U.S. News & World Report Ranks Ridgefield High School 4th Best in Connecticut

U.S. News & World Report has just released their 2019 Best High Schools Rankings, Ridgefield Named 4th Best in the State and #317 in the Country.

U.S. News & World Report says about Ridgefield High School, “Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Ridgefield High School is 71%. The total minority enrollment is 14%, and 2% of students are economically disadvantaged.”

Ridgefield High School is ranked #317 in the National Rankings. U.S. News & World Report says, “Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college.”

The top five high schools in Connecticut

#1 – Darien High School

#2 – Weston High School

#3 – Achievement First Hartford Academy

#4 – Ridgefield High School

#5 – Connecticut IB Academy

U.S. News ranked 17,245 public high schools, out of a review of more than 23,000 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. According to U.S. News, the number of ranked schools is up from more than 2,700 last year. The new rankings, developed in conjunction with nonprofit research firm RTI International, are based on a revamped methodology that weighs six indicators of school quality for the 2016-2017 school year.

The highest-ranked schools are those whose students excelled on state tests and performed beyond expectations; participated in and passed a variety of college-level exams; and graduated in high proportions, according to U.S. News.

U.S. News also assigned a separate STEM ranking for 250 high schools whose students excelled on AP science and math tests. To be eligible, schools had to appear in the top 1,000 of the overall national ranking, according to the article. Ridgefield High School ranked number 174 in STEM rankings nationally.

Read more about the Best High Schools here.

*Article originally published in Ridgefield’s Hamlet Hub on 04/30/2019

Spring Is Here – Get Ready To Open Those Pools!

Spring market is up and running and everyone is starting to look forward to the long, lazy days of summer. As such, we thought it would be a good idea to profile some of the properties we have for sale, which reside in a community association with a pool — just in case you’re thinking about diving into something new!

MIMOSA ESTATES
132 Mimosa Circle – listed for $740,000, this beautifully updated, turn-key home features five bedrooms, all updated bathrooms, a beautiful kitchen, sunroom and a finished lower level, and sits at the top of the circle, quietly tucked away with incredible views from the porch and patio. High-end touches such as multiple French doors, a beamed ceiling, crown moldings and lovely trim work, join hardwood floors, an on-trend color palette and lots of large windows to create a comfortable and inviting space. Mimosa Estates features a wonderful pool along with tennis, basketball, a playground, fields and a pond, all in a welcoming community setting. To view more photos and information about the property click here.

WESTMORELAND
58 Holmes Road – close to town in desirable Westmoreland Estates, this completely updated gem is listed for $885,000 and includes five bedrooms, three full and one half baths, front-to-back living and family rooms, crown moldings, French doors, a finished lower level, and a beautifully updated kitchen with open shelving, professional appliances, and a wall of casement windows overlooking the huge deck, which also offers access to a lower level patio with a hot tub. Always a hit with singles and families alike, the Westmoreland Estates community recreation center includes two pools, a tennis court, basketball court, a pavilion and picnic area, and a playground. Click here to learn more about this home.

WEST MOUNTAIN ESTATES
24 Old Wagon Road – a storied history surrounds this completely renovated and updated, immaculate, one-of-a-kind stone manor in West Mountain Estates. Listed for $1,595,000, the home was designed by a famed Yale architect who specialized in weekend homes for the wealthy and built homes for clients as illustrious as the Rockefellers. And the gardens were even catalogued by the Smithsonian! The French-inspired kitchen includes custom Viking appliances, a stone fireplace and beautiful pantry cabinetry, and flows seamlessly into the rest of the house. A conservatory, study, sunken living room, family room, dining room and four spacious, en suite bedrooms join original details such as leaded glass windows, ornate trim work, stone window sills and gorgeous hardwood floors reminiscent of an elegant bygone era. Sweeping views of the grounds provide for beautiful sunsets, while the West Mountain Estates community offers a large pool, a kiddie pool, a spa, two pavilions, two tennis courts, a playground and a soccer field. To learn more about Stone Manor click here.

PLEASANT VIEW
30 Powdermaker Drive – located a quick walk to the Pleasant View Recreation Area (PVRA), this traditional Colonial home is listed for $799,000 and is move-in-ready. A beautifully updated kitchen includes high-end, stainless steel appliances and a large pantry, and connects to a breakfast room, vaulted family room, and spacious living and dining rooms. Four large bedrooms join a walk-out, finished lower level opening to the park-like backyard and lovely patio. The 6-acre PVRA property includes a heated pool, kids pool, new pool house, tennis courts, swings & play-sets, ball fields, a basketball court, beach volleyball court and a pond. To view more about this home, click here.

If you have an interest in visiting one of these properties in person or just want to learn more, email Karla@KarlaMurtaugh.com, or call 203-856-5534 to schedule a showing.

Ridgefield Real Estate Market Report Q1 2019

The first quarter of 2019 shows promise for a strong spring market with 173 single-family homes currently on the market for sale at all price points. Already this year there are 39 single-family homes that have gone under agreement and a further 34 are in contract. With new properties launching on the market daily, we expect these numbers to rise over the coming months.

