My New Blog

February 9th, 2011 5:42 PM

I just finished working through the Trulia web site. Trulia is a real estate information web site which brings the public together with real estate professionals in a social networking atmosphere. The site is easy to navigate and has lots of information about all aspects of real estate. Naturally I was most interested in the sales data on the site, I wanted to know where it came from, how current it is and how accurate it is.

I have a special interest in Hamden, Connecticut because I recently bought an estate sale on Glemby Street and am rehabbing it. I was curious to know what a user of this site might think about my house when I put it on the market.

I did a search for comparables for my property on Glemby Street, I used the address only, I was curious to find out about the quality and quantity of the data. The search turned up 63 sales, the sales were plotted on a google map just like the MLS and the minimal info that the site has about each property was displayed. The most recent sales were from early October 2010 which is more than 90 days ago.

The site states "county(public records)" are the source for the data and had the the most basic of info, gla or square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, year built, minimal information. No info about decks, finished basement, heating/cooling or updating.

The MLS has 19 sales over the last 12 months in the immediate area around the house I purchased, I searched Woodin Street, Helen Street, Notkin, Murray, Alenier, Glemby, Fairview, Rochford, Glenbrook, Longmeadow, Laconia and Elmer. Trulia has 6 sales on those same streets!

I then took a look at the statistics about the Hamden market that are under the stats and trends tab, average listing price, median sales price, average sales price per square foot and the number of sales are trended and week over week and year over year comparisons are made. The site does not state where the data comes from. This page also included the total number of homes for sale, recently sold, open homes and foreclosures. I checked the number of foreclosures on Realty Trac and found a very similar number, I could not check the number of recently sold properties because they did not specify the time frame, Trulia states 358 recently sold, now I know that was not the last month's total, we all wish that were true, according to the local MLS there were 397 single family home sales in Hamden in 2010, I wish I knew the time frame and if all the sales were single family homes. There is also a market summary towards the bottom of the page as well as info about schools, and graphs about crime in the area.

In general I found the site to be very interesting and informative. A person looking to buy real estate can get some information which is helpful. I wish Trulia would be more specific about the time frames for the data and had more complete and current sales data. The more accurate information a consumer has the better educated the consumer is and the easier it is to get a sale. We need as many real estate transactions as we can get. According to the National Association of Home Builders housing's contribution to Gross Domestic Product is approximately 17% to 18% which is a large part of our economy we need more sales for everyone to prosper.


Posted by Wayne Wright on February 9th, 2011 5:42 PMPost a Comment (0)

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February 7th, 2011 4:42 PM

Manchester is located in north eastern Connecticut, west of Hartford, north  of Glastonbury. The population of 57,640 is spread out over 27 square miles. Manchester is home to Buckland Hills, one of the largest shopping areas in eastern Connecticut, Manchester Community College and the Manchester Road Race.

Manchester has one of the most active real estate market’s in Connecticut, over the last 90 days it ranks 5th out of 169 towns in the number of single family home sales. Real estate activity is important because it provides an indication of how well this community is perceived by the market. The home buying public likes Manchester, it has plenty of shopping which is easily accessed from the most densely developed areas as well as easy highway access. It is also close to East Hartford, Glastonbury and Hartford which are employments centers in central Connecticut.

All the stats cited in this blog are from the local board of Realtors, the Realtor stats are more current than other data sources that are available and are updated daily. I would like to try to put the information which is out into perspective and provide usable info which buyers and sellers can use to make informed decisions.

National statistics may be useful to national companies but to local buyers and sellers it provides misleading data. Residential real estate is a unique commodity, single family homes provide shelter and are a place to make memories but no house is exactly the same, each has its own unique characteristics and each house actually rises and falls in value on its own merit. Houses with special locations and or are in exceptional condition will not move in unison with the homes in the market which are average.

Stats which speak in generalities are useful to get a broad understanding of what is going on but if you are a buyer or seller the generalities maybe a disservice to you if you have a home which is exceptional in location or condition.

Let’s look at the most recent stats released by the National Association of Realtors. AP economics writer, Martin Crutsinger posted an article last Friday, 1/20/2011, the title of the article was “Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain. “ let’s look at how that article relates to the Manchester market. Mr. Crutsinger states in his article that there was an increase of 12.8 percent from November and was the strongest sales pace since May. Manchester did experience a sales increase in December 2010 over November 2010, there were 18 sales in November 2010 and 28 sales in Manchester in December 2010. Manchester's market did not mirror the national statistics they greatly exceeded them which illustrates my point.

