Jonathan Hall Danbury,CT Real Estate~203-417-0523

Newer condos & townhomes in the Danbury area go in all shapes, sizes and layouts. The advantage of this is that you can find a community that you feel the most comfortable in, location, amenties as well as having the space set up in a way that best suites your lifestyle. The most common layout set up is a tri level. The advantage of having three different levels of space (living area level, bedroom level, and basement) is that you can divide the space and minimize noise from public areas to sleeping areas. Three level townhomes are available at Woodland Hills, Sterling Woods, Kensington Woods, Stetson Place, Arlington Woods, Lake Place and others

The second most popular set up for townhomes in the Danbury area having 4 levels of space. The extra level is created by either having a loft space in (as is the case for some of the floor plans in Woodland Hills) or creating a level along the slope from the garage (kind of a sub basement) which was done at some of the units over in the Westville Commons. You do get a some additional living space, but it might be difficult to do things like calling people to something & also could be difficult to climb the stairs if you get ill or incapacitated.

There are surprising very few two level units. Some communities that offer two level units (main level, and either an upper level or basement) include of the set ups in the Poet's Landing community and Summit View (Old Brookfield Road). Some two level units are in older (20 years or so) such as Park Ridge, Lakewood, Arrowood and Barclay Commons.

There is a very small supply of newer ranch style units. They are desireable because they are typically easier to clean and maintain. They are also good if you become in a position where climbing stairs can be difficult. There are ranch units models in Poet's landing & Crystal Bay (both with direct access to Candlewood Lake) Lake Place, Westwood Village, Barclay Commons, Shepherd Hill as well some units in the original section of Sterling Woods.

With affordable home prices and property taxes, it is no surprise that the Greater Danbury & Candlewood Lake is growing to be the alternative to Westchester. You do get more house from your money in the Danbury area, which is only about 45 minutes to White Plains. There is no county government to pay taxes on or special taxes for school districts on top of the property taxes. The area offers a wide variety of real estate options ranging from condos to sprawling estates on Candlewood Lake, new construction and everything in between.

The City of Danbury does offer many things to do. Tarrywille Park is a a public park with many miles of walking trails & is larger than Central Park in New York City. There is a major state university with two campuses in city limits. The Danbury Fair Mall is one of the largest in New England. There is a huge amount of both national, regional and locally owned business, stores & restaurants. The city has a recently refurbished and technology friendly public library. In addition, there are several museums in town as well as an active performing arts scene. Danbury is home of one of the top 50 public golf courses in the state, Richter Park.

Candlewood Lake is the largest attraction to the area. With over 60 miles of coast line along 5 different towns, Danbury,Brookfield,New Fairfield, Sherman and New Milford, it is the largest lake in the state and one of the largest manmade lakes in the country. Along the shoreline, you will find facilities including golf courses, beaches and marinas. Candlewood Lake is used year round although some tourists come up for the summer to go fishing, boating, golfing and swimming.

The average list price for single family homes in the area(per CMLS 3/20/09) is as following:

-Bethel:$455,681

-Brookfield:$627,914

-Danbury:$416,373

-New Fairfield:$797,991

-New Milford:$481,699

-Newtown:$645,773

-Redding:$1,121,570

-Ridgefield:$1,212,370

-Sherman: $906,492

Things that extra things to keep in mind when figuring out budget

• Washer & Dryer..About 1/2 of the time they are included in the purchase price, other times they aren't.
• Window Treatments:Often just the blinds & curtain rods are included.
• Tools:
• Gas tank & hookup to the house if you want gas applicances and the owner has electric and you are not on the gas line.
• New locks
• Often with short sales and foreclosures, you will see things such as the trim, light fixtures, mirrors either gone, damanged or needing to be replaced.
• Any basic repairs to make the house livable & safe (vents, furnance, pipes, electrical)
• Any cosmetic work to make the house your own

Renting is not a great plan if you are staying in the same area for more than 3 years.The average rent in Danbuyr is around $1500 a month. Assuming a 5% increase in rent per year, you would be out a considerable amount of money:

Year Monthly Rent Annual Rent

1 $1500 $18000

2 $1575 $18900

3 $1654 $19848

4 $1737 $20844

5 $1824 $21888

Total Rent Paid for 5 years:$99,480

The numbers even become more shocking if you are paying even more in rent.

Year Monthly Rent Annual Rent

1 $1800 $21600

2 $1890 $22680

3 $1985 $23820

4 $2084 $25008

5 $2188 $26256

Total Rent Paid for 5 Years = $119,364

In the same 5 years, if you had a $300,000 loan, lets look at your net worth.

After 5 Years (Assuming 3% increase in value per year):

Appreciation $47,625 to $347,625

Mortgage Balance ($279,163) $20,873 from $300,000

Total Net Worth $68,500

Even a 1.5% Home Appreciation Still Yields $35,000 Net Worth. Stop making your landlord rich. Call me to talk about how you can become a homeowner!

The Benefits of owning include:

Growth of equity over time: Over time, owners have opportunities to build equity and receive a great return on their investment.

Cash access: You can borrow against your equity or turn into into cash when you sell.

Tax Advantage: The interest on your loan is usually tax deductible.

Security: With a fixed rate mortgage, your payments will remain the same unlike rent.

Investment: Owners can make renovations that reflect their personal style and possibility raise the value in your home.

There are many reasons units always seem to sell over at Westwood Village on the west side of Danbury.

• The community is composed of spacious well designed 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units.
• A proactive condo board & professional management company keeps the community well maintained.
• Great amenities including two pools, dog park and playground.
• Prime location minutes to I-84, I-684, train stations and New York state.
• Because of the community is set high upon a steep hill, some of the units do offer great views of the surrounding hillside and nearby lakes.
• Westwood Village is close to shopping along Mill Plain Rd.

See what is for sale in Westwood Village in Danbury below.