FRIDAY, February 7, 2020
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Sarah Peng Gold Award Sarah Peng, a Greenwich High School Junior and Girl Scout has finished her Gold Award pr oje c t for c onc u s sion awareness and stunting safety for the North Mianus Bull Dog Cheerleading Team in the Fall of 2019. E a c h G o l d Aw a r d project solves a community issue and improves lives wh i le g i rl s bu i ld t hei r personal leadership skills and inspire others to community action. In order to earn the Gold Award, Senior and Ambassador scouts in grades 9 to 12 spend at least 80 hours researching issues, assessing their community’s needs and resources, building a team and making a sustainable impact through their project.
JLG Thirty-six local third grade girls attended the Junior Leag ue of Greenwich (JLG) program Posit ivelyMe! over t he weekend. PositivelyMe! w a s d e ve l o p e d b y t h e JLG to provide 8 & 9 year old girls with the skills to be conf ident, make good decisions, be assertive, express themselves and to cope with peer pressure and bullying. The fun-filled weekend has one key message for the girls “You are strong in mind and body, be kind, follow your passion and always be Positively Me!”. This message is reinforced t h r ou g h f u n a c t i v it i e s such as karate, where girls break boards symbolizing break ing throug h their fears, and yoga where they learn the strength of mind and body. Two more sessions are planned for this year: March 6/7 and Apr. 3/4. For more information on how to be added to the waiting list, or to be notified about next year’s sessions visit: www. jlgreenwich.org.
Saying Goodbye to Greenwich Icon and Friend, David Ogilvy By Anne W. Semmes On Monday, the Town of Greenwich lost one its most notable citizens, David Ogilvy, a realtor with an international reach, with a lifelong commitment to his community. He died at his Belle Haven home, age 77, from his off-againon-again battle with Multiple Myeloma, surrounded by his family. Ogilv y grew up with a name synonymous with advertising – his father David was founder of the Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency, but young David's expertise would be in buying and selling some of Greenwich’s most beautiful residences. Founding David Ogilvy & Associates in 1985 that became the exclusive aff iliate for Christie's International Real Estate, he recently sold his firm to Sotheby’s International Realty in 2019. “I started in real estate at age 24,” he once told, “and have loved it ever since.” “Dav id was the consummate ge nt l e m a n a nd a pu r veyor o f a l l things real estate,” said Pam Pagnani, Sotheby’s senior vice president and Greenwich brokerage manager. “His name is synonymous with Greenwich real estate, and his legend will live on. We all thought of David as a trusted and talented colleague. He is what every agent aspired to be. He will be missed greatly, and we will proudly carry on his legacy.” Once asked during his tenure with David Ogilvy Associates, how he would approach selling a $10 million house versus a $1 million house,” he replied, “Everybody’s house is their castle. We always mention that. The $1 million house is as important to that owner as it is to the $10 million house owner. I hope that everybody who buys a house loves the house. That’s why we’re in the business. As a company we work very hard finding the right house for the right person, so it is a love affair.”
At top: David dancing with his beloved daughter Field. Bottom left: David and wife Anne sharing a familiar pastime of skiing. Bottom right: A phenomenal fundraiser, David Ogilvy helped raise $11.5 million in 100 days for the Tree Tops Project to save the the Mianus River park.
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Impact Fairfield County (Impact FFC) held the 3rd of its Impactful Conversation series this morning at HAYVN in Darien to discuss Meaningful Philanthropy with a panel of 4 philanthropic leaders in our community. Impact FFC, now in its 5th year of grant giving, began Impactful Conversations a year ago as an opportunity for members to take a deeper dive into the issues they are af fecting w ith their g rant giving. Drawing over 70 Impact FFC members from ever y corner of Fairf ield County, the event brought its growing membership together to both learn from and meet with fellow philanthropists. The topic of meaningful philanthropy is particularly timely as Impact FFC embarks on a 5 Ye a r A n n iver s a r y Grant to pilot a new grant stream supporting a Core Mission Grant to expand or strengthen existing programs of local nonprofits. Currently, Impact’s $100,000 Impact Grants support new programs or the significant expansion of existing programs. This $50,000 Anniversary Grant provides an opportunity for the 7 previous Impact FFC finalists who did not receive a $100,000 Impact Grant to apply for restricted funds.
