Tips on Choosing the Right Size Home For You in Fairfield County CT

One person's idea of small is someone else's idea of just right, and yet someone else's idea of large.  The right size is quite a subjective question.

There are a few great ways to be able to tell what size home is right for you, and bigger isn't necessarily better, just as smaller isn't necessarily easier to maintain.  Here are a few easy ways  to figure out the square footage range that will make you most happy for your next home.

Your first step is to ascertain the size home that you are living in right now, and whether you feel it's just a tad too small, way too small, or on the flip side- a tad too big, or just way too much for you to want to continue to handle.

If you don't know the size home that you are living in right now, your real estate agent (me!) can easily find that out through town records- that also holds true for rentals, by the way.

After having a conversation with you, your Realtor should be able to tell  just how much bigger or smaller your next home's square footage should be, in order to optimize your home search.

For example, let's say that your current home is just under 2,000 square feet, but you want another bedroom and a family room. That may very well mean that you should look in the 2500+ square footage category.

Maybe your 2,000 square foot home just does not have enough storage for your liking- so let's make sure we have some unfinished areas for storage that can at least double what you have.  The actual living area may not need to change, so if we need to stay within a particular budget, we may still be able to look at 2,000 square foot homes with different configuration, or even a different style.

Or maybe that 2,000 square foot home is just too big, or too much to reasonably maintain. We can look at smaller homes that offer you the same, or reasonably similar interior features that you have grown accustomed to, while, downsizing unnecessary rooms.

Square footage is a number to start with, but not the be-all and end-all. An experienced real estate agent (like me) can guide you the process of what's right for you.

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 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

The Only Four Words Buyers Should Ever Say to Sellers

It can be quite uncomfortable if the seller is present during a showing of their home. It's an unnecessarily awkward situation for the buyers, who tend to say too much if not advised appropriately and properly in advance for a situation that is almost inevitable.

It's SIMPLE. The only words a buyer should say to a seller are Hello, thank you, and goodbye.  NOTHING ELSE!

Buyers- You can COST yourself a lot of money by talking to the seller. Every nice thing you say has the seller seeing dollar signs, and makes them less negotiable.

Go on and on about how nice the home is to the seller, and put in an offer? NOT A GOOD IDEA! Smart sellers are more inclined to stick to their price, because they know they won't have to negotiate with you.... because you gushed at their home, and then submitted in an offer shortly thereafter.

We were all taught that it's the polite thing to do and to give a compliment when deserved, and I am a firm believer you in fact, should in almost every instance- EXCEPT when you are buying your  home. If you want to tell the seller how much you love their home AFTER we've negotiated, that's fine :)
It doesn't cost you any money at that point.

I always advise my buyer clients to not even ask questions of the seller during the showing. Tell me what you want to know, and I will ask. The fine art of obtaining basic information from a seller in a conversational way is best. So leave the questions to your real estate agent, (That's me!)  and you will most likely be  saving yourself thousands of dollars!

If you are interested in buying, call me. You 'll get top notch representation, years of negotiation skills, and an agent who wants to save YOU money.

"When You Deserve the Best, You Deserve Judy"

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 The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

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 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Interested in That House? Resist the Urge to Call the Listing Agent

That may seem contrary to reason, but there are a few very important reasons why you should have someone OTHER than the listing agent represent you.

So stop right now, before you call.  It can cost you a LOT of money unnecessarily. Here's the how and why:

The agent has entered into an exclusive agreement to represent that seller, and owes his/her fiduciary responsibility TO THAT seller. In layman's terms, that agent is contracted to obtain the highest possible price for that property. Don't you want to pay the LOWEST possible price for that property?

Let's take it a step further- Besides having the legal fiduciary responsibility, that agent knows the seller  better than they know you. What would make you think that even as a dual agent (where the agent represents both parties, as agreed and acknowledged by both parties) that they could in fact treat you fairly when they have known that seller client longer, and have had more communication with the other party?

