Connecticut Real Estate Expert Andy Sachs

Home sellers in every price point can take advantage of these conditions.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale hereAcross all areas and price ranges in our real estate market, we’re experiencing multiple-bid situations. There is a mass exodus out of urban areas in and around NYC, and people are coming here to get more space at a great value. In fact, we’re up nearly 8% in home value year over year. We haven’t seen a climb like that in decades, and we’re not sure how long it will last. If you’ve given any thought to selling your home in the next 12 to 18 months, now’s the time to talk to us. To learn more, watch this short video.If you have questions about our market or real estate in general, reach out via phone or email. We would love to help you.

Here’s how one mother’s trial turned into a life-changing network.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale hereToday I’m sharing a recent interview with Dorrie Carolan, who is the executive director and founder of Newtown Parent Connection, an organization determined to educate local parents and rally community support to prevent youth substance abuse. Back in the late 1990s, when Dorrie’s son fell into the wrong crowd and became an addict, she sought to gather data, leverage community resources, and empower other parents. What started as two concerned moms has become known as a respected organization where families in crisis can turn.Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to skip to topics that interest you most: 1:07 — The origins of Newtown Parent Connection: Filling a void in the community 5:20 — Data from rehab clinics in Newton and surrounding areas bears ugly truth 7:00 — What topics are covered in Newtown Parent Connection forums? 9:30 — Gaining the support and commitment of the school administrators and police chief 11:45 — A victory over vaping, and evolving challenges 15:00 — Success rates for kids on a six-month program are quite high 18:00 — Newtown Parent Connection’s plans for rallying more support 19:55 — Wrapping up our conversation I hope you found Dorrie as moving as I did. If you or anyone you know could benefit from a caring network of local parents committed to helping kids live their best lives, check out Newtown Parent Connection’s website. As always, give me a call or send me an email if you have real estate-related needs I can help you with.

Here’s a closer look at the influx of buyers that have come to Connecticut.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Everybody knows that the real estate market is absolutely insane right now. Homes are selling in less than 24 hours with multiple offers at or above asking price. We haven't seen this kind of market since 2002 through 2005, and for the first time, I’m sitting with home sellers and telling them to list for more money. It’s a pretty cool feeling, and we have a lot of happy sellers.However, I think there is something else contributing to the uptick in the market. We’re getting a lot of people coming here from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Westchester County, all of whom are tired of their little apartments. On a national level, people are getting married later, having kids later, and buying their first home later. A home purchase is typically preceded by a major life event, whether that be a wedding, a baby, a retirement, some other change in employment status, or a divorce. All of these drive home purchases and sales. Life events drive home purchases and sales.A lot of our first-time homebuyers are older than they used to be. When I first started my career about 15 years ago, we were more in the 28 to 35 age range. Now we’re seeing 35- to 40-year-old first-time homebuyers. That market is colliding with the New York metropolitan area market and flooding our area with buyers.If you’ve given any thought at all to selling your home, now is absolutely the time. Your home might be worth up to $50,000 more than it was just eight months ago. If you have any questions for me about buying a home, selling a home, or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Pound for pound, we are the top team in Connecticut.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Did you know that the Around Town Team was just ranked as the No. 1 team across the state in terms of homes sold and dollar volume sold? This ranking spans all brands for medium-sized teams. Most of these teams have around 15 agents, but we only have eight. Even more exciting is the fact that we’ve been ranked No. 4 across all brands and team sizes in terms of dollar volume sold and No. 5 in terms of homes sold. What does this mean? With just eight agents, we’re servicing more people per capita per agent. We have systems that work, so if you’ve given any thought to buying or selling a home, the choice is obvious. We’re dedicated, full-time, and passionate, and we look forward to working with you soon. If you have questions or there’s anything we can assist you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help.

