Stratford connecticut – time or space

219 Plymouth Street on the Market for $289,900 in Stratford

March 13, 2021Blog, connecticut, Homes for Sale, paradise green, StratfordLeave a Comment

One of the most beautiful and sought-after streets to live on in Stratford, Connecticut is Plymouth Street. This street is located in the Paradise Green neighborhood right behind the bustle of Main Street’s shops and restaurants. It’s a one minute walk to Brewster’s Pond and a few minutes further on foot to Longbrook Park.

Homes in this area are very well kept and neatly manicured with quintessential Fairfield county suburban charm. Homes do not come up for sale too often in this section of town, but a handful do sell each year. Here’s one that just hit the market for the super hot Spring 2021 real estate market in Stratford.

219 Plymouth Street on the market for $289,900 in Paradise Green

This beautifully kept home was just listed on March 10, 2021. It last sold for $148,000 in 1990. It is remarkable to live in one place for 31 years, and with a location like this, we understand the long-term ownership. This two bedroom, one and a half bathroom home boasts a spacious 1,353 square feet of living space and was constructed in 1929.

This pre-war home has seen property taxes lowered from 2019 to 2020; taxes were reduced from $6,497 to $5,713. With such a large drop in property taxes, we suspect the owner most likely appealed the assessment in order to see that large drop; however, a town-wide tax re-evaluation took place in 2020.

I predict that this home will sell for over-asking price, which is very common in the 2020-2021 housing market in Stratford’s Paradise Green. The seller is most likely waiting for offers to come in over this weekend, and may have a highest and best offer scenario. Typically, a home is listed during a weekday, offers then roll in during the week and weekend. To get the best offer possible, the seller’s agent will request all buyers to submit their “highest and best offer on Monday by 12PM”. This situation is very typical and buyers should be prepared for this scenario. It is common for homes to be on the market for less than a week before going contingent.

With the excellent condition of this home, prime location, and very competitive market for smaller affordable homes, I am predicting this home will sell for around $309,000. It does seem underpriced at $289,900 but it may prove to be a better strategy to slightly underprice a home which sparks lots of interest versus being overpriced on the market.

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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.

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2020 Year End Summary: Stratford, Connecticut Real Estate Market

December 27, 2020December 30, 2020Blog, connecticut, Stratford, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

As 2020 comes to a close, there is no sign of the housing market slowing down in Connecticut. According to Zillow (and from our own observations) Stratford’s 06614 zip code saw housing prices rise by an incredible 12.5% over the past 12 months. The upward trend is expected to continue by another 11.5% next year in 2021. Home prices continue to rise in Stratford as New Yorkers continue to flee high cost housing and high taxes to Fairfield County Connecticut’s relative bargain pricing. It truly is a bargain when compared to New York City and Westchester rates.

Historically, Stratford has been the most affordable town in Fairfield County. It largely still holds this title, though prices are rising to meet the strong demand from homebuyers looking for more space in town. Stratford is a mix of suburban and shoreline neighborhoods that experienced widespread development after World War II in the 1950’s through the 1960’s. For the most part, any land worthy of development has been developed long ago.

With strong prices and demand in 2020 however, new construction has taken off again in 06614. Developers have found the few remaining buildable lots to build on, now that prices support such development. Town officials seem eager to grant any permit that brings new tax base to town.

Lordship, the beautiful shoreline neighborhood has seen both tear-downs with new homes built as well as once vacant lots sold and permitted for new building. We also wrote about this beautiful new home newly constructed on Park Boulevard this year. In the Paradise Green neighborhood in the North-end of town, more new construction was seen at Cutspring road adjacent to the Mill River Country Club golf course. Three new homes all next to each other were built in 2020 with the third home nearing completion as of December 27, 2020.

Another new construction at the North-end located on Wakelee ave recently went under contract at $469,000 within just one week of being listed in the fall of 2020. On the West-end of town near the Bridgeport line, new construction is seen there, too. Perry lane has two new listings which are currently offered for customization (pre-construction) at $495,000 for 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom homes with two-car attached garages.

Fairfield County’s best kept secret, I’m afraid to say, is no longer a secret. With new buyers and investment coming in from New York, prices and a competitive market are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

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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.

