Greenwich, Connecticut real estate, politics, and more.
Greenwich, Connecticut real estate, politics, and more
26 St. Claire Avenue, south of the Village in Old Greenwich, has been on the market for 48 days and now has a contract. It’s priced at $1.950 just about what 9 Hillside just sold for after 2 1/2 years. In terms of what that sum buys in a house, there’s no comparison, but neither is there a close similarity between the two locations.
I hesitate to declare any house in Greenwich a bargain these days — who knows what the market will bring in the future? — but the sellers of 9 Hillside Dive, which sold yesterday for $1.925 million, paid $2,132,500 for it in January, 2011, and performed a huge amount of renovation between then and 2017, when they put it up for sale at $2.995. After 2 1/2 years, all that work accrued to this buyer, at no charge, in effect. I think the buyers did well.
“Home Improvements for 9 Hillside Drive, Greenwich CT 06831:”
2011
Painted exterior and interior of house
Refinished all hardwood floors
Installed gutters and leaders on house and garage (house did not have any until then)
Repaired / re-cemented all flagstone steps leading from Hillside Drive to front door
Added low temperature, water and carbon monoxide sensors to alarm system
Replaced all windows upstairs (12) with new Marvin windows upstairs
Installed fence around swimming pool
2012
Installed permanent whole house generator
Installed new wooden garage door, repainted garage
Rejointed all flagstones on terrace around house
Replaced all downstairs, basement and attic windows (16) with new Marvin windows
2013
Kitchen remodel – Wolf / Sub-Zero stainless steel appliances, custom wooden cabinetry, marble backsplash and marble island countertop
Retiled pool
Refurbished front door; new hardware installed
2014
Renovated master bath with new vanity, hardware, lighting, shower enclosure, marble floor and shower tiles
Updated 2 upstairs bathrooms with new sinks, vanities, hardware and shower enclosures
Updated powder room
Reshingled roof over family room with pressure treated cedar shingles
Installed whole house water filter
2015
Installed new pump and sand filter for pool
New AC air handler and condenser for ground floor. Added AC vents for dining room and
master bath.
New water heater.
2016
Roof over main house and 2 arched stucco gates reshingled with pressure treated cedar shingles
Painted interior of house 2017
New driveway gate motor and sensor installed
New motor for awning over terrace installed
New carpet and tiles in basement
Installed new plantation shutters for living room and main stairway windows
Yale law students: classes were cancelled so the little darlings could travel to Washington and demand the revocation of the right to confront one’s accusers (donuts were provided, apparently)
One explanation for the rise in student GPAs is grade inflation. Researchers from the Woodrow Wilson Institute told the Washington Post that while only 7% of college grades in 1969 were an A- or higher, 41% of college grades are an A- or higher in 2009. Similarly, the number of C- and below grades has dropped from 25% in 1969 to less than 5% in 2009. Overall, the average GPA increased from 2.52 in the 1950s to 3.11 in 2006. (RELATED: University Grading Based On Race, Not Merit)
Conversely, time spent by students studying for classes dropped precipitously in the second half of the twentieth century. While full-time college students studied on average 40 hours a week in 1961, they studied less than 27 hours a week in 2003, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research conducted in 2010. A survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average time students spent on class and studying had fallen to 17.5 hours per week by 2015.
Grade inflation benefits colleges and universities. The National Association of Colleges and Universities reported in a 2013 study that 66% of employers screened applicants by GPA, and 58% of employers noted that a GPA below 3.0 essentially eliminated a candidate’s chance of being hired. Students with higher GPAs get employed more often, and colleges look good when their graduates have high employment numbers.
Perhaps the next time someone suggests slashing UConn’s budget in half and eliminating what were once useful liberal arts, taxpayers will listen.
And here’s what the best and the brightest of those students are doing on their summer vacation (bonus: notice the use of “jazz hands”, rather than loud, triggering clapping)
390 Lake Avenue, now $3.6 million. Started off at $5.250 in 2015 and with the exception of 2018, it’s been on the market ever since, slowly dropping to market value. Not my style, but the location’s convenient.
An ironic reference to brick face?
Staging has moved on from The Zebra and now it’s cute, borrowed dogs
After posting on 70 Sheephill Road and mentioning Congressman Hank Johnson’s infamous questioning the stability of Guam if 8,000 additional military personnel were brought ashore, I thought to check to see whether the gentlemen is still helping run our country. Indeed he is, and I found these two related points of interest in Wikipedia. Taken together, they neatly sum up our Congress.
In 2014, Johnson was named the 18th most effective Democrat in the 112th Congress [out of 204 Democratic members] according to a new study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia (UVA).[38] He was also ranked higher than any of his Republican colleagues from Georgia. The study judged effectiveness by looking at a lawmaker's "proven ability to advance a member's agenda items through the legislative process and into law." The scorecard looked at the number of bills a member introduced or sponsored; the significance of the bills; and how far each made it in the legislative process.[39]
On October 5, 2014 The Washingtonian published their 15th biennial "Best & Worst of Congress" list. Rep. Johnson was voted "Worst Speaker" and "Most Clueless" by congressional staffers.[40]
The fact that this man has been repeatedly returned to Congress offers a powerful argument for redistricting.
Someone catch that tree on the right before it tips over — this isn’t Guam, by golly! *
70 Sheephill Road was returned to the market after being withdrawn last March. Still showing just one picture, the exterior, taken in February, and with just a minuscule price cut from $1.765 to $1.745 million.
UPDATE: Never mind. Pictures are up now, and they look quite nice. I’m leaving this post up anyway.
Pulling a house from the active list during the height of the spring market and putting it back on in the dead of summer, when most buyers and their agents are off in the Hamptons (I assume that’s where they go), combined with a nothing price cut that’s guaranteed to draw no attention is not how I’d go about marketing a property.
Lest we forget:
Ask for whom the door bell rings, and if it rings for you, know your rights! And don’t forget to vote. No documents? We’ll help you with that.
And their group, Greenwich Invisible, tells them how to do that
And you thought this election was about local issues, you naive fool, you
(A reader points out that the sign is in English, presumably because it’s intended to be a how-to guide for Belle Haven residents like Oberlander on how to hide their help)
CNN Officially Approved Negro, before he speaks
He became controversial the instant he refused to tow the CNN line; rather uppity of him, wasn’t it?
79 Meadow Wood Drive sold today for $7.4 million, and that’s a nice sum, but the seller paid $8.2 for it in 2005, poured a lot of money into it, and originally listed it at $11.9 million in June, 2017. Had to wait two full years just to lose money.
578 Riversville Road under contract today, asking $4.995 million. Tommy Hilfiger sold it to this guy for $7.8 million in 2006, which is why he’s Tommy and we’re not.
Be notified of new posts! Sign-up here:
Want to comment without registering?