Let’s take a look at the Manchester market over the last 8 years. The median price for a single family home in Manchester as of 12/31/2003 was $164,900. The median price increased to $180,000 in 2004, to $204,900 in 2005 and increased to $210,000 in 2006. 2007 saw a further increase in the median price and finished 2007 at $220,000. 2007 was the peak of the market based on both the average price and the median price. The average and median prices have been declining starting in 2007, the median price fell to $195,000 in 2008, $188,375 was the median price in 2009 and during the last 12 months the median price fell again to $185,000. So what do all of these numbers mean? In general, if you bought a house in 2004 or prior your property maybe worth what you paid for it, remember each house moves individually in the market, exceptional locations and condition have more resistance to downturns than the average house. Keep in mind that these statistics include all single family home sales, estates sales, short sales, foreclosed properties, poor condition properties, and divorces, all homes which may or may not have had duress involved.

I have been speaking of exceptions to the general statistics and will share a few examples with you. I found three examples of homes which sold and resold during the last 8 years, in the appraisal world they are considered “matched pairs” and can be used to make market derived adjustments. I did not search the entire Manchester market; I just picked a subdivision which I know is very active and was able to find three homes which illustrate exceptions to the statistics which are generally used. 54 Brookfield Street was purchased on 3/28/2003 for $205,000. This home had a new roof, vinyl siding and deck. New ceramic tile in kitchen according to the MLS. This home resold on 9/03/2004 for $229,900 and then sold again on 6/11/2010 for $254,000. Now keep in mind that the Manchester market was declining starting in 2007, also recall that in the fall of 2008 we had the worldwide financial crisis which lead to TARP, bailouts and a lot of talk about total financial collapse. Well this house made it through the declining market and the financial crisis and managed to sell for more than what it was purchased for in 2004. Here is another example, 161 Branford Street was purchased on 4/30/2003 for $137,500,the listing at that time stated "cutie petutie" with most things under 10 years old"  This house sold again on 7/13/2009 for $145,000, an increase of $7,500!  A third example is 160 Lenox Street which sold on 2/27/2004 for $178,900 as a brand new home. The house was resold for $206,000 on 11/6/2009, an increase of $27,100!

My point is that using generalities may work against homeowners who wish to sell and buyers interested in real estate. Sellers might think they do not have any equity in their home and cannot sell without losing money. Buyers may not want to get into the market because they are waiting for prices to hit the bottom. In the end everyone loses especially the Connecticut economy which needs every real estate transaction it can get. If you have a need to sell or a desire to sell because your current house does not fit your family then speak to a Realtor and get the real deal on your house. Agents have the same info that I have used in this blog and can let you know what your real situation is. Buy Real Estate our economy depends on it.


Posted by Wayne Wright on February 7th, 2011 4:42 PMPost a Comment (0)

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February 7th, 2011 3:01 PM

Bristol is located in north central Connecticut, north of Waterbury, north west of New Britain. The population of 60,062 is spread out over 26.6 square miles. Bristol is home to ESPN, Associated Spring, Dana/Warner Electric Corporation, Otis Elevator and CIGNA Insurance.

Bristol has one of the most active real estate market’s in the state over the last 90 days it ranks 4th out of 169 towns in the number of single family home sales. The real estate activity is important because it provides an indication of how well this community is perceived by the market. The home buying public likes Bristol, it has plenty of shopping which is easily accessed from the most densely developed areas as well as easy highway access. It is also close to Southington, Farmington and New Britain which are employments centers in central Connecticut.

All the stats cited in this blog are from the local board of Realtors, the Realtor stats are more current than other data sources that are available and are updated daily. I would like to try to put the information which is out into perspective and provide usable info which buyers and sellers can use to make informed decisions.

National statistics may be useful to national companies but to local buyers and sellers it provides misleading data. Residential real estate is a unique commodity, single family homes provide shelter and are a place to make memories but no house is exactly the same, each has its own unique characteristics and each house actually rises and falls in value on its own merit. Houses with special locations and or are in exceptional condition will not move in unison with the homes in the market which are average.

Stats which speak in generalities are useful to get a broad understanding of what is going on but if you are a buyer or seller the generalities maybe a disservice to you if you have a home which is exceptional in location or condition.

