The New Canaan 2018 Revalution: An Interactive Map of Old and New Property Assessments

Click on any dot to see the revaluation information on that property.
Red dots are properties where the assessment went down.
Green dots are where the assessment went up.
Bigger pins are properties where the assessment changed by more than $1 million.



Credit: Bob Naughton

Contact your realtor to discuss how the revaluation affects you.

Click here to download the excel spreadsheet of valuations on the town website.

Call or text me, John Engel at 203 247 4700, to discuss home values or Susan Engel at 203 247 5999

"Be Transformed" The 507 Silvermine Road in New Canaan Video

Timeless elegance characterizes this stone & slate estate set on 3 manicured, private acres just 1 mile from town. Surrounded on 3 sides by 40-acres of Land Trust and renovated by Brooks & Falotico, the quality is stunning. Approach through a classic formal hornbeam allee to a crushed-gravel walled courtyard defining the front gardens. A limestone foyer with graceful curving staircase leads to a white marble chef’s kitchen & family room with oversize windows overlooking lush hydrangeas, level lawns, mature plantings & pool. The 3-season porch with fireplace, outdoor grill and expansive bluestone terraces blur the distinction between outside and inside. A luxurious light-filled 1st floor master suite includes personal library, dressing room & generous master bath. 5 additional bedrooms, high ceilings, radiant-heat floors, automatic shades, eco-star roof, 3 car garage and finished lower level make this a forever home.

full listing: https://www.halstead.com/sale/ct/new-canaan/507-silvermine-road/house/170127235

video production http://www.flashframenyc.com/

Chairman's View: Somebody Moved our Cheese, column for July 26, 2018

If you are one of 26 million people who read the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” you know we are at an inflection point here in New Canaan, a moment where we either wring our hands over the good old days or we take stock of the situation and address the change head-on. We find new cheese. New Canaan will continue to be known for great schools, a good commute, green spaces and parks, top cultural attractions and low taxes. But, some things will change:

-      Politics. In November we will have a new Governor. No matter which of the seven, it will be better. Connecticut needs and will get a new paradigm, and new ideas. New jobs will follow. New leadership inevitably brings with it a new optimism and energy. Connecticut and New Canaan will get a November lift as Hartford starts a new chapter.

-      For Sale Signs. Many of us have had a For Sale sign out for too long. Now at 2004 prices, some are waiting for the market to return. I believe the market will move sideways for the next few years. Town Hall must budget for that. If you can afford to stay, stay. New Canaan is a great option while we wait for the rebound. New Canaan prices are excellent when compared to Westchester and the City. The pendulum is swinging our way. 

-      Revaluation. In November the assessor resets the value of every house in New Canaan at a (more) correct value and new taxes are set. The value of many houses changed considerably since 2013 and this recalibration is about being fair to all. The reset will inevitably help move some unsold inventory. 

-      Debt. We have the highest debt of any town in this area (although our pension funds are 100% funded).  This debt was responsibly acquired to fund necessary long term asset improvements such as schools, treatment plants, town buildings, but it is still debt. Fortunately, our Boards of Finance and Selectmen are now hyper-conscious of that fact. Expect a new debt roadmap and capital plan this November outlining how we deliver top quality services and schools within our means. Expect a move toward 0% growth like Westport, Darien and Greenwich are doing.

-      Senior & Affordable Housing. Our lower-cost housing options were redeveloped during the building boom of the last 30 years. Ranches became mansions. Few condos were built to replace them, and those that were are very expensive. Now, the market responds with large, dense alternatives that scare us that the character of the town might be at stake. (The Preservation Alliance is a key piece fighting for our character but we need a strong P&Z. They put 100 restrictions on the Merritt Village. Good. They rejected the Roger Sherman redevelopment plan outright. Good. Let’s put our faith in P&Z. Give the Housing Authority a fair hearing and remember, “Don’t let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.” (Voltaire) 

Chairman’s View: Support a Ban on House ‘For Sale’ Signs on MAY 8, 2018

Chairman’s View: Support a ban on house ‘for sale’ signs

MAY 8, 2018 BY NEW CANAAN ADVERTISER

The overwhelming majority of New Canaan citizens want to eliminate real estate signs. In a recent poll at the Advertiser Coffee 95% support a ban. They are a blight on our town. The signs would be gone except for the fact that every year a few Realtors object because it is a cheap form of advertising. 

Remember, we are residents first and Realtors second. We want our town to look beautiful, not like a town-wide tag sale. These signs cheapen New Canaan. If we act like our real estate is at a premium then maybe people will begin to regard it that way.

Greenwich and Tokeneke are our high-end sisters that prove the ban works. Greenwich P&Z regulations, section 6-163 (b) prohibits signs that “Direct attention to a business, product, service or other commercial activity, offered or existing elsewhere than on the premises where such sign is displayed.” New Canaan banned commercial signs with the exception of real estate. Nancy Healy, president of the Greenwich Board of Realtors when they enacted their sign ban said, “If New Canaan is going to make this step they’ll find out … it’s a good thing. It took the clutter off our streets. We are used to it now.”

