Happy Halloween – It’s Going To Be A Spooktastic Year!

Ridgefield offers an incredible amount of fun family activities, and that is especially apparent during the holidays. Starting with Halloween this weekend – we’re so excited the annual Halloween walk is back! If you’re new to the area, check out this list of options to celebrate the holiday:

On Thursday night, October 28th 7-8 pm dress up in your favorite costume, grab a flashlight, and join Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum Educator and poet laureate Barb Jennes for Virtual Halloween Storytelling: A Contemp-BOO-rary Tale! Register here.
Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center’s Ghosts of Ridgefield is a series of spooky and fun ghost tours planned for three nights only: Thursday, October 28; Friday, October 29; and Saturday, October 30. Tours are selling out quickly! For more information, click here.
Do you love horses? Take a stroll through Rising Starr Horse Rescue’s spooky trail in Wilton on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Suggested donation $10. For details visit their site.
The Halloween walk is back! After taking a year off during Covid, this annual tradition will return Saturday morning, October 30 when kids can trick-or-treat with Main Street merchants 10am-12pm. Be sure to stop by our office to say hello!
Paranormal Park is a Halloween ghost walk fundraiser presented by the Ridgefield Fathers Club to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield this Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30 from 6 to 9pm at Richardson Park, 729 N Salem Rd, Ridgefield. Click for more information.
The Norwalk Historical Society’s popular fundraiser, “A Haunting at Mill Hill” is back in person at the old graveyard at Mill Hill Historic Park for its 11th season on Saturday evening, October 30 6:30-7:30pm. Click here for more details.
The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary will host its second annual free SANCTUARY SPOOKTACULAR in Newtown on October 31st from 2-4pm! Explore “haunted trails” while you crunch the leaves below your feet. Collect stickers for each “spooky” find in a woodland scavenger hunt and leave some suet treats for wildlife along the way. Register today to reserve your spot.
St. Stephen’s Church will show the 1922 silent film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, with its eerie gothic feel on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m. on a large screen in the sanctuary at 353 Main St. And, just as in the silent movie era, an organ – the St. Stephen’s organ, played by Alcee Chriss III – will provide live accompaniment. Suggested donation $20. Register here.

What to Consider When Upsizing or Downsizing

As we discussed in our recent Q3 Market Report, the market is still very busy although we are seeing the “panic” situation of late 2020 receding a little. Homes that are in good condition and priced correctly are still seeing lots of interest, but it is not as frenzied as in previous months.

Our days on market and months of inventory continue at record lows and are a matter of concern given the number of buyers still looking to make the move to the suburbs. With in- office work returning, high crime in many urban areas, and stubbornly low interest rates, it behooves sellers looking to move to jump into the market.

Taking all of this into consideration, many people are currently thinking about upsizing or downsizing. Many families’ needs have changed and their current homes no longer serve their lifestyle appropriately. But figuring out the perfect size home for your family can be difficult. Often, we don’t know exactly how we’ll use a space until we’re in it (and then it could be too late!).

If you’re considering either upsizing or downsizing, we recommend you contemplate the following:

Think about your current home. Are there rooms you never use? Are there rooms that are packed to bursting? Do you have enough storage space? Are you bumping into family members when trying to get out the door at night or make dinner at night?
Think about the future. Do you have young kids who will only occupy more space as they grow? Or do you have kids who are about to leave the nest and free up a certain amount of square footage?
Think about your lifestyle. Do you wish you had more space to entertain and have overnight guests? You might want to upsize. Are you spending more time away from home and don’t want the maintenance that goes along with a larger home? You might be ready to downsize.
Think about your budget. Is a smaller mortgage payment one reason you’d like to downsize? Or has your financial outlook improved enough to take on more of a mortgage in exchange for the lifestyle that will go along with it?

As we move into the traditionally slower holiday season, prices are still up but we hope for a more balanced market as we head into 2022. So, if you have been reevaluating your lifestyle and think that making a move would be good for you, now is the time! We offer a complimentary market analysis and would be happy to provide you with a concrete analysis of what your home is worth. For buyers, our expertise in negotiating in a strong seller’s market means you will get unparalleled representation in a competitive marketplace. Contact us today at 203-856-5534 or karla@karlamurtaugh.com.

Q3 2021 Year To Date Ridgefield Market Report

Sales Overall Remain Strong, But Q3 2021 Shows a Slowdown

The Ridgefield Real Estate market showed an impressive recovery last year in Q3 2020 after the shutdown in March and April due to Covid-19. While the overall year-to-date sales for 2021 exceed 2020, Q3 2021 in isolation does reflect the slowdown we have all been experiencing. Year-to-date, a total of 391 homes have sold outpacing 2020 by 7%, while the total sales volume stands 28% higher than 2020 at $364,737,937 vs $284,792,926.

In Q3 specifically, we have only seen 154 sales vs 207 in Q3 2020, representing a 26% decrease. Additionally, our total sales volume in Q3 2021 was down by 14% registering $142,539,000 vs $165,395,882. Sales in Q3 reflect deposits taken from May to August in most cases.

