Archive for January, 2008
5 Ways to Enjoy the New England Winter in Ridgefield, Connecticut
January 30th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy, Lake Living, Ridgefield
Get outside! Ridgefielders have so much fun in the winter. With all of our lakes and trails, streams and hills there’s so much to enjoy. Nothing like a traditional New England winter: frozen lakes, snow on the ground, neighborhood gatherings on the ice, …
Here’s a list of how to enjoy these luscious winter afternoons:
Ice Skating on Fox Hill Lake, Rainbow Lake, Mamanasco Lake, Lake Windwing and Pierrepont Lake
Ridgefield has several lake communities that take on a whole different flavor when the lake freezes over. Your neighbors come out to skate, the kids (and some dads) play hockey, it’s great to see neighbors and friends during the winter. It’s just good wholesome New England fun. I took these pictures in my neighborhood on this gorgeous January weekend. I was out on Fox Hill Lake.
Ice Fishing (also on Fox Hill, Rainbow, Mamanasco and Pierrepont)
The ice fishers have been out in force this winter. Drilling holes through the ice, dropping their lines and setting their tip-ups to signal a catch.
Snowshoeing
Ridgefield has 1000’s of acres of open space. Town-owned land, state-owned land, Nature Conservancy and more. There’s a great variety of terrain as the trails run along streams and rivers, around lakes, over mountains and through forests, fields and meadows. And when there’s snow on the ground, all of these trails are prime for snowshoeing. If you don’t have snowshoes, just pick up a pair at EMS in Danbury and enjoy hours of winter exercise in the peace and quiet of the winter woods. Personally, this is one of my favorite things about winter in Ridgefield. I grab my dog and go right out my back door and into Pierrepont State Park.
Winter Hiking
When winter deals us little or no snow, there’s nothing quite like a hike on a crisp sunny afternoon. Brad and I were out at Bennetts Pond this past weekend and saw several groups of hikers soaking up winter’s serenity. We even ran into a few intrepid mountain bikers making their way through the icy woods. Enjoy Ridgefield’s miles and miles of hiking trails in every season.
Ridgefield Lakes:
Fox Hill Lake
Rainbow Lake
Lake Mamanasco
Pierrepont Lake
Lake Windwing
Ridgefield Snowshoe/Hiking Trails:
Pierrepont State Park
Bennetts Pond
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Save The U.S. Economy… Buy a House Today
January 29th, 2008 categories: Buying Your House, Redding, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate, Wilton
Well, the Fed got serious last week when it cut interest rates ¾ point. Simultaneously, our President proposed a package to jump start the economy to “avoid” recession. Too little, too late?
The ¾ point Fed Funds rate drop from 4.25 to 3.5 is a big step in trying to get buyers to get off the fence. This rate cut means that anything tied to the prime rate like credit card interest rates, mortgage rates, auto loans, & personal loans will
become less expensive.
Mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage are now on average 5 - 6 %! This matched with the fantastic variety of homes on the market and the adjustment in home prices of the past 2 years makes this the best time to buy a home in decades!
You may be happy that home prices have declined if you are looking to buy a house anytime soon. But…as soon as you become a homeowner, you will change your tune before the ink dries on your mortgage note.
When home sales rise, inventory decreases and prices begin to rise. When values rise, equity in your home also rises. When you have more equity, you are happier and more confident and feel comfortable spending money. When people spend money (wisely), the economy grows. When the economy grows, home prices continue to rise…and so on, and so on!
If you have been waiting for the right time to buy your home…this is it! Pick up the phone, call your Realtor and put in an offer. It’s the patriotic thing to do!
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6 Reasons Why Ridgefield Will be Better in 2008
January 26th, 2008 categories: Local Events, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
There’s a lot of good stuff going on in 2008! Ridgefield’s First Selectman Rudy Marconi delivered his State of the Town Address this week to an enthusiastic crowd. Standing before the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Community Center, Rudy made it clear that the town will continue to thrive in 2008. Highlights of his address include::
- The Police Station addition project will start as scheduled.
