Crime down despite record number of criminals in jail

Fox Butterfield, Is That You? 
“Gun-related violence has fallen steadily since 2006 in Virginia despite record firearm sales, according to a university professor’s analysis.”–Associated Press, Nov. 24

 

That’s not funny!

I’m serious, damn it!

The second in command at the Greenwich Democrat outhouse has had a news story read to him and he is not amused.

One Bill Gastric writes (in crayon, one presumes) the following screed:

In an exercise of egregious bad taste, (“Online petition calls for Greenwich to secede,” news story, Nov. 20), Greenwich Time lampoons a supposedly “tongue in cheek” attempt to petition Greenwich to secede from the United States. Is it any accident that this petition surfaces after the re-election of the first African-American president of the United States?

On the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, a war in which Greenwich residents fought and died, there is nothing remotely funny about this petition, which closely mimics other secessionist petitions currently circulating in Texas and other regions in the South. But judging by the flippant tone of the piece, GT evidently deems the whole exercise a magnificent joke. To wit, it quotes Fred Camillo, one of our elected state representatives from town, consulting his dog Leo on the advisability of signing the petition, before ultimately rejecting it (“we would not have enough time to raise an army”).

Are your readers supposed to find this amusing?

[snip]

As James Madison wrote:

“The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated. Let the open enemy to it be regarded as a Pandora with her box opened; and the disguised one, as the Serpent creeping with his deadly wiles into Paradise.”

Liberalism in a nutshell: absolutely humorless, clueless and using the old shibboleth of racism in lieu of argument. Anyone who voted for a single Greenwich Democrat this past election should hang his head in shame for being associated with a fool like Bill. Worse, can you imagine being married to this sort of person? Good God, I’ll pray for her soul, assuming Gastric has actually found someone to share his hairshirt with.

There’s not much to add here – we’ve seen this mush in the comments section for years, but as long as Gastric is quoting James Madison, here are a few more quotes from that same statesman – perhaps Fuddyrucker can explain them to Bill in very simple terms:

“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

“It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.”

“Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.”

“The Constitution of the United States was created by the people of the United States composing the respective states, who alone had the right.”

“The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”

“The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.”

“We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.”

“What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?”

Uh oh

A Democrat’s view of Fairfield County

U.S. Census: Bridgeport/Stamford area highest per capita income in United States. Can you hear the sound of knifes being honed in Hartford?

Who am I to question Pravda?

Did someone say Prada? Goodie!

Obama was reelected by illiterates, while he himself is a communist. Takes one to know one, I suppose.

PRAVDA: Well, any normal individual understands that as true but liberalism is a psychosis . O’bomber even keeps the war going along the Mexican border with projects like “fast and furious” and there is still no sign of ending it.  He is a Communist without question promoting the Communist Manifesto without calling it so. How shrewd he is in America. His cult of personality mesmerizes those who cannot go beyond their ignorance. They will continue to follow him like those fools who still praise Lenin and Stalin in Russia.  Obama’s fools and Stalin’s fools share the same drink of illusion.

Reading Putin’s speech without knowing the author, one would think it was written by Reagan or another conservative in America. The speech promotes smaller government and less taxes. It comes as no surprise to those who know Putin as a conservative. Vladimir Putin went on to say:

“…we are reducing taxes on production, investing money in the economy. We are optimizing state expenses.

 The second possible mistake would be excessive interference into the economic life of the country and the absolute faith into the all-mightiness of the state.

There are no grounds to suggest that by putting the responsibility over to the state, one can achieve better results.

Unreasonable expansion of the budget deficit, accumulation of the national debt – are as destructive as an adventurous stock market game.

During the time of the Soviet Union the role of the state in economy was made absolute, which eventually lead to the total non-competitiveness of the economy. That lesson cost us very dearly. I am sure no one would want history to repeat itself.”

President Vladimir Putin could never have imagined anyone so ignorant or so willing to destroy their people like Obama much less seeing millions vote for someone like Obama. They read history in America don’t they? Alas, the schools in the U.S. were conquered by the Communists long ago and history was revised thus paving the way for their Communist presidents. Obama has bailed out those businesses that voted for him and increased the debt to over 16 trillion with an ever increasing unemployment rate especially among blacks and other minorities. All the while promoting his agenda.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Not every Old Greenwich home is living up to the assessor’s expectations

That sinking feeling (representative photo – your view may differ)

20 West End Avenue, assessed (70% estimated market value) at $1,000,000, sold after a year on the market for $730,000. The sellers originally priced it at $1.150 which was close enough to that assessed value as to seem reasonable, but this was a back, very narrow lot and its 1912 construction must have seemed daunting to most buyers, notwithstanding its listing description as a “lovely traditional colonial with expensive marsh views”. Go figure.

Post-Sandy washout?

oomph!

Reader XXYYZZY points out that 5 Bridle Path Lane in Riverside which sold last August to David Huffinpuffer and his antique wife for $5.599 million, is back on today, asking $6.295. There’s no reason to think that the Sandy storm surge dampened their enthusiasm for building on this site – it’s pretty high above the water- but something has clearly brought about a change in plans. Maybe it’s as simple as David concluding that Riverside waterfront property, even a lot that overlooks Cathy Lee’s wrecked dock, has increased $700,000 in just a couple of months. Or something.

Two old favorites on tomorrow’s open house tour

So who was the Patriot Bank officer who signed off on loaning $6 million to a thrice-convicted felon? Hint: he’s still in town.

