Slow day for real estate, so far, but 33 Perryridge Rd reports a sale price

33 Perryridge Road

$1,362,500, from an original June, 2017 asking price of $1.495 million. That's about in line with comparable sales on the street. Not exactly a house I'd be delighted to live in, but it's located at the northern end of the street, away from most of the ambulances arriving at the hospital, it's close to central Greenwich, and, for Greenwich, not a whole lot of money. 

So I get it.

My personal preference would be against a kitchen/laundry room combo, but ....

Trump just demolished the "mentally ill, senile idiot" meme that's been so occupying the left the past few weeks

Here's the CSPAN video of yesterday's bi-partisan meeting on DACA and border security. Lots not to like, perhaps, from a conservative perspective, but Trump is clearly not forgetting where and who he is, or repeating sentences, or drooling. He's doing what he's always prided himself on, trying to make a deal. I've read serious, though hysterical demands from the left that the president be seized by guards and forcibly subjected to a physciatric examination. Watch at least part of the video: it's 55 minutes long, and I don't have that much free time, but I did spend 20, listening to Trump's opening statements and those of various Democrats, then fast forwarding to those sections that show Trump speaking. The video, via Trump, speaks for itself.

It's been a year since his taking office, and 14 months since his election, and the Left is still in its foaming at the mouth Trump Derangement Syndrome. With the Russian collusion meme collapsing, they've come up with a 25th Amendment argument for a coup, and this hour-long video will quash that. I have absolutely no doubt that there will be a new angle of attack next week, but it'd be nice if these maniacs could just, finally, accept the results of the election, and devote their attention to the next one. 

Two-star general denied promotion (and thus loses his career) for calling a congressional aide "sweetheart".

Okay, ladies, gentlemen, and those of you who might be non-gendered persons, let's get this up

What started with censuring horrid people like Harvey Weinstein for thrusting his tongue into a woman's mouth has now reached down to the level of tossing life-long soldiers onto the trash heap for an incautious, non-pc term. We've gone crazy.

STUTTGART, Germany — Maj. Gen. Ryan Gonsalves’ nomination for a third star has been pulled in the wake of an Army Inspector General’s probe that found he disrespected a female congressional staffer when he called her “sweetheart.”

A report of the investigation into the incident was provided Friday to Stars and Stripes and determined the “preponderance of the evidence” indicated Gonsalves referred to the staffer as "sweetheart" during an October 2016 meeting.

As a result, Gonsalves violated Army Command Policy, which requires treating others with “dignity and respect,” the investigation concluded. The IG recommend the report be referred to the Judge Advocate General for “appropriate action.”

So far, the Army declined to detail what the future holds for Gonsalves, who led the 4th Infantry Division until August but is now serving as a special assistant to the commanding general, III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.

It's my understanding of military promotions that, when denied as in this case, that officer's career is over. So we lose the service and expertise of a general, while a young woman's shock and hurt at being addressed as "sweetheart" is soothed. Seems like a poor deal for the country. 

Back Country residents insist that their mentally ill family members and neighbors be treated downtown

Guess who's coming to dinner!

Stanwich Church is offering counseling to troubled couples, alcoholics and other addicts, and the Back Country objects.

The nonprofit center focuses on issues including trauma, alcohol and substance abuse and marriage counseling.

“Why should we be so close to people having such problems in such proximity?” said one neighbor, Susan Hudd. “They should be in a place in the center of town, not where people are close by. I think that’s a real stress. You don’t know who’s coming.”

Besides, Ms. Hudd assured FWIW, not only is her own marriage perfect and all her children above average, she has a nanny who's always available to transport the Hudd children to a therapist, should that become necessary. "What, me worry?"

(Ms. Hudd offered no explanation in her testimony before the P&Z as to who she thinks lives in the center of town, nor why she doesn't consider them "people".)

How to make a small fortune in Greenwich real estate? Start by paying a large one

15 Boulder Brook Road, purchased for $2.725 million in 2007 ($3.241 in current dollars), and last asking $1.995, is under contract. 

Old style houses just aren't commanding decent prices these days

A shave and a haircut before listing would probably have been a good idea

24 Pecksland Road, asking $2.3 million, reports a contingent contract; it started at $3.4 million back in 2015. Purchased in 1992 for $1.6 million ($2.813 in current dollars) by a now-deceased Austrian (?) prince — a VW executive, anyway — the royal style is no longer in vogue, and neither is Pecksland Road. Bad combination.

Oh dear. No, no, no!

So, not such a great purchase, it turned out

Riki Beth Lane

7 Riki Beth Lane, Hillcrest Park in Old Greenwich, has sold for $1.983 million. The sellers paid $2.475 for it in 2012, put more money into renovations, and put it back up for sale last April at $2.850. I've written (favorably) about the property several times, including, most recently, when it went to contract last month. I like it very much, but it's quirky, and that always shrinks the pool of available buyers. I'm hopeful the new owners will find that the price they've paid turns out to be a better value for them than it was for the sellers. I think it will: certainly they'll find that they're living in a great neighborhood, in a very nice house, and that's worth something in itself.

Old Greenwich contract on Ann Street

21 Ann Street

21 Ann Street, 2002 construction that started in September, 2016 at $5.2250 and still priced at $4.750, reports a contract.

Not my particular cup of tea, but the quality is there, and sales like these are helpful for the rest of us agents, because we can add them to our inventory of comparable sales. I'm working with clients right now who, while in this price range, are balking at the asking price of a particular house, which they otherwise like. So far, I've agreed with their assessment and now, armed with this sale of a larger, new house, I can reaffirm their judgment. 

Whether that will help in getting the sellers of the house we're interested in to change their minds is dubious —"but my house is different" is the universal cry of home owners when confronted with reality — but with luck, other potential buyers will make a similar comparison and hold off, giving the owners time to bring their price down to a level where I can sell it.

Unless these belong to just one stager, shuffling her inventory around, I may have to start labelling these things "The Stool" — they're showing up with surprising frequency in new listings

I'm all for Congress taking a permanent vow of silence

Whatever it takes

Maryland congressman wants his colleagues to observe a moment of silence for every victim of gun violence.

In Baltimore, business owners have taken to hiring private security guards to protect visitors to the Inner Harbor, due to the criminals who are swarming out of control now that the police have stopped policing. Perhaps the congressman can get a Chicago colleague to join him in his resolution: that city is once again on track to set a record murder rate among gang members. I've never seen any particular advantage to tolerating murderous gang-bangers, but if they can shut down Congress, they now have my vote.

Someone still has faith in Greenwich

New construction on French Road (lower Rogues Hill) sells for $12.075 million.

Maybe a NYC subway worker?