Ogilvy was also proud of his town and spent considerable time working to conserve its historic houses and properties. He served on the Advisory Council of the Greenwich Historical Society, and was former president of the Greenwich Land Trust, and a longtime supporter of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy. His efforts were also instrumental in conserving the Pomera nce -Tuch ma n prop er t y i n Cos Cob nex t to t he Mont gomer y Pinetum, and in the town’s acquisition of the Laddins Rock Preserve in Old Greenwich. He was f irst recipient of Audubon’s Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award. W it h h i s p r o f i l e o f g ra c e a n d generosity in his service to his community Ogilvy was honored as one of only two recipients ever to receive the Boys & Girls Club National Medallion award. The list of his non-profit support goes on and on, but one has to add his being chosen Harpoon Club Honoree. He was actively involved in supporting t h e M u l t i p l e M ye l o m a R e s e a r c h Foundation. Whatever organization he loved, he left it in a better place. A graduate of Brunswick School, Ogilvy had attended Greenwich Country Day School that would honor him with their Distinguished Alumni Award. With a love of sailing, he would serve as Commodore of the Belle Haven Yacht Club. He leaves behind his devoted wife Anne, daughters Melinda Fairf ield Ogilvy, and Charlotte and Wells Poler. In addition, he is sur v ived by his stepchildren from his first marriage, Fridolf, William, Stillman and Christopher Hanson. David Ogilvy will be remembered tomorrow, Saturday, at 3 p.m. at a memorial service at Christ Church Greenwich, 254 East Putnam Avenue. His obituary can be found on page 8.
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BLADE Air Travel at Your Finger Tips By Rich Monetti If your work week suddenly breaks favorably and you get a few days to ski Aspen, booking a reasonably priced f light will likely cause the inspired moment to dissipate among all the aggravation and inconvenience it takes to follow through. An urban air mobility (UAM) company in our own backyard doesn’t allow that moment to get away and puts the respite at the tip of your fingers. “We use our technology to help people charter and crowdsource f lights to anywhere,” said Brady Miller of BLADE, a Greenwich resident. A simple App does all the work. BLADE regular service to the Hamptons, Aspen and Nantucket probably gets the most touch screen taps, and service to Miami f r om T h a n k s g i v i n g t h r ou g h March likely accumulates a close second. Despite offering a jet set service, BLADE’s business model allows costs to come in well under the corresponding heights that their customers enjoy. “We don’t own the planes,” Miller revealed, and many of the expenses fall elsewhere. T h e r at e s to u c h d ow n at $3,250 to Aspen, $2,450 to Miami and $795/595 to the Hamptons in
summer and winter respectively. Locked and upright, BLADE has a strongly vetted roster of pilots and operators, which allows customers to purchase seats among other BLADES fliers. The absence of membership fees and book ing sof tware lowers the price as well, while regular points of departure and destination conveniently settle customers into BLADE Lounges. “It’s this beautiful, sexy, clean look in all our lounges,” said Miller, who comes under the title of Business Development for BLADE. Still rising, the latest locale to grace the ground is at HPN, in Westchester. No security checks required, Miller asserted, “You can show up 15 minutes before, walk to the lounge, get in the plane and you’re gone.” You won’t have to dragg your luggage around either, because Blade personnel is there to let fly all your necessities. Miller knows from the diligence he provides in the Hamptons. “I’m there the whole summer making sure all our clients are happy,” Miller said. And BLADE customers make an entrance that will make other Hamptons travelers do a double take. Like something out of an old movie, BLADE fliers, take off and land from the water via seaplane.
S c o t t F r a nt z , w h o i s t h e for mer Cha i r ma n of Brad ley Airport Authority and former State Senator from Greenwich, c a n s p e a k f i r s t h a n d to t h e
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But BLADE doesn’t leave out the urban dwellers. The West Side, East Side and Wall Street Heliports provide a lift that takes only about 10 minutes to reach
BLADE aircraft in Aspen, CO. uniqueness. “Flying in a seaplane is one of life’s great experiences and is very versatile in that nearly three quarters of the planet is water,” said Frantz by email. “So to fly at 190 mph, land smoothly on water at the destination of your choice, and then taxi slowly up to
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BOB CAPAZZO, KRISTIN HYNES & MARSIN MOGIELSKI
PHOTOGRAPHY
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model. “Blade seeks to fill every seat of their aircraft for each f light,” said Frantz. They can afford to offer travelers a better airfare than a traditional charter compa ny t hat of ten f ly w it h severa l empt y se ats i n t hei r aircraft."