Also contrary to what you might think, an agent cannot reduce the commission in order to consummate the transaction without the owner of the company agreeing to it. By the way, the majority of the firms out there are franchises, and even the managing brokers really don't want to cut a commission- they don't have to. The property could be purchased  by a buyer represented by another firm,  you could purchase a different property from the agent,  and the firm would be out ZERO dollars.

If you are interested in buying, call me. You 'll get top notch representation, years of negotiation skills, and an agent who wants to save YOU money- not  make the deal happen for their own wallet.

"When You Deserve the Best, You Deserve Judy"

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 The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

The Newest National Housing Stats- What You Probably Didn't See

Monthly housing reports always trigger headlines.  And today’s National Association of Realtors Existing-Home Sales Report for November is no exception.  Here are three nuggets of information that might get lost in the media coverage:

1. Median existing home prices are going up: The November national median existing-home price for all housing types is $196,300.  This is $15,700 more than this time last year, and $32,100 more than November, 2011.
2. Homes are selling fast: The median time on the market for all homes was 56 days in November, which is approximately 8 weeks. Last year at this time, the average time on the market was 70 days, approximately 10 weeks.
3. And faster!: Maybe the most important stat was buried in the seventh paragraph.  Get this, 35% of all homes sold within 30 days.  Wow! 

There is clearly demand for homes, but that demand is not being met by supply, since we also learned that inventory, the amount of homes available for sale, is at a 5.1 month supply.  While that might sound like a lot, it is a full month below a traditional balanced market of 6 months.  Therefore, in most locations around the U.S., supply is not meeting demand and therefore sellers are in the driver’s seat equating to higher prices.

One other interesting thing I find fascinating in each NAR report is the use of the term “median.”  Quick!  Are you smarter than a 5^th grader?  What’s the difference between median and average home price?

Median is the exact middle point of all homes sold while the average is the cumulative sales number, divided by the number of sales recorded.

But what does a median home look like?  I thought it would be fun to see and found five Coldwell Banker listings from around the nation that matched the nation’s current median price of $196,000:

• Beautiful ranch style home on three acres in Wakefield, NH
• 4-bedroom 2.5 bath family home in Lake Jackson, TX
• Home with two units – one to live and one to rent – in Prineville, OR
• 4-bedroom 2 bath home in Pooler, GA
• Home with a scenic lake view in Winter Haven, FL

The preceding was an excerpt from a Guest post from Dianne Falaguerra with our partner agency CooperKatz on "Coldwell Banker Blue Matter"

Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact Judy!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Interested in That House? Here are a Couple of Great Negotiating Tips

First, take off the boxing gloves. Negotiations should be a win-win if at all possible.

When you are buying a home, the more you can find out about the home sellers and their motivation, the better for you. Having additional knowledge can help to negotiate the lowest possible price.

I always do a bit of digging to see what I can find out for my buyer-clients, and it has easily saved them thousands of dollars. If the owner is present at the home during the showing, I will ask a few seemingly innocent questions directly, which will help you but at the same time won't be inappropriate to inquire about.

1.) Where are you moving to?

2.) Are there any special assessments or easements?

3.) What is (or is not) included in the sale?


Additional questions (that can also help in negotiations- and that out of protocol, should not be addressed to the directly to the homeowner.)

Why is the homeowner selling? That could prove to valuable in helping to  determine an offer. For example, if the sellers have already bought another home, they may be under the gun to sell the property,

Have there been any offers? That would tell us a few things-  it may even tell us that that the price we are willing to pay might be more than the sellers would accept. We could go in lower and actually save you money!

Were there any deals that fell apart, and if so, why? It's usually a building inspection or financial issue. Eitehr way, it's important to know.

The best negotiating advice is to have as much information about the other side as possible. With me as your agent, I will do the research and do my very best to get the best deal for you. :)

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See a Tour of The Featured Home of the Week - a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900.  

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like:

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY