Market Overview

Easton saw another strong month with its real estate market.  The median sales price for a single family home was $889,450, up 4.4% from last months $852,000.  That puts home values up and impressive 31.77% for the year.  Sales were also quite strong, as the number of houses sold nearly doubled from 12 to 22.  Those houses also sold considerably quicker; just 30 days, compared to 45 and 57 days the previous 2 month.  Buyer demand still remains high, as in most surrounding towns in Connecticut, due to low inventory.  Sellers are still getting asking price for most transactions, as the % of list price to sales price was 100.6% in June. And, with just 2.8 months of supply, Easton continues to be in a sellers-market.  New listings increased slightly, from 18 in May to 22 in June, which may point to increasing seller confidence in the market.  With interest rates still holding steady below 3%, buyers are still looking to move to Easton.  The 30 year fixed rate was 2.98% by the end of the month.  Junes pending sales were lower then the previous month, which may signal a mild month for July.  For anyone considering a move, this is still a great time to sell a house in Fairfield.  Do you know anyone looking for more information about their real estate market?  I’d be happy to help.

12 Month Sales Activity

Housing Stats

(change from previous month)

Median Sale Price:$889,450
change:4.40%
YTD change:31.77%
Units Sold:22
change:83.33%
Active Listings:48
change:14.29%
New Listings:22
change:22.22%
Days on Market:30
change:-33.33%
Months of Supply:2.80 (Seller's Market)
change:7.69%

Interest Rates

Market Temperature

Local Median Sales Price Trends

May '21Jun '21Change
Bethel$390,000 $515,000 32.05%
Bridgeport$290,000 $300,500 3.62%
Brookfield$490,000 $540,000 10.20%
Danbury$410,000 $447,500 9.15%
Easton$852,000 $889,450 4.40%
Fairfield$767,500 $765,000 -0.33%
Milford$428,000 $432,500 1.05%
Monroe$485,000 $505,000 4.12%
Newtown$540,000 $572,500 6.02%
N. Haven$350,000 $342,500 -2.14%
Orange$470,000 $461,500 -1.81%
Oxford$472,450 $447,500 -5.28%
Redding$815,000 $750,000 -7.98%
Ridgefield$722,500 $757,500 4.84%
Seymour$356,000 $277,500 -22.05%
Shelton$463,750 $419,900 -9.46%
Stratford$335,000 $373,000 11.34%
Trumbull$495,000 $518,000 4.65%
Weston$1,050,000 $1,162,500 10.71%
Westport$1,636,000 $1,628,000 -0.49%

Tips

4 Reasons Downsizing Makes Sense

If you’re considering making a move to a smaller home, now may be a great time to list your property. Here’s why.

It’s a seller’s market. The real estate market is hot right now in most areas of the country. If you’ve been thinking about selling your current house and purchasing a smaller one, the timing is ideal to make your move.

Retirement is approaching. As you near retirement, it may make sense to reduce your monthly expenses and add those savings to your retirement nest egg. Downsizing your home means you’ll likely pay less in property taxes, insurance and mortgage payments.

Maintenance is reduced. A smaller home means less maintenance. If you have extra rooms you rarely use but still have to clean, heat and/or cool, it may be time to lessen the effort of maintaining a larger space.

You want to travel. If you’re hoping to spend more time visiting family or exploring the world, you’ll love the freedom of having less to take care of when you return home.

Remote Work: How To Hold Yourself Accountable

Working from home has its advantages, but it can also be filled with distractions. Try these tips to help you focus and hold yourself accountable when working remotely.

Set up a separate work space. Having a designated space for your home office can help you mentally separate your work and home life. Choose an area of your home that’s away from distractions such as kids, pets and household chores.

Establish tangible goals. Set daily, weekly and monthly goals for what you want to accomplish. Hold yourself accountable by writing down your tasks and crossing them off as you complete each one.

Follow a routine. Wake up at the same time each day and work a set number of hours. Try to complete work tasks during business hours and save personal and household tasks for when you’re off the clock.

Get dressed. While it can be tempting to stay in your pajamas all day, changing into “real clothes” sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to get to work.

Maintain communication. Check in regularly with your boss, coworkers and clients to ensure you’re supporting them with all necessary tasks. Follow up on in-progress projects and let everyone know if you have a change to your schedule or will be unavailable during a specific period of time.

Schedule your breaks. Instead of getting up from your desk any time a distraction pops up, schedule regular breaks by using a timer or calendar reminders. This can help you remain focused on the task in front of you while also allowing you time to eat lunch, take mental breaks or enjoy a quick walk.

Find an accountability partner. Find a coworker who is also working remotely, and share your routines, goals and to-do lists with each other. Check in periodically to see how you’re doing with following through on your intentions.

