Bring Back Cheese & Stuff

Word on the street is that the Dollar World on Farmington Avenue in the West End of Hartford is moving. Actually it’s the sign in the window that says they’re moving, but word has spread through the neighborhood like the flu through daycare. The locals aren’t upset with Dollar World, it just had the misfortune of leasing the storefront that previously housed the West End organic food institution of Cheese & Stuff. About ten years

West Hartford's Bishops Corner Whole Foods For Sale

Anyone want to buy a grocery store in West Hartford’s Bishops Corner? On Friday the Courant reported that, as part of a federal antitrust settlement, the Whole Foods store in Bishops Corner must be sold within the next six months. Whole Foods will also be selling 12 other stores currently operating around the country. The outcome is the result of a complaint initially filed by the FTC in June 2007 which tried to block Whole

Registering Home Alarms

Most towns require homeowners to get permits for their alarm systems. Unfortunately, this is not a widely publicized fact and many homeowners learn the hard way. The City of Hartford, as an example, requires that alarms be registered annually. There is a $15 registration fee. The process is not difficult, homeowners simply need to fill out a one page form and mail it to the Department of Emergency Services & Telecommunications. All of the information

Who Pays a Buyer's Agent?

Before I officially start working with a Buyer I often meet with them for a no-obligation consultative session. It’s really a two way interview. They have an opportunity to pick my brain about the market, the buying process, and me- my work style, my philosophy about home buying, and my life outside of work. Similarly, I am asking them questions about their interests, their thoughts about buying, and what they’re looking for in a home

Greater Hartford February 2009 Real Estate Market Statistics

February just ended so it’s time for some more real estate statistics for the Greater Hartford area. As always, data comes from the CT Multiple Listing Service, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, and is for single family homes only. My analysis follows after the chart… My observations… 1. Just like January, there were so few transactions in some of the towns that this data is not very statistically relevant, particularly the Median Sale Price