Unlike the stock market, where most people understand and accept the risk that prices may fall, most people who buy a house don't ever think that the value of their home will ever decrease.

The housing market, like other assets, is susceptible to unsustainable gains, and bubbles are formed over time even though many people feel it is a sure bet for growth.  That's because of the large transaction costs associated with purchasing a home, not to mention the carrying costs of owning and maintaining a home discourage speculative behavior. However, housing markets do go through periods of irrational exuberance.

This article will help to explain real estate cycles, triggers that cause them, and why consumers should be cognizant of the forces at play…

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The Growing Gap between Price and Value 

YEAR-END REVIEW

Breaking News: Residential Real Estate markets are on fire. Thank you Captain Obvious. No matter the cause, this is always newsworthy in and of itself. What makes this story especially compelling is the fact that it is being written in the middle of a global pandemic with jobs being lost and a larger economic contraction forthcoming. The short answer that explains this recent phenomenon is simple: city dwellers are fleeing concentrated, highly populated areas, and suburban markets are reaping the benefits of their relocation and ability to now work from home. Add to this, historically low-interest rates, fiscal stimulus, and a lack of grounded market awareness, it becomes easier to explain…

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Originally appeared on MYMOVE.com

Written by Hedy Phillips

The holiday 2020 season may look different but that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate, including with your loved ones. This is the year for shopping online — which has already seen a huge increase  and continues to be the safest way to buy things for yourself and others. Though the U.S. in particular is experiencing a new COVID-19 surge this holiday season, there are ways to create new and safe holiday traditions for 2020.

Ahead, we’ll share tips for how you and your loved ones can still find joy in the holidays during COVID, whether it’s setting up Zoom dance parties or mailing gifts to out-of-state friends. We also understand the incredible amount of stress you might be under,…

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Recent market data tells the real story

Local news sources have been reporting on the positive impact of interstate migration funneling new residents into CT as a distancing measure related to Covid-19. With interest piqued by these developments, we did some research as an attempt to measure the benefits of this peripheral good fortune. What we found is not exactly in alignment with local reporting. 

Channel 3 WFSB 

CT Post

NBC CT 

The Hartford Courant

While it is encouraging to see an influx of newcomers take residence within the nutmeg state, it’s important to note the number of residents currently leaving the state still outnumbers those coming in at this time, rendering an effective net loss in the state’s population and its…

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Originally published on NBCCT on November 12, 2020 • Updated on November 12, 2020 at 11:26 pm

 

COVID-19 exposure notifications from the Connecticut Department of Public Health are now available on your phone.

COVID Alert CT, the state's official exposure notification system, is now available for Apple and Android.

  NBC Connecticut  

Once installed, the app uses Bluetooth to determine if a user's device moves within six feet of someone who has tested positive for the virus for a total of 15 minutes or more in a day. The app does not share personal information.

Contact tracers will ask users who have tested positive will be asked if they are willing to share "close contact" codes the app has…

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AUCTION PURCHASE OPPORTUNITY –  102 Town Woods Road Old Lyme, CT.  SALE TO BE AWARDED VIA ONLINE AUCTION PROCEEDING. BIDDING DATES OPENED TO QUALIFIED BUYERS FROM 08/16/2020 - 08/23/2020. Tim Bray and Jamie Molinares of Seaport Auctions and William Pitt Sothebys International Realty are jointly auctioning and marketing the property. Minimum bids starting at $1.5 Million with a Seller Reserve. SCHEDULE A SHOWING TO PREVIEW THE PROPERTY AND CONFIRM STATED INTEREST.

102 Town Woods

A virtual walkthrough of the property can be accessed by clicking here. 

Gated Estate located within the secluded countryside of Old Lyme. Quiet enclave nestled within an exclusive retreat with over 20 acres of land and privacy. Custom built, impeccably maintained 6,100+ square foot…

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To Secure the Listing and Blow Away the Competition

  • Sometimes It's a Deliberate Lie.
    As the seller interviews each agent, often the estimate of value creeps upward. Maybe the first agent knows there will be two other agents competing for the listing, so the first agent names an astronomical figure. The second agent, upon hearing the first agent's price, beats it. The third agent comes in higher yet.

A seller who chooses an agent based on which estimate is highest can oftentimes become the ultimate loser….but it is human nature to choose the agent who says they can fetch the highest price.

Almost every seller operates in this manner. To the defense of the Agent, sometimes they just “Don’t know what they don’t know”.  The traditional…

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Serving the Client 

 -The Process-

We are currently in the Advisory stage of consulting with a prospective client who has plans to list their home for sale. Before we can determine if this partnership is a good fit for both Client and Broker, we have some homework to do. Contrary to popular belief in the industry, one size does NOT fit all. Upon collecting all the pertinent data relevant to the property as well as the local market in which it is located, we perform the necessary analysis to ensure that our assessment of this opportunity is in alignment with the client's goals and expectations. Once this task is completed, we are guided by the necessary data to advise all potential clients on what we believe to be the wisest path forward to…

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In an information age that floods society with excessive content, our focus tends to be diverted to less-tangible distractions, rather than the essential components of a sound game plan. As a result, our level of awareness can become clouded, compromising our ability to execute informed decisions when it comes to the purchase and sale of real estate. In an industry largely predicated upon “marketing”, we are left without concrete reasoning from which to discern the most productive path forward. Ultimately, we are left without the means to implement a calculated strategy that transcends “Sales” or being “Sold”. Add to this, a fiercely competitive playing field largely incentivized by a commission-based pay structure, it becomes easier to see…

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A Commitment to the Client 

For consumers in the market to buy or sell a home, the model has typically been a straight-forward process. Buyers and sellers contact a local agent to explore their options and sign an agreement. Whether they research and select a top local agent or contract a licensed relative, how they choose the agency that will assist them is of growing importance. In many respects, most traditional brokerages and their offerings are very similar. They all provide “million-dollar marketing”, an endless campaign of open houses, and a gratuitous handshake to affirm their corporate mission statement that says things like “helping you discover your dreams.” While this all sounds wonderful in theory, these dreams can become…

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