Why now? What has changed? We have more houses on the market than ever before. In March 2008 New Canaan had 155 houses on the market. Ten years later we have 266 houses on the market, up 42%. That’s not the worst of it. The busiest time of the year for signs is coming up. Expect 358 for sale signs this June. That’s over 5% of the whole town. Nationally, houses sell on average in three weeks. In New Canaan some signs stay up for years, a semi-permanent scar. Signs are harming our ability to sell some streets in this town. Buyers now say, “What’s wrong with this street, why is everything on it for sale?”

The New Canaan Board of Realtors is considering the question. Board President Janis Hennessy absolutely supports the ban. Former presidents Joe Scozzafava and Becky Walsh agree we should take down the signs. Past President Arlene Bubbico disagrees, citing the national statistic that 7% of purchases come from signs. However, those statistics reveal 99% of Millennials and 89% of Boomers search online.

The first selectman supports the ban. We Town government leaders want the support of the Board of Realtors before either taking it to Planning and Zoning for a text change or to the Town Council for an ordinance. 

If you want to take back your town and enhance our real estate values then join me in supporting the ban. Call a Realtor and tell them it’s OK to take down the signs.

— John Engel is chairman of the New Canaan Town Council.

New to the Market: 76 Sturbridge Hill Road

76 Sturbridge Hill is coming on the market next week. Here are some sneak-peak photos of the freshly-painted house in snow last week. Looking good!

And here are some drone shots we took last Fall, 2015 just as we were closing the pool. Note that the house is still yellow in these pictures. It has since been painted a crisp white. You can tell from these aerial shots that the house is well-protected from the sun and wind with mature trees, and the pool area is exceptionally private. Mr. Coudert is the original owner, having purchased the property from builder Ed White while the house was under construction in 1978. Listed for $1,725,000. please call or text John 203-247-4700 or Susan 203-247-5999 for an appointment to see it.

New to the Market: 213 Old Stamford Road - $1,558,000.

213 Old Stamford, on the corner of Old Studio Road

NEW THIS WEEK. It always starts with location and this one has it: the Old Studio Road neighborhood near schools, Waveny and town. Totally renovated top to bottom with a gourmet kitchen in today's neutral colors. NEW this week.

Why is 213 Old Stamford Road going to sell in the next 90 days? There are at least 5 good reasons:

1)   Price  $1,558,000 represents the sweet spot of the New Canaan market. There is always demand for houses at that price point. Last year 27 houses sold between $1.5 and $1.7 million and 30 sold the previous year. Looking at the last 27 houses that sold in this category they sell in 133 days at 97% of their asking price. If this one is better than average for condition, location and style, and I think it is, then it will sell.

2)  The Kitchen. It seems everybody these days is focused on houses with great kitchens. Some people want to do the kitchen their way but for most of us we aren't looking to take on a project, we want to just move in to a great house where somebody already took the trouble to get it right. Walls were taken out, steel beams added and the plan opened up resulting in this 21st century kitchen with soapstone countertops.

3)  Renovated well. This house has been renovated, really renovated, not just paint and carpet. See the exhaustive list of improvements below. The homeowner has invested $450,000 improving the house and it shows. Rarely do we find a well-renovated house offered at this price point.

the bedrooms with updated lighting, new thermal windows and painted in neutral colors.

4)  Hot Location.  The trend seems to be toward these close-to-town neighborhoods. Ask any mother of school-age children in New Canaan how much time is spent driving family members around to various activities and its easy to see why the neighborhoods close to school, town and train are so popular. And, its not just mothers driving up the demand for in-town locations. The desire for an easier commute to the station or Merritt Parkway is important to commuters. That, coupled with the tendency for empty-nesters to seek smaller, newer homes close to town are all driving this trend. The house at 213 Old Stamford house meets the needs of a variety of those buyers. It is located halfway between the village and the schools, providing easy access within a mile in either direction to all of the amenities that New Canaan has to offer.

Master Bedroom with Sitting Area and TV

Master Bath with Soaking Tub and Frameless Glass Shower

5)   The Master Suite. Almost as important as the kitchen we find that the Master Suite is a must-have for the buyers looking today. They demand adequate closet space, usually walk-in closets, and plenty of them. Second, they demand a Master Bathroom with adequate space for two to get ready in the morning, usually with both shower and soaking tub. Finally, the Master Bedroom usually has some amenities that the other bedrooms lack such as a sitting room or fireplace. This house features that sitting area, great for watching the big screen TV, plenty of well-organized walk-in closet space and a Master bathroom that would rival even the most expensive new houses in town. 

