky, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Juan Trippe, and Howard Hughes. After years of going derelict, the building is scheduled to be renovated and turned into an aviation museum. Let’s hope this project is completed within the next few years.
Restoration in Progress
Traveling further down Stratford Road to Park Boulevard will lead you to some incredible views of the Sound. Homes here run the gamut; they vary from the affordable vintage cape or ranch all the way up to large modern homes and even some new construction. Several new homes were completed in 2019-2020 and a few are under construction now in October 2020.
New Home Construction on Park Boulevard, October 2020View from Great Neck, StratfordBeach Walk in Lordship, Stratford
On Summer nights, groups of young people can be seen riding around on long boards, bicycles and Vespa scooters down to the beach. The beach life vibe is alive and well in the Lordship neighborhood. This is truly an idyllic place to grow up: all of the benefits of a small beach town life, conveniently located just one hour to New York City. If you enjoy access to the Sound, water front homes and an active lifestyle, this place just might be for you. This is Stratford’s best kept secret.
Ocean front home in Lordship, StratfordLong Island Sound Views in Lordship, Stratford
The center of Lordship offers few amenities such as: a small deli, a pizza shop and a convenience store. The newly renovated Surf Side hotel and Little Pub are popular new spots to visit right on the beach. Recently, a zoning change was made in the area to allow for more commercial development. Like the rest of Stratford, Lordship is no longer forgotten and the area is seeing new money funding the thoughtful development that it deserves.
To read more stories about the Lordship neighborhood of Stratford, Connecticut click here.
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Information posted is merely the opinion of Time or Space for entertainment purposes only. All information published can be found in Town Records which is made available to the Public.
Paradise Green is a quaint North-end neighborhood in the Fairfield County suburb of Stratford. This neighborhood is nestled along the beautiful Housatonic River that empties out into Long Island Sound next to Milford. It’s located above I95 and below the route 15 Merritt Parkway. In the center of the neighborhood is Paradise Green Park, a large triangular shaped green situated between Huntington road and Main Street where the farmers market operates during the summer months.
The Paradise Green neighborhood is within walking distance to Longbrook Park, which is next to beautiful new athletic fields, and offers many shops and restaurants on Main Street. On Main Street you’ll find brick oven fired pizza, a wine shop, an American tavern, a donut shop, bakeries, coffee shops, Italian restaurants and more. This area is excellent for commuters due to its convenient location. Paradise Green residents will enjoy a 5 minute drive up north to get on the Merritt Parkway or a 5 minute drive south down to the Stratford metro north train station.
Fairfield County is now experiencing a very hot seller’s market this year due to several factors; read more about that here. Paradise Green is arguably one of the best neighborhoods in Stratford due to its convenient location, good schools and amenities. This neighborhood has beautiful mature tree-lined streets with sidewalks, offering a high quality of living in a peaceful suburban setting that’s perfect for families. New York City transplants and Connecticut homebuyers looking for a safe and affordable place to call home often land here.
Homes in this area are well-kept and often extensively updated with a wide range of styles to choose from. Smaller ranch homes, two story colonials and a mix of large and small pre-war homes can be found here. Pre-war homes are more rare as the building boom in town didn’t take place until the post-war years once servicemen returned home. With the support of the 1944 GI bill promoting home ownership, low interest mortgages helped fuel the growth of the suburbs.
The Great Recession from 2007-2009 had a large impact here in Town. Foreclosed homes resulting from this recession were still widely available in 2015-2016 when I began looking at homes in Stratford. However, from 2015-2019 home prices recovered dramatically, nearing pre-recession levels. The pandemic in 2020 has further pushed the already hot market into an even hotter one, with homes going under contract within a day or two and prices at or above historical peaks.
Even with home prices continuing to rise, Stratford still offers the best value proposition in Fairfield County today. Beautifully updated 3 bedroom homes in the $350,000 price range in Stratford would easily reach into the $500,000 range and beyond in the town of Fairfield, just over 10 minutes drive away. While these two towns offer different benefits, the fact remains that Paradise Green offers quite a lot for those looking to affordably break into a Fairfield County town on the metro north train line.
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