Residential Real Estate

Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates as Climate Change Makes Disasters More Common
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | September 26, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report says.
Ways Agents Can Stop Paying for Leads
By Bernice Ross | Special To Commercial Record | September 21, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Before forking over 40 percent of your commission, try working with a few of these ideas to obtain high-quality leads at a fraction of the price you’re currently paying for leads.

Report: Vacation Home Demand Nears Seven-Year Low
By James Sanna | September 19, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
An analysis of mortgage rate-lock data by economists at brokerage and listings portal Redfin says that demand for vacation homes ticked down again in August, and are lower than they’ve been since mid-2017.

New William Pitt Sotheby’s Team Launches
September 13, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty announced one of its most prominent agents has launched a new team.

Survey: 1 in 5 Millennials Don’t Think They Can Be Homeowners
By James Sanna | September 11, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
A new poll suggests a huge swath of the biggest generation in America right now see huge barriers to achieving homeownership for themselves.

IRS Plans Back-Taxes Crackdown on 1.6K Millionaires
By Fatima Hussein | The Associated Press | September 8, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
The IRS announced Friday it is launching an effort to aggressively pursue 1,600 millionaires and 75 large business partnerships that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in past due taxes.

Analysis: Hartford Still Among Nation’s Most Affordable Cities
By James Sanna | September 7, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Despite a big jump in mortgage rates and very low inventory that’s pushing home prices higher, Greater Hartford remains one of the nation’s most affordable housing markets, a new report says.

Statewide Home Price Up as Fairfield County Prices Cool
By James Sanna | August 31, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Statewide median home sale prices are up again even as the total number of homes sold remains significantly below last year’s tallies.

NAR President Quits After Explosive Sexual Harassment Investigation
By James Sanna | August 29, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Kenny Parcell has resigned his post after 19 NAR staffers and members accused him of sexual harassment in an investigation published Saturday.

Two New Haven-Area Brokerages Add Agents
By James Sanna | August 23, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
North Haven’s Pearce Real Estate and Milford’s Houlihan Lawrence Wareck D’Ostilio Real Estate recently announced the arrival of new residential real estate agents to their respective ranks.

1 in 10 Houses for Sale in Major CT Markets Are New
By James Sanna | August 21, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
With most homeowners who might have sold in other years sitting tight, the share of newly-built homes in many Connecticut housing markets has jumped dramatically in a single year.

Mortgage Rates Hit 20-Year High
By Matt Ott and Alex Veiga | The Associated Press | August 18, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in more than 20 years, grim news for would-be homebuyers already challenged by a housing market that remains competitive due to a dearth of homes for sale.

Remodeling Spending Set to Shrink, Data Suggests
By The Associated Press | August 15, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Two indicators suggest Americans’ spending on remodeling is headed downwards despite hope that homeowners willingness to sit tight and not list their homes meant that a wave of home renovations are coming.
State Awards $23M to Eight Communities to Support Livability and Equity
August 11, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
The Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant program recently awarded its third round of grants to eight cities and towns to fund a range of revitalization projects intended to support job growth.

Perez Joins Pearce Real Estate’s Edgehill Team
August 11, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Miguel Perez has joined Pearce Real Estate’s Edgehill Team in its New Haven office.

Caracausa Joins William Pitt Sotheby’s Mystic Brokerage
August 9, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
A well-known broker in the Mystic and Stonington area has joined her firm to a major brand throughout the Shoreline.

Severe Storms Lead to Unprecedented $34B in US Insured Losses So Far
By Michelle Chapman | The Associated Press | August 9, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Waves of severe thunderstorms in the U.S. during the first half of this year created an unprecedented level of financial damage in such a short time, according to Swiss Re Group, as climate change contributes to the frequency and severity of violent meteorological events.

William Pitt Sotheby’s Picks New Southport Manager
By James Sanna | August 4, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty announced that Patty Reis will assume the role of brokerage manager for the firm’s brokerage in Southport.

Mystery LLC Makes Priciest Home Buy in CT History
By James Sanna | August 3, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Connecticut’s most expensive residential real estate sale in history closed yesterday, but it’s unclear who the buyer represents.

Longer Homeowner Tenure Means Agent Roles Will Change, NAR Says
By James Sanna | August 3, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
With Baby Boomers outbidding Millennials and Generation X in many home sales, economists at the National Association of Realtors say real estate agents should start thinking differently about what their clients need from them.