Let’s look at the most recent stats released by the National Association of Realtors. AP economics writer, Martin Crutsinger posted an article last Friday, 1/20/2011, the title of the article was “Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain. “ let’s look at how that article relates to the Bristol market. Mr. Crutsinger states in his article that there was an increase of 12.8 percent from November and was the strongest sales pace since May. Bristol did experience a sales increase in December 2010 over November 2010, there were 26 sales in November 2010 and 27 sales in Bristol in December 2010. Bristol's market did not mirror the national statistics which illustrates my point.

Let’s take a look at the Bristol market over the last 8 years. The median price for a single family home in Bristol as of 12/31/2003 was $167,500. The median price increased to $186,450 in 2004, to $212,000 in 2005 and increased to $218,500 in 2006. 2006 was the peak of the market based on both the average price and the median price. The average and median prices have been declining starting in 2007 when the median price dropped to $217,850, the median price fell to $195,000 in 2008, $190,000 was the median price in 2009 and during the last 12 months the median price fell again to $180,000. So what do all of these numbers mean? In general, if you bought a house in 2003 or prior your property maybe worth what you paid for it, remember each house moves individually in the market, exceptional locations and condition have more resistance to downturns than the average house. Keep in mind that these statistics include all single family home sales, estates sales, short sales, foreclosed properties, poor condition properties, and divorces, all homes which may or may not have had duress involved.

I have been speaking of exceptions to the general statistics and will share a few examples with you. I found three examples of homes which sold and resold during the last 8 years, in the appraisal world they are considered “matched pairs” and can be used to make market derived adjustments. I did not search the entire Bristol market; I just picked a subdivision which I know is very active and was able to find three homes which illustrate exceptions to the statistics which are generally used. 281 Burton Street was purchased on 8/18/2004 for $242,900. This home was "very well kept" at this time according to the MLS. This home resold on 5/21/2010 for $242,000, essentially the same price. Now keep in mind that the Bristol market was declining starting in 2007, also recall that in the fall of 2008 we had the worldwide financial crisis which lead to TARP, bailouts and a lot of talk about financial collapse. Well this house made it through the declining market and the financial crisis and managed to sell for what it was purchased for in 2004. Here is another example, 31 Paul Street was purchased on 6/19/2003 for $157,500, and the listing at that time did not mention “TLC” or have any negative comments about condition. This house sold again on 6/14/2010 for $199,900, an increase of $42,400!  A third example is 77 Paul Street which sold on 10/28/2003 for $120,000 as a foreclosed property. The house was remodeled and resold for $189,900 on 6/24/2004. This house sold again on 6/8/2009 for $212,000 an increase of $22,100!

My point is that using generalities may work against homeowners who wish to sell and buyers interested in real estate. Sellers might think they do not have any equity in their home and cannot sell without losing money. Buyers may not want to get into the market because they are waiting for prices to hit the bottom. In the end everyone loses especially the Connecticut economy which needs every real estate transaction it can get. If you have a need to sell or a desire to sell because your current house does not fit your family then speak to a Realtor and get the real deal on your house. Agents have the same info that I have used in this blog and can let you know what your real situation is. Buy Real Estate our economy depends on it.


Posted by Wayne Wright on February 7th, 2011 3:01 PMPost a Comment (0)

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February 1st, 2011 7:57 PM

Milford is located in south western Connecticut and borders Stratford which is in Fairfield County. The population of 54,040 is spread out over 23 square miles. Milford has one of the most active real estate market’s in the state over the last 90 days it ranks 3rd out of 169 towns in the number of single family home sales. The real estate activity is important because it provides an indication of how well this community is perceived by the market. Milford is a popular town, it is located along Long Island Sound and has 14 miles along the shoreline which provides direct waterfront properties, it has plenty of shopping which is easily accessed from the most densely developed areas as well as easy highway access. It is also close to New Haven as well as Fairfield County which are major employment centers.

All the stats cited in this blog are from the local board of Realtors, the Realtor stats are more current than other data sources that are available and are updated daily. I would like to try to put the information which is out into perspective and provide usable info which buyers and sellers can use to make informed decisions.

National statistics may be useful to national companies but to local buyers and sellers it provides misleading data. Residential real estate is a unique commodity, single family homes provide shelter and are a place to make memories but no house is exactly the same, each has its own unique characteristics and each house actually rises and falls in value on its own merit. Houses with special locations and or are in exceptional condition will not move in unison with the homes in the market which are average.