List of Improvements 213 Old Stamford Road

August 2012-2015:

• Master Suite addition: Reconfigured the 2^nd floor layout of rooms, added walk-in closet, painted, added ceiling-filled soaking tub and steam room with LED lights, heated floor, granite vanities and rain bulkhead. You have to see it to believe it.
• Added outside porch area underneath the bathroom addition.
• Upstairs bathrooms completely remodeled: new fixtures, tiled walls and floor, tubs and sinks.
• Floors sanded and stained darker: all of the 2^nd floor and 1^st floor piano and dining room.
• Replaced all windows with Thermal windows except for TV room because it already had them. All new expensive hand-slide window treatments.
• Hardiplank siding done on entire house, trim replaced, and stone facing of garage and new porch area.
• New bluestone walkways, front door area and patio area outside the porch added.
• New paved driveway with drainage. New basketball court with painted foul shot line!
• All yard fencing replaced. Post and beam pressure-treated fencing. New stone wall in front yard. All new landscaping, yard completely re-sodded after construction, added outdoor lighting. New irrigation system. Automaticly waters the entire property: 9 zones for the grass and drip system the flowerbeds.
• New washer and dryer, gutted mudroom, replaced with built ins, new exterior doors, new garage doors.
• Upgraded electric to 200amp service and converted all lights to LED lights which reduced consumption $150/mo.
• Heating system changed from baseboard electric to 3 zone FHA, brand new system controlled by NEST online, 2 air handlers, 2 a/c units, and humidifier system added for 1^st floor only.  Furnace replaced 2013
• Connecticut Basement systems installed French drain for the entire basement perimeter, added all new triple sump pump with battery backup, and humidifier system unit.
• Basement – Finished basement in 2015. Carpet and walls are done with waterproof, water-resistant no-mold materials.
• Kitchen – Finished in Summer 2014. Walls removed to open up the space between kitchen and family room and dining room. Steel beam installed. Soapstone countertops with lighted barstool area and glass-tile backsplash. High-end custom cabinetry. New Jacobean-stained hardwood floors. New stainless steel farm sink and beverage refrigerator. Induction cooktop and stainless steel hood with ventilation to the outside. Crown moldings.
• Powder room. New in 2015. New toilet, sink, fixtures and hardwood floors.
• Generator – Generac brand automatic with a GenTrans switch that powers all critical systems and about half the house. New in 2015.



the basement, finished by CT Basement to guard with special mold-resistant materials guarantees a safe, healthy play space for the kids to bang on those drums and play that guitar

• Cedar Storage Shed in the backyard. New in 2015. 6’ x 8’

Gone Again: Midcentury Modern with the Hyperbolic Paraboloid Has Been Rented, Coming off the Market

That's right, you let the opportunity slip through your fingers once again.

The James Evans house of 1960 with its famous Hyperbolic Paraboloid roof has been rented for the next 18 months and is coming off the market later this month. I've attached several photos of the house, taken from several different angles and during different seasons to show off some of the outstanding features and tell the story of this house one more time:

John Engel and James Evans, Spring 2015, addressing a group of Belgian architects 

Showing off the colors of Autumn

These turnbuckles, similar to what you might find on a ship, counter the lateral forces of the roof.

Close-up of the turnbuckles which support the house on the lower level.

Architect James Evans with a group of Belgian architects.

James Evans points at the famous roof and describes how it came to be

Top Ten of 2015: 255 Brushy Ridge Road in New Canaan as Featured on NBC's LXTV in 2012

This turn-of-the-century shingle style house sitting on top of Brushy Ridge Road sold in 2015 for $2.8 million. It has since undergone a complete renovation and is looking better than ever. I consider it one of our Top Ten of 2015. Check back for the complete list of the ten most outstanding houses sold in 2015. Check out the video from 2012

Highlights from The December 2015 New Canaan Market Report

November House Sales Look Okay but Condo Sales are Lagging

Nothing Surprising Here. Condo Sales Have Returned to the "New Normal" after a Frothy 2014

Inventory Levels are Up Across Fairfield County as Sellers Seek To Take The Profit and Retire Out- of-State

Note the Pending Sales are Relatively Strong at the High End in New Canaan

Days on Market is High in Every Category Which Reflects a Market in Which Neither Sellers Nor Buyers

A Mixed Bag Around the County: Stamford Volume Way Up at a Lower Price; Wilton Volume Way Down; Rowayton Prices Still Rising

One Month Does Not a Trend Make; Watch for the Spring Impact of Rising Inventory Levels and Rising Interest Rates

November Market Report for New Canaan and Surrounding Towns

Here is a quick summary of what is happening in the market in our area. 

• Area Sales: When looking at New Canaan and its surrounding towns of Stamford, Darien, Wilton, Norwalk, Westport, Weston and Ridgefield, collectively the total number of house closings is up 4.6% and volume of sales is up 3.3%.
• New Canaan market: While the 20 house closings in October was slightly lower then October of 2014, it's still the second most closings in this month in New Canaan since 2003.
• New Canaan Inventory: The 284 active New Canaan house listings as of November 1st is a 32.7% year-over-year increase and the most active houses at this time in the year since at least 2007. Similarly, the 47 condo listings is an 80.8% increase vs. last year.
• Pendings: Pendings are down in New Canaan, for both houses and condos. On November 1st there was a combined 27 houses and condos pending as compared to a combined 43 houses and condos pending at the same time in 2014, a 37.2% decrease.

Below is a link to our November Market Report, which includes detailed information on the market through the first 10 months of the year.  Please see the town comparison chart above for a quick overview of the area's real estate activity.



[link to the November Market Report]