JFK, LaGuardia or Newark and car pickup gets you to the terminal. Running every hour on the hour, $195 covers the costs and traffic, congestion and aggravation are all averted. The retrofitted interior, with leather seating says luxury all
the way, while pilots def initely measure up to the same standard. “The operators and pilots BLADE use are amongst the safest and most experienced in this end of the business,” said Frantz. Still, Helicopters and planes don’t have the same weather requirements and could ground a chopper. Not to worry, BLADE will get you a car service, and yo u’r e c r e d ite d fo r a f ut u r e helicopter flight. BLADE travelers, however, aren’t the only ones happy about the ser v ice. These fast f liers actually cut the carbon footprint. A helicopter f light carrying six consumes much less energy than stand alone vehicles - especially when they idle in NYC traffic. The future has Blade aspiring for mor e on t he su s t a i n a ble side and hopes to be in step as eVTOL (Electric Vehicle Takeoff vehicles) progress. But for now, BLADE has its focus on facilitating travel so our precious time can include as much quality time as possible. “People can go right to Westchester, fly when they want to fly and spend more time with each other,” Mille reasoned. And BLADE is not up in the air about that or the ability to deliver whatever their customers need.
Feb. 7 Greenwich Sentinel
A Personal Reminiscence
Thirty Years with David Ogilvy
By Deborah Ference-Gray In January 1990, I was 35 years old and had not one moment of real estate experience. Through friends' kind recommendations, David Ogilvy agreed to meet with me. That day, I stepped through the red door at David Ogilvy & Associates, 75 Arch Street, not realizing that I would be doing that every day for the next 30 years. If you didn't know that David O g i lv y w a s "s omeb o dy," one look at him and you assumed he must be. With blazing blue eyes, he had the looks and voice that movie stars, not to mention politicians, covet. His bearing was aristocratic; his manners, impeccable. He was endearing in his boyish charm; awesome in his commanding presence. He had star quality, but he had more than that. He had a gift, and it was real estate. In 1990, when I joined DO&A as a sales associate, the Greenwich real estate market was still in the doldrums of the 1987 crash. Things were slow, and you were lucky if you sold one or two houses in a year. The bottom was November of 1991. After that, small sales, like tiny pockets of air bubbling to the surface of a stagnant pond, i nd icate d sig ns of l i fe i n t he market. The recovery had begun, and by the mid-1990s, the market had returned. At that time, I had a client,
Mary Waterman (one of the three original Breast Cancer Alliance women, sadly) to whom I'd been showing houses. She remarked on how our listings at DO& A, while the same square footage and on comparable pieces of land in comparable locations, were priced significantly higher than other listings, and she wondered why. Think ing quick ly for an explanation to this new question, I blurted out, "Beauty is expensive." Then, having a memory f lash of a moment when our office came to price a house I was about to list, I said, "It's the Wow Factor. If David walks into a house and says, 'Wow,' the price goes up 15%." No one said 'Wow' back then. It was cartoon language like 'Bam' and 'Pow.' But David said it, and it made a difference. Some agents were disgruntled by David's aggressive pricing of listings: Pitching a listing and promising a higher price usually meant that agent would get the listing. And it did. David had more listings than any other broker. And not just more listings, but better listings. David knew everyone worth knowing, and everyone wor t h k now i n g e it he r k new h im or wa nted to k now h im. Those people of those days had beautiful homes, not the preferred grey boxes of today, or houses decorated by someone else, but filled with treasures from their
travels, or ref lective of a happy, full and accomplished life. And those houses were the listings of DO&A. They were beautiful, they were in the best locations on the best pieces of land, they were expensive, and they were bought and sold at a staggering rate. In those heady days, David was our fearless leader. His fiduciary responsibility to his clients was paramount, and he soug ht to obtain the highest and best offers for them. He drove the market. Pushing the prices of listings, and getting them; often selling them himself. People turned to him and trusted him, and he got the job done. There are things about the way David did business: Always discreet; Always polite. In 30 years, he never breached a confidence, and I never saw him even come close to losing his temper. One afternoon, we saw him standing with a client in our parking lot. The client was expressing frustration at something, and the angrier this fellow got, the calmer David got, clasping his hands in front of him, tilting his head with a pleasant look on his face. It was classic David. When he came into the office after that, I commented on how it seemed he was being given a difficult time, and how calm his reaction was. "Always polite," was his cheerily disciplined answer. That was the thing. At his core was kindness, caring, patience,
understanding, and he brought those personal qualities to his professional life and to every transaction. He didn't 'try' to be any of those things, he simply was those things. Dav id, hav ing been in the business of real estate for more than 40 years, knew every house in town and its history. At DO&A, we had a card catalogue in which
expanded our knowledge base. Real estate has always been a central topic of conversation i n Gre enw ich, a nd wherever David went, cocktails parties, fundraisers, reunions, he was at the center of every conversational group. People couldn't get enough of him; they wanted the inside story on the real estate market and no one knew more or was
In 30 years, he never breached a confidence, and I never saw him even come close to losing his temper. was kept every transaction of every house going back to 1985, and which he has in his office to this day. Unique to David, I believe, because of his vast knowledge, was that if he referred to a house, it was never referred to by its address, it was referred to by its former owner—if you owned the house now, it wasn't referred to by your name, but by the former owner's name. It wouldn't be referred to by your name until you moved out. We all followed his example and it
more fasci nati ng t ha n Dav id Ogilvy. People gathered around him and were mesmerized by the information and insight he i mp a r te d . O ne felt elev ate d , privileged, to be in his orbit. Eve r y F r id ay mor n i n g at 9:30 we had our office meeting. Getting up from our London-made mahogany desks, we'd gather in the conference room to discuss every listing and what needed pricing, showings, advertising. DO&A ads were unlike any other.