In mortgage news, 30-year fixed mortgage rates have again dropped to record lows, sitting at just over 4%, which bodes well for buyers entering the market. Our strongest sales so far this year have been in the under $500,000 range for single-family homes, and encouragingly our high-end luxury market (over $1.5 million) has also had 3 sales this year.

Overall, a total of $33,915,150 transacted during Q1 2019 in contrast to $32,298,800 by this time in 2018. The number of sales stayed the same at 48, while the average days on market has taken a slight jump this year to 208, up from 146 last year. A lack of new inventory could be to blame with some listings languishing on the market for various reasons.

The average sales price rose 5% this quarter compared to the same time last year and sits at $706,566. Interestingly, the median sales price dropped to $567,000 from $619,750, but the increased activity we have seen in the under $600,000 range in this early part of the year may account for the drop. We would expect to see this number rise as the year progresses. Homes are still selling at 96% of the listed value.

As we move into the busy spring and summer markets, we would love to learn more about your home and how we can help you list it for sale. And with more homes coming on the market every day, as well as lower mortgage rates, we would love to help you find your dream home! Contact us today.

To see a snapshot by price, click here.

Mortgage Rates See Biggest Plunge In Over A Decade

Last week, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage declined by 22 basis points from 4.28 percent to 4.06 percent, resulting in the biggest single-week decline in rates since 2008, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Survey released on Thursday, March 28.

Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater said the drop is due to the Federal Reserve’s economic outlook, which predicted slowing economic growth.

“The Federal Reserve’s concern about the prospects for slowing economic growth caused investor jitters to drive down mortgage rates by the largest amount in over ten years,” he explained in a prepared statement.

This is good news for buyers as the dramatic drop in rates is expected to drive up home sales during the spring home buying season.

“Despite negative outlooks by some, the economy continues to churn out jobs, which is great for housing demand,” said Khater. “We have recently seen home sales start to recover and with this week’s rate drop we expect a continued rise in purchase demand.”

Bankrate economist Deborah Kearns estimates the lower mortgage rates will save buyers approximately $15.85 each month for every $100,000 they borrow in comparison to last week’s rates.

“At the current 30-year fixed rate, you’ll pay $487.27 each month for every $100,000 you borrow, down from $503.13 last week,” she explained.

* Original article by MARIAN MCPHERSON Staff Writer, Inman News

Celebrating Tower Cottage with ‘Bubble & Brew’

We recently hosted a fun Broker’s Open House event at one of our premiere in-town properties at 48 East Ridge Road with the ‘Bubble & Brew’ food truck! Realtors from the local area toured the home and enjoyed gourmet scones, croissants, tea, coffee and more on a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning.

An iconic presence since it was a summer home for Jackie Bouvier Kennedy’s aunt, the beautifully updated Tower Cottage is a stone’s throw to all the Village has to offer including shops, restaurants, theaters, art galleries, spas, fitness studios and more!

Offered for sale at $2,475,000, the architectural treasure features original detailing & charm, yet is also perfectly suited for a modern lifestyle. Built in 1880 by renowned architect Charles B. Northrup, the impressive wrap-around porch leads into a spacious front hall with well-proportioned rooms, fabulous flow, 10-foot ceilings, 4 fireplaces & classic architectural details that cannot be reproduced today. The new kitchen features white custom cabinetry, Carrera marble countertops, a Bertazzoni stove, two wall ovens, separate full-size SubZero refrigerator & freezer units, & the original coal stove. Other rooms include a formal dining room, living room, breakfast room, butler’s pantry, 6 bedrooms, library & an office. Expansive views of the lawn, gardens, or gunite pool can be enjoyed from every window, but are most impressive from the three-story turret. Truly the definition of a Signature Property.

Click here to see more, or contact me to set up a showing.

Ridgefield is #1 Safest City in Connecticut, #2 in USA!

Ridgefield is a fabulous place to live…and a safe one too!!  According to SafeWise, Ridgefield ranks as Connecticut’s safest city and America’s second safest.  Read below for more details about how Ridgefield stacks up, as well as the SafeWise methodology for raking the cities.

A Closer Look At America’s Safest Cities

Nationally, violent crime is actually down over the past three years, with 70% of the safest cites in America residing in the Northeast. To find out more about the health of the nation, click here.

  • 30% of America’s 100 safest cities are in New Jersey. Connecticut claims second place with 14, and two of those are in the top three.
  • 16 of these cities made the list for the second consecutive year, and New Jersey is home to five of them.
    It’s harder to find one of the safest cities in the West or the South—those regions have only five cities each on our list.
  • The Midwest is home to 20% of the country’s safest cities.
  • The top three cities (Hopkinton, Massachusetts; Ridgefield, Connecticut; Madison, Connecticut) each reported zero violent crimes in 2017—and each has a median income of more than $100,000.⁴
  • 93% reported fewer than 10 total violent crimes, and only six cities reported any counts of murder.
  • 22 cities had fewer than 100 property crimes, and 70 had fewer than 200. Only two cities reported more than
  • 500 property crimes—Johns Creek, Georgia, and Carmel, Indiana (the two largest cities on the list).
  • 42 cities have populations under 20,000, and all are under 100,000.
  • Carmel, Indiana is the largest city on the list, with 93,098 citizens. Even with a big population, Carmel still managed to limit violent crime to just 0.18 incidents per 1,000 people.
  • 59% of the safest cities in America have a median income over $100,000.
  • Only two cities are below the national median income of $57,652—Laguna Woods, California, and Manchester Township, New Jersey.

A Closer Look At Connecticut’s Safest Cities

Overall, the Constitution State is well below national averages for both violent and property crime. Proving the point, 95% of the cities on our list saw fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people, according to FBI data.

With such a low violent crime rate (it’s just 2.55), it’s no surprise that residents named digital security their top concern in our State of Safety study. And the numbers confirm this finding—just 6% of the people we spoke to reported a personal experience with violent crime in the past year, but 16% reported experiencing a digital security issue.

  • 85% of the safest cities are on the list for the second year.
  • 80% reported 25 or fewer total violent crime incidents.
  • Connecticut’s crime rates are better than the national averages, with 2.55 violent crime incidents per 1,000 people and 19.53 property crime incidents. Nationwide rates are 4.49 for violent crime and 27.11 for property crime.
  • 95% of the safest cities had fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people in 2017.
  • Even though 16% of our State of Safety respondents had a personal experience with digital security in the past year, that’s eight percentage points below the national average of 24%.
  • Having someone access sensitive information is the primary digital security fear, with 73% naming it their top concern.
  • Being robbed is the top violent crime worry, and safest city reporting supports that—only three cities had zero incidents, and the reports ranged from one to 25, with a total of 146 being reported among all cities, which makes it the second-most common violent crime after aggravated assault (166).

 

** Data courtesy of SafeWise and first published on their site 03/14/2019

Join Us For Our FREE Real Estate & Estate Planning Baby Boomer Seminar

>Ridgefield Library
Saturday, March 2
10:00am – 12:00pm

Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market? Do I need a trust? Should I refinance?

We are seeing more and more baby boomers and empty nesters start to move and downsize as their kids leave or they think about retiring. This FREE interactive seminar will offer insights from Ridgefield’s premiere Real Estate Agent, Karla Murtaugh of Neumann Real Estate, as she discusses her take on the market for 2019. Offering expert advice, she will help you understand how to prepare your home for sale and gain a competitive edge in a shifting market. Joe Chelednik of Fairfield County Bank will be on hand to discuss managing the equity you’ve built in your home and financing options for retired – or soon to retire – borrowers, while attorneys William Harrison and Tamsin Shoults of Reese, Hirsch, Shoults & Harrison will discuss important issues surrounding real estate transactions and estate planning.

Connecticut Magazine Says Ridgefield Is The Place To Be!

Living here, we already know all the fantastic events, amenities, restaurants, school and shops that the beautiful town of Ridgefield offers to its residents and guests. But now Connecticut Magazine gets the word out through its fantastic profile of our amazing town. Read all about what makes Ridgefield special here.

If you are considering a move to suburban Connecticut, we are close to the NY border and an easy commute into NYC, while offering an incredible culture and community through places like the Ridgefield Playhouse, award-winning ACT Theater, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, state-of-the-art Prospector Theater, Ballard Park concerts and more!

Contact us to make your move to Ridgefield – Connecticut’s #1 small town.

Ridgefield’s Luxury Sales Continue To Shine With ‘Ridgeview’ Welcoming New Owners

150 Oscaleta Road is nothing short of stunning and recently sold for $2,050,000. The private oasis basks in the splendor of 50+ mile views of the Hudson Valley and is the latest in a continuing trend of strong luxury sales in the Ridgefield market over the last couple of years. The property was represented by Karla Murtaugh of Neumann Real Estate.

The materials choice at Ridgeview reflects a harmony with nature, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the surroundings, while exhibiting a wow factor rarely seen. The interior and exterior of the property incorporate Connecticut fieldstone, pine timbered ceilings, hemlock beams, and more. Never-ending rolling wilderness unfolds before your eyes, kaleidoscopic sunsets await, and the seasons provide an ever-changing backdrop from the impressive two-story great room.

Meticulously updated over the years, the residence features: an exquisite new Chef’s kitchen with a sparkling glass backsplash, white cabinetry, professional stainless steel appliances and grey granite counters; a master suite with exposed beams and soaring two-story windows throughout the room; a spa-like marble master bath; private deck with a hot tub; an infinity pool, which appears to drop off the edge of the world; 4.3 beautifully landscaped acres and a spectacular, detached multi-car garage with a radiant-heated epoxy floor and room for twenty cars! And if that wasn’t enough, an indoor basketball hoop complements the outdoor hoop adjoining the regulation-size tennis court with a sport court overlay.

There are not enough words to describe the peace and tranquility of this very special property.