Since the coronavirus hit, our shortage of supply has only been amplified. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today I want to talk about a trend we’ve been noticing since the beginning of the winter market. Before the coronavirus hit, we were experiencing a shortage of supply, but now that shortage has been amplified. With more and more buyers coming out of New York, we have a need for supply. Homes that are priced well and in good condition are attracting multiple bids and generally last less than 72 hours on the market. In my 15-year career, I’ve never seen this happen and I don’t know how long it will last, but it’s worth knowing whether you’re a buyer or seller. If you’d like to talk more about this topic or have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m here to help.

This is why more people are thinking about moving here to Connecticut. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here The impact of COVID-19 has been profound on so many levels. A byproduct of that impact is that more and more Manhattanites are calling us looking for second homes to escape the city. Many are thinking about making Connecticut their primary residence as they continue to work remotely for the foreseeable future. This could be a knee-jerk reaction, but nevertheless our phones haven’t stopped ringing. To learn more about the situation, watch this short video above.

I’m sharing my predictions for where our real estate market is headed. Learn my reasoning here. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today I’m sharing my predictions about where the real estate market is headed. I believe there is going to be a nine- to 12-month recession in the real estate market, starting from when we begin to come out of lockdown. Social distancing could conceivably continue for a long time— until we have a vaccine or better testing is available. I think we’ll see an impact comparable to what happened after 9/11. As the pandemic began, interest rates and supply were low, and demand was high— just like in August and early September 2001. To hear all my predictions, watch the short video above.

The way we are doing business is different, but we’re still providing the same things. Here are some of the changes we’ve made.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today I’m talking about how quickly we’ve changed the way we do business. Crazy times call for crazy measures, and we’ve been holding virtual listing appointments, virtual home showings, and more. Business has certainly slowed down, but it hasn’t stopped. We’re continuing to do our jobs because people continue to need places to live. Even though we’re stuck at home, it doesn’t mean we can’t help people find theirs.

I first started in this business back in 2006 during the Great Recession.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here I first started in this business back in 2006 just before the Great Recession, and now, as we enter uncharted waters yet again with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s become clear that experience matters more than ever. No matter if you’re buying or selling, my team and I look forward to serving your real estate needs. Give us a call or send us an email, and we’d be happy to guide you toward success. We’re here to be your resource. In the meantime, keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy. Together, we can make it through these challenging times.