- Main Street traffic issues will be addressed by the State of Connecticut with construction crews working at night to minimize disruptions.
- The State will also provide funds for a major renovation to Yanity Gym and relocation of the softball field to Route 7.
- A state grant will be used to lengthen the sidewalk and plant trees on Route 35 near Copps Hill
- Redevelopment of the Schlumberger property is a major priority
- Recycling and Clean Energy initiatives will continue to be a priority
He summed things up “the town looks great, and it should continue to be great in 2008”. We’ll be celebrating our 300th anniversary with eight months of festivities planned.
See The Ridgefield Press for more information.
Related Must Read:
What You Need to Know About Ridgefield’s 300th Birthday Celebration
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How to Save Money and Add 20% to the Value of Your Home
January 24th, 2008 categories: Redding, Ridgefield, Selling Your House, Talking Real Estate
Want to get the most out of your house? The most enjoyment and satisfaction. The most money when you put the “home for sale” sign out front. Just like a Porsche sports car, you need to keep it properly maintained so it operates at peak performance and you get top dollar when you sell it.
Keep your house in great condition and you can sell it for up to 20% more.
Industry experts say that on average you should spend 1% - 3% of your home’s value each year to keep it in tip-top shape (I take care of my Ridgefield home as best I can). This includes minor upgrades and maintenance/repairs for things like plumbing, heat and A/C, paint, roof, electrical, windows, doors, major appliances, landscaping and everything else that keeps your home in perfect working order. But you don’t need to call a professional for every project. If you have the time, inclination and some skill, you can make some of this work your weekend project.
Here are some extremely valuable websites that will help you keep your house “hitting on all 8″, save you money by DIYing (doing it yourself) and when it’s time to sell, you’ll be assured of getting the best price.
Do It Yourself - www.diyideas.com
How to do Things - www.howtodothings.com
DIY Network - www.diynetwork.com
Do It Yourself - www.doityourself.com
Bob Vila - www.bobvila.com
Ridgefield Area Building Supply Stores
To keep those projects on-time and under budget, we’ve got several sources for tools and supplies. Here’s where to go:
Ridgefield Supply Company - Local, family-owned business that’s been here forever. Located in Ridgefield, “Supply” is where professionals go for lumber, paint, windows and doors, tools and more. Supply has everything you’d need to build a house. The staff is friendly and extremely knowledgeable. DIYer’s beware, they close at noon on Saturday and they’re closed on Sunday.
Ring’s End Lumber - Another locally owned business, you can find Ring’s End in Bethel and Lewisboro. Another resource for professionals, Ring’s End provides DIYer’s with top quality products and assistance.
The Home Depot - Located in Danbury and Brewster
Lowe’s - Located in Danbury.
Stay on top of all your maintenance projects and call a professional when you don’t have the time or skill to tackle a job (I had the pros install a new boiler). But… I always encourage you to try something new. What’s the worst that can happen. You get part way through it and you call for some help. And when you make the call, call me. I’ve got a network of reliable plumbers, electricians, whatever you need. We’re always here to help.
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Ridgefield, CT Gets A New Eco-Friendly Bed & Breakfast: green ROCKS
January 23rd, 2008 categories: Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Green Living, Local Events, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
How green ROCKS Inn, a B&B was Born…
This is a story about how creativity and thinking out of the box can change lives and enhance an entire town.
We had a listing in Ridgefield that is quite amazing! It is a beautiful 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath, 4500 sq. ft. home, built at the end of 2004. The house sits on nearly two serene acres abutting many acres of Ridgefield Open Space.
We put the house on the market at the beginning of 2006 and thought it would sell rather quickly. After all, it was brand new, luxury construction on spectacular property convenient to everything! We did everything imaginable to get this house sold, including holding an estate sale at the property to draw buyers. The main reason the house failed to sell was that it is on Rt. 35 (Danbury Rd.) in Ridgefield, a main road, somewhat close to a gas station. It finally became apparent that, unless they dropped the price below their comfort level, it was not going to happen in the current market. I thought, and thought about our dilemma, and finally came up with a possible solution.
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