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Edward Dillon Flower Shop Building Circa 1910

November 1, 2020November 1, 2020Blog, connecticut, StratfordLeave a Comment

To follow up with yesterday’s Halloween post, this wonderful building circa 1910 was looking rather macabre this October. The store front’s windows are filled with witches, pumpkins and a haunted New England charm that only a town like Stratford can provide. The town of Stratford was established in 1639, some fifty years before the Salem Witch trials took place.

This building has long been the home of Edward Dillon Flowers since the 1970’s. Long before it was a flower shop, this small building was a grocery store called WM Lawrence Groceries. You could buy roast beef, coffee and penny candy inside. The building is pictured on page 24 of Stratford’s Postcard History Series available here. Today the original awning and front steps into the building are gone. It would be interesting to know if the original store sign is still around in an attic, barn, or collection.

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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.

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Stratford’s Spooky 1930 Tudor House on Halloween

October 31, 2020UncategorizedLeave a Comment

This spooky vintage 1930 Tudor style home looks exactly like what I’d imagine when reading the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel. Its beautiful brick, stucco and gingerbread exterior with peaked arches and rounded front door are very charming, drawing you in.

The dark 1930’s woodwork are perfectly maintained, perhaps too perfect. Perhaps only a sneaky witch could live in such a beautiful vintage home this inviting. This 5 bedroom abode last sold for an incredible bargain in 2017 at only $230,000. It’s been said that only a Witch could have negotiated a deal that good. It’s also been said around town that if you listen very carefully when passing by this house on Halloween night, a small voice beckons “Do come in…”

Do you like 1930’s homes in this style? Then you might like our recent post on a similar home in Stratford here. These beautiful Tudor style homes were popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s, though they were expensive to build, even back then. After World War II, the focus sadly shifted from craftsmanship to building lots of housing cheap and fast to accommodate the post-war boom.

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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.

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1929 Colonial at 104 Newtown Ave in Stratford, Connecticut

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020Blog, connecticut, paradise green, Stratford, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

This picture-perfect 1929 Colonial is located at 104 Newtown Ave in Stratford, Connecticut. According to public tax records, it appears that until recently, this home had been occupied by the same owner since 1955! Truly amazing. Newtown ave is a quiet, tree lined street in the Paradise Green neighborhood just steps from Motil Pond.

There are several large prewar homes like this one in the area built in the same style with architecturally steep roof arches and a rounded front door. It is wonderful to see the original rounded front doors kept on these homes, a big part of their historic charm. See another similar door in yesterday’s post here.

It appears that this home may have just recently sold for $369,000 on October 6, 2020.

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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.

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Longbrook Park in Stratford, Connecticut

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020Blog, connecticut, paradise green, Stratford, Uncategorized1 Comment

One of the most unique parks in the Fairfield County town of Stratford, Connecticut is Longbrook Park. Yesterday, we posted here about a new home overlooking the park which is going to hit the market soon. This park has new athletic fields where baseball and football games are held, along with a track and children’s playground. One hundred years ago this property was actually a swamp and farm land which was converted to a park in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The land was donated to the town by Elliot Peck.

In August of 1912, the U.S. Army arrived in Stratford to perform military training exercises. This was known as the Camp Lee war maneuvers that took place along the park’s current area and Walter Wilcoxson’s neighboring farm land. Today, the farm land is long gone, developed for suburban homes in Paradise Green. What’s left is the 34 acre park we know today. For amazing original historic photos of the camp in 1912, see this book on Stratford here.

Do you have a favorite park in your town? Does it have a unique history like Stratford? Let us know in the comments below.

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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.

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New Waterfront Home Construction in Lordship, Stratford

October 19, 2020October 23, 2020Blog, connecticut, Lordship, new constructionLeave a Comment

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.

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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.

Click here to continue reading about Life in Lordship

Simply by the Sea: Designed Cottages, Homes and Bungalows by the Sea

540 Harvard Ave, Stratford, CT 06614

October 13, 2020October 23, 2020Blog, connecticut, Homes for Sale, paradise green, StratfordLeave a Comment

First up on this week’s Homes for Sale is 540 Harvard Ave in Stratford, Connecticut. Harvard Ave is a beautiful street located off of East Main Street in the Paradise Green neighborhood. This prewar Cape Cod-style home was built in 1924 according to public town records. It features two bedrooms, two bathrooms and 977 square feet of living space on a 4,792 square foot lot. This little gem also features an enclosed front porch, garage and is really well maintained and updated.