The Newtown Community Center captures what this community is all about: inclusivity and kindness.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here This month’s Hero Around Town is the Newtown Community Center, and today I’m joined by Executive Director Matt Ariniello to talk about some of their services, amenities, and membership opportunities. Matt’s enthusiasm and demeanor capture what we in the Newtown community thought this rec center could be. Their pools are amazing, but they have other great amenities people can enjoy too. Their full-service art studio, for instance, offers after-school programs for kids and adults. Four days a week, they bus in elementary school students from all over Newton. They also have a wide variety of health and wellness programs that differ from what you’d see at a typical gym, and the largest rental space in town—complete with a full commercial kitchen. Thus far, they’ve hosted the Scholarship Association Gala, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary workshops, and they’re soon hosting the Chamber of Commerce Mardi Gras. All in all, their multi-purpose space has a capacity of 250 people. On top of that, they’re a great place to host birthday parties.The town has embraced this space and its philosophy of being open to everybody.While the rec center was being built, there was some contention over how it would be used, but the town has embraced this space and its philosophy of being open to everybody. Initially, their goal was to have 1,000 members, but at the moment, they have upwards of 4,500. As they were crafting their mission statement, they decided that another one of their goals was to be multi-generational, and they’ve reached the point where they truly have something for everyone.My kids take swim lessons at the community center, and my impression is that it’s taking on what the residents of Newtown believe this town is all about: inclusivity and kindness. As you may remember, I spotlighted the Better Day Cafe on a previous edition of Hero Around Town, and that cafe is located in the rec center’s lobby. It’s staffed by students from the Newtown Public Schools Transition Program, which means they get to learn culinary and accounting skills and develop other job skills while they interact with the public. Moving forward, the rec center is committed to keeping this staff and growing the program. If you haven’t been to the rec center yet, head on down and they’d be happy to give you a tour. Thanks so much to Matt for joining me. If you have any real-estate related questions that I can answer, feel free to reach out at any time via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Inventory is as low as I’ve ever seen in our real estate market. Here's what this means for sellers.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here In nearly 15 years in the business, I’ve never seen such a shortage of listings in the real estate market as we have right now. We have more buyers in every price point than we have active listings. We have about 60 listings that our team will be putting on the market throughout the year, but the market remains way short on homes for sale. If you or someone you know has thought about listing and wants to get a great sale price, the time is now.If you have any questions for me about selling your home or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Lori Rodrigue is the head of the Newtown school district and this month’s Hero Around Town. I caught up with her recently and we had a great conversation.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here I’m here today with this month’s Hero Around Town, Dr. Lori Rodigue, head of our Newtown school system. She has guided us through tough times in the past, but our school system has remained fantastic throughout her tenure. Connecticut has its challenges, but some of the reasons that our area tends to improve gradually are because we have a safe place to live, great policing, and excellent schools. We owe a lot of that to Dr. Rodrigue and her incredible staff.Here’s an outline of our full conversation, with timestamps so that you can skip ahead to the section(s) that interest you the most:1:25- What are the biggest challenges right now for the Newtown school district?5:11- The challenges the district is currently facing head-on6:15- What Lori considers her biggest accomplishment8:25- My thoughts on the Newtown school system and its strong culture of caring9:30- Wrapping things upThanks so much to Dr. Rodrigue for joining me. It was wonderful to hear her perspective. If you have any real-estate related questions that I can answer, feel free to reach out at any time via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today I’m sharing a few predictions about what our 2020 real estate market will do.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Welcome to 2020: Today I’m going to make a few predictions about our 2020 real estate market. Looking back quickly, we’ve noticed a continuation of a flat market that became more price point driven. Everything under around the $400,000 price point was selling at a fairly quick rate last year, and I anticipate continuing this year.The higher in price the home is, the harder it is to sell right now. However, in each price point, homes that showed off their inherent value sold quickly. When a home is priced properly for what it is, what it has, and what it doesn’t have, you’re much more likely to sell quickly. In 2020, we’ll see a similar market to 2019, but there’s no need to worry about a recession.The higher in price the home is, the harder it is to sell right now.We are now in an election year, and that can affect the stock market. However, people much smarter than I am about financing and accounting believe we will hold steady in 2020 as long as the national economy stays fairly steady. We are currently low on home supply, so if you’re considering making a move, this is the time to sell. In my opinion, the higher price points are going to experience a slight increase in inventory sold because we’re short on supply. If you list your home that’s valued at over $400,000, I think you’ll sell it this year. If you have questions about our market or anything else concerning real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to speaking with you. In the meantime, have a wonderful 2020!

The Women’s Center of Greater Danbury works to help victims of domestic abuse in our community.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today I’m joined by my friend and client Eric Egan to spotlight my latest “Hero Around Town”: the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury. Eric is the new chairperson of the board of this great nonprofit, and he’s here to fill us in on everything they do for our community. Their mission is to save lives, and the depth and breadth of the service they provide to victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence reflects this mission. Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure: 1:14—The top three things they do for our community2:14—Why domestic abuse relief is a universal need in our society 3:01—How many people they’ve helped in 20193:37—The different services and educational programs they offer 5:13—Committees in which you can volunteer 5:53—How Eric got involved with the women’s center7:13—Wrapping things upIf you’d like to learn more about the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, I encourage you to visit their website. If you have questions about today’s video or there’s anything else I can help with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to speak with you.