Like his father, David Ogilvy of Ogilv y & Mather (the K ing of Madison Avenue; e.g. Hathaway shirt ad), David knew marketing. Our photographer was the best; our copy, written by David, was the best; our placement was the best. I wish I'd taken notes from those meetings. One thinks those days will last forever, and doesn't realize there is a mortal treasure in one's midst. Imagine going to work every day and being able to admire and respect the person one worked for, knowing he was infinitely smarter. It was amazing. It was a privilege. At our unofficial Christmas d i n n e r r e c e n t l y, I h a d t h e pleasure of sitting next to David. We lamented about how things have changed in real estate; the market, the people, the advent of Zillow. I said how glad I was that he had had his career during the Golden Age of Greenwich real estate. What I should have said, and wished I'd said, was that he created that Golden Age, probably single handedly. In his career, he personally had more than $3 billion in sales. In their outpouring of sympathy today, people kindly say that David was the penultimate g e n t l e m a n . Ye s . A l e g e n d . Absolutely. But he was more than that. He was the King of Greenwich real estate. I daresay we will not see his like again.
Intangible Gifts for Valentine’s Day
By Margarita Cossuto Va l e n t i n e ’s D a y i s r i g h t around the corner! It is the time of year when many people buy chocolates and f lowers to show that special someone in their life how much they are loved. While it is undoubtedly lovely to give and receive gifts that symbolize
appreciation, this year, why not consider showing your significant other, family, and friends how much you appreciate them with an “intangible” Valentine’s Day gift. An intangible gift, one that cannot be touched, may not only be the best gift you ever give, but it also means that you are not bringing more items into your home, which can help you keep things organized and your home clutter-free. Here are some Valentine’s Day gift ideas that are intangible and simple to do. Make the bed: If you don’t reg ularly make your bed, consider doing it for Valentine’s Day, and maybe even beyond. Think about how inviting and rela x ing it feels when you
walk into a hotel room for the first time and the bed is nicely made. Now imagine how nice it would feel to have that same experience in your own home. While it does take time to make the bed, especially if you have a lot of layers and pillows, there are benefits to making the bed in addition to it looking nice for you and your loved one. From an organizing perspective, making your bed encourages you to keep the rest of your room tidy. When the bed is made, it helps the rest of the room look styled, even if it is not perfect. Making the bed also leads to better productivity. When you get into the habit of making your bed daily, it can kickstart a chain of other good
decisions throughout the day and give you a sense of taking charge. If you think your sig nif icant other, or k ids (as a one-time “gift”) would appreciate your efforts, give it a try! Organize together: There is bound to be someone in your life who has been meaning to orga n i ze a nd declut ter t hei r closet or kitchen, for example. Giving this person the gift of your time can be invaluable and extremely motivating. Simply being there with someone while they are sorting through their belongings and deciding what to keep and donate can be tremendously helpful. Just being in the proximity of another person and offering suggestions
and encouragement can bring the person focus and can be a fun experience you share. Give the gift of time: Time is one of the most underrated gifts that one can give and receive. Similar to organizing together, think about the people in your life who are important to you and simply carve out some time to be with them. Spending time w it h ot her s c r e ate s a s en s e of belonging and connection, meeting one of our basic human needs. Consider revising your schedule on Valentine’s Day and over the weekend to build in some extra time to make special visits to your loved ones. Whatever way you celebrate on Valentine’s Day, remember
that there are many intangible gifts you can give to those who are important to you. Be creative and consider the ideas in this article as a starting point for things you can do for someone or with someone. Margarita Cossuto, Ph D is a profe s sion a l orga n i z e r a n d owner of Living Organized, LLC. She applies her background in ps ycholog y to understand the unique needs of her clients to give them the organized space they’re looking for. Margarita works with a variety of clients in the CT/NY area and can be reached at 203451-7880 or www.livingorganized. com.
