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Considering moving to CT and looking for homes in the $3-4MM range? Our guide below will provide you with the insight needed to decide if Lower Fairfield County CT Real Estate is a fit for you and your family

Hi! If you are new to the blog my name is Charlie Vinci. I’m a Fairfield County Connecticut realtor covering Connecticut’s “Gold Coast”, and my team and I specialize in helping people move to the area.

Be sure to check out our other guides for different price brackets, as well as upcoming waterfront and luxury buyer’s guides. Check out our YouTube channel for those videos and our blog for the articles. You can also find the associated maps and guides mentioned in this article on our website!

Table of Contents:

Market Overview:

We know home prices change over the course of the year. With most forecasts predicting continued appreciation in 2022, although at a slower pace than 2021, I'm going to show you, when possible, what you would get at the beginning of the year, and how your buying power may erode over the course of the year. I’m also going to show you the uniqueness of the real estate in the $3-4MM price bracket, in each of the towns. 

Let’s look at homes in the $3-4MM price bracket in each town. Then, if you stay around until the end, I’m going to benchmark the towns for a few of the metrics that matter most. 

Greenwich:

Alright, we are going to start in Greenwich, the average Greenwich home in this price range looked something like this at the beginning of 2022 and has a living area of 4944 square feet above ground, with 4.6 bedrooms, 4.5 full baths, 1.3 half bath, has 2.2 garage spaces, was built in 1981, and had a lot size of 1.67 acres, again on average. 

By the end of 2022 buyers should expect a reduction in buying power that looks something like this. The most noticeable difference being a reduction of 556 square feet, which is roughly equivalent to losing a Master suite including the bathroom and walk-in closets.

One interesting thing to note is that there was very little waterfront in this price bracket in Greenwich, and when it did sell it was the lowest quality waterfront, we are talking marsh and mud at low tide(show pics of marsh/or mud at low tide), and in some cases it was a waterfront condo. What you will find is that most of the properties in this price bracket were spread across the town with the highest concentration in Old Greenwich/Riverside.

Darien:

Moving to Darien now. At the beginning of 2022, this is roughly what the average home looked like with approximately 5201 square feet above ground, 4.9 bedrooms, 4.7 full baths, 1.4 half baths, 2.4 garage spaces, was built in 1967 and was on a 1.46 acre lot. 

You should expect the average home in Darien to look something like this by the end of 2022. With the most noticeable difference being the loss of 507 square feet, which, again is roughly like losing a  Master suite with the bathroom and walk in closet. 

You would notice that waterfront sales, in Darien, at this price bracket, were rare, around 1-2 per year. Homes in this price bracket typically sell in North Darien, Tokeneke and on the peninsula in the southern part of Noroton Heights. And, the largest homes were typically in north Darien and Tokoneke.

Now, I know you might be thinking that there is more to consider than just the home, and I would agree. You are probably considering schools, crime rates, commute times, taxes and more. They are all very important factors to most of our clients. You can find that information in our town specific buyers guides here: LINK  then choosing your town. 

New Canaan:

Next, let's head to New Canaan. In the start of 2022 the average home looked something like this, with an average of 5951 square feet above ground, 4.8 bedrooms, 4.7 full baths, 1.6 half bath, 2.9 garage spaces and was built in 1981, and had a lot size of 2.9 acres

Buyers should expect a reduction in buying power that looks something like this by the end of 2022. The square footage reduction of 1004 square feet would be roughly like losing a complete master suite, plus a large bedroom or office

Quick appreciation in New Canaan means that buying power is eroding quickly. You will find that most sales in the price bracket were concentrated in Ponus Ridge, Oenoke Ridge, Smith Ridge and town center, with a few random sales in the other neighborhoods. And, the largest properties are typically going to sell north of town center. 

