Linda Raymond Real Estate Blog, Fairfield, Westport & More

Fairfield & Westport Living- homes, fun stuff & more!


Leave a comment

๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ’จ Don’t Miss the Window of Opportunity to View ๐Ÿ‘€ 6 Crockett Street, Rowayton CT this Week! โœจ๐Ÿก

View Ariel & Interior Video

They say good things come to those who wait, and this treasure is now here for you in Rowayton! ๐Ÿ˜

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! ๐ŸชŸ๐Ÿ”จ Added bonus: It is now sporting its best festive Halloween ๐ŸŽƒ 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! ๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ Or stroll down a block and relax in the cafe downtown.

โœจ What to expect:
๐Ÿก Timeless Victorian charm and history
๐ŸชŸ Restored original glass windows for authentic charm, light, and energy efficiency
๐ŸŒณ Lush and colorful garden spaces
๐Ÿ›Œ 5 bedrooms & 4 and a half baths
๐ŸŒŠ Steps to the harbor & water view glimpses upstairs!
๐Ÿž๏ธ Prime downtown Rowayton location

๐Ÿ“† Arrange for a showing this week and a chance to make this dreamy Victorian ๐Ÿ’ซ your forever home. Your slice of Rowayton heaven is just within reach! ๐Ÿก ๐Ÿคฉ

#CrockettStreetCharm #RowaytonLiving #HomeSweetHome #VictorianElegance #ComingSoon #DreamHome


Leave a comment

๐Ÿกโœจ Embrace the Magic of 6 Crockett Street, Rowayton CT! โœจ๐Ÿก

Image courtesy of Venera Alexandrova. View video clip!

They say good things come to those who wait, and this treasure awaits you in Rowayton! ๐Ÿ˜

๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒผ 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! ๐ŸชŸ๐Ÿ”จ

๐Ÿƒ๐ŸŒท 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! ๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒฑ

โœจ What to expect:
๐Ÿก Timeless Victorian charm and history
๐ŸชŸ Restored original glass windows for authentic charm, light, and energy efficiency
๐ŸŒณ Lush and colorful garden spaces
๐Ÿž๏ธ Prime downtown Rowayton location

๐Ÿ“† 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 ๐Ÿ‚ in love! ๐Ÿ’–

๐Ÿก๐Ÿคฉ 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! ๐Ÿกโœจ

#CrockettStreetCharm #RowaytonLiving #HomeSweetHome #VictorianElegance #ComingSoon #DreamHome


Leave a comment

Home Buying: Lessons Learned from Power Couple’s First Time!

Home Buyers Race to Buy House

Wait! Remember Your Pre-Approval!

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 aย 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.

Couple gets engaged

“I do!”

Fairfield University Home

This is the one!

Honeymoon in Africa

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! ย 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. ย  Besides, an offer to purchase a property is not completeย 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.

Mortgage Technology Enhancements

New Tech Enhancements Simplify Mortgage Process

William Raveis Mortgage is the only mortgage banker to provide a Certified Pre-Approval. ย 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.

Playing with Credit Cards

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. ย Visit North Shore Advisory, Inc.ย for an expert resource about credit tips and strategy. ย Once you have your good credit and Certified Pre-Approval in place, make sureย you don’t do anything that can change your credit score before you close! ย Even a tiny negative change to your credit can bump up your interest rate and suddenly put your dream home out of reach. ย So check with your lender orย 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!ย Welcome Home!

For questions aboutย the process of buying or selling a home, or if you’re thinking about a move this season, send me a note below!