Today I want to discuss humanizing a real estate transaction by taking a look at something that happens all the time in real estate: writing a letter to the seller.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Happy holidays, everyone! We hope you have a wonderful end of the year and a great start to 2020.Oftentimes, a buyer will tell me that they’re going to make an offer on a home and that they want to write a letter accompanying the offer to show the sellers that they’re sincere about purchasing their home. I think that’s a great idea, and I usually recommend that they go for it.However, if I know that the buyer plans to submit a lowball offer and that doing so will only cause the accompanying letter to enrage the seller, I may caution against it. That will only send conflicting messages to the seller.Adding a human element can often really push things along.Sometimes, for both buyers and sellers, it’s just about the money. Other times, it’s also about the people. That’s the interesting part of our business: It’s about the people as much as it’s about the money. A home is a commodity that goes up and down with the ebb of the market, but it’s also an emotional purchase and sale. Those are aspects that we in the business need to keep in balance, which we do when we advise a seller to review and take seriously a letter submitted by a buyer or advise a buyer to write and submit a letter with their offer.Recently, one of our buyers submitted a strong offer alongside a wonderful letter, and we believe that it really helped to bind the buyer and seller together in that transaction, bringing it all down to a human level.Sometimes, as agents, we need to take a step back from the process and allow the buyer and seller to connect. Oftentimes, this helps things to go smoothly. We don’t always do this since it can only create animosity, but adding a human element can often really push things along.If you have any questions about writing a letter to a home seller or anything else to do with real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to working with you soon.

The FAITH Food Pantry is a shining example of what Newtown is all about. Here’s what I mean.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here I recently had the pleasure of visiting the FAITH Food Pantry here in Newtown, and I was lucky enough to be joined by President Lee Paulsen and Vice President Jill LeBlanc to talk a little bit about their history and what they bring to the Newtown community. The FAITH Food Pantry was started in 1983 by the Reverend Joan Horrowit at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook. They’ve been in the current location for about a year and a half, and they serve around 150 families per month. Winter months are harder because a lot of their clients pay for expenses (heat, electricity, etc.) they wouldn’t ordinarily pay for in the summer. As Lee and Jill said, so many people are no more than one paycheck away from having a need, and the hardest thing for them to do is walk through their front door and ask for help. They always leave with a smile, though. During my tour, the word “goodness” came to mind. Everyone in there is there to help, and you get the feeling that if you were in need, this would be a safe place to come. All the volunteers are Newtown residents, and anyone is welcome to come inside as long as they’re, also, Newtown residents. They specify this because all the money and food that’s provided is done so by the city of Newtown.  Everyone in there is there to help, and you get the feeling that if you were in need, this would be a safe place to come.As you might expect, they get an influx of food donations for the holidays, and they’ll have free turkeys and Thanksgiving meals to provide this year. The summer months are when they have their lowest level of inventory, so during that time, they’re always on the lookout for basic items like cleaning supplies, coffee, etc. If you’d like to contribute to their cause, they accept donations on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and on Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. I think what FAITH Food Pantry does is a great summation of what Newton is all about. There’s a special kindness that’s exuded in this town, and they’re an example of that. It’s worth noting that they refer to the people they help as “clients” instead of “the needy.”I want to thank Lee and Jill for joining me for today’s video, and my team and I look forward to hopefully hosting one of their food drives within the month. If you’d like to know more about FAITH Food Pantry, visit their website here. As always, if you have any real estate questions for me or there’s anything I can help you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to speak with you.