If love means never having to say goodbye then 516 Round Hill Road and 21 Midbrook wood must be cherished indeed because they just won’t sell despite years on the market. 516 Round Hill was admittedly handicapped by its builder Dom Devito’s arrest and subsequent incarceration at La Tuna Federal Medium Security Prison in El Paso, but Patriot Bank ate half of its $6 million mortgage so improvidently paid out when the place was still just a foundation and some framing left sitting in the New England weather, sold it off for $3 million and it’s been finished now for more than a year, still looking for Mr. Goodbuyer. Priced at $8.9 million originally, it’s been reduced to $8.3. Good looking house but its rear lot location and a postage stamp of a back yard built on fill and perched on a 500′ cliff (a slight exaggeration employed for dramatic effect – Ed) seems to be discouraging buyers.

21 Midwood, owned by a hedge fund type who can afford to take the hit has dropped from $16 million in May, 2009 to a mere $13 million today but even that substantial reduction hasn’t moved it or, in consequence, its owner. Maybe in the spring.

In any event, I’ve seen them both so I don’t have to see them again and, given the non-existent market for homes in this price range, I’ll undoubtedly have another chance to tour them if I’m so moved, later on.

Sale price reported

810 Lake

810 Lake Avenue, asked $1.825 million 545 days ago, sold now for $1.325. A 1958 house with updating, it sold for $722,500 in 1997 so ignoring the cost of those updates, the owner beat inflation, which would push that 1997 purchase price to $1,052,000 today. Two acres and a pool, there’s certainly more here for $1.3 than you’d find in Riverside, although quite a bit less than is available in Weston. Location is everything.

Well Weston’s a bit of a hike, but still

Weston homesteader’s cabin

Parents choosing Weston because of its excellent schools. Or so says this article (Stamford, by the way, is ranked dead last in the category). The happy home hunter interviewed for the article says she picked Weston for its schools, but then allows that she couldn’t find much in Greenwich for her budget of $1.3 million. No you can’t, honey.

I myself would prefer Weston for its much more rural atmosphere, schools be damned, but this article does illustrate the importance of a town’s educational system to the people who you hope will buy your house. That doesn’t mean more spending is in order – I have no doubt that Greenwich spends more per pupil than Weston does, nor did Mommy Homebuyer mention a $35 million high school auditorium as part of her selection criteria, but we ignore the declining quality of our schools at our property values’ peril.

Executed contract reported

11 Will Merry Lane, already reported as having an accepted offer, has moved to “executed contract”, meaning all contingencies – financing, inspection, etc. have been met, so barring an earthquake or Sandy’s return, a closing is pretty-much assured. Last asking price was $2.5 million and this will presumably sell for less than that. 545 days ago the owners asked $3.650, so that didn’t work out so well.

Good land, comprised of two level acres with a pool and tennis court. There’s significant impact from the Merritt Parkway in its backyard and the house itself, while seemingly well built, could easily swallow a half million in renovations, from a new kitchen to a complete rearrangement of the master bedroom area upstairs. All that said, if this sells for, say, the high 1’s or low 2’s, someone could be all in for a decent price, and that highway noise might be more easily ignored.

Will it or won’t it?

45 Riverside Lane (NoPo) is listed for sale today at $1.775 million. It sold new in February, 2007 for $1.665 and apparently the seller thinks the market’s gone up a bit since then. We’ll find out, I suppose. This is a perfectly decent house and Riverside Lane has commanded this level of pricing in the past, somewhat to my surprise since it’s a pretty busy thoroughfare. I’m curious to see whether it still does.

He knows when you’ve been naughty, he knows when you’ve been nice

From your pocket to theirs, Merry Christmas

White House: Republicans who don’t go along with Obumski will just ruin Christmas for the rest of us. This is a real threat for the President’s followers because as they just demonstrated, they still believe in Santa Claus.

Home for the holidays?

669 Lake Ave

669 Lake Avenue, $3.250 million, has been withdrawn from the market, probably so its owners can enjoy the house and the holidays uninterrupted by showings. My clients and I liked this one, although they ultimately decided in favor of another. It’s a good value, I think, now that it’s been marked down from its 2010 price of $4.495 million and while it is of older construction, it’s seen lots of modernization and improvements over the years. Nice yard and in a good location. I might knock out a couple of walls to open up its living space but that’s fairly inexpensive and quickly done. Assuming this comes back up for sale next year, keep it in mind.

Busted deals

50 Londonderry

After their two week vacation finally ended the staff at the Greenwich Association of Realtors has been rounded up and put back to work, with the result that a trickle of real estate news is again being reported. Two houses have been returned to the market after reporting accepted offers earlier this month, 50 Londonderry Drive, $1.795 million, and 29 Long Meadow, in NoPo Riverside, at $867,000. I thought both these houses offered good value and though I don’t know why the buyers backed out – could have been a change of heart, a lousy building inspection or bank financing falling through, if you’re looking in the price range of either one you might want to check these out. Or, if you gave them a pass when they were first on the market, revisit – disappointed sellers are sometimes more flexible the second time around.

The owners of Londonderry paid $1.729 for it in 2003 so if you can get it for around that price you’d be just about where the market is valuing real estate these days. I don’t know what 29 Long Meadow’s last sale price was (GMLS non-Windows version is balky this morning) but it’s in good shape, has lots of room and is in a good neighborhood with a community beach/small craft launching area – not bad at all.