The folly of our zoning laws.

5 Dawn Harbor Lane, Riverside, CT

The family that purchased 5 Dawn Harbor Lane in Riverside in March can’t tear it down and build new.  If they did they would lose space.  Because of our “Floor Area Ratio” they would have to build less space than what already exist.  The lot is 0.62 acres in a one acre zone and the owners are punished because it is an undersized non-conforming lot.  You can probably build more space on a smaller lot in the next zone down, R-20.  You would think the town would benefit from a brand new house.  “They don’t build them like the use to” is true.  We build them better.  Houses in Greenwich tend to be over-built.  More efficient than they really have to be and stronger than they need to be.  Why can’t someone at least replace what is already there?

33 Listings in the Riverside Elementary School District

and only five are under $2 million.  Doesn’t mean a few in the low 2′s won’t dip below $2 million but if you want to live in this school district it’s going to cost.

UMass Students Show How Tolerant They Really Are

 UMass students apparently don’t believe in free speech.  Why Karl Rove would accept an invitation to speak at the state school of one of the most liberal states in the US, God only knows.  He must have know what he was in for and the students gave him both barrels while he tried to speak.  Maybe the kiddies will feel a tad differently after a couple of years of unemployment and living at home.

Immigration Reform from a Latina

“Sorry, GOP! Immigration Reform Won’t Win You The Latino Vote”

No surprise here.  Reagan granted amnesty and it didn’t work after that.  This young lady puts forth a very logical argument.  What sticks out the most is American born Latinos don’t want the competition for the jobs that are better than servant class that they are trying to get and the GOP will be blamed for the enforcement measures.

Southern California Home Buyers

Buyers move like lemmings.  SoCal is hot and median home prices have improved by over 23%.  There is nothing like the fear of being left out that will get buyers to pony up.  If the pace continues some people will be enriched, and those that could have, but didn’t, will sit back and predict the next doomsday.  If prices continue to climb for ten years and then the market tanks, the doomsayers will still say, “See, I told you so”.

This sort of floors me.

3 Fairfield Ave, Old Greenwich

3 Fairfield Ave has sold for $1,350,000.  0.12 acres, no driveway, park on street, but it is a new house.  Sometimes we are so close we can’t see “the forest through the trees”.  Where are you going to get a new house in OG for under $3 million or $2 million?  Oh well, can’t win them all.

1 QUINTARD AVE (1A) South of the village in OG has closed for a selling price of $2,950,000.  Listed at then end of January for $2,995,000 it only took a little over a month to go to contract.  Owners paid $2,170,000 about five months before the big credit crunch.   According to the listing broker it was “ PURCHASED UNFINISHED AND COMPLETED TO PERFECTION BY CURRENT OWNERS”.   Over 3,600 sq feet on 0.36 acres,  built in 2005 and finished in 2008 it is new enough to still be considered new. Not a bad deal at all.