About Fairfield's Southport

Celebrating the end of summer. It was the end of a long holiday weekend, the Labor Day weekend, but I had to work all day and at the end, I just wanted to celebrate the end of summer with my husband in a special way.

All our favorite haunts were closed. Most of the area restaurants were closed due to a combination of the holiday and falling on a Monday, so what to do? I figured a hotel would have to be open on holidays and Mondays, so we decided to check out the rather pricey, but fabulous Artisan Restaurant at the Delamar Hotel in Southport, CT.

Artisan decribes itself as "a farm to table restaurant and tavern combining 18th century classic Scandinavian design with New England inspired seasonal cuisine. Artisan celebrates the theme of craftsmanship, which can be seen in many elements of the restaurant from its unexpected design to the locally sourced food." We can attest to that.

We chose to sit outdoors under the pergola, but there are many options for seating. The photo above was taken in low light conditions using the HDR Pro app on my iPhone. There is a lovely indoor restaurant and bar as well as an outdoor terrace which you can see in this photo and and outdoor bar to the left in the photo. Our table was under the pergola inbetween the open outdoor terrace and the indoor restaurant.

The meal itself was superb. I started my dinner with a french green bean and bibb lettuce salad with goat cheese and bacon. I then moved on to another appetizer as my main course (I love appetizers) - homemade gravlax over fingerling potatoes. For dessert we shared a black raspberry and currant sundae with sorbet and ice cream topped with whipped cream. We finished it all off with cappuccinos.

As my husband and I drove away, we said it was less like going to a restaurant and more like taking a mini-vacation. There was a resort-like atmosphere and a relaxed feel to the evening that reminded us of our vacations in South Beach. We've added this to our list of favorite restaurants. At the very least, go to the outdoor bar and have a cocktail and an appetizer to see for yourself. In the winter there is a fireplace indoors, so there is always a lovely ambiance in which to dine and the food is truly farm-to-table fresh and delicious.

When shopping for homes in this market, there are alot of really great deals to be had...or ARE they MONEY PITS waiting to happen!!!???

Especially if house has been vacant for awhile.

I kind of pride myself for being able to assess a home from the OUTSIDE never taking a step inside...

But when I do get to look around inside, the first thing I check is WHAT GOT WET!!!

One of the biggest things I'm on the watch for is ANY WATER INTRUSION!!! Water in the Basement...or water markings...This is the first sign I look for when thinking about purchasing a home to know if I'm going to get in over my head...

Also be sure to check:

Grade outside of home. Will water be diverted away from home, or directly into basement?

Is shrubbery away from side of home, is there excessive shade on a particular side of the home?Does shade correlate to basement water?

Is there ventilation in bathrooms etc..?

Where are HVAC handlers housed?..attic or basement...check ducts...

Check for roof leaks, pipe bursts, anything that says"wet/damp"...

In the olden days, homeowners would just slap a coat of paint over the telltale signs and let buyer beware.

But now with due diligence and full disclosure, these things are more difficult to hide.

Water in the basement/water marks, are also signs of possible microbial infection...so see that a certified mold contractor that does NOT also perform remediation, does an assessment.

Then if counts are high and need remediation, you get a bid for clean up costs and use that number at closing if home isn't being sold 'as is' to negotiate price down.

The last two years have not been kind to Southport Real Estate. 21 Homes sold so far this year....down 22% from last year and down 54% from 2007.

Median price is up 6% over last year but down 16% from 2007. The increase over last year may be just a function of too few homes being sold. Avg Selling Price is off 11% from last year and a whopping 46% from 2007. The Average Price in 2007 was $1,790,685.

Southport is a great example of the current problem in the Real Estate market. Simply, it is a lack of buyers. Southport is a very desirable and prestigious location. It is Fairfield's town within the town. The harbor area is as beautiful as ever. There are plenty of homes for sale at some very good prices. Mortage Money is available and being offered at some very good interest rates.

All that is missing is the buyers!

This data was compiled from the Greater Fairfield County MLS.

Thanks President Obama for the $8000, I mean $7200 credit for first time buyers! Just how close is Massachusetts or New York or even New Jersey for that matter? Can I commute from there to work in Stamford?

CT has created Bill #6397 which is to tax buyers 1% and it is scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2009. Our sellers have a hard enough time understanding the conveyance tax...now a buyer purchase tax...for waterfront land, brownfields, and conservation? There are other restrictions but, the idea is clear...money needed and buyers are a nice target!

I just keep thinking of my credit perfect client that didn't have much of a down payment (they produced 5% and took out 2 mortgages as recently as 2/14/09) At least he had a little money after the closing to have the kitchen carpet (25 yrs old!) pulled up so he could lay square vinyl pieces. If a bill like this becomes law, it will be harder and harder for buyers like him to buy...stimulus money or not!

Please get in touch with your elected officials and let them know we need to educate buyers about the benefits of "home ownership" in CT especially!