The home at 735 Storrs Road is charming with great details and comfort including custom cabinets built on site to blend with the original cabinetry and two of the bedrooms have their own private baths! the home is fully refinished and maintains it’s original Arts and Crafts/Sears Kit style details.

The Sears Roebuck mail-order company was founded in 1886, and most people know that Sears sold nearly everything for the home, but did you know it also sold the house as well? They started to offer building supplies and house plans in 1895. Between 1908 and 1940 Sears operated a “Modern Homes” division that supplied building plans, materials and kit houses shipped by rail to all corners of the nation.  The homes are numbered, and very hard to document as all records were destroyed at one point.  The current owner of this home has done some research, but he cannot find enough documentation to prove this is a “real” Sears Kit home – no matter, it is lovely and charming with features you will not find anywhere else – call to see this home or ask us to help you with another purchase and sale – we are always happy to be of service!

http://www.connareahomes.com/property/-735-Storrs-Road

Outdoor Entertainment Activities Near Storrs, CT

During the winter months, most places around the country, especially up here in the north, close up shop and wait until spring. Not here in Storrs! When you buy Storrs, CT area real estate, you are guaranteed to have year around entertainment at your fingertips.

Fall and Winter Things To Do Near Storrs

Some of the best skiing around is located just outside of downtown Storrs, and just a short drive away you can go enjoy the changing leaves and first winter snow falls by hiking along the Appalachian Trial. Horseback riding, Old time inspired river boat rides, Fall foliage driving tours, and more await you when you move to Storrs, CT!

Top Skiing and Snowboarding Near Storrs, CT

These are the top items on my list of fall and winter entertainment:

• Mohawk Mountain-features 24 ski and snowboard trails, 5 chairlifts, beginners area, and an advance area showcasing a 650 foot vertical drop and a 1600 foot summit-all featuring breathtaking views of the Housatonic River and the Historic West Cornall Covered Bridge.
• Ski Sundown-features a family ski area with 15 trails, 4 chairlifts, 625 foot vertical drop and a1075 foot summit. Located in New Hartford, you can also enjoy a great meal at Chatterley’s Restaurant and then shop at Muddy Moose Antiques.
• Woodbury Ski Area-after a short, beautiful drive through the Litchfield Hills to Woodbury, you will enjoy playing in the snow at the area’s largest tubing park. Your family will also love the snowboarding and sledding trails. It features a 300 foot vertical drop and a 850 foot summit. After hitting the slopes, you can enjoy the many local Woodbury antique shops.
• Mount Southington-located in Southington, just a short drive from Storrs, CT, you will enjoy a friendly 14 trails of skiing and snowboarding, with a vertical drop of 425 feet and a summit of 525 feet.

Move To Storrs, CT

Though there are many lovely Connecticut areas to live, Storrs is unique because of its ideal location to numerous nearby day trips-ranging from skiing and outdoor activities to arts and crafts to concerts and fine dining. If you live in or have visited Storrs, what are some of your favorite winter activites to enjoy?

Storrs is set apart form other areas because it truly offers a bit of everything for everyone. If you would like to learn more about buying Storrs real estate, browsing Storrs CT homes for sale, or request our FREE Storrs Connecticut area Relocation Package, then simply contact us, Elaine and Tom Burns and The Burns Real Estate Group.

Until next time,

Elaine

Living Live In Storrs, CT

When you buy Storrs, CT real estate, you get to buy a wonderful lifestyle with it. The quiet, family friendly neighborhoods and wonderful local environment makes Storrs an ideal place to live. Also adding to the amenities Storrs can offer home buyers is the many vacation activities enjoyed without having to spend money, time or travel. Some of my top favorite day trips from Storrs are listed below-and what is really great is that you can visit them over and over again without any huge travel plans needed.

Day Trips From Storrs For Entertainment

One of the top places on my list is the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. It features 1,000 sea animals, from 9 foot sharks to masses of colorful, mini-sized jellysish. There is also a 6-story IMAX theater, Ocean Playspace, young children’s play area, touch pools, a restaurant, and a viewing area to see harbor seals and otters frolic up close.

Maritime Aquarium Day Trip From Storrs

The Maritime Aquarium is among my favorite day trips because it offers something for the entire family and makes a great trip regardless of the weather. If you are looking for something to do one day while the kids are out of school, make a day trip to the Maritime Aquarium!

Stepping Stones and Discovery Museum Near Storrs, CT

Another great place to visit is Stepping Stones Museum For Children, located in Norwalk. Geared for children ages 10 and under, Stepping Stones features 80 hands-on activites in contemporary exhibits with hands on science-related play. Your older children will have a blast at the Discovery Museum and Planetarium, featuring the Challenger Learning Center and older age appropriate science activities.

Southern Connecticut Stew Leonards Near Storrs

For a fun, unique experience, you must stop by one of southwest Connecticut’s “great roadside wonders”-the Stew Leonards! The New York Times called Stew Leonards “the Disneyland of grocery stores”, and the description is certainly correct! There are costumed characters, live entertainment, abundant food samples, and an amazing selection of takeout foods. If you are looking for something completely different to share with visiting friends or family to, then Stew Leonard’s is the perfect choice.