Is your home winter-ready? If not, here are five tips to help you prepare it for the cold season ahead.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Some of us cringe at the mention of the colder weather on its way, but, like it or not, winter is just around the corner. It’s time to start getting ready for the season, and, for homeowners, this means making sure your property is ready to endure the snow, ice, and freezing temperatures ahead. With all of that said, here are the top five things you need to do to prepare your home for winter: 1. Turn off and detach all hoses from outdoor faucets. There shouldn’t be any water left in the lines, as they will be some of the first areas to freeze if your home loses heat. 2. Clean out your gutters. Clogged gutters are among the leading causes of ice damage, so make sure yours are clear. You may have to clean them twice this season, depending on how many trees are in your neighborhood. Seal up air leaks around windows and doors to keep your house warm and your energy bills low.3. Clear the downspouts. This way, water will be directed away from your home as things thaw out. The last thing you want is for water to start building up at your foundation. 4. Properly store all outdoor machinery. Now is the time to put away lawnmowers and other such equipment. Storing them high up and making sure they are covered will help deter mice and other pests from making homes in your shed or garage. While you’re at it, make sure to get winter equipment (like snowblowers) serviced ahead of time. 5. Seal up air leaks around windows and doors. This will keep your home warmer and your energy bills lower. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today Mandy Manaco, our newspaper's latest “Hero Around Town,” stops by for a quick interview.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today I’m proud to be interviewing Mandy Manaco, our newspaper’s latest “Hero Around Town.”Mandy is a jack of all trades when it comes to her involvement in greater Newtown, and she is a part of several wonderful organizations that help families in need in our area. The first we’ll spotlight is WIN (Women Involved in Newtown). This organization has been doing a lot of good since its inception 50 years ago, and they started their first major initiative 30 years ago by weaving and donating Thanksgiving baskets filled with food during the holidays—an initiative that continues to this day. With the assistance of social services, these baskets are donated to roughly 80 to 90 families in need all around Newtown each year. My wife and I have donated to this cause ourselves.There are still families in need in our area, and Mandy is a part of several organizations that fill that need.All the food is supplied by local schools, and the students from those schools and other volunteers help with packing and distributing. These students knowing that the food they’re supplying is going to families in need during the holidays is the most rewarding part of the process for Mandy. Next up is Better Day Cafe, a cafe that opened this summer at the Newtown Community Center that’s staffed by special needs students who’ve graduated from high school in Newtown. Every day, they make baked goods and other food items, interact with customers, and learn valuable life and business skills. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this operation—not only how great their service is, but how fulfilling it is for those involved. Our community is about inclusion and supporting each other, and these two organizations uphold these values.Mandy’s biggest passion, though, is a project called Easter Baskets, which she runs out of her house with several volunteers. The mission of Easter Baskets is to donate baskets filled with candy and leftover stuffed animals to St. Rose of Lima Church, Healing Hearts of Newtown, Social Services of Newtown, and other places. I want to thank Mandy for all the wonderful work she does and for joining us today. If you’d like to get involved with WIN, Better Day Cafe, or Easter Baskets, you can give her a call at (203) 426-5600.As always, if you have any real estate questions for me or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to speak with you.

Our team is launching a newspaper, and we can’t wait to share more details about it with you today.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here People often say that print media is either dead or dying, but we don’t think this is true. In fact, our team is about to launch a monthly newspaper that will be delivered to every single doorstep or mailbox in Newtown. And for those who aren’t in Newtown but who would like to receive it, all you have to do is ask and we’ll be happy to make it happen. We’re so excited about this new and exciting way for us to spread the word about everything going on in our area. In addition to that, the cover of every issue will feature a local hero around town, the first of which being Todd Ingersoll—a Newtown resident with an incredible story. We hope you’ll enjoy this 12-page, full-color publication and all the market updates, lifestyle articles, local event announcements, and everything else it’s going to showcase. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Our real estate market continues to remain flat, but some segments remain hot. Here’s what you need to know.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here We’re digging right into the numbers today to get to the bottom of what’s going on in our real estate market. For the last few years, we’ve been relatively flat across the board. But now more than ever, this market is price-point driven. We’re down about 2% overall in list price from last month, and we’re also down by 1% in sales.Why are we seeing a decrease at all? Well, the issue lies in the upper end of the market driving the overall averages down. In the lower end of the market, we’re still seeing much more competitive sales, multiple bids, and some prices above asking. Higher-priced homes are selling for less at the same time.What does this mean for our market going forward? The overarching issue continues to be Connecticut’s fundamental business climate and challenges. I don’t fall on either side of the political spectrum and I see merit on both sides, but you can't deny the fact that Connecticut is in trouble fiscally. We’re going to need leadership to be able to get us out of that. I’m not sure we have that leadership now. It's to be determined, but we are looking at a long trudge through some murky waters. Luckily, the strong national economy should keep us flat.The upper end of the market is driving the overall stats down.We’re continuing to see buyers in our market at all price ranges. There are folks out there who want to buy here in Connecticut, many of whom are from New York. There are tax advantages here when it comes to how much you can write off. It’s capped at $10,000 a year right now.The challenge with these buyers is that they can be a little bit pickier about what they want to be. They have time to wait for the right home. They rarely tell me they need to move. They want to find the right house and pay the right amount. They aren’t trying to lowball folks, but they do want to make sure they’re getting a fair price. I can’t blame them. As a seller, how can you deal with buyers like this? You can prepare by getting in touch with someone like us as far in advance as possible so we can make a plan of attack on how to get your home sold on the market. Having more time is always ideal. Today’s buyers don’t want to do the work, so doing it yourself can really benefit you.If you have any questions for me about buying or selling a home or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