Our days on market and months of inventory continue at record low volume and continues to be a matter of concern given the number of buyers still looking to make the move to the suburbs. With in- office work returning, high crime in many urban areas, and stubbornly low interest rates, it behooves sellers looking to move to jump into the market.

Luxury Sales Are Strong

The biggest gains in Real Estate in 2021 have materialized in the Luxury Market (homes selling for greater than $1.5 million) however, sales are up in all price points over $1 million. In 2020, there were 66 homes that sold for over $1-million by this time constituting 18% of the total sales YTD. In 2021, that number climbed to 120, which represents 31% of the total sales. There were twice as many homes in the $1 million to $1.25 million category selling this year as compared to last, and in the $2 million and over category 14 homes have traded hands this year compared to only six in 2020.

Prices Are Up

The average sales price was up 16% in Q3 2021 and 19 % year-to-date. In year-to-date figures it sits at $932,834 vs. $7782,398 in 2020, and in Q3 it was $925,578 vs $799,014. The median sales price was up 15% in Q3 sitting at $828,500 compared to $720,000 and 22% in the year-to-date with 2021 registering a median value of $825,000 and 2020 $673,750. We have seen a good number of homes selling at or above their listed sale price in a short amount of time. Homes that are updated and priced properly are still often in receipt of multiple bids.

Looking Ahead
The market is still very busy although we are seeing the “panic” situation of late 2020 receding a little. Homes that are in good condition and priced correctly are still seeing lots of interest, but it is not as frenzied as in previous months. The lack of inventory is a concern as we move into the traditionally slower holiday season, but prices are still up and we hope for a more balanced market as we head into 2022. So, if you have been reevaluating your lifestyle and think that making a move would be good for you, now is the time! We offer a complimentary market analysis and would be happy to provide you with a concrete analysis of what your home is worth. For buyers, our expertise in negotiating in a strong seller’s market means you will get unparalleled representation in a competitive marketplace. Contact us today at 203-856-5534 or karla@karlamurtaugh.com

Karla Murtaugh & Christine Carnicelli Honored By BGCR

The Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield is having their Great Futures Celebration Supporting our Kids, Our Families and Our Club Community on Saturday, November 6th and I am so proud to be honored as the 2020 Champion for Youth! Together with my friend Christine Carnicelli, who is being honored as the 2021 Champion for Youth, we will join a host of community members to celebrate our wonderful local club.

BGCR rose to the occasion, met each challenge, and stayed true to the mission of helping those that need them the most throughout the past years. They truly rallied to do ‘Whatever It Takes’ for the youth and families in our community. Join us and support the Great Futures Celebration at the Ethan Allen Hotel. It wouldn’t be a celebration without all of you!

In addition to Christine and myself, the club will also be presenting Jess Murphy Podrazky with the Boys & Girls Club of America’s National Service to Youth Award recognizing a decade of service to the Club.

Of course, the BGCR also hopes to raise some much-needed funds for our Club members’ Great Futures. Our promise to youth is to continue to be a pillar of support for them, no matter the obstacles they may be facing, and with your help at the Great Futures Celebration, we know we will be able to fulfill this promise.

Antique Homes Are Amazing, But Do Your Homework

There are some beautiful antique homes in our area, and these can be some of our favorites to help clients buy and sell. The unique charm of older homes can be just the character your family is looking for, and there is nothing cookie-cutter about these properties! They are often located in well-established neighborhoods with mature landscaping.

Older homes can have amazing character traits and historical features that most new homes simply do not have, like huge wood-burning fireplaces, beautiful wood trim and moldings, and ceilings with rustic wood beams that can be harder to find in newer, more modern homes.

There can be some challenges however, and we created this list to help prepare you if you’re thinking of purchasing an antique home. Be sure to consider the following:

Enlist the help of a top realtor like us who has decades of experience in this area. We know what red flags to look for, and how to negotiate on your behalf to get the best deal especially when it comes to replacement expenses.

Most older homes contain items that eventually need to be replaced. Some examples with considerable price tags may include roofing, furnace, water heater, decks, windows and fencing. It is important to find out the age of each of these items when you’re considering an older property. Structural issues, older plumbing and outdated electrical may also need to be addressed depending on the age of the home.

Antique homes in the northeast especially can require updated weatherstripping and insulation to ensure you’re not wasting money on an unnecessarily high energy bill. Speaking of bills, it can be more costly to insure an older home than a modern home so you may want to check with your homeowners insurance company.

Depending on the needs of your family, the floor plan in an older home might require some renovation and remodeling. Smaller rooms might need to be opened up to create a more open floor plan and additional bathrooms might be needed if you have a larger family or frequent houseguests.

You may want to find out if there are any historical societies or neighborhood restrictions on remodeling. Some older homes and neighborhoods have restrictions in terms of the type and style of remodeling that can be done.

Fortunately, our team loves antique homes and would be honored to help you find yours, even if it means resolving some of these issues! Reach out to us today.