IMPORTANT! Improving your Fairfield County, CT home that was built prior to 1978

If your home was built prior to 1978, there is a good possibility that there are lead based substances in your home. When you sell your home, you are required to disclose any lead based hazards that you are aware of, and the buyer needs to acknowledge that disclosure. But what if you're not selling right now? Why would you care about that?

What a lot of homeowners don't know is that the EPA passed a regulation in 2008 that became  effective in April of 2010. If you want somef urther details, See the EPA  website for details. 

There is a lead renoavtion pamphlet available as well. You can read the brochure here  (Requires adobe  .pdf reader)  It is very important that you make sure your contractor is Lead-safe certified through the EPA.  THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW AND NOT OPTIONAL for your contractor. It is a requirement!

There are a few reasons why you should be very cautious when remodeling, or even painting your home that was built prior to 1978.

When it comes time to sell your home, standard legal language that is incorporated into the sales contract includes the subject of home improvements, and whether permits were taken out on the work performed at the house. Some attorneys are already requiring that any work completed after 4/22/2010 was performed by a Certfied Lead Safe Contractor, if it falls within the regulation guidelines. A basic rule of thumb for the regulation guideline is that if more than 6 square feet of lead based material is removed or disturbed, that  a Certified Lead Based Contractor must perform the work, and that contractor has to submit paperwork  to that effect. So there will be a paper trail on your renovation. Let me put this into perspective for you. Six square feet!  That's about the size of an average window in your home. This  regulation applies to painters, too. I am not an attorney, nor a specialist in EPA regulations, and I cannot advise you legally. I can, and will suggest to you  to look into this regulation as it pertains to you, and contact an attorney if you have questions.




Homebuyer Tip #1 from The CT Home Blog. What do you do when...

What do you do when you go see a home and the seller is there during your visit?

Plainly put? You can say three things to the seller: Hello, thank you, and goodbye.  NOTHING ELSE! I  learned something very valuable a number of years ago that I would like to share with you. You can COST yourself a lot of money by talking to the seller. I hate to say it, but it's true. The only time you should ever compliment a homeowner on their property during a showing,  is  if you are not interested in buying the property.

Go on and on about how nice the home is to the seller, and put in an offer? NOT A GOOD IDEA! Smart sellers will not negotiate as much, because they know they don't have to. We were all taught that it's very polite to give an honest compliment, and I believe you should in almost every instance, EXCEPT when you are buying your  home. If you want to tell the seller how much you love their home AFTER we've negotiated, that's fine. It doesn't cost you any money at that point.

I always advise my buyer clients to not even ask questions of the seller during the showing. Tell me what you want to know, and I will ask. The fine art of obtaining basic information from a seller in a conversational way is best. So leave the questions to your real estate agent, (That's me!)  and you very well may be  saving yourself thousands of dollars!

What should you do with your pet during a home showing?

When an agent is showing your home to prospective buyers, you want all conditions to be as favorable and friendly as possible. We all love our pets, but we all know people who are not animal lovers. Suppose your prospective buyer is afraid of dogs?  Trust me, they will be way too nervous to look at your home and think about buying it, when all they can think of is ,"I hope that dog doesn't bite me".

People can get very nervous around cats, too. I've had dogs, and I've had cats, too. No problem with me,  but I do remember one seller client that  I had a number of years ago, who had a pretty vicious cat. A very experienced agent who was only previewing the home, called me in utter panic from her cell phone, and told me that the cat had cornered her. She  shrieked on the phone for me to come save her. I still have a very solid visual of that event.  I walked into the house, and saw the agent literally shaking with fear while she was standing on a chair. I did  all I could not to laugh, and it really wasn't funny at all to her. She was truly scared. No matter how harmless you know  your pet is, please remember there is always someone who is petrified of that pet.  And, no..  that agent never stepped foot in that house again. She was a very good agent,, too. My client lost an opportunity with all of HER prospective buyers. So yes, some agents are afraid of animals, too. Don't risk losing a showing because of it.

Some people are so allergic to animals that they couldn't step in your house without bringing an epi-pen, Well, they won't be prospects for your home, but many people do have allergies to dander and will be uncomfortable minutes or hours after they see your home.  So, do two things religiously if you have a cat or dog in your home, and it's on the market. 1) Remove the pet from the house before showings- that could mean putting your pet downstairs in the cellar for a short time, outside on a leash, removing the pet altogether from the premises, or putting your pet in a crate. 2) If your pet sheds, make sure you vacuum more than usual, so as not to distract an allergic buyer.

What's happening in the Fairfield County CT Real Estate Market?

I am pleased to present to you our real estate market forecasts and advice for the coming months in Easton, Fairfield, Norwalk, Trumbull and Westport.  As you'll see, not all markets are created equal. Just so you know, I am not, nor have I ever been one to sugarcoat the market, or give anyone advice that I do not think is prudent. You do not stay in business for 26+ years by doing anything other than what is proper.

Yes, some of you will say, "She's spot on. I definitely agree. She definitely knows the market ",  and I understand some of you will not like my forecast, or my advice. I only disseminate the information that I have in what I hope is a meaningful way. Everyone's situation is different, and each property is different. The only truly relevant market forecast for you only pertains to your home. So don't let anyone generalize the market in Connecticut, for example, and tell you that it is true. Markets differ from town to town, street to street, and house to house.

The forecasts and  opinions offered are mine. Technically they are general to the town,  and not to your specific property. So if you want to know what the market is for your house, contact me and find out!

Market Forecasts and Predictions coming soon!

Hi everyone, thanks for your overwhelming support! A few of you, independent of one another, have asked  for my predictions for the real estate market in Fairfield County, and I will be happy to offer my opinions. I will be posting them in the individual town blogs here, and will let you know at The CT Home Blog when I do. You can expect to hear back on  my forecasts by the end of the week!