There are five myths that home sellers need to disabuse themselves of before they enter the market. Learn more here.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here I recently read an article from Inman, a fantastic resource for all things real estate, that discussed some of the myths that home sellers in the market tend to believe but shouldn’t. I've picked five of the most common myths to share with you all today, so that I can explain why they're so harmful to the sellers who fall for them.1. “I don’t need to have a listing agent visit my home until it’s ready.” I can’t tell you how wrong that is; preparation is key when selling a home. Here, we work with our clients not just months, but years in advance. We always help our clients plan their sale around the events in their life and early in the process, we think about the kinds of things we can do for the home to help it sell when the time comes.2. “I don’t need to upgrade the property for sale.” Increasing numbers of buyers are looking for move-in ready homes, so the more a seller does to get the home to that level, the higher the returns. Today’s buyers are fundamentally different from how they were even a couple decades ago. They either don’t have the expendable cash to do the upgrades, don’t have the patience to do them, or they don’t want to be caught on the weekends doing them. They want to enjoy their new home or be able to take trips; they’re not inclined to spend day after day upgrading their home.When buyers do come to your home, it should be a validation of what they’ve seen online.3. “I need open houses to be able to sell my home.” Open houses are still a wonderful way to sell a property, but buyers already know about your home before they come to the open house. When they do come to your home, it should be a validation of what they’ve seen online. If your online listing and your actual home don’t align, you’ve probably lost your buyer.4. “I need many open house signs at key intersections to draw people in.” An open house may very well grant your listing more exposure, but again, it only matters as much as your home validates your listing to those buyers who are still early on in their respective homebuying processes. Most people who attend open houses aren’t quite ready yet to take a plunge; they’re still doing their research and checking out their options. However, if your home is properly prepared, it could well take someone who wasn’t ready before and help them realize that maybe they are. In the end, though, you don’t need quite as many signs directing people to your open houses… we have GPS in today’s internet age.5. “If buyers really want my house, they will pay more than the market value.” In our market, your success really does come down to your home’s pricing and marketing. If the value isn’t there in a buyer’s eyes (and remember that they have access to more information than ever before), then they won’t make an offer. Try to be within striking distance of the market; people don’t often blatantly make lowball offers.If you have any questions about today’s topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. We look forward to working with you soon.

