Week 52: An Existential Threat. John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
We are facing an existential threat in New Canaan. No, I’m not talking about the annual drumbeat of laws from Hartford which strip away local control of our zoning and of our schools. I am talking about shutting down the New Canaan Multiple Listing Service. The New Canaan Board of Realtors (NCBOR) has been around […]
Week 51: How Real Estate is Like and Not Like Poker. John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
Today I am speaking on a panel on industry changes. I am noticing more pressure on buyer’s agents from a number of directions. Sellers are asking if they can eliminate or reduce offers of compensation, probing for a better deal. Buyers are approaching the listing agent directly. This is to be expected as both sides […]
Week 50: Like a Starter’s Pistol, We’re Off! John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
t is as if we began the Fall Season with a starter pistol on Labor Day. Buyers and sellers are feeling a newfound urgency to enter the market. Last week we listed an in-town renovated antique for $2.5 million. Over 30 groups made appointments last weekend and there were multiple offers when the dust settled. […]
Week 49: Labor Day Market Report – 8 Months In John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
Homes for Sale. For the third month in a row the amount of inventory fell in New Canaan and continues to drop around Fairfield County. Darien and Wilton see single family home inventory consistently below 50 homes since late 2022 while New Canaan has been below 75 since that time (with the exception being last […]
Week 48: What Drives the Housing Market? John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
We are at the long-awaited inf lection point where the Fed reverses course and lowers rates. The stock and bond markets rallied this week on the news. A survey of big banks predicts 30- year rates between 6.5% and 6.7% in the fourth quarter. 15-year adjustables, already in the high 5’s, will drop to the […]
Can A Generator Add Value To Your Home?
Severe weather events increase in frequency and intensity each year, causing more unexpected power outages. This is why a generator is becoming a desirable home feature for both buyers and sellers. Homeowners are recognizing the importance of having a reliable backup power source, not just for their convenience, but also for their safety and peace of mind.
Moving To A New State? Don’t Forget To Add These Tasks To Your To-Do List
Moving to your new home is no easy feat. But moving across state lines? It adds a new level of intricacy that can overwhelm you if you don’t plan for everything in advance.
In this blog, we go over some moving essentials that you might have missed. Feel free to add them to your moving-out-of-state checklist to help make your move go as smoothly as possible.
Week 47: Round House. John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
In 1968 midcentury modern architect Richard Foster designed The Round House in Wilton for his own family, a house also known as The Spaceship House or The Circambulant House, one which rotates fully on its axis once every 45 minutes, the first rotating house in the world. Melissa and I had the pleasure of touring […]
7 Little Ways You Can Upgrade Your Bathroom (Without Draining Your Savings)
Here are seven ways you can make minor, but still noticeable, changes to your bath without the expense of remodeling. From simple swaps of everyday useful items to weekend projects that do not have to cost an arm and a leg, you can find something that suits your need for your much-needed bathroom facelift.
Week 46: How to Show a House. John Engel’s Real Estate Column for the New Canaan Sentinel
This week’s column is not really about showing a house. I am being both literal and metaphorical, relevant for those of you in another line of work. It’s about being purposeful in everything we do. I’ll begin with a story from the Army. Sergeant Cornelius had previously been a General’s aide. When interviewing new, young […]
