Check out this website for info about new tax credits for alternative energy solutions for your home, as well as info on retro-fitting an old house with Geo-Thermal heat (its easier than you think!)Pamela Beck is a representative of Oil Free Energy Solutions LLC, an International Code Council Member, US Green Building Council Member, BPI, IGSHPA certified and accredited company, soon to be LEEDS and ResNet certified as well, with offices in Woodbury, Ct. and Poughkeepsie N.Y.They supply and install alternative and oil free systems including:

-Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems: Price includes an energy audit by certified building/envelope energy analysts prior to installation which provides clients with the most cost effective and site specific system possible.

-Solar/hot water

-Solar pool heating

-Photovoltaic panels

-Wind Power

-Energy reduction systems for commercial cooling/freezing equipment i.e. walk in freezers

-Advanced Weatherization/Insulation

All of our energy related services are completely turnkey (i.e. geothermal from wells to grills). Theirwebsite at www.oilfreenow.com has a huge amount of info in the drop down menu for anyone interested in substantially reducing their energy expenses while making an eco- friendly investment towards the value of their homes and businesses.

Please see my past post titled:Easy Green Ideasfor YourHomefor more ideas.

Some excerpts from the Departures article of March/April 2009:

"We are going there to hide." The email response-from a NY art world heavyweight about his decision to buy a home in Litchfield County-was decidedly curt. And yet a theme emerged. Samantha Gregory, vice president of global communications for Tory Burch and an infinitely more forthcoming Litchfield County habitue describes a typical weekend at her home in the town of New Preston: We [her husband is weeds executive producer Roberto Benabib] leave Manhattan about 5:30 pm on Friday. We stop at GW Tavern in Washington Depot, where the owners always save us a booth. Saturday we get breakfast at Marty's coffee shop. Then we'll walk around lake Waramaug, stop by The Pantry for take out, go back home and read by the fire. Every Saturday at 7:30 we go to Oliva restaurant and I order the gorgonzola and caramelized onion pizza. Sunday morning we are back at Marty's, the maybe the Hickory Stick Bookshop, or the Smithy market for organic vegetables and a pie, then home again.

The county of Litchfield includes 26 towns and occupies the Northwest corner of CT. The landscape is storybook New England, with rolling hill, endless woodlands, green fields and streams. The most recent US census marks the area as the least densely populated in CT. The Litchfield list of names tells a different story. The County is undeniably packed with was used to be known as men and women of substance: Diane von Furstenberg, Philip Roth, Graydon Carter, Jasper Johns, Henry Kissinger, Anne Bass, Agnes Gund, Oscar de la Renta, Danny Meyer, Joan Rivers, Meryl Streep.

So just how did this 920 square mile stretch of CT with such a high powered citizenship and close proximity to Manhattan become the red-hot center of the simple life?

This is a place where George Malkemus, the president of Manolo Blahnik, breeds prize wining cattle at his Arethusa Farm in Litchfield. New York investor Terry Fitzgerald and his wife Libby, raise all-natural Black Angus beef at their Greyledge Farm in Bridgewater. The 96-year old Goshen Fair - tractor pull at 10 AM! Rabbit judging at 12! Woodcutting demonstrations at 5! -- is a mainstay of the summer calendar.

The novelist Dani Shapiro moved to Litchfield County full time 6 years ago, drawn partly because of its status as an artistic haven. "There's such a rich history," she says. "Alexander Calder lived here. Arthur Miller. William Styron. We have Frank McCourt, Larry Kramer, Francine du Plessix Gray, Milos Forman. Its a place where people who need to be connected to New York can be, while still feeling like they live in a small town."

Mennin and Shapiro are part of Litchfield's growing "expat" community, a group of young bankers, writers, artists, and architects who left New York or who grew up weekending in Litchfield County before deciding they wanted to be there full time. "It's not just about antiquing on the weekend anymore; people live real lives here," says Shapiro.

Former magazine photo editor Kathryn McCarver Root visited her in-laws in Litchfield County for years. She and her family now live in Roxbury, and she runs a photography gallery in Washington Depot called KMR Arts. The average age is around 40 something. They're ex-Hamptonites who now have two kids and want out of that scene. Others are lured by the size of the properties and the privacy that comes with it.

As much as locals insist that there is no regular social circuit, there are certain events that are well attended and regular haunts (the bar at the Mayflower Inn, GW Tavern, West St Grill) that are always packed. "Its social and sophisticated just not urban or flashy".

If there is a cause celebre, it is the mission of the land trusts. And almost every town has its own.It seems there has always been a strong local instinct towards historic preservation," says Schnitzer, "and it has extended into land conservation. Ultimately, its all about preserving a way of life and a beautiful corner of the world."