Stats which speak in generalities are useful to get a broad understanding of what is going on but if you are a buyer or seller the generalities maybe a disservice to you if you have a home which is exceptional in location or condition.

Let’s look at the most recent stats released by the National Association of Realtors. AP economics writer, Martin Crutsinger posted an article last Friday, 1/20/2011, the title of the article was “Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain. “ let’s look at how that article relates to the Milford. Mr. Crutsinger states in his article that there was an increase of 12.8 percent from November and was the strongest sales pace since May. Milford did experience a sales increase in December 2010 over November 2010, there were 27 sales in November 2010 and 33 sales in Milford in December 2010 an increase of 18%! That is very good news for the real estate market because December is generally the slowest month of the year and hopefully this trend will continue into the future.

Let’s take a look at the Milford market over the last 8 years. The median price for a single family home in Milford as of 12/31/2003 was $275,000. The median price increased to $300,000 in 2004, to $338,000 in 2005 and increased to $344,000 in 2006 and to $350,000 in 2007. 2007 was the peak of the market based on both the average price and the median price. The average and median prices started declining starting in 2008 when the median price dropped to $320,000, the median price fell to $275,000 in 2009,  the median price increased to $285,000 during the last 12 months. The increase in the median price is most likey due to record low mortgage rates which are re-inflating housing prices like was experienced during 2002-2006, the federal tax credit which expired in april 2010 and lower overall prices which improved the affordability of homeownership. Job creation will have a major impact on wether the upward trend in prices will continue in Milford.

So what do all of these numbers mean? In general, if you bought a house in 2003 or prior your property maybe worth what you paid for it, remember each house moves individually in the market, exceptional locations and condition have more resistance to downturns than the average house. Keep in mind that these statistics include all single family home sales, estates sales, short sales, foreclosed properties, poor condition properties, and divorces, all homes which may or may not have had duress involved.

I have been speaking of exceptions to the general statistics and will share a few examples with you. I found six examples of homes which sold and resold during the last 8 years, in the appraisal world they are considered “matched pairs” and can be used to make market derived adjustments. I did not search the entire Milford market; I just picked a subdivision which I know is very active and was able to find six homes which illustrate exceptions to the statistics which are generally used. I will show three of the six "re-sales" for the sake of brevity. 4 Lookout Hill Road was purchased on 1/15/2003 for $283,500. This home was 9 years old at the time, there were no MLS comments which state anything about updating. This home re-sold on 12/21/2010 for $310,000, $26,500 more! Now keep in mind that the Milford market was declining starting in 2008 and in the fall of 2008 we had the worldwide financial crisis which lead to TARP, bailouts and a lot of talk about total financial collapse. Well this house made it through the declining market and the financial crisis and managed to sell 7 years later for $26,500 more than it was purchased for in 2003. Here is another example, 118 Lexington Way was purchased on 3/3/2003 for $408,000, the listing at that time did not mention “TLC” or have any negative comments about condition. This house sold again on 12/3/2009 for $461,500, an increase of $53,500! The listing for this house at the time of the 2009 sale mentioned new hardwood floors on the first level. A third example is 51 Oak Ridge which sold on 10/23/2003 for $410,000 and re-sold on 10/13/2009 for $429,000 an increase of $19,000! The comments in the MLS showed no major improvements in the house over the 6 year time frame.

My point is that using generalities may work against homeowners who wish to sell and buyers interested in real estate. Sellers might think they do not have any equity in their home and cannot sell without losing money. Buyers may not want to get into the market because they are waiting for prices to hit the bottom. In the end everyone loses especially the Connecticut economy which needs every real estate transaction it can get. If you have a need to sell or a desire to sell because your current house does not fit your family then speak to a Realtor and get the real deal on your house. Agents have the same info that I have used in this blog and can let you know what your real situation is. Buy Real Estate our economy depends on it.


Posted by Wayne Wright on February 1st, 2011 7:57 PMPost a Comment (0)

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January 26th, 2011 8:29 AM

West Hartford is located in north central Connecticut, just west of Hartford. The population of 63,589+- is spread out over 22.2 square miles. West Hartford is home to St. Joseph College, University of Hartford, as well as the University Of Connecticut Greater Hartford Campus.

