A number of decent houses in different price ranges, I thought. Low to high:
45 Indian Mill Road, $1.195 – confession: I did not get to this one (the police are under orders not to permit me in Cos Cob) but heard good things about it from other agents. Assessment, supposed to be 70% of market value, is $970,000 so $1195 is a reasonable starting place.
11 Dorchester, Riverside, $2.095. A good street with no through traffic, this house is large and in excellent shape. Walk to the schools and train, what do you expect for $2? I might dicker a bit but again, the ask isn’t a crazy place to start.
87 Perkins Road, Greenwich. $3.3 million. Brand new to the market, I liked this one a lot. Good two-acre property, with flat usable yard instead of the usual Perkins Road amalgam of swamps and rocks. Pool, too. Inside has been completely redone and it doesn’t at all feel like the typical 60′s house in this area. But warning: as you know, real estate is entirely personal to the buyer and one of my clients, seeing pictures of this house, decided to pass. Perfectly understandable, given what he’s looking for, but I’m certain someone else will like the house very much. Well priced, says I.
41 Meadowbank, Old Greenwich, $10. gazillion. Excellent views and the house has been greatly improved by the present owner – even the exterior has been reworked and no longer brings shame to the architectural profession. But which would you rather, this one all done up at $10 million or to build new at 22 Pilot Rock in Riverside, asking $8, just for the land? Assuming that at this point your funds are unlimited, I’d go with Pilot Rock, and here’s why:
Better views. Meadowbank overlooks the Sound to the east, yielding lots of water, the Stamford light house and that ugly cube of the Suffolk County Government Tower way down island. All water is beautiful, to my eye, but Pilot Rock offers entertainment with its views: small boat traffic off of Tod’s and in the inner harbor, large yachts out behind the islands and off in the distance, the Manhattan skyline. Can’t be beat.
Better neighbors. Meadowbank is right next to, and I mean right next to – Rocky Point Swim Club while Pilot basically has no neighbors or none that will hold swim meets for 300 screaming kids all day followed by BYO parties late into Saturday night. That may not bother you in the least but it clearly did the owner of Meadowbank – he’s trying to move away, remember? I assume that someone with his kind of money is by nature a mature, refined soul yet the swim club noise transformed him into a screaming, rude maniac, one despised and deeply disliked by his neighbors. Do you want to suffer the same fate? Insist on earmuffs for the family before taking title, or stay away entirely. Your choice, but ten million bucks is a lot to pay for the opportunity to be driven insane.
You must be in a cheery mood today, such nice things to say about your tour homes.
I wish my budget met my taste or vice versa.
I really liked the Riverside house and loved the yard of Perkins, the house seems to have good flow but well…nothing a little paint and wall paper stripper wouldn’t fix (No Walt, not THAT kind of stripper).
As for Meadowbank, Chimney Rock, and Pilot Rock? I said much the same thing you did, it’s like you read my mind (or maybe my comment) before posting this. http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/big-bucks-asked-for-meadowbank-waterfront-id-pay-it-probably/#comment-88085
I’m glad your tour proved fruitful today.
What no mention of Martindale which is 1 million over priced!! Here is the real deal- Indian Mill- They did clean it up but it has a terrible floor plan and is really a land deal, Dorchester- Terrible and cheap finishes, really hear 95 and just all around sub par construction- will not see a 2 in the price. Perkins is over priced!! not a bad house but the land is awful! lucky if it sells for $2.7 The sellers are back in the good old days of 2007. I agree with your comments on Pilot rock and Meadowbank.
Agree with you on 11 Dorchester.
I also finally saw 42 Bote after the price reduction yesterday. Not sure if you saw it but I was pleasantly surprised.
I liked Bote too, Anon. I still worry about pricing there, as at least one very nice house that sold new for $3.1 million in 2006 ? thereabouts) and resold last year at $2.8. If that’s the new top, then even with its price cut, 42 Bote at $3.4 is still too high. But yes, a good house, nicely finished.One to watch.
I liked Bote and Dorchester..both very well done although Bote not as well priced.
Question: If these houses just came on the market i.e. broker open houses, how did they get all the nice pictures when the weather was better? Re-trades??