Today I’m joined once again by Chris Haggerty, an agent on our team as well as a home builder/flipper, to talk about aging houses and how to prepare them for the market.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here In today’s eighth episode of my series where I discuss various topics related to the housing industry, I sat down once again with agent and builder Chris Haggerty to discuss the aging housing population. By that, I don’t mean senior citizens in the housing market—I literally mean houses that are becoming outdated with the passage of time. How have home styles changed over the years? Which renovation projects are worthwhile in terms of the return they’ll bring? Which ones are essential? We’ll cover these topics and more.For your convenience, I’ve cited timestamps below that will direct you to various points in the video above. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure: 0:33—How have home styles changed over time? What styles are in, and which ones are out?1:14—How to prepare aging homes for the market: Which projects bring the highest return, and how much work is involved?4:45—Which bathroom features will make buyers think of them as dated?6:40—What renovations should homeowners do if they want to enjoy them while they still live there, but are relevant when it comes time to sell?11:35—The difference between a homeowner’s upgrades and a professional’s upgrades13:11—Taking the emotional aspect out of preparing a home for the marketIf you have any questions for me about home renovations or about preparing a home for the market in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to have a conversation with you.

For today’s installment of my twice-monthly podcast, I’m joined by Chris Haggerty, a former-client-turned-agent, to discuss the inspection process from both a buyer’s and a seller’s perspective. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Today’s guest, Chris Haggerty, and I have an interesting and long-standing relationship. He was originally a client of mine who bought and flipped homes, but over time, he came to join my real estate team, and he now helps us sell homes.From the early 90s to the present, Chris has also racked up a lot of experience building and renovating homes. In that time, he’s built over 100 new homes, done hundreds of additions and kitchen/bath remodels, and that’s not to mention the dozens of whole-house renovations!Since he’s experienced the real estate process both as a non-professional and an agent, I thought it would be interesting to pick Chris’ brain about what to expect when undergoing the inspection process, which can often be the hardest part of a transaction.For your convenience, I’ve cited timestamps below that will direct you to various points in the video above. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure: 1:27—The one area in which Chris and I always butted heads: the inspection process 2:55—What should a buyer keep in mind when going into the inspection process? 6:11—As agents, what can we do in advance to properly prepare a buyer for the inspection, especially regarding setting reasonable expectations for them? 9:05—The new-home costs that buyers often overlook 10:42—Moving on to the seller’s standpoint: Chris’ thoughts about pre-inspections 12:37—How can you manage a seller’s emotions and expectations when they receive the inspector’s report? 14:21—Advising clients to act intelligently, given current market conditions 15:44—Wrapping up the discussionI’m thankful to Chris for taking the time to have a conversation with me. His knowledge and experience have been an invaluable asset to the team.If you have any questions about today’s topic or about the real estate industry in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Until then, stay tuned to my podcast for more great conversations with the industry’s best.

In today’s episode of the Andy Sachs Podcast, I’m joined by State Assemblyman Sean Scanlon to discuss the good and the bad of real estate in Connecticut.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Though he’s incredibly busy, we finally found a time for State Assemblyman Sean Scanlon to join me for a discussion about real estate here in Connecticut. In today’s podcast, I’ll put him on the hot seat to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly as it pertains to our real estate market.When people think of politicians, they usually think that they just say what people want to hear or what will make him look good for their constituency. But not so for Sean Scanlon. His track record shows that he is willing to make hard decisions that may not be popular upfront, but that are better for the constituency, the market, and Connecticut as a whole.Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure: 0:52—Sean’s market “State of the Union”—where does the real estate market stand?2:50—Where there’s growth in the market, there are also cuts4:59—How to make Connecticut more attractive for those who come not only to raise a family, but also to stay for life6:34—How can we change the culture of Connecticut, which, over the past generation, has been on a decline?8:52—Sean’s bipartisan approach to politics10:11—The monumental challenge that lies aheadI appreciate State Assemblyman Scanlon for taking the time to speak with me today. If you have any questions or comments about our discussion, feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to hear from you.