Interview with a Fleet Chaplain
By Donovan McSorley Indian Harbor Yacht Club is one of the few private clubs on Long Island Sound with the position of Fleet Chaplain among its Off icers. You've probably heard of elected positions in a yacht club such as Commodore, Treasurer, and Secretary, but what exactly does a Fleet Chaplain do? I had the opportunity to speak with Indian Harbor's new Fleet Chaplain Reverend Dan Haugh to discuss his background and his position. DM: You recently became the new Fleet Chaplain of Indian Harbor Yacht, Club following in the footsteps of Reverend Avery Manchester. What are some of the things he has taught you? DH: It is with great gratitude and respect that I humbly follow in the footsteps of my friend, colleague and mentor Avery Manchester. His legacy of faithful ministry has left an indelible impression upon me, and I am sure the
entire IHYC community. I have had the privilege of joining him in the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy over the past five years and benefiting from the wisdom he constantly shares through his stories and sage wisdom. He has personally taught me that grace can be experienced in and through all things and that the divine exists far beyond the four walls of a church building. In this way, I have learned to see the sacred in every shared meal, meaningful conversation, sunrise and sunset, and open water experience. DM: For those who may not know much about the position of Fleet Chaplain, can you explain your role and responsibilities at IHYC? DH: Par t of my ser v ice to IH YC includes offering prayers and officiating at various seasonal services and ceremonies throughout the year. Additionally, I christen new boats, offer prayers before races and regattas, make hospital visits, p e r for m we dd i n g c e r e m on i e s a n d memorial services, either on land or
sea. It is my honor and privilege to serve the members of this club and our wider community with hope, faith and love and to be as present as possible as we develop and nurture fun and friendships. DM: For those who may not know much about the club, how would you describe Indian Harbor Yacht Club, and what has your experience at the club been like so far? D H : I H YC i s a ve r y w a r m a n d welcoming community. My wife Lauretta a nd I have b e en i mpr e sse d by t he kindness and hospitality shown towards us, as well as the truly intergenerational aspect of the club. It is nice to see a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and boating experiences. We have also enjoyed attending a few family events and getting to know other young families. We hope that we can help generate continued interest in our community and personal networks for IHYC, as we believe it has so much to offer families. DM: To hold the position of Fleet
Chaplain at a yacht club, you must have a real love for the water. Tell us a bit about your boating background. DH: I am from the greater Boston area and spent my childhood summers vacationing and boating on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee. Some of my fondest memories with my family were on the water and these cherished moments have stayed with me my entire life. Now, as a father myself, I enjoy making new memories on our family boat on Long Island Sound teaching my two sons the joy and responsibility of boating. My paternal grandfather Lloyd Haugh was an avid boater his entire life, and my maternal grandfather Jesse Adams served in the US Navy as Chief Petty Officer and machinist on the USS Prairie during WWII. The nautical life runs through our family lineage and we are honored to join such a historical yacht club. DM: Tell us a bit about your family. DH: My wife Lauretta is a teacher at Parkway Elementary School, where our
twin boys Jack and Blake are enrolled in the first grade. We moved to Greenwich five years ago, after living in Paris, France, for a number of years while I served on the staff of The American Church in Paris. Before moving overseas, Lauretta and I lived in the village of Katonah in Westchester County, where I served at a congregation in the town of Bedford. DM: When you aren't at IHYC, where do you c ur rently s er ve a s a Re v e r e n d , a n d w h a t a r e yo u r responsibilities? DH: I currently minister at Round Hill Community Church, an independent and interdenominational church in the backcountry of Greenwich. I lead the youth, young adult and young family programming for the congregation, as well as local and global outreach efforts, membership growth and cultivation, and community engagement.