Well, here you go. This is info for the three towns of Washington, Roxbury and Bridgewater which is indicative for the area. If you would like this info for your town please email me. This is what has happened in the last 3 months compared to years past:

Number of Sales Average Price

Jan - March 200628$806,554

Jan - March 200725 $1,129,200

Jan - March 2008 22 $1,279,223

Jan - March 2009 7 $875,200

The pricing action here is not as meaningful to me as the sales number which of course fell dramatically. The pricing for a 3 month time period with as few sales as we have overall is always questionable 1or 2 sales effects the number dramatically. The number of sales always falls before pricing does and always rising before pricing will rise. So what we really need is for people to come up and start getting their deals. Everyone wants to know exactly how much the market is down in this area. The numbers above will not tell you that. Here are3 recent examples.

A house offered at $4mil is dropped to $3.2mil and sells quickly at $2.6 million cash. Is that a declineof 35%. Well I guess so, if you ever thought the house should have been offered at $4mil in the first place (that was way to high). I think $3.2 would have been a realistic starting offering price, so thats more like 19%.

Another house just sold in Roxbury. It started at $1,850,000 and was reduced to $1,495,000 and then sold for $1.3mil. Thats 30% off the original price (too high?) and only 13 percent off a very realistic lowered price.

Another house sold to the first buyer who saw it. The offering price was $2,250,000 and it sold for $1,950,000, again 13% off a realistic price.

There just is never going to be an answer to that question up here. The answer is: "it depends".

Inventory is still high and very diverse with some houses having no price reductions (maybe the sellers live in a cave in the basement?)and other very realistic sellers with great houses at great deals. You need a professional to help you sort through and find the gems.

Ok, so the stock market has rallied, the snowhas melted, and I'm literally watching the grass get greener by the hour on my lawn. So where are the buyers? I'm working with at least 20 buyers who are all waffling, all waiting to get the best houses in the area at a 60% off foreclosure auction (where they will be the only bidder),all thinking that the market will go down forever, all convinced that they will pick the absolute bottom and be the heroes of the day with bragging rights that may go onfor generations. (We've all heard the stories about someone'suncle who bought a Park Ave apt for $50,000 in the 70s).

I do think that there may be a interested triple bottom forming here in the stock market. (I can't help continuing to utilize my former training as a technical analyst.) Triple bottoms are an important measure of finding a bottom in almost every market cycle. Also, since I haverecently confessed to my addiction to cable news, I also see a real switch in the nature of the stories about the real estate market. After nothing but negative press for over 2 years (which I'm convinced exacerbated this cycle) thetide seems to be turning a bit. Seems like I'm seeing more stories about real estate markets picking up, bottoming, statistics looking better, etc. Are you guys noticing that?

So anyway, I'm wondering when all my fence sitters will decide that the fence is chaffing and perhaps a lounge chair by the pool in their new country house might be more comfortable? Will they continue to stall, or will they all jump in and start chasing each other in a panic not to miss their favorite house (the one that they have had their eye on for overa year which they want to be kept up on every price reduction). My guess is that it will be somewhere in the middle. i anticipate the number of sales will go up this quarter but pricing will not. Many will step up this Spring and get good deals, and many will play the more conservative approach and prefer to wait until things have really really for absolutely sure bottomed. My approach is that when people are ready to make a commitment, I'm here to help them find the best deals. Call activity and inquiries are definitely picking up though.....

Ok, I admit it, I watch too much tv---especially cable news.I have to turn it on first thing in the morning to make sure that the world is still ok before I can do anything else. (This is post 911 syndrome). I have to check in sporadically throughout the day. And I love the analyst shows in the evening when I'm making dinner. I also have satellite radio and I only listen to music when my kids are in the car. Otherwise I'm switching between CNBC, Fox News, and CNN (to make sure I have all my bases covered.)I get pissed when people are fanatic or irrational on either side. I hate politicians fromboth sides equally and passionately, yet still I have to know what mockery Barney Frank is up to, or what ridiculous conspiracy the Republicans are trying to stir up. My liberal friends think I'm too conservative and my conservative friends think I'm too liberal. Which tells me that they are all nuts and I'm clearly the center rational realist. Sometimes, I talk back to the tv or the care radio, in an effort to set them straight. As if that makes a difference. As I'm about in the middle politically (and I'm a Libra) I always have to find the balanced argument in the middle somewhere.I literally am obsessed with knowing everything that is going on at all times, and then I analyze it all in my head and have debates with myself about how I would work it all out, if only anyone would listen to me!