West Hartford is the most active residential real estate market in the state. Over the last 90 days it ranks 1st out of 169 towns in the number of single family home sales. The real estate activity is important because it provides an indication of how well this community is perceived by the market. The home buying public likes West Hartford, it has plenty of shopping, including Blue Back Square which is easily accessed from the most densely developed areas as well as easy highway access. It is also close to Hartford which is a major employment center.

All the stats cited in this blog are from the local board of Realtors, the Realtor stats are more current than other data sources that are available and are updated daily. I would like to try to put the information which is out there into perspective and provide usable info which buyers and sellers can use to make informed decisions.

National statistics may be useful to national companies but to local buyers and sellers it provides misleading data. Residential real estate is a unique commodity, single family homes provide shelter and are a place to make memories but no house is exactly the same, each has its own unique characteristics and each house actually rises and falls in value on its own merit. Houses with special locations and or are in exceptional condition will not move in unison with the homes in the market which are average.

Stats which speak in generalities are useful to get a broad understanding of what is going on but if you are a buyer or seller the generalities maybe a disservice to you if you have a home which is exceptional in location or condition.

Let’s look at the most recent stats released by the National Association of Realtors. AP economics writer, Martin Crutsinger posted an article last Friday, 1/20/2011, the title of the article was “Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain. “ let’s look at how that article relates to the West Hartford market. Mr. Crutsinger states in his article that there was an increase of 12.8 percent from November and was the strongest sales pace since May. West Hartford did not experience a sales increase in December 2010 over November 2010, there were 46 sales in November 2010 and 41 sales in West Hartford in December 2010.The decline in the number of sales should not be viewed as a trend but it does illustrate the need for buyers and sellers to be aware of local stats for local markets so they know what is going on and can make informed decisions.

Let’s take a look at the West Hartford market over the last 8 years. The median price for a single family home in West Hartford as of 12/31/2003 was $255,000. The median price increased to $275,000 in 2004, to $298,250 in 2005 and increased to $305,000 in 2006. The median price increased to $306,750 in 2007, 2007 was the peak of the market based on the median price. The average price in West Hartford is approximately $45,000 more than the median as West Hartford has very diverse pricing. The average price is influenced more by the sales over $600,000 than the median price. The median price declined in 2008 to $305,000, and then fell to $285,000 in 2009. 2010 saw a rebound in median price to $299,900.

So what do all of these numbers mean? In general, if you bought a house in West Hartford you made a better investment in real estate than most other people in Connecticut. Your property maybe worth what you paid for it, remember each house moves individually in the market, exceptional locations and condition have more resistance to downturns than the average house. Keep in mind that these statistics include all single family home sales, estates sales, short sales, foreclosed properties, poor condition properties, and divorces, all homes which may or may not have had duress involved.

I have been speaking of exceptions to the general statistics and will share a few examples with you. I found sixteen examples of homes which sold and resold during the last 8 years, in the appraisal world they are considered “matched pairs” and can be used to make market derived adjustments. I did not search the entire West Hartford market; I just picked 6 streets which I know have activity and was able to find sixteen homes which illustrate exceptions to the statistics which are generally used. I will include just four of the sixteen examples for the sake of brevity. 90 Penn Drive was purchased on 3/21/2003 for $260,000. This home had an updated kitchen, refinished hardwood floors, crown moldings, adventium convection oven, newer roof according to the MLS. This home resold on 5/28/2010 for $352,000, $92,000 more! Now keep in mind that the West Hartford market was declining starting in 2008, also recall that in the fall of 2008 we had the worldwide financial crisis which lead to TARP, bailouts and a lot of talk about financial collapse. Well this house made it through the declining market and the financial crisis and managed to sell two years later for $92,000 more than it was purchased for in 2003. Here is another example, 94 Penn Drive was purchased on 4/23/2003 for $271,000, the listing at that time spoke of a pristine home. This house sold again on 9/30/2010 for $340,000, an increase of $69,000! This house sold in 24 days during what is considered to be a very bad real estate market. A third example is 77 Ballard Drive which sold on 5/17/2004 for $280,000 and resold on 11/10/2010 for $315,000 an increase of $35,000! The comments in the MLS showed no major improvements in the house over the 6 year time frame. The last example I have is a sale which closed on 11/20/2009, the address was 178 Auburn Road. This property was purchased for $384,000 on 11/20/2009 and resold on 8/25/2010 for $415,000. I chose this last example because it is a transaction which occurred in a down market, purchased in 2009 and resold in 2010 for more money. According to the mls listing there were no major improvements during the 9 months this property was owned and yet there was no decline in value.

My point is that using generalities may work against homeowners who wish to sell and buyers interested in real estate. Sellers might think they do not have any equity in their home and cannot sell without losing money. Buyers may not want to get into the market because they are waiting for prices to hit the bottom. In the end everyone loses especially the Connecticut economy which needs every real estate transaction it can get. If you have a need to sell or a desire to sell because your current house does not fit your family then speak to a Realtor and get the real deal on your house. Agents have the same info that I have used in this blog and can let you know what your real situation is. Buy Real Estate our economy depends on it.


Posted by Wayne Wright on January 26th, 2011 8:29 AMPost a Comment (0)

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January 24th, 2011 1:04 PM

An article I refered to in a previous post, "Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain" by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer, 1/20/2011 Mr Crutsinger speaks of the December inventory being 8.1 months which is down from 9.5 months supply in November. National stats don't always reflect local markets, real estate is local and individual market segments within the same town don't always operate on the same pace, an example of that is the East Rock neighborhood in New Haven where values have barely moved during the real estate crisis and much of New Haven has been shattered.

Hamden's real estate market had 397 single family homes sales in 2010, condos and 2 to 4 family houses are not included in those sales. 397 sales translates to 33.08 sales per month. There are 207 active listings in Hamden as of today which means there is a 6.25 month supply of homes in the Hamden market, a supply over 6 months is considered to be an over-supply. Now each market segment operates on its own with its own set of values so what is true of the Hamden market in general may not apply to each of the segments. Lets take a look at the most active segments of the Hamden market. The most sales occurred in the $200,000 to $249,999 segment with 103 sales, nearly twice the number of sales of the next highest segment which was the $300,000-$399,000. The $200,000 to $249,999 group averaged 8.53 sales per month during 2010, there are 52 active listings in the same price range which means there is a 6.0 month supply of homes in this segment. Not an over-supply, the market is considered to be in balance as of today's stats. The most over-supplied segments in Hamden are the upper price ranges starting with homes between $250,000 and $299,000 which has a 8.09 month supply of homes.

Over supplied markets must be studied and analyzed in detail if you are a seller, you must know what your competition is, the strengths and weakness of your competition and how it relates to your house. Who has the best location, best condition and the best amenities in relation to the asking price is the house which will get the most activity. It is most important to get the asking price right when the house is put on the market especially in the market we are in right now. Listing your home too high to "test the market" will cause you to end up with less money in the long run. Extended marketing times, price reductions and over-exposure to the market will cost you big bucks. Find an agent you are comfortable with and listen to him/her, agents know the type of market we are in and should be able to show you examples of homes which were listed too high and spent way too long on the market. The average days on market in Hamden in 2010 was 69 days which is really good considering we are in a down market.

Buyers have the advantage in the market segments which are over-supplied. The segments which are over-supplied it is a buyer's market which means you control the activity. The segments which are under supplied the seller has the advantage and the market which are in balance it is a standoff. Mortgage rates are low and prices have come down from the highs of 2006 so affordability is the best it has been in many years. The Hamden is market is over-supplied in the $250,000 to $299,999 range, $300,000 to $399,999, $500,000 to $599,999 and over $600,000 the supply is well over 1 year.

The bottom line is wether you are a buyer or seller find an agent you are confortable with and get into the stats to find out where you are so you can make a good choice.


Posted by Wayne Wright on January 24th, 2011 1:04 PMPost a Comment (0)

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January 24th, 2011 11:35 AM

Hamden is located in south central Connecticut, just north of New Haven. The population of 58,180 is spread out over 33.1 square miles. Hamden is home to Albertus Magnus College, Paier College of Art, Quinnipiac College, southern Connecticut State University as well as the University Of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Center.

Hamden has one of the most active real estate market’s in the state over the last 90 days, it ranks 6th out of 169 towns in the number of single family home sales. The number of transactions is important because it provides an indication of how well a community is perceived by the market. The home buying public likes Hamden, it has plenty of shopping which is easily accessed from the most densely developed areas as well as easy highway access. It is also close to New Haven which is a major employment center.

All the stats cited in this blog are from the local board of Realtors, the Realtor stats are more current than other data sources that are available and are updated daily. I would like to try to put the information which is out into perspective and provide usable info which buyers and sellers can use to make informed decisions.