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REAL ESTATE
Feb. 7 Greenwich Sentinel
January Market Report
What a Difference a Decade Makes
By Mark Pruner When we last left you at the end of the decade in December 2019, sales were down 11% for the year and were down 26% in the month of December. But all was not lost our contracts at year-end were up 41%, which boded well for the beginning of the new decade. The increased contracts from December did not disappoint us resulting in 38 single family home sales in January 2020 sales an increase of 41% from January 2019’s 29
sales. These 38 sales also beat our 10 average of 32 sales. You expect to see increased sales in a month that begins with increased contracts, but January had more good news for sellers. You would think with all those contracts maturing into sales, that contracts would have fallen by the end of January, and they did a little, but the buyers were out there signing more contracts and buoying the market. We entered January with 72 contracts and left the month with 60 contracts. This is nor ma l behav ior for t he beg in ning of year as many people wait until the new year to close deals. (We also have people who rush to close before year-end, an effect that we did not see in December 2019. If someone could explain why we didn’t see our normal number of year-end deals in 2019, I’d be appreciative.) What we did see by the
end of January 2020 was the 3 8 c ont rac t s goi ng to s old status, but we also 18 more contracts than we saw at the end of January 2019. So, more
sales and more contracts at the same time means buyers and sellers were busy in January signing new contracts. Sales and contracts were up 27 in total in
January. This increase in both listings. sales and contracts resulted in One exception to the lower our inventory dropping to 453 inventor y was a continued listings down 31 houses from increase in inventor y f rom January 2019 when we had 484 continued on page 18
REAL ESTATE DASHBOARD FEATURED OPEN HOUSES
REAL ESTATE DASHBOARD MASTHEAD
Data Compiled by Rob Pulitano [203] 561-8092
Address 183 N Maple Avenue 53 Hillside Road 81 Putnam Park #81 102 Valley Road #23 66 Richland Road #1 8 Valleywood Road 90 Pond Road 1364 King Street 88 Greenwich Hills Drive #88 24 Midbrook Lane 21 Roberta Lane 9 Fairfield Avenue 14 River Lane 75 Old Orchard Road 142 Lower Cross Road 24 Upland Drive 128 Valley Drive 16 Tod Lane 43 Mianus View Terrace 5 Holman Lane 4 Brookside Park 183 N Maple Avenue 7 Mountain Laurel Drive 11 Center Road 17 Heronvue Road 21 Tomac Avenue 23 Meadowbank Road 16 Greenbriar Lane 15 Mountain Laurel Drive 23 Maher Avenue 183 Round Hill Road 27 A Bayside Terrace 398 Stanwich Road 25 Orchard Hill Lane 291 Stanwich Road 53 Hillside Road 15 Old Mill Road 234 Riverside Avenue 105 Parsonage Road 28 Turner Drive 500 Lake Avenue 344 Shore Road
Area Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Cos Cob Greenwich Cos Cob Stamford Greenwich Greenwich Old Greenwich Greenwich Old Greenwich Cos Cob Riverside Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Cos Cob Old Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Old Greenwich Greenwich Old Greenwich Old Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Riverside Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Riverside Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich
Price $11,500 $19,000 $364,900 $479,000 $575,000 $749,000 $849,900 $850,000 $860,000 $1,195,000 $1,295,000 $1,295,000 $1,400,000 $1,635,000 $1,730,000 $1,750,000 $1,785,000 $1,795,000 $1,875,000 $1,890,000 $2,095,000 $2,199,000 $2,650,000 $2,695,000 $2,750,000 $2,765,000 $2,795,000 $2,800,000 $2,950,000 $2,975,000 $3,095,000 $3,395,000 $3,495,000 $3,700,000 $3,700,000 $3,749,000 $3,995,000 $4,495,000 $5,395,000 $5,995,000 $7,100,000 $8,950,000
Day/Time Sun 1-3 PM Sun 12-2 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 11-2 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 12-2 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sat 11-1 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 12-2 PM Sat 12-2 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 1-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 12-2 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 2-4 PM
Broker Houlihan Lawrence Houlihan Lawrence Keller Williams Houlihan Lawrence Berkshire Hathaway Anderson Associates Berkshire Hathaway Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's Sotheby's William Pitt Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence Berkshire Hathaway Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway Houlihan Lawrence Houlihan Lawrence Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway Sotheby's Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway Houlihan Lawrence Charles Paternina Berkshire Hathaway Sotheby's Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway Sotheby's Sotheby's Houlihan Lawrence
Deborah Ference-Gray
For Market Updates and Listings Visit deborahferencegray.com
One Pickwick Plaza Greenwich, CT 06830
Office: 203.618.3155 Mobile: 917.584.4903
deborah.ferencegray@sothebyshomes.com
DASHBOARD EDITOR
Mark Pruner | Mark@GreenwichStreets.com | mark@bhhsne.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Robert Pulitano | RobertPulitano@bhhsne.com Cesar Rabillino | CesarRabellino@bhhsne.com Pam Toner | PToner@HoulihanLawrence.com Visit www.GreenwichSentinel.com to sign up for 5 Things To Do in Greenwich Today for events and up to date open house listings each weekend.