Relocate To Storrs, Connecticut

Have you ever visited the Storrs community area? What are some of your favorite day trips? I would love to hear about some of the places you enjoy visiting. If you like to learn more about the charming area of Storrs and learn more about how to buy Storrs area real estate, feel free to contact us, Elaine and Tom Burns, your expert Storrs real estate agents.

Until next time,
Elaine

Tolland County Connecticut Market Trends

Tolland County, in Connecticut, is made up of 13 towns, including Ellington Ct, Tolland Ct, Mansfield Storrs Ct, Coventry Ct and Columbia Ct.  The recent pending  home sales and new listings coming on the market are important to watch whether you are a Tolland County home buyer or a seller. 

For the last 30 days the Tolland County area has had 88 residential properties go under deposit and 232 homes have come on the market as new listings, there are currently a total of 903 homes on the market in Tolland County.

Pricing Breakdown for Tolland County Pending Home Sales and Homes For Sale.

Under 200K – 34 homes went under deposit and 54 new listings came on the market – Currently there are 185 homes for sale in this price point.

 200K-300K –  35 homes went under deposit and 88 new listings came on the market – Currently there are 307 homes for sale in this price point.

300K-400K – 15 homes went under deposit and 54 new listings came on the market – Currently there are 211 homes for sale in this price point.

 400K-500K – 2 homes went under deposit and 24 new listings  came on the market – Currently there are 117 homes for sale in this price point.

Over 500K – 2 homes went under deposit and 12 new listings came on the market – Currently there are 83 homes for sale in this price point.

Positioning Your Tolland County Home to Sell

It is imperative, as a Tolland County home seller, that you talk with your Realtor to find out how to get your home pushed to the top of the home buyers list so YOUR home will be one of the “pending” sales in the next 30 days.  Make sure you ask for all current marketing trends while your home is on the market to be sure you are knowledgable about the home selling market and to be sure your home is positioned properly and marketed directly to your pool of buyers in the current marketplace.

We understand that while these are not great numbers, they do show us that homes are still selling!  We are often asked “is anything selling?” and the answer is yes – great marketing, correct positioning in the current market, and making sure your home is available, prepared and ready for any and all showings is crucial. 

Tolland County Home Buyers Have a Lot of  Good Choices and GREAT Mortgage Rates available to Them!

Buyers also need to be aware that homes are selling – in fact, homes that are viewed as well priced for the current market go under deposit, on average, in less than 30 days – that’s a big surprise to most buyers! Good properties, priced correctly, sell very fast to savvy buyers.  Be sure your Realtor is keeping you up to date on market trends too, and when a great property comes on the market you will be educated and able to make a good sound decision about whether or not the property is “right” for you. 

The mortgage rates are fantastic – we are reaching historic lows and the opportunity to buy a great home, at a great price, with great mortgage rates is a rare combination that you will want to take advantage of!

Please send in your comments and let us know what you are seeing in your home selling or buying process.  You can also call – 860-655-4688 or email  with any questions about the purchase or sale of a home in todays market, we are happy to be of help!

Properties for sale in Tolland County Ct  are selling this spring!  Homes for sale in Tolland county are going under deposit at a good pace with approximately 417 homes in the Tolland County area either sold or under deposit in the first 3 1/2 months of 2010.  Condos for sale in Tolland County Ct have also seen a good amount of activity with approximately 80 condos in Tolland county going under deposit or closed in the same period of time. 

The tax credit program has certainly proved to be a motivating factor in the current Tolland county real estate market and buyers are being smart and carefully reviewing comparable properties  to be sure they are getting a good value in their home purchase.  We have been happy to help our buyers find some great properties and negotiate good terms and prices for them.  Please give us a call to see how we can help you with all your Tolland County Ct real estate needs at 860-420-7089.

Fabulous Lake Bunggee is approximately 111 acres in size and set in the bucolic, rolling hills of  Woodstock Ct.  Tall pines and winding roads surround the lake area, almost giving you the sense of being further north, perhaps at a lake in Vermont or New Hampshire.  The good news is that if you are looking for a full time residence in Ct, or a second home/vacation home within a reasonable distance of your primary Ct residence, or New York or Boston, this is the place to look! 

Here you will find cozy cabins as well as elegant lake properties, there are  usually a couple of lakefront homes for sale in the area, if you have questions about the lake and the properties located on it, be sure to give us a call, we are happy to help.  The lake is an easy commute to Boston, UConn and Hartford CT, and we know a number of people who have second homes on the lake and live in towns like Glastonbury, Ct or perhaps a bit further away, they love the easy commute and enjoy being able to get to their lakefront retreat in less than an hour.  Woodstock is part of Windham County, but is an easy drive for anyone living or working in the Tolland County areas as well.

Please give us a call at 860-655-4688 with any questions about Ct lakes and lakefront homes – we are the area’s ONLY Ct lake home specialists!

Homes on Columbia lake in Columbia, Ct are highly sought after and only a handful (sometimes less) come on the market during the year  – many homes have been owned by families who pass the property down through the generations.  Currently, as of 3/31/2010 there is a property for sale with 4 small cottages – lots of possiblities!

Priced at $559,000 – 4 smallcottages with a total of 151′ of frontage on the lake – great potential for future expansion!

Coventry Lakefront Homes for sale in Coventry, Ct

Coventry Lake in Coventry Ct is also highly sought after – and the recent addition of sewer lines in the lake area has led to some very small cottages being torn down to be replