Ridgefield 2021 Mid-Year Market Report

Ridgefield Market Snapshot
Ridgefield home sales remain strong in the first half of 2021 compared to 2020, which is to be expected due to the two lost months during the pandemic shutdown. There was a 51% increase in sales during the first half of 2021 with 237 homes selling as compared to only 157 in 2020. The overall sales volume increased by 86% from $119,397,044 YTD in 2020 to $222,198,937 YTD in 2021. It will be interesting to see if the numbers start to even out more in Q3 as we factor in the incredible second half of 2020 to the mix.

Prices Are Up
Both the Median Sales Price and the Average Sales Price saw marked increases in the first half of the year. The median price jumped from $635,000 in 2020 to $815,000 in 2021. The average sale price saw an equally large upward movement and sits at $937,548 this year, a 23% increase over 2020’s $760,491.

Market Time Is Down
The average days on market saw a 44% decrease from 116 days to 65 days before a property went under contract. Tellingly, the months of inventory also decreased from 16 months to 6 months year over year. This lack of inventory and surge in buyer demand has fueled a housing shortage across the country, resulting in higher prices and creating the seller’s market we are currently experiencing.

The Luxury Market
Luxury market sales in Ridgefield – defined as homes selling for more than $1.5 million – took a huge leap in the first half of 2021 with 22 homes selling as compared to only 11 by this time last year. When we look at the last five years, 2019, 2018 and 2017 had 7, 1 and 2 luxury sales by mid-year respectively. This was in large part due to the continuing exodus of people leaving urban areas for the space and privacy of country estates early in the year. Combined with low interest rates and a surging stock market, real estate reflected a desirable investment. Even now as things open up and offices are talking about bringing workers back in, we are still seeing interest at the top end of the market.

Looking Ahead
For the better part of a year the real estate market has been in a boom like we’ve never seen. The mass exodus from urban areas caused unprecedented inventory demands on our local market resulting in bidding wars, multiple offers, all cash offers and a shift to a seller’s market almost overnight. As the country reopens after the ‘long pause’, and questions about hybrid work and school begin to rise, we are once again faced with an unknown situation. To date, the number of sales and overall prices have seen double and triple digit growth. With people beginning to take vacations again, the market seems less frenzied than a few months ago, but we are still seeing homes that are in good condition and priced well sell amid a torrent of offers in just a few days.

Read the full report.

Mother Always Said “Eat Your Vegetables”… But How About Growing Them Too?

With so many of us taking advantage of extra time at home last summer, as well as this summer to upgrade our outdoor living spaces, it’s only natural that those of us with green thumbs may have turned to a more sustainable way of obtaining our veggies!

If you are one of the industrious individuals who is trying out this kind of gardening, mother nature has certainly helped out with all the July showers of late. If you haven’t planted much yet this season, don’t fret. There’s still time to plant a variety of vegetables to harvest this fall, which will be here before we know it.

To get a great fall harvest, mid to late summer is the time to start sowing your fall garden plants if you’re looking to bring the fresh veggies to your table by the time the cool weather arrives. Crops like broccoli, green beans, beets, and radishes can be sown in late summer for a fall harvest. Time to maturity will vary by crop, so check seed packs or tags in seedling containers and plan backward to come up with a planting date.

If you have a small gardening space, start thinking about how to create space for your fall garden by figuring out which of your spring and summer crops will finish first; when summer crops are ready to take out, be prepared with fall crops to replace them.

Check out HGTV.com for more suggestions.

Top 5 Reasons To Move To Ridgefield

Ridgefield, a beautiful, colonial town nestled in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, can easily be described as “the little town that time forgot.” Established in 1709, encompassing Branchville, Titicus, & Ridgebury, Ridgefield is the perfect blend of New England small town charm, combined with America’s modern day tastes.

Year after year Connecticut Magazine ranks Ridgefield #1 when taking into consideration quality of life, schools, restaurants, low crime rate, cultural offerings and scope of services. All these reasons are important factors when looking for homes for sale in CT, and Ridgefield proudly offers them all (and so much more!).

Here are our top five reasons to move to Ridgefield:

1. The town’s school system is considered among the finest in a state known for fine schools. If you are looking for a family friendly community that’s tight knit and proud to support its heritage, Ridgefield is the place for you! The exceptional educational system is often a key driver for many families searching homes for sale in Ridgefield. Ridgefield’s award-winning public schools encompass Branchville, Barlow Mountain, Scotland, Farmingville, Veteran’s Park and Ridgebury Elementary schools, Scotts Ridge and East Ridge Middle schools, and Ridgefield High School. The high school features an incredible athletic campus supporting the many high school and community sports teams the area is known for. Ridgefield Academy offers a wonderful private option, while religious education is also available.

2. Ridgefield has been designated the first Cultural District in the state of Connecticut. The Ridgefield Playhouse attracts high caliber entertainment from the music and arts world, and The Prospector movie theatre is recognized throughout the country as a blueprint for creating meaningful employment for adults with disabilities. Our new Cultural District designation recognizes that Ridgefield has an artistic and economic center of cultural activities that makes our community extraordinary. The multitude of both nonprofit and for-profit cultural facilities, activities and assets in the expansive downtown area make our Town unique and a phenomenal resource for both residents and visitors.

3. The lakes and winding roads provide beautiful backdrops for hiking, biking and jogging and landmarks like the Woodcock Nature Center, New Pond Farm, The Hickories, One Hump Farm, Simpaug Farm, The Ridgefield Public Library, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Seth Low Pierrepont State Park and numerous ball fields, tennis courts and swimming pools, provide unique experiences.

4. Easy commute to NYC! Ridgefield commuters have numerous options when commuting to New York City. Katonah train station, serviced via town shuttle, and Branchville train station are good options for commuting from southern Ridgefield, while north-end commuters may favor Goldens Bridge or Purdys.

5. Ridgefield prides itself on community involvement. Everywhere you look there are opportunities to support small businesses, charities, causes and communities including charitable 5K runs, community theater programs, volunteer fundraisers and neighborhood tag sales. The Ridgefield Community Center, Boys and Girls Club and numerous sports teams allow for ample participation in athletic pursuits.

Learn more about Ridgefield, including real estate market statistics, in our Town Profile:

Ridgefield