They say good things come to those who wait, and this treasure is now here for you in Rowayton! 😍
A stunning, romantic antique Victorian home nestled on enchanting 6 Crockett Street is now available to see after its windows were restored to their original glory! 🪟🔨 Added bonus: It is now sporting its best festive Halloween 🎃 decor.
Imagine sipping your morning coffee on the charming front porch or blue stone patio, surrounded by the fall blooms and the promise of exceptional views for every season! 🌞🍁 Or stroll down a block and relax in the cafe downtown.
✨ What to expect: 🏡 Timeless Victorian charm and history 🪟 Restored original glass windows for authentic charm, light, and energy efficiency 🌳 Lush and colorful garden spaces 🛌 5 bedrooms & 4 and a half baths 🌊 Steps to the harbor & water view glimpses upstairs! 🏞️ Prime downtown Rowayton location
📆 Arrange for a showing this week and a chance to make this dreamy Victorian 💫 your forever home. Your slice of Rowayton heaven is just within reach! 🏡 🤩
They say good things come to those who wait, and this treasure awaits you in Rowayton! 😍
🌸🌼 Picture this: A stunning, romantic antique Victorian home, nestled on the enchanting 6 Crockett Street. Currently, it’s taking a brief hiatus to have its windows restored to their original glory, but trust us when we say, the wait will be worth it! 🪟🔨
🍃🌷 While spring’s vibrant flowers have bid their adieu, the anticipation for their glorious return is palpable. Just imagine sipping your morning coffee on the charming front porch or blue stone patio, surrounded by blossoming blooms and the promise of a new season! 🌞🌱
✨ What to expect: 🏡 Timeless Victorian charm and history 🪟 Restored original glass windows for authentic charm, light, and energy efficiency 🌳 Lush and colorful garden spaces 🏞️ Prime downtown Rowayton location
📆 The unveiling is just around the corner, approximately a week and a half away. Mark your calendars, set your reminders, and get ready to fall 🍂 in love! 💖
🏡🤩 Stay tuned for more updates, sneak peeks, and a chance to make this dreamy Victorian your forever home. Your slice of Rowayton heaven is just within reach!
Keep an eye on this space for more exciting news about 6 Crockett Street! 🏡✨
Financial stress is a never-ending problem that can lead to physical and mental health challenges for older adults. While research shows seniors aren’t the group most stressed by finances, they often have unique challenges when it comes to money. Mainly, they have fewer options for finding relief.
If you or a senior loved one is experiencing financial stress, there are some big and small ways to manage the situation.
1. Get better healthcare and insurance rates.
Now is the time to shop around for your insurance options. You may be paying more than you should or for services you don’t need. Healthcare is a complicated system and can be challenging to navigate alone. You may find ways to save money by talking to an agent.
We also recommend looking at the costs of other kinds of insurance, like life and homeowners insurance, to see if there are more affordable options out there.
2. Downsize.
The costs of maintaining a larger home can add up. If you’ve got sky-high utility bills and more space than you need, it may be time to consider downsizing. By selling your current home, you may be able to purchase a new home outright and use the remaining money to help fund your retirement. Take a look at this informative Guide to Downsizing for Retirement as you weigh your options. Before putting your home on the market, research how much you can expect to earn from a sale, and make sure you consult an experienced realtor in your area.
3. Explore alternative transportation.
If you are a senior who is driving less and less, you might be able to save money by changing your transportation methods. If driving isn’t necessary, consider selling your car. This will not only give you quick cash on hand but also save you monthly car insurance payments, as well as routine car maintenance and upkeep.
Senior support website Daily Caring notes that seniors have many transportation options — some can get everywhere they need to by bus or through a family member, while others take advantage of rideshares or senior-specific public transportation options.
4. Shop at secondhand stores.
Seniors can save a great deal of money by purchasing gently-used items at secondhand stores. There are many upper-end consignment stores that allow seniors to purchase high-quality clothes, furniture, appliances, kitchenware, and other household goods at even greater discounts. Be sure to look and see if there is a certain day or time of day where seniors can take advantage of additional discounts. There are even online secondhand options like Thred-Up and Poshmark.
5. Take advantage of senior deals and discounts.
Many businesses offer seniors special deals and discounts to help make their goods and services more accessible and affordable. People over 65 can get anything from meals to groceries, entertainment to investments, at special rates and discounts. The Senior List provides one of the most comprehensive lists of senior deals and discounts. These deals can help you enjoy a quality of life that is fun and exciting without worrying excessively about costs.
6. Share meals with neighbors and friends.
Senior isolation can be a serious health condition for people over 65, especially those concerned with finances. They may go out less for fear of spending too much money. However, sharing meals with neighbors and friends can relieve both burdens. You’ll share the financial cost of cooking, while also spending quality, social time with loved ones. Even cooking together can be a social occasion. Seniors who share meals two or three times a week often report a social and financial benefit.