What do buyers need to know about real estate in general? Find out in today’s podcast.Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here On our last episode of the “Around Town Real Estate” podcast, we talked about what sellers are facing in the market. For our fourth entry, we’ll be flipping the script and focusing on buyers. What should buyers expect from our current market, and how can they make sure they can find and purchase the home of their dreams? We’ll be looking at all this and more today.For your convenience, we’ve included timestamps for today’s podcast. Feel free to navigate to the section(s) you’re most interested in viewing:00:10 — Introduction to today’s topic00:42 — What should every buyer do before starting the search?01:39 — How we advise buyers02:52 — Talking about closing credits03:45 — People don’t have a lot of expendable cash05:52 — Talking about closing costs06:42 — People shouldn’t be paying as much as they’re approved for09:19 — Buyers: Don’t worry about us!10:35 — We want happy buyers12:00 — The kinds of buyer requests we can’t fulfill14:20 — There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes16:20 — How technology changed buyers and real estate in general18:25 — Some things never change: Service is what we do20:00 — Real estate still needs the human touch21:00 — What’s the most common thing we hear about real estate websites?22:08 — Conclusion to today’s podcastStay tuned for future podcasts, where we’ll continue giving insight into the biggest need-to-know real estate topics. If you have any questions or would like more information in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

There’s a lot that sellers need to consider when they jump into the market. Today we’ll be covering everything you should know and expect. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here For the latest episode of the "Around Town Real Estate" podcast, we’ll be talking about everything sellers can expect from the market. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions floating around out there, and we want to take the time to make sure this misinformation is cleared up.For your convenience, we’ve included timestamps of today’s podcast. Feel free to navigate to the section(s) you’re most interested in viewing:00:09 — Introduction to today’s topic00:52 — What common questions do sellers have during listing appointments?03:24 — There’s no other team that prepares sellers as well as we do04:42 — The problem when buyers are disappointed with a home06:50 — What are the sellers’ expectations with regard to marketing and social media?08:56 — Are open houses beneficial to clients?11:23 — How we set seller expectations in regard to pricing, time, and communication12:30 — What do we do for high-end home sellers?16:10 — Sometimes, you need to know when to stop everything and reevaluate18:16 — Where is the market going for sellers?20:17 — Conclusion to today’s podcastOn our next episode, we’ll be looking at the buyer side of things. If you have any questions or would like more information in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

For the second edition of our “Around Town” real estate podcast, we’ll explore the present landscape of our market and discuss what the future might have in store. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here Welcome back for the second edition of our “Around Town” real estate podcast. If you missed it, be sure to check out our series premiere, which featured our friend David Garofalo from Guaranteed Rate Affinity, here. Join me today as I take a closer look at the market and parse through the numbers to determine where we’re headed and where opportunities lie for homebuyers and sellers this year. Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch the full message or use these timestamps to browse specific topics at your leisure: 0:50—Average sale price year over year and its relationship with supply and demand2:20—How the market for lower-priced homes is affecting price points above it4:15—The high occurrence of people buying modestly in-state or flying south6:26—The influx of out-of-state buyers who are fleeing the tax burden7:32—My forecast for where the market is headed in 2019 and beyond 8:51—Final remarksAs always, if you have questions related to our market outlook or real estate in general, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to working with you soon!

For the first episode of the “Around Town Real Estate Podcast,” I’m joined by David Garofalo to talk about important changes that have taken place in the mortgage industry. Selling your home? Get a home value report here Looking to buy a home? Search all local homes for sale here The landscape of the mortgage industry has been turned on its head in the last decade, so for the first episode of my new podcast, I’ve brought in David Garofalo of Guaranteed Rate Affinity to talk about what changes have taken place and how they affect you. For your convenience, I’ve provided timestamps of our conversation so you can skip ahead to the section(s) that interest you the most: 0:49—The holistic approach David uses for his business 2:57—Why he switched over to Guaranteed Rate Affinity 5:10—The changes he’s seeing in the current mortgage market 8: 51—The biggest difficulties buyers face during the mortgage process12:25—Why buyers have become more educated and more realistic 15:45—How David had to adjust his mindset as the industry changed 17:38—Why he’s not concerned about the next recession20:14—Where he sees his part of the industry heading As always, if you have any other real estate questions for me, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you.