751 North Street
Maureen Crumbine’s had this listing for awhile now and at its current price of $6,500,000 I think it’s probably the best bargain in its price range. Unlike some four acre plots, this one (4.5 acres, in fact) is square, not narrow and long, thereby providing complete privacy from neighbors on either side. The rear is protected from future houses springing up in your backyard because it backs up to the Babcock Property’s 300 acres. That’s the property; the house itself is just as nice and finished beautifully. Great landscaping, top quality finishes inside and a really good price. What’s not to like?
The Highway Differential
Ever wonder how much proximity to the Merritt Parkway takes off a house’s value? I’d say, at least $500,000. At least, that’s what I conclude after viewing Ed Mortimer’s listing at 34 Carrington Drive. This house is huge: six bedrooms, plus a two bedroom cottage, nice high ceilings and high quality new (2000) construction, plus a pool and 3.6 acres. If it were on the other side of the street, I’d place its value at $3.1 million. But it’s not; instead, it backs up to the Merritt. Ed has dealt with this appropriately by pricing the house at $2.6 million and, sooner or later, a buyer will come along who is willing to exchange a bit of noise for the opportunity to live in such a nice house. The irony of this type of situation is that owners who make such a compromise eventually tune out the objection: railroad, highway, whatever and, when it comes time to sell the house, often insist on pricing it as though there were no problem at all. “Highway? What highway? I haven’t heard it for years.” Potential buyers, alas, haven’t acclimatized to the nuisance and they’ll insist on a discount. On a related point, I’m curious to see what those new houses going up on North Street, with their backs to the Merritt, eventually sell for. They look as though they’ll be awfully expensive, and I wonder if they’ll find buyers at the builder’s expected price range.
Public Open House Signs
I unfairly used too broad a brush when I recently condemned “chain store Realtors” for breaking the law governing real estate signs. In fact, only one of the chains does so repeatedly, and that’s Weichert. Every Sunday, their loud yellow signs are posted throughout our neighborhoods and along our highways and Post Road. It’s a cheesy way to advertise a brand name and it’s illegal. So if, like me, you don’t like your neighborhood besmirched, why not call someone, like Diane Fox at the P&Z ,622-7894, or Weichert’s manager, Elsie Pecorin, at 661-5400, and complain?
Frozen Cows?
We had two snow storms while you all were away and I noticed, again, that word of impending snow sends nervous mothers flocking to the supermarkets to stock up on food and, for some reason, endless quantities of milk. Food I understand—the farmers’ crops will be buried and we won’t see their produce until the sun melts the snow cover—but what’s with the milk? People seem to buy it as though the cows won’t be producing again until July. In fact, dear reader, cows are milked every day, twice a day, winter or summer, snow or no snow. They don’t freeze, really. So a day or two’s supply is probably all you need. There is no reason to push one cart ahead of you and tow one behind you, each overflowing with gallons of milk, just because we’re anticipating a bit of snow. Trust me on this.
What is Twenty-three Months, Five Days, Alex?
From the April 4, 2003 edition of this column:
“I see that an oriental rung company on the Post Road is conducting a grand opening sale. How long before order is restored to the universe and it holds its first going out of business sale?”
Your Name is Destiny
According to Greenwich Time, the new head of the Norwalk Aquarium is a woman named Jennifer Herring.
Watch Your Language
Some time ago a friend of mine spent quite a bit of time with a client who wanted to “buy Leona’s place”. The deal never went anywhere (the property is not for sale, as of now) and the would-be buyer disappeared. Until last week, when he resurfaced in the pages of the Wall Street Journal as the alleged kingpin of a massive securities fraud. It’s obvious that, had my friend dug a little deeper into the reference to “Leona’s place” he’d have learned that the man was referring to Bedford Hills, not Dunnellen Hall, and he’d have saved himself a lot of wasted effort.
Maureen Crumbine’s had this listing for awhile now and at its current price of $6,500,000 I think it’s probably the best bargain in its price range. Unlike some four acre plots, this one (4.5 acres, in fact) is square, not narrow and long, thereby providing complete privacy from neighbors on either side. The rear is protected from future houses springing up in your backyard because it backs up to the Babcock Property’s 300 acres. That’s the property; the house itself is just as nice and finished beautifully. Great landscaping, top quality finishes inside and a really good price. What’s not to like?
The Highway Differential
Ever wonder how much proximity to the Merritt Parkway takes off a house’s value? I’d say, at least $500,000. At least, that’s what I conclude after viewing Ed Mortimer’s listing at 34 Carrington Drive. This house is huge: six bedrooms, plus a two bedroom cottage, nice high ceilings and high quality new (2000) construction, plus a pool and 3.6 acres. If it were on the other side of the street, I’d place its value at $3.1 million. But it’s not; instead, it backs up to the Merritt. Ed has dealt with this appropriately by pricing the house at $2.6 million and, sooner or later, a buyer will come along who is willing to exchange a bit of noise for the opportunity to live in such a nice house. The irony of this type of situation is that owners who make such a compromise eventually tune out the objection: railroad, highway, whatever and, when it comes time to sell the house, often insist on pricing it as though there were no problem at all. “Highway? What highway? I haven’t heard it for years.” Potential buyers, alas, haven’t acclimatized to the nuisance and they’ll insist on a discount. On a related point, I’m curious to see what those new houses going up on North Street, with their backs to the Merritt, eventually sell for. They look as though they’ll be awfully expensive, and I wonder if they’ll find buyers at the builder’s expected price range.
Public Open House Signs
I unfairly used too broad a brush when I recently condemned “chain store Realtors” for breaking the law governing real estate signs. In fact, only one of the chains does so repeatedly, and that’s Weichert. Every Sunday, their loud yellow signs are posted throughout our neighborhoods and along our highways and Post Road. It’s a cheesy way to advertise a brand name and it’s illegal. So if, like me, you don’t like your neighborhood besmirched, why not call someone, like Diane Fox at the P&Z ,622-7894, or Weichert’s manager, Elsie Pecorin, at 661-5400, and complain?
Frozen Cows?
We had two snow storms while you all were away and I noticed, again, that word of impending snow sends nervous mothers flocking to the supermarkets to stock up on food and, for some reason, endless quantities of milk. Food I understand—the farmers’ crops will be buried and we won’t see their produce until the sun melts the snow cover—but what’s with the milk? People seem to buy it as though the cows won’t be producing again until July. In fact, dear reader, cows are milked every day, twice a day, winter or summer, snow or no snow. They don’t freeze, really. So a day or two’s supply is probably all you need. There is no reason to push one cart ahead of you and tow one behind you, each overflowing with gallons of milk, just because we’re anticipating a bit of snow. Trust me on this.
What is Twenty-three Months, Five Days, Alex?
From the April 4, 2003 edition of this column:
“I see that an oriental rung company on the Post Road is conducting a grand opening sale. How long before order is restored to the universe and it holds its first going out of business sale?”
Your Name is Destiny
According to Greenwich Time, the new head of the Norwalk Aquarium is a woman named Jennifer Herring.
Watch Your Language
Some time ago a friend of mine spent quite a bit of time with a client who wanted to “buy Leona’s place”. The deal never went anywhere (the property is not for sale, as of now) and the would-be buyer disappeared. Until last week, when he resurfaced in the pages of the Wall Street Journal as the alleged kingpin of a massive securities fraud. It’s obvious that, had my friend dug a little deeper into the reference to “Leona’s place” he’d have learned that the man was referring to Bedford Hills, not Dunnellen Hall, and he’d have saved himself a lot of wasted effort.
posted by Chris Fountain at 1:25 PM
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