National statistics may be useful to national companies but to local buyers and sellers it can be misleading. Residential real estate is a unique commodity, single family homes provide shelter and are a place to make memories but no house is exactly the same, each has its own unique characteristics and each house actually rises and falls in value on its own merit. Houses with special locations and or are in exceptional condition will not move in unison with the homes in the market which are average.

Stats which speak in generalities are useful to get a broad understanding of what is going on but if you are a buyer or seller the generalities maybe a disservice to you if you have a home which is exceptional in location or condition.

Let’s look at the most recent stats released by the National Association of Realtors. AP economics writer, Martin Crutsinger posted an article last Friday, 1/20/2011, the title of the article was “Sales of previously owned homes fell to lowest point in 13 years in 2010 despite December gain. “ let’s look at how that article relates to the Hamden market. Mr. Crutsinger states in his article that there was an increase of 12.8 percent from November and was the strongest sales pace since May. Hamden did experience a sales increase in December 2010 over November 2010, there were 23 sales in November 2010 and 33 sales in Hamden in December 2010 an increase of 43%! That is very good news for the real estate market because December is generally the slowest month of the year and hopefully this trend will continue into the future.

Let’s take a look at the Hamden market over the last 8 years. The median price for a single family home in Hamden as of 12/31/2003 was $205,000. The median price increased to $232,700 in 2004, to $265,000 in 2005 and increased to $274,900 in 2006. 2006 was the peak of the market based on both the average price and the median price. The average and median prices have been declining starting in 2007 when the median price dropped to $258,500, the median price fell to $250,000 in 2008, $225,000 was the median price in 2009 and during the last 12 months the median price fell again to $219,000. So what do all of these numbers mean? In general, if you bought a house in 2003 or prior your property maybe worth what you paid for it, remember each house moves individually in the market, exceptional locations and condition have more resistance to downturns than the average house. Keep in mind that these statistics include all single family home sales, estates sales, short sales, foreclosed properties, poor condition properties, and divorces, all homes which may or may not have had duress involved.

I have been speaking of exceptions to the general statistics and will share a few examples with you. I found four examples of homes which sold and resold during the last 8 years, in the appraisal world they are considered “matched pairs” and can be used to make market derived adjustments. I did not search the entire Hamden market; I just picked a subdivision which I know is very active and was able to find four homes which illustrate exceptions to the statistics which are generally used. 229 Knob Hill Drive was purchased on 12/8/2003 for $212,000. This home was totally remodeled at this time according to the MLS. This home re-sold on 9/25/2009 for $262,000, $50,000 more! Now keep in mind that the Hamden market was declining starting in 2007, also recall that in the fall of 2008 we had the worldwide financial crisis which lead to TARP, bailouts and a lot of talk about financial collapse. Well this house made it through the declining market and the financial crisis and managed to sell 6 years later for $50,000 more than it was purchased for in 2003. Here is another example, 347 Knob Hill Drive was purchased on 6/15/2003 for $270,000, and the listing at that time did not mention “TLC” or have any negative comments about condition. This house sold again on 11/30/2009 for $360,000, an increase of $90,000! The listing for this house at the time of the 2009 sale had no comments at all so it is unknown if there was major renovations or not, agents will usually mention renovations so I have to assume the house was average in condition, this house also sold in 1 day at a time when the average days on market was 74 days. A third example is 74 Knob Hill Road which sold on 7/17/2003 for $195,000 and re-sold on 7/18/2007 for $262,000 an increase of $67,000! The comments in the MLS showed no major improvements in the house over the 4 year time frame. The last example I have is a sale which closed on 8/2/2004, the address was 335 Forest Street Extension. This property was purchased for $400,000 on 8/2/2004 and resold on 5/30/2007 for $422,000.

My point is that using generalities may work against homeowners who wish to sell and buyers interested in real estate. Sellers might think they do not have any equity in their home and cannot sell without losing money. Buyers may not want to get into the market because they are waiting for prices to hit the bottom. In the end everyone loses especially the Connecticut economy which needs every real estate transaction it can get. If you have a need to sell or a desire to sell because your current house does not fit your family then speak to a Realtor and get the real deal on your house. Agents have the same info that I have used in this blog and can let you know what your real situation is. Buy Real Estate our economy depends on it.


Posted by Wayne Wright on January 24th, 2011 11:35 AMPost a Comment (0)

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