Any health issue can be exacerbated by financial stress and strain, which makes seniors particularly at risk. That’s why exploring these free or low-cost activities can help both the mind and body cope with financial hardships.
If I can be of assistance to you, please feel free to reach out.
My own backyard in the Fairfield beach area is one commonly referred to as a ‘postage stamp’, though it still manages to accommodate our trampoline and numerous get-togethers. However, some good friends of mine in Westport have a much more spacious backyard with abundant space for fun, games and big-time bashes. We’ve been to quite a few, with the latest one being Memorial Day weekend 2016!
It turns out, these friends have just moved their social agenda to another gorgeous yard (and home) nearby.
The good news for all of you readers out there is that the wonderful backyard my friends have left now has a brand new house on it that will be ready to support a new source of festivities!
Tucked away just off Turkey Hill South, a new home sits on a quiet country lane cul-de-sac. Carefully designed and finished on four levels, this home will feature elegant transitional style with open flow and ethereal light. Romantic landscaping and plantings surround the level property making it super for entertaining, fun in the sun, and peaceful relaxation. It is the Hillandale House.
6 Hillandale Lane, Westport CT
The builder, Coastal Construction Group, has fine-tuned the art of quality home construction by providing careful attention to site design, layout, architecture, craftsmanship and the right property location. As we all know, a home is more than just the place we live, it’s the foundation for everyday living. Added bonus? This home is located four minutes from Green’s Farms station and under an hour from Manhattan!
Ronald and Sara were a happy young couple ready to jump into home buying and get their first home together. When they called me, they knew what they wanted, a four-bedroom home with nice property and a pool in the million dollar range. There was a house, in particular, they had seen online that they were very excited to see right away. They thought this could be it, and they would be buying their first home.
I was excited for them too! I asked if they had spoken to a mortgage professional yet. They had not, so I gave them a few reputable contacts to reach out to and told them they should have a mortgage pre-approval before they started looking. They asked why, and I told them that the pre-approval serves three critical purposes, one, it confirms that they are eligible for a loan, two, it lets them know what their spending limit is and what the associated monthly payments will be, and three, it positions them as strong and qualified buyers when presenting an offer for the home they want to buy.
So they forged ahead, chose a lender, and sought their pre-approval. But they were soon shocked and disappointed to learn that they would not be eligible for a mortgage for at least another year.
Ronald and Sara were a power couple with great jobs and ample income. Sara had a Ph.D. and was the director of a graduate school. Ronald was an emergency room physician.
But, what they didn’t realize was that all the student loans they were paying off gave them a ratio of debt to income that was too high to get a mortgage. So we found a nice home for them to rent for a year. In the meantime, they worked hard with the credit expert company, North Shore Advisory to ensure they were on the fast track for managing their debt and raising their credit scores within the one-year timeline they had set as a goal.
“I do!”
This is the one!
Honeymoon in Africa
Fast forward a year later, and they sailed through the pre-approval process to obtain a Certified Pre-Approval from William Raveis Mortgage, got engaged, and found and closed on a gorgeous new home in the university area of Fairfield, Connecticut!
Ronald and Sara also managed to jet-set off to Africa for a pre-honeymoon celebration on safari before returning to their new home to plan their wedding! Clearly they were perfectly situated to live happily ever after, but what were the lessons learned along the way?
Always get a pre-approval before you start shopping for a home so that you know where you stand, avoid unexpected setbacks, and can position yourself as a competitive buyer. Besides, an offer to purchase a property is not complete or acceptable without a pre-approval letter from your lender or proof of cash.
Be sure your pre-approval is of the utmost quality, as they are not all created equal. Recent changes to national lending regulations add extra time sensitivity and make this more important than ever. There are a number of new technology enhancements available that can make the whole mortgage process faster, easier, and more transparent for consumers.
New Tech Enhancements Simplify Mortgage Process
William Raveis Mortgage is the only mortgage banker to provide a Certified Pre-Approval. This means that when they present a Certified Pre-Approval to a buyer, they have completed a full review of credit, income, and assets, reviewed supporting documentation and double-checked it all via an automated underwriting system to ensure that when the big day comes, the buyers get their loan and the sale goes through.
Play with Your Credit Cards AFTER You Close!
Last, but not least, it’s important to be aware of all the factors that can impact your credit score because, the lower your score, the more you will pay for your mortgage, (as well as insurance and other things). In fact, it’s a good idea to check your credit well in advance of applying for a loan so that you have time to work on it if need be. Visit North Shore Advisory, Inc. for an expert resource about credit tips and strategy. Once you have your good credit and Certified Pre-Approval in place, make sure you don’t do anything that can change your credit score before you close! Even a tiny negative change to your credit can bump up your interest rate and suddenly put your dream home out of reach. So check with your lender or Realtor about things you should or should not do during your home purchase process.
Then you are ready to make your dream home come true!
For questions about the process of buying or selling a home, or if you’re thinking about a move this season, send me a note below!
Linda Raymond Real Estate Blog, Fairfield, Westport & More 