Westport:

Alright, let's head over to Westport. In the start of 2022 the average home in this price bracket looked something like this, with an average of 5490 square feet above ground, 5 bedrooms, 4.9 full baths, 1.8 half baths, 2.6 garage spaces and was built in 1993, and had a lot size of 1.16 acres.

Buyers should expect a reduction in buying power by the end of 2022 that looks something like this. The loss of 617 square feet is roughly like losing a complete master suite. 

While Greenwich and Darien generally don't offer high quality waterfront locations at this price,  you will find that Westport is an excellent location for a modest home on a high quality waterfront lot, or you can find a home with better finish quality just off the water. You are typically going to find them in Compo or Saugatuck Shore and Saugatuck Island. And, if you are looking for a larger home, most will be found north of Rt1 and in Greens Farms north of I-95.

Stamford:

Jumping to Stamford, you would find that there are just 2-3 sales per year, in this particular price bracket, and all of those sales were waterfront. In fact, Stamford is an excellent location if you want “affordable” waterfront with quick access to Manhattan. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better waterfront option closer to the city. 

Norwalk:

In Norwalk, you are going to find that most of the sales were in the waterfront neighborhoods of Rowayton and Wilson Point, along with a few sales in other waterfront locations, typically near Calf Pasture Beach. However, it’s worth pointing out that the past sales were not necessarily directly on the water. 

Fairfield:

Hopping over to Fairfield, you are going to find that most sales are in Greenfield Hill, Sasco, Southport, and near the water in the beach neighborhood. You will find that you typically get less square footage as you get closer to the water. So, if you want a large home, you will most likely find it inland. 

Wilton & Weston:

In Wilton and Weston there were virtually no sales. However, when a home does sell in this price bracket, it’s similar to a home in Greenwich or Westport that would typically sell for two to three times as much, so you may want to explore these towns if you are looking for a spectacular home for $3-4MM. 

As I mentioned earlier, there aren't enough sales in some of the towns to give you reliable averages, so I am only going to compare the towns of Greenwich, Darien, New Cannan and Westport. You can reach out to us for guidance in any of these towns.  

Metrics & Analysis:

The premium priced towns of Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan and Westport have a high number of sales in this price bracket, which allows us to give you average square footage, beds, baths, etc.. The other towns don't have enough data to give you reliable numbers. So, what I’m going to do is address the stand out uniqueness of this price bracket, and show you where to look.

This is how the four towns compare, in terms of the average lot size, in the $3-4MM price bracket. If you want the largest lot, you can see that the town of New Canaan will be your best bet. 

Although it doesn't show in this graph, you might also want to consider any town North of the Merritt Parkway for a large lot.

Take a look at this graph If it's the most square footage that you are after. Again, you can see that the town of New Canaan will give you the most space. 

And if you are looking for the newest home in the $3-4MM price bracket. Here’s how the towns compare. For the newest home, you may want to consider the town of Westport. 

Wrap-Up:

If you are thinking of moving to Connecticut's “Gold Coast”, I would like to work with you. If you aren't ready to call us yet, check out the rest of our website: CharlieVinci.com and grab one of the many guides, maps and checklists that we have created for you. They will save you hundreds of hours of research, and help you make a better choice for you and your family.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

Charlie Vinci

Lower Fairfield County Realtor

203.952.7752

charlievinci@gmail.com

About the Author:

Charlie Vinci, the Founder and Lead Agent of the Charlie Vinci Team has become a mainstay in Connecticut’s real estate market, earning accolades as one of the top 3% of realtors within the state. Fueled by a dedication to the success of his clients and an ever-growing assortment of area-specific resources, the business continues to thrive in the constantly evolving real estate marketplace. An informative YouTube presence has been the primary driver/focus for the team, as it has allowed Charlie to engage directly with his audience and provide a consultative approach to an often ambiguous process. Whether an international client seeking relocation to the US or a local homeowner considering the sale of their property, The Charlie Vinci Team has the market knowledge, resources, and expedient level of service that clients not only desire, but deserve.

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