I find that I am actually astonished when I'm talking to someone at a dinner party or waiting in line at Martys, or in PA meeting at school and a topic of the day comes up and Irealize this person eyes are glazing over, theydon't know whats going on. I know the topic has been a top news item for days, I think to myself, what planet do they live on? How do they not know this crucial bit of information? Then it occurs to me that some people have a life withoutmy painful addiction. They are the lucky ones, content to check in once a week with the NYTimes, and leave it at that. Its a happier life, I'm quite sure.

We recently went away to Mexico for Spring Break. While there I made a commitment to only check my blackberry and phone messages 3 times a day.I watched no news shows.I went through complete withdrawl, and with the amount of Margaritas Iwas drinking, I barelynoticed the body shakes. Its been so depressing lately to be addicted to news that I really needed a break. In fact, one day my husband said "the market is rallying huge, up 400 points!" I covered my ears and said "shhh, I don't want to hear any of it!" I didn't even want the good news, just total news blackout. So of course like any addict after withdrawl, I promised that I was going to watch less cable news when I got back.I don't really need to have all the information to be able to debate any political argument at any second do I? Do I really need to know that the marketopened down 100 then down 149 then down 179 before the rally at the close to end up down 63? I mean wouldn't then end number just be enough? (This part stems from my former Wall St career as an equity trader with CNBC on all day and 5 computers on my desk with access to every possible news feed available). Oh, here is another confession, I still would say that my best dreams are when I a reliving incredible moments on the trading desk where everything is going my way and I'm making a fortune, and my worst nightmares are when the opposite is occurring (I'm long AIG and its blowing up, can't get out, aghhh!) Old habits die hard...

Anyway, I tried to stay off the juice for a few days after I returned from Mexico. The constant stress on knowing everything going on is reeking havoc on my shoulders and my back, constant pain, lots of Aleve (that is becoming a secondary addiction). However, I am now coming forward to tell you that my kids are in bed, that I watched Kudlow while I did the dishes and that CNBC is on in my office while I write. Spring Break seems so far away....I'm off the wagon.

Ihave had several recent and notable price reductions:

This incredible house on 36 acres in Roxbury has been reduced again, from an initial offering price of $3.5mil down to $2,295,000. Now that's a deal! See more info on my website.

This unique stone house has been reduced from $1mil down to $825,000! Bring an offer!

This Winston/Hunter masterpiece has been reduced from $2.75mil to $2,195,000. Pristine, move right in condition and furniture avail separately.

Last weekend the top producing agents at Raveis got together and did a county wide campaign to fill the coffers at our local food banks. During these trying times, there are many in the area who are struggling to put a hot meal on the table each night. We organized at 5 area super markets and not only did we stuff our big truck, but had many car loads on top of that! I was stationed at theWashington Market and I was overwhelmed by people's kindness. We were only ignored by a handful of people during our 4 hour stint! It was nice to catch up with many of my neighbors as well. We brought the donations to the Litchfield and New Milford food Banks. They were truly overwhelmed by YOUR generosity! We will be doing another one in the Fall and I will blog about it before hand next time.

To date, public open houses have not been common practice in this area. However, Raveis has such good luck with them in Fairfield County thatweare making a big push to make them more popular in Litchfield County. I will be doing public open housesonce or twice a month for the foreseeable future. They will be held on Saturday or Sundays (depending on my schedule) and will go from 1-4pm. I did one at my listing at Tophet Rd a few weeks ago and had many nice neighbors stop by for a look. One said he had a friend who might be interested and asked me to e-mail him info. We must continue to think creatively and outside of the box in this tough market. On Sunday April 5th I will do an open house 267 Baldwin Hill Rd, in Washington.On April 19th I will be at 2 Atchison Cove Rd in Sherman from 1-4 and on April 26th at 123 Painter Ridge Rd in Washington. Please check my website for updated info about open houses.We look forward to seeing you!

267 Baldwin Hill Rd Washington $825,000April 5th 1-4pm

2 Atchison Cove Rd Sherman $1,590,000 Sunday April 19th 1-4pm

Views from 123 Painter Hill Rd, Washington Sunday April 26th 1-4pm $795,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I have started my Blog, I have new found respect for bloggers. Its a lot of work! Here are some of my favorite local blogs. Scroll through their posts as I find they often write great stories our towns which really give a local's perspective and summarize the character of our area perfectly. All these women are noted authors and I am proud and lucky to call them friends.I love the ones about Ann taking her horse out for a ride in our beautiful countryside, or Susanna going for her daily ritual of walking through the land trust trails near herr house. Their blogs are fascinating, check them out.

www.susannasalk.com www.annleary.com www.danishapiro.com www.florencededampierre.com

Everyone must give the beef at Greyledge Farm a try. Its all natural grain fed pure black angus beef, grown right here in Bridgewater CT by the fantastic Fitzgerald family! Just go one their website at www.greyledgefarm.com and support our local farms! They will ship your order right to you.