NEW SALES
Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address
55 Putnam Park 55 17 Palmer Street 4 5 Glen Street 103 333 Palmer Hill Road 3C 174 Weaver Street 12 Cottontail Road 6 Ernel Drive 30 Bote Road 4 Alec Templeton Lane 25 Halsey Drive 7 Stanwich Road 8 Wildwood Drive 40 Hearthstone Drive 99 Meadow Road 680 Steamboat Road 3 1 Macpherson Drive 483 Round Hill Road 248 Overlook Drive 38 Dairy Road
Original List
$349,500 $595,000 $680,000 $879,000 $949,000 $995,000 $1,299,000 $1,395,000 $1,595,000 $1,349,000 $1,895,000 $2,195,000 $1,975,000 $2,922,500 $3,375,000 $3,650,000 $4,895,000 $5,495,000 $5,450,000
List Price
$349,500 $550,000 $595,000 $879,000 $899,000 $950,000 $1,299,000 $1,325,000 $1,495,000 $1,349,000 $1,625,000 $1,950,000 $1,975,000 $2,922,500 $3,375,000 $3,650,000 $3,995,000 $4,495,000 $5,450,000
Sold Price DOM BR FB Acres
$340,000 $505,000 $535,000 $850,000 $870,000 $925,000 $1,235,000 $1,245,000 $1,250,000 $1,350,000 $1,550,000 $1,925,000 $1,925,000 $2,922,500 $3,200,000 $3,550,000 $3,650,000 $4,060,000 $5,550,000
109 168 273 44 114 109 58 265 95 48 211 149 97 0 62 403 465 366 123
1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 4 5 5 4 4 3 5 6 5 5
1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 2 3 3 5 6 6 6
0 0 0 0.22 1.16 0.14 0.42 2 0.2 0.33 0.41 0.3 0.49 0.85 1.47 4.76 0.49 2.13
SqFt
1,672 2,004 2,396 1,618 1,748 2,760 2,944 3,540 3,009 3,154 4,802 3,425 3,196 2,500 5,667 8,506 7,700 10,083
NEW LISTINGS
Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address
List Price
Price/SqFt
SqFt
1465 Putnam Avenue 426 247 Byram Road 40 Elm Street 2B 8 Valleywood Road 128 Halstead Avenue 45 Cross Lane 15 Maple Drive 1364 King Street 85 Laddins Rock Road 979 Lake Avenue 9 Deluca Drive 24 Midbrook Lane 1 Milbank Avenue 2B 8 Skylark Road 469 Field Point Road 24 Stag Lane 1 Dearfield Lane 85 Perkins Road 21 Tomney Road 651 River Road 1 Hobart Drive 36 Butternut Hollow Road 215 North Street 636 Steamboat Rd A,B & E 25 Orchard Hill Lane 1 Old Round Hill Lane 598 North Street 35 Leeward Lane 18 Lower Cross Road 25 Close Road
$410,000 $639,000 $689,000 $749,000 $754,400 $795,500 $799,000 $850,000 $1,050,000 $1,099,000 $1,189,000 $1,195,000 $1,195,000 $1,299,000 $1,900,000 $2,175,000 $2,695,000 $2,795,000 $2,799,000 $3,095,000 $3,295,000 $3,395,000 $3,400,000 $3,500,000 $3,700,000 $4,795,000 $5,900,000 $6,995,000 $7,995,000 $12,000,000
$523 $415 $703 $382 $551 $410 $470 $441 $357 $409 $454 $710 $669 $435 $1,203
784 1,538 980 1,960 1,368 1,938 1,699 1,928 2,942 2,685 2,620 1,684 1,787 2,984 1,579
$524
$563 $541 $549 $538 $584 $721 $436 $916 $422 $520 $617 $1,100 $769 $926
AC
BR
1 0.12 3 0 1 0.23 2 0.19 3 0.18 3 0.14 3 0.75 4 0.3 4 4 5 0.28 4 0.3 3 0 2 0.23 6 0.71 3 4,149 4.08 4 4,787 0.61 6 5,164 2.02 5 5,094 0.31 5 5,750 1 5 5,646 1.1 4 4,707 2.06 5 7,791 1.5 6 3,821 0 8,759 2.38 5 9,213 2 6 9,560 2.22 6 6,359 0.78 5 10,396 10.27 6 12,963 5.63 6
FB
Area
1 2 1 2 1 3 1 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 6 0 6 8 6 5 9 7
Old Greenwich Byram South of Post Road Cos Cob South Parkway Cos Cob Old Greenwich North Parkway Old Greenwich North Parkway Cos Cob Old Greenwich South of Post Road South Parkway South Parkway North Parkway South Parkway South Parkway South Parkway Cos Cob South Parkway South Parkway South Parkway South of Post Road South Parkway North Parkway South Parkway Riverside North Parkway North Parkway
21 Tomney Rd, Greenwich 5 BR | 4.2 BA | 5,094 SQ. FT. Mark Pruner, 203.969.7900
$2,799,000 New Listing
1 Quaker Ln, Greenwich 5 BR | 4.1 BA | 5,613 SQ. FT. Mark Pruner, 203.969.7900
$1,695,000
960 Lake Ave, Greenwich Land | 8.7 Acres Mark Pruner, 203.969.7900
90 Pond Rd, Stamford 3 BR | 2 BA | 3,392 SQ. FT. JoAnn O’Hara, 203.912.5778
$849,900 New Listing
45 Cross Ln, Cos Cob 3 BR | 3 BA | 1,938 SQ. FT. Julianne C. Ward, 203.231.1064
7 Mountain Laurel Dr, Greenwich 5 BR | 5.2 BA | 5,800 SQ. FT. Cesar Rabellino, 203.249.9866 Gloria Falcon, 203.559.1604
$2,650,000 New Price OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, 1-3 PM
$1,499,000 Coming Soon
$795,500 New Listing
bhhsNEproperties.com Greenwich 136 East Putnam Avenue | 203.869.0500
Old Greenwich 200 Sound Beach Avenue | 203.637.1713
©2019 An independently operated member of BHH Affiliates. Equal Housing Opportunity. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices was voted 3rd on Fortune’s list of World’s Most Admired Companies (fortune.com/worlds-most-admired-companies)
Feb. 7 Greenwich Sentinel
Market Report From Page 1
