West Hartford, CT

The West Hartford market had a sluggish start and a very strong finish in 2009. There were 624 closed sales of houses recorded in the Multiple Listing Service for the year (down from 646 in 2008). One of the most encouraging numbers was the median Days on Market for these sales at 37 days. People in many other parts of the country would be amazed that half of the houses took contracts just over one month (or less) after their debut on the market!

For 2009, the median list price was $292,000 & the median sale price was $285,000. The range in sale prices for the year started at $72,500 and continued to $2,600,000; quite diverse housing stock in West Hartford!

With the usual caveats that averages result from the actual homes sold in a given year, the number of closed sales in 2009 is down 3.4% from the 2008 sales level. The median sales price is off 6.25% from 2008 to 2009.

Looking to the present, there are just 169 houses available to purchase as of today (an extremely low inventory for a town of over 60,000 residents). The prices range from a low of $107,500 for a 2-bedroom, 1-bath (1,050 sf) home at 688 Flatbush Avenue to a high of $2,295,000 for a 6-bedroom, 6.2 bath (7,012 sf) home at 51 Old Stone Crossing. The median-priced property is located at 42 Spring Lane (4-bedrooms, 1 1/2-baths & 2,076 sf), offered for $339,900.

Currently, there are 51 houses under contract in town. The highest-priced is Lot 7 at Cranbrook, with an asking price of $995,000 (4-bedrooms, 3.2-baths, 4,289 sf). The median is 1122 Trout Brook Drive, priced at $274,900 (4-bedrooms, 2 1/2-baths, 2,170 sf). The lowest-priced is 14 Saint James Street, priced at $159,900 (2-bedrooms, 1-bath, 965 sf).

For more information on the value of your home in this market, contact Brent today by cell (860-614-8927) or email (brentbell@remax.net). You can find this blog directly by visiting www.MyCTRealEstateBlog.com.

If you want the approximate value of your home, and are not ready to be contacted by an agent, visit www.WestHartfordHomeValues.com. Fill out as much detail as possible about your house. Brent will respond by email only (unless you request a phone call) with an estimate of your home's current value within 24 hours of your request!

Statistics based on MLS data obtained January 14, 2010.

{An email to a prospective listing client.}

"This is my fifth home and I've worked with a different realtor each time. Quite simply, Rob is a superstar, far and away the best I've retained. He knows his craft and he's absolutely dogged -- one example of many, he actually brought potential buyers into the home of folks who had wanted to make an offer on my house but were having trouble getting theirs sold through their own realtor. Rob has also been extremely diligent and helpful with all the details, like getting repair folks in and out of the house, etc., that other realtors wouldn't do or would do badly. I credit entirely his tenacity with getting my house under contract in this very difficult market. I generally do not give endorsements, but I have no hesitation in recommending Rob to you. Good luck and feel free to call me tonight if you have additional questions. David."
David, Attorney in West Hartford

August 22

Dear Rob:

Hope all is well with you. I wanted to take a few minutes to send a quick note of appreciation to you and summarize why I was so pleased with your representation of Stacy I in the sale of our house.

As you know, we had listed our house with a major regional firm here in West Hartford for over 5 months. Despite numerous showings and supposedly terrific feedback on what a great home we had, we were unable to get the house sold. When I came to you to discuss our situation, we were worn down by the countless showings (we have a two and four year old) and the disruption to our lives. With your guidance on selling process and how to position the house for sale (including the terrific staging report you had prepared for us), we had a bid in the first week of your listing agreement and we closed the sale exactly 30 days after your representation began. I fully believe that your analytic approach to real estate is substantially different from all of the other agents I interviewed to sell our house. I am 100% confident this was the major factor for why we had such a successful outcome in what was an otherwise very difficult market. Please know that both Stacy and I will forever be grateful for your work in helping us move on with our lives and enjoy our wonderful new home.

Please feel free to share this note on with potential clients and don't hesitate to offer me up as a reference should the need arise.

Hope the summer is going well and please do stay in touch.

Best regards,

Lenny Mazlish

17 Chestnut Hill

West Hartford, CT 06107

Interest Rates are still near all time lows. First time buyers can cash in on a government offered $8,000 credit if they purchase a home before the end of June 2010. Homeowners who are looking to upgrade to a bigger home or simplify and move into something smaller can cash in on a $6500 credit if they sell their current home and buy a new one before June 2010. With interest rates and prices so much lower than in past years and large tax credits being offered, there may never be a better time to buy a home than right now.

It is also an excellent time to look into refinancing. If you have an interest rate in the high 5s or low 6s you may qualify to save hundreds per month. The government has been very active in setting up new home loan programs to help thousands of homeowners save money on their mortgage. These are one of a kind opportunities that dont come along very often. You can use a downturn in the economy to your advantage if you act now and get the right advice.

Call Harry at 860-521-3800 or email at harry@elmtreefunding.com for free advice

Getting a Fixer Upper in West Hartford - What to Look for in a West Hartford Fixer-Upper

Have you been thinking about getting a fixer upper in West Hartford as an investment that you can repair and sell later? Maybe you want to buy it to live in it. Either way, finding a good one can be a real money-maker. Here are a few ideas of what to look for when you are searching for a Fixer Upper in West Hartford as your next home.

1. Simple Problems -You need to find a West Hartford house that looks incredibly ugly, yet has very simple problems. Painting, flooring and other superficial problems can be a gold mine in an old house. They can prevent a sale even when the West Hartford home is full of potential. Many buyers are scared by even simple repairs, or they can't see through the "ugly" and see the "beautiful" it can be.

2. No Structural Problems - Structural problems in a home are usually too costly to repair, at least they bring great unknowns to the total costs. Some structural difficulties can be difficult to spot, and you may need to call in a professional for a home assessment in order to find them.

3. A Good Neighborhood - Although it is more difficult to find a fixer-upper in a good West Hartford neighborhood versus a bad one, you can spot some hidden gems that can equate to thousands of dollars in the long run. Are you planning on living in the home after it is fixed up, then you will care about the location of the parks, or proximity to your work, and more. Going to Rent the property after think about access to the bus line, and remember the more bedrooms the greater the rental income.

Financing a West Hartford Fixer Upper can be easy if you plan to live in the property afterward. There is a great program that will provide you with the money to purchase the property as well as the money you need to fix up the property. All with an incredibly low down payment! Let me give you all the details of this awesome loan program.

If you need more free information about selling, buying or investing in West Hartford real estate, feel free to contact me. For complete information about the West Hartford real estate market, including the most recent homes for sale including Fixer Uppers, current property values and more please call me on my cell at 860-306-8029.