Oh dear, my bad

I was busy trying to increase real estate sales this morning and so missed the NAR’s paid liar economist Yun’s speech at the Milbrook Club this morning. Greenwich Time sent along a young reporter who, not surprisingly, heard nothing and asked nothing that would disturb the paper’s real estate advertisers. Everybody!: Everything is beautiful …

Is this right?

A reader says that Greenwich is cutting back to once-a-week garbage pickup. Really? My Ma and I have that arrangement with our carter but that’s because we’re just too old to generate much garbage. Were my kids still here, no way.

Hi Chris:  this isn’t so much a blog post but a question.  How did these new single stream recycling rules come about?  As I understand it, they mean that the “real” garbage will only get picked up once a week.  In our experience, when we only have one pick-up in the week when mixed paper is picked up, the week-old garbage gets pretty ripe.  And, like many people, we keep our garbage cans in our attached garage…….

I know that the blue bins are a pain, but the perky little propaganda mailer the town included in the tax bills only touts the advantages of single stream recycling and doesn’t mention what to me is a critical disadvantage.

Isn’t rotting food a health hazard given that, among other things, it is a magnet for vermin? 

Plus, it occurs to me that it will be fun sell houses to out of towners when they reek of rotting garbage!

Any suggestions?

Here’s a question from a reader (and by the way, I am always happy to post these things anonymously, as you see)

Off topic, please don’t post directly.

Can you ask your readers for a legitimate pool contractor for a renovation of a pool/patio in Greenwich? I have one quote and feel like I am getting completely fleeced for my zip code. Need some more quotes from legit vendors.

Breaking news from 1965

Turtles on runway cause flight delays at JFK

UPDATE: a reader sends along this audio link (from the WSJ) to the actual turtle incident.  Unless you were one of the passengers delayed for two hours, I think you’ll be charmed by these otherwise professional people going out of their way to avoid hurting momma turtles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dang!

I knew I had something scheduled for this morning: the appearance of NAR’s economist at the Milbrook Club. I was off showing a house and completely forgot it. Was anyone there who took notes?

Not saying it can’t happen

30 Park Avenue, Old Greenwich, new construction, has just been listed at $3 million. I have not seen this house and obviously can’t hazard an opinion on value, but it will certainly arch some eyebrows if it gets its price, and raise the value of older, more modest homes on Park considerably.

As an aside, I was recently asked by a friend for a price opinion on an out-of-town house owned by an estate. I know the town, have a pretty good grasp of what values are there, and gave my advice. In no way was I looking for the listing and I’m glad I wasn’t because I see it’s on today for $300,000 more than I thought it might fetch. That’s gonna be a contentious relationship.

Idiot

Lincoln: founding fathers opposed slavery.

Another dream reduced

92 Mallard Drive just sold for $1.4 million. Asked $2.050 in 2007. Eventually, people get real.

Well, he got the last laugh on me!

When, in 2007, I was asked to supply a price opinion for 18 Ferncliff Road, I suggested $1.395 million, based in part on the stated desire of the retired owners to quit Greenwich and settle permanently in their Hawaiian condominium as quickly as possible. The listing agent laughed at me and priced it at $1.995 and then, after persuading his clients to invest $100,000 in a new kitchen, raised the price to $2.195. It sold today, after 1,249 days on market, for $1.550. Showed me up, he did.

Why our efforts in Afghanistan are doomed

Even our own government acknowledges that Muslims hate us and will not war on their brothers. So we’re supposed to raise a native army that will reject their religious belief? Never, ever. It was long time we went home.

So I’m 2 1/2 years ahead of my Jewish friends

Liberal Jews figuring out that Obama is no friend of Israel.

Kids’ll do the darndest things!

Worried about an uprising, North Korea shuts universities.

All we are saying is give war a chance

John Lennon saw the error of his ways and was a Reagan fan by 1980.

Is the market this dead?

As of 11:30, literally nothing has been reported on the GMLS today. I don’t know whether their system is down or there is nothing to report, but it makes real estate blogging difficult.

A sale

44 Partridge Hollow

Property owned by the perfectly named Biff O’Reilly sold for $4.7 million. On the market since 2009, when it asked $5.950, assessed at $4.9 million.

Is email dead?

Maybe dying – that conference I attended in Newport last week caught my attention and I’ve been looking at how I communicate with clients these days – turns out, it’s mostly texting and were I more up-to-date, I’d be tweeting. Lengthy messages are still via email but, looking at my in box, I’d guess 90% of it is stuff I’m not interested in. Time to adjust, again.

Bad news for Walter Noel and his suckers

Judge rules that clients of feeder funds aren’t entitled to repayment from Madoff recovery. Some direct Madoff investors are on target to get at least 75% of their money back but people who entrusted their money to Noel’s Fairfield Greenwich Group will get bupkis. Unfortunately for them, Walt’s Round Hill home is worth, at best, maybe $3 million – that’s not going to do it, so look for continued pressure on the girls to also give up their illicit gains (if there’s anything left – the ladies are doing their best to spend it as fast as they can).

Riverside market continues to do well

New construction by a close friend of mine (but not my listing) has a very substantial contract. Details will follow when I can disclose them but suffice to say, were I in the spec business, and I wish I were, these days I’d build in Riverside. Biggest problem? Lack of “large” (0.6 +)  lots.