This unique home was sold in December 2016 for $221,500 which we believe was a great value buy at the time. After performing extensive renovations and investing into the property, the house was again on the market August 2020 for $249,900. In today’s market I believe this home is slightly underpriced and would be better priced for the seller in the $265,000 range based on the demand in this area and the excellent condition and location of the home.

The Town of Stratford, Connecticut last performed a town-wide reevaluation of properties for tax purposes in 2019. Property taxes dropped from $5,557 in 2019 to $5,178 in 2020 on this home, which is a modest decrease and overall a positive sign for the town going forward. Historically, property taxes and the mill rate in Stratford have been high relative to surrounding towns.

What’s unique about this cute home is that it has a twin, right next door. This home’s twin is located at 550 Harvard Ave (pictured below) which was also built in 1924. It is also a two bedroom home, though it has one bathroom. It is in equally wonderful condition for a prewar home in Paradise Green. These two homes were likely built by the same builder and are the exact same house – or at least they were in 1924. Talk about finding a similar comp! It’s also interesting to mention: 2020 property taxes for 550 Harvard are $5,588; more than its twin despite having one less bathroom.

550 Harvard Ave last sold for $229,000 in January 2018 which was also a great buy for a wonderfully updated home on this quiet street. I continue to admire the twins of Harvard Ave on our neighborhood walks around Paradise Green.

Check out the slider below to do a side by side comparison of these homes!

540 Harvard Ave + 550 Harvard Ave Comparison

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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.

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Housing is Hot in Stratford’s Paradise Green Neighborhood

October 12, 2020October 23, 2020Blog, connecticut, paradise green, Stratford5 Comments

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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The 2020 Seller’s Housing Market in Fairfield County, Connecticut Explained

October 11, 2020October 23, 2020Blog2 Comments

The COVID 19 pandemic continues to affect nearly every element of daily life around the world. Here in Fairfield County, Connecticut we continue to see those pressures come through in real estate in the form of a very hot 2020 sellers market. As it becomes clear that we may not return to a normal way of life anytime soon, those who can move out of New York City continue to do so at an alarming rate.

High-income earners from the city are choosing to relocate to Connecticut suburbs for good reason: excellent public schools systems, space to remain socially distant, space to allow for a home office and a diverse educated community. Space has never been more in demand than right now. Top choices to relocate in are towns such as Greenwich, Darien and Westport. These towns have proximity to NYC, a metro north train station and top-rated public schools. Their property taxes also remain relatively low due to a strong tax base.

Middle-income earners escaping the city will be pushed farther out into the outer limits of Fairfield County such as Fairfield and Stratford. Fairfield is a great shoreline town with good schools, moderate taxes and beautiful beaches. However, home prices in Fairfield remain too high for most in the middle-income bracket. This will force them to look either north into Trumbull and Monroe or further east into Stratford.

Stratford remains the second most affordable Fairfield County town (second only to Bridgeport) and provides a tremendous value even as property values continue to climb. Stratford has some good schools depending on what neighborhood you live in. Some neighborhoods suffer from underperforming schools. Stratford has several beaches, a metro north train station and a diverse, working class community. Property taxes are high relative to the surrounding towns, though home prices have historically been significantly lower than neighboring towns.

Home prices all across Fairfield County are finally recovering back up to the pre-recession levels of 2006-2007. The current seller’s market represents a perfect storm from the lack of inventory supply and the strong demand for space due to the pandemic. Many homes right now are seeing multiple offers, highest-and-best offer scenarios, and are selling over the original asking price. New York City expats are battling locals in price bidding wars for an ever smaller selection of homes on the market.

As prices continue to rise across Fairfield County, home owners who would like to sell may have difficulty navigating this market. While their current homes are now easier to sell at higher values, finding a new home they can afford – and win- without tough competition will be a challenge. This further constrains the supply of homes, which in turn puts upward pressure on home prices.

Interest rates on home loans are at an all time low. It’s common to see 3% and 3.125% 30-year rates at the moment, which allows buyers to afford more expensive homes. With interest rates predicted to remain low for the foreseeable future, this has also contributed to home price growth this year.

As 2020 transitions into 2021, many real estate experts expect the home prices and sales in Connecticut to remain very strong.

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