West Hartford, CT

How Much are the Real Estate Taxes on West Hartford, CT, Homes for Sale?

Many times when I send listings "automatically" to my clients, and they include homes for sale in West Hartford, Connecticut, my clients question the amount of the taxes.  A few years ago, West Hartford, Connecticut, had a revaluation on the assessed values for homes and decided to do a phase-in of the taxes.  As happened in many towns, the phase-in was not well received, and the phase-in was discontinued.

However, the Taxes tab in our multiple listing service still links to the tax records for the full "end of phase-in" assessments, so if the Broker does not double check this amount, the information on a listing can be completely wrong. 

For example, one of my past listings has a current assessment of $197,566 and taxes of $7,583 for the current year.  If a Broker went by the tax records on the MLS, they would show an assessment of $249,700 with taxes of $9,583.  This $2,000 difference could be enough to make a buyer decide they do not want to see that house.

So just how much are the real estate taxes on West Hartford, CT, Homes for Sale?  The Town of West Hartford offers a handy residential property tax estimator tool that allows you to enter the address of any West Hartford Home for Sale and find out exactly what the taxes should be.  Buyers and sellers alike will find this tool quite useful.

Looking for something fun to do this winter? Try ice skating! Today's Groupon is a 2-for-the-price-of-1 ticket to Veterans Memorial Skating Rink in West Hartford. The way Groupon works is that you buy the deal today but you have a year to use it. If you haven't checked out Groupon yet, you should.

Located at 56 Buena Vista Road in West Hartford, Veterans Memorial Skating Rink is a NHL-sized newly renovated rink that offers skate rentals, lessons, hockey programs, party rooms, food, and much more. There is also free wireless access for those parents or chaperones who don't want to skate.

If you are looking for free skating and free skate rentals, there is still one more day of ice skating at Bushnell Park in Hartford. The last day is January 6, and it is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Every year the Town of West Hartford Ct hosts an Holiday Stroll which takes places this year on Thursday December 2rd from 5:30-8:30. Last year they had horse drawn carriage rides around town, plenty of children's activities such as face painting, balloon animal making etc. All the shops and restaurants are open offering specials and deals to get you to come inside.

Bring the family and your friends! You will not be disappointed.

http://www.bluebacksquare.com/holiday-stroll/

Did you know that Trader Joe's is owned by ALDI?

I was not surprised by all the comments generated by Mike Saunders' post on the new Trader Joe's that opened in his home town.  Those who are familiar with Trader Joe's agreed wholeheartedly with him and those who are not familiar with it were left wishing they had one too.

I have loved Trader Joe's since my daughter introduced me to it when she was living in Boston.  Now, I manage to go to the closest one to me (which is 20 minutes away) as often as I can.

What I find fascinating is the history of Trader Joe's which began in California by Joe Coulombe and was bought out in 1979 by Albrecht Discount (ALDI), a grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948.  Trader Joe's has the vibe of a Whole Foods while Aldi has the basic no-frills warehouse feel.  Despite feeling worlds apart, both offer great prices (although fewer products than a supermarket).  I shop regularly at ALDI simply because I need to buy fruits and vegetables more frequently, but I always plan a trip to Trader Joe's to stock up on what they have to offer.

I shop at both stores for different reasons, but Trader Joe's is definitely a more fun experience.  The people who work there are very helpful and cheerful.  I don't know what ALDI's policies are but Trader Joe's definitely takes a positive approach toward employees, so maybe they want to work there.  Check out this quote from the above-mentioned article:

You can't buy engagement from employees, but the pay at Trader Joe's helps. Store managers, "captains" in Trader Joe's parlance -- the nautical titles are a holdover from Coulombe (newly promoted captains are commanders; assistant store managers are first mates) -- can make in the low six figures, and full-time crew members can start in the $40,000 to $60,000 range. But on top of the pay, Trader Joe's annually contributes 15.4% of employees' gross income to tax-deferred retirement accounts.

Kind of an amazing story, isn't it?

West Hartford Realtor - Kathleen Shippee

West Hartford boasts a strong retail and service business network. There is a wealth of shopping and dining opportunities, from neighborhood restaurants to regional shopping destinations. Westfarms is an upscale mall with 160 specialty shops including Connecticut's only Nordstrom's and Rain Forest Café.

West Hartford Center is a traditional New England town center with over 140 outstanding retailers all within easy walking distance to one another. The Center has fine specialty shops, restaurants, coffee shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Many area events are held here throughout the year including the Holiday Stroll. The unique flavor of West Hartford Center makes shopping a pleasant and memorable experience. When moving to West Hartford you will need a West Hartford Realtor who can assist you and your family in finding the right neighborhood and providing you with the pertinent information before you choose a home. Kathleen Shippee, the West Hartford Realtor, has over a decade of real estate experience in and around the town of West Hartford.

Kathleen has lived in the area since 1995 and is a full time agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. She has consistently been recognized as the premier West Hartford Realtor who is committed to working closely with each client and providing the best results possible. Take a moment to read a few testimonials from West Hartford Realtor Kathleen Shippee's past clients.

Another West Hartford destination is Blue Back Square, a redevelopment of a 20-acre parcel just east of the town's thriving Center. It provides visitors with an art cinema, upscale shops, restaurants, a fitness center and luxury condominiums, pictured here. For additional information on availability to purchase one of these units, contact West Hartford Realtor Kathleen Shippee at #860-614-4941 or email kathleen.shippee@cbmoves.com.

Ranked by Connecticut Magazine as one of the top ten towns of its size in the state, West Hartford is an attractive community with exceptional high rated public schools, world famous parks and award winning recreational facilities. Call Kathleen, your West Hartford Realtor today.