About Prospect's Chesprocott

Lebanese Farina Cake A Follow Up to a Holiday Blog

Back in December, I had a blog post that offered up some of the items I was being forced to eat in order to keep peace at home. One of the pastries got me some side emails. I had been after my wife for some time to allow me to post the sacred family recipe that had been handed down for at least a few years from one family member to another. I pass it along to my ActiveRain audience

Lebanese Farina Cake

1 stick unsalted margarine or butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups cream of wheat or farina
½ tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
2 heaping tsp baking powder
1 lb ricotta cheese
whole almonds for decoration

In a large bowl, melt margarine (microwave), add sugar and mix well. Add cream of wheat and mix until crumbly. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, milk and mix well. The mixture may be somewhat soupy, and will become fluffy as the baking powder is added.

Spread a thin layer of mixture into a 9x9 pan and carefully spoon the ricotta evenly over the mixture, then spread the remaining mixture over the ricotta smoothing with wet fingers. Place almonds one inch apart.

Bake at 325^o for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown. While the cake is hot, cut into squares with a serrated edged knife and pour the hot syrup over the cake. The farina cake can be enjoyed hot when cooled.

Syrup:
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cups water
1 Tbs lemon juice

Boil 10 minutes. Be careful to not overcook or the syrup will be too thin.

Lebanese Farina Cake A Follow Up to a Holiday Blog

Prospect CT Real Estate Sales Report for February 2012

Currently in Prospect CT there are 67 active residential listings for sale, with 12 new listings being added in February. The homes for sale in Prospect CT range from an 840 square ft, 2-bedroom mobile home, listed at $20,000 to a 3,086 square ft, 4-bedroom colonial listed at $579,900. The average list price of the homes currently available for sale in Prospect CT is $296,090. The average days on market for these homes are 173 days.

There are 11 homes under contract in Prospect CT. The average list price for these homes is $268,382 with an average day on market of 110 days.

There were 3 home sales recorded in Prospect CT in February. They were a ranged from a 1,952 Sq ft 3-bedroom cape, which sold for $235,000; a 2,381 sq ft, 3-bedroom colonial which sold for $328,000 and a 2,308 sq ft 3-bedroom, colonial which sold for $338,000. The average days on market were of 107 days. The closed properties had a Sales price to List price ratio of 97%.

There were 2 closings in Prospect for the month of February2011, with an average price of $215,000 with avg. days on market of 66 and a Sales price to List price ratio of 91%. This indicates that sales in 2012 were higher valued, with more days on market and slightly more units sold. It’s still a very strong buyer's market here in Prospect CT.

For sellers it is essential to have a sales price on your home consistent with the most recent activity. We offer free market evaluations to assist you in your sale.

If you would like information on homes for sale in Prospect CT, please call me at 203-206-0754 or send me an email. I would be happy to assist you or to discusshomes on the market in Prospect CT.

Prospect CT Real Estate Sales Report for February 2012

The Time is Right to Buy a Home in Prospect CT

We haven't had a typical winter here in Prospect CT, and very few people are complaining. Because of the 'perfect storm' for real estate, there has probably never been a better time to buy.

Interest rates are at an all time low and have been that way for some time.

Inventory is stable and prices have stabilized at homes are priced near the pre-boom prices of the early 2000 time.

Sellers have been busy making their homes as attractive as possible for buyers looking to own a home in Prospect CT. The prices are right and sellers are motivated.

With home ownership come many benefits. It is the American dream that provides financial benefits as well as security and shelter for families:

• Homeowners become an integral part of the community to protect their investments.
• Children do better as school as there is less distractions and a disruption to their lives.
• As the market improves, the home builds equity, both with the payment of the mortgage but also with the appreciation over time.
• Home owners get tax breaks as they are able to deduct the property taxes and principal interest from their tax returns.
• In most cases, when a home owner sells a home, they have no tax obligations on the gains.

3 bedroom raised ranch, 2.5 baths, 2 fireplaces, finished lower level

2 car garage almost an acre of land, on dead end street

Price: $219,900

Raised ranch with 1.800 square ft, full finished lower level, 1.5 baths

Price: $259,900

3 bedroom Cape 1.927 square ft. 1.2 acres backs up to land trust property, hardwood floors, central air

Price: $300,000

3 bedroom colonial on over 1 acre, 2,058 square feet, many updates, central air, large family room with fireplace:

Price: $359,900

There are many other fine homes available in Prospect CT in great neighborhoods and priced to sell. I look forward to helping you find your dream home in Prospect CT.

The Time is Right to Buy a Home in Prospect CT

My Toes are Warm, but my Ears are Cold

The saying is March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, with the February we have had with temps already in the 60’s we should have been expecting today to be May 1, not March 1.

But, that’s not the reality. Weather forecasters were calling for almost 6” of snow in some areas, but the temps warmed and we had mostly rain after a few inches of snow had fallen.

As I was driving out the driveway this afternoon, I just had to stop and take a couple of photos. I swear I could hear the daffodils shivering.

Spring won’t be here for a few more weeks, I hope these guys don’t go into thermal shock before they get enough warmth to warm their toes and noses.

My Toes are Warm, but my Ears are Cold

Happy Leap Day! February 29, 2012

Today is Leap Day. It only comes every 4 years and even then it’s not truly accurate. Leap Day was created thousands of years ago to allow for the spring and fall equinox to occur on the same days.

The only creatures in the world, maybe the universe that require precise time are humans. All other creatures adapt normally.

Leap Day was established as a way of catching up with the extra fraction of time needed by the Earth to orbit the Sun, which takes slightly less than 365 ¼ days. By adding a day every 4 years to the shortest month, February, the balance is maintained.

For a person born on Leap Day, aging is slow at least by calendar.

In a Leap Year, it is considered by some, proper for a woman to seek a man out and propose. For some cultures, if a man refuses the proposal, then gifts must be bought for that woman to atone for the slight. (Can anyone say Jewelry?)

In some cultures, a marriage that takes place in a Leap Year will not be graced with Luck.

For me, It is just another day in the month to blog.

Happy Leap Day! February 29, 2012