$600K to $1.5 million. In earlier times, that is before 2018, we had buyers snapping up these homes as getting into Greenwich for under $1.5 million was very desirable and we had a “normal” number of people retiring and moving south or into a condo. In 2019 and extending into January 2020, ore folks in this price range are retiring and heading south or moving into a condo or even returning to NYC as empty nesters. In 2018, this increase in retiree driven inventor y was more than counterbalanced by a surge in sales from Westchesterites f leeing the highest property taxes in the country. Our sales from $800,000 to $1 million were up 59% in 2018 to 73 sales. That increase wasn’t sustainable and in 2019 our sales were back down to 47 sales almost identical to our 46 sales in that price range in 2017. At the same time, we had more “retirees as we saw in 2018. The result was more inventory and normal level of sales. Above $1.5 million, our inventory was down or flat in every price range with 56 fewer higher-end listings or a drop of 14%. This brings months of supply down in the higher end. We are about to see months of supply go up as now that the Super Bowl has come and gone (sorry about that S.F.) the spring market has begun. The increase in months of supply will be muted from $1 million to $4 million as 46 of our 60 contracts or 77% are between $1 and $4 million. With the exception of the aforesaid inventory from $600,000 to $1. 5 million just about every indicator is show ing a market that moved towards the sellers in January. Overall inventory is down, 6%, January sales were up 31% and contracts were up 43%; a very nice start to the year. With
less inventory and more sales and contract, overall months of supply was also down. What to do in our 2020 spring market Every broker is different, but I advise my sellers to go where the action is. Right now, the action is in the $1 – 4 million dollar price range.
We are seeing lower inventory, good sales and good contracts (actually only contracts matter when taking the pulse of the market at any given time). If the market is demand is there, I like to list earlier rather than waiting. You want to be in the market when the buyers are active, and you have fewer competing sellers. Of course,
Why Fairfield County Bank?
this also varies by neighborhood the house is in and other factors, so it is part art and part math/science. I put 21 Tomney Road on the market last week at $2.779,000. It is a beautiful house in immaculate, move-in condition and inventory is down and contracts are up. We had 71 agents show up for a realtors’ open house, double the average number for a first open house. It can be nice to be early when things are busy. What if your price range/ neighborhood is not a hot spot? Then, I advise my clients to wait until later in the spring market to go public. If the buyers are not there, you may only be accumulating days on market. In a month or two other newer listings are going to be coming on when the house that rushed to market already has 30 or 60 of days on the market. Buyers can also use this information. Knowing the same supply and demand information let’s buyers make better deals. Right now, 70% of our single-family home listings
have been on the market for more than 4 months and 43% have been on for more than 9 months. Some of these sellers just aren’t motivated as represented by the 30 listing that have been on for more than two years. But, many of these sellers are looking for an offer. If you like the house make an offer, it doesn’t cost anything to make an offer in Greenwich unlike some other towns. Early in the year is an especially good time to make an all cash-offer, with either a quick close in the house is empty or a delayed close if the sellers have to arrange a move. Just match the offer to the seller’s desires. Ja nua r y is on ly a blip on the market, but it was good blip. February is also looking good so far. Several blips in a row make a trend.
Mark Pruner is an award winning Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway. He was just named a 2020 Thought Leader by RISMedia. He can be reached at 203969-7900 or at mark@bhhsne.com
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David Ogilvy
We salute our dear friend and trusted colleague. Your legacy will live on forever. You will be sorely missed by the Greenwich real estate community.
G R E E N W I C H B R O K E R AG E | 2 0 3.8 6 9.4 3 4 3 | S OT H E BYS H O M ES .C O M /G R E E N W I C H Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.