Real Estate Headlines

Housing Moving Past Pricing Peak, But Inventory Still Low:  Nationwide, the rate of home price growth has started to slow, and the competition for homes may be showing some signs of easing somewhat.  “The market’s topping out,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told realtor.com®. It’s “starting to show cracks. It feels like we’ve hit the apex, and we’re moving to the other side of it.”  But that doesn’t mean the housing market is heading for a bubble that is bound to burst. Mortgage lending has remained tight. Real estate economists have long said the current frenzy in the housing market is no housing bubble that is reminiscent of nearly a decade ago with the run-up in real estate.  Some buyers are getting priced out of the market. There is also a severe shortage of homes for sale: Total housing inventory is down 42% year over year.  Buyers still in the market may soon start to see less bidding wars and fewer offers that are way above the asking price. Regardless, economists are predicting an overall slowdown in prices and more moderation rather than any major downfall.

Plummeting Lumber Prices Little Help to Builders:  The price of framing lumber has plunged about 50% over the last seven weeks, offering up a hopeful sign that skyrocketing building costs would ease. However, builders say that the prices they pay have only declined by a fraction of that percentage.  The disconnect in pricing has always existed in the lumber supply chain. It can still be a “long lag time” before the full price reductions come to builders, the National Association of Home Builders reports.  Meanwhile, new-home building prices for home buyers continue to rise. May’s price was 18% higher than last year.

The Home Improvement Boom Isn’t Letting Up Soon:  Half of U.S. homeowners recently surveyed say they plan to spend more on home improvements in 2021 than they did last year. Many homeowners are using cash to complete these home renovation projects. kitchen and bathroom renovations tend to offer some of the highest returns on investment.

Top 7 Hot Spots for Undeveloped Land:  Realtor.com® evaluated the 100 largest metros in the U.S. to find where land values have increased the most since the pandemic (comparing the first half of 2020 with the first half of 2021).  The top 7 areas with % increase and price per sq. ft. of raw land are:  North Port/Sarasota, FL (+92% / $2.52), Portland, OR (+72% / $9.17), Los Angeles, CA (+67% / $1.38), Boise City, ID (+52% / $3.06), Raleigh, NC. (+50% / $1.71), Syracuse, NY (+50% / $0.40), Spokane, WA (+47% / $0.43).

Upcoming Events

Connecticut’s event schedule is back this Summer, with outdoor concerts, plays, festivals, craft shows and more.  So grab the family, hit the road and enjoy some of the area’s great fun filled events. 

Sales Trends: January - June

June Single-Family Home Sales

(OLP: original list price • LP: list price • SP: sale price • DOM: days on market)

AddressStylesq ftBRBA (f/h)OLPLPSPSP/OLPDOM
32 Far Horizon DrSplit Level2,16832/1$599,000$599,000$605,000101%41
45 Norton RdColonial2,90452/1$789,000$789,000$829,000105%3
173 Westport RdColonial3,93654/0$989,000$989,000$989,000100%75
438 Westport RdColonial2,82832/1$645,000$645,000$645,000100%36
235 Adams RdColonial5,38253/2$899,000$899,000$950,000106%13
12 Fox Run DrColonial, Mediterranean5,19044/1$1,450,000$1,450,000$1,350,00093%231
569 Morehouse RdColonial3,79953/1$899,000$899,000$955,000106%21
203 Staples RdColonial, Contemporary6,39255/1$1,199,000$1,199,000$1,047,00087%87
145 North StCape Cod3,01931/1$429,000$429,000$458,000107%45
24 Stones Throw RdContemporary4,64044/0$895,000$895,000$970,000108%25
7 Ridgeway RdColonial3,28843/1$799,000$799,000$850,000106%7
45 Westwood DrRanch2,76633/1$719,000$719,000$720,000100%44
212 Sport Hill RdColonial2,49743/1$699,900$699,900$730,000104%19
10 Orchard LnCape Cod1,42632/1$564,900$564,900$560,00099%13
505 Sport Hill RdChateau, European8,19159/2$1,995,000$1,995,000$2,125,000107%24
25 Lilac LnContemporary8,48156/0$929,000$929,000$919,00099%37
120 Ferndale DrContemporary, Ranch2,30232/1$429,900$450,000$565,000131%15
33 Reilly RdContemporary5,82642/2$879,000$879,000$879,000100%82
45 High Meadow RdColonial4,72242/1$950,000$950,000$899,90095%43
8 Canterbury LnColonial5,61244/1$1,099,000$988,000$988,00090%25
16 Manor LnRanch1,63632/0$549,000$549,000$530,00097%35
60 April DrColonial6,95943/2$1,195,000$1,195,000$1,210,000101%2
Units Sold: 22$887,000$887,000$889,450101%30
Are You Interested In A Real Estate Review?
A real estate review is designed to give you information about sales in your neighborhood you can use to make sure you are properly insured and aware of your home’s value.  Contact me today to get your personalized complementary review. phone:  (203) 895-2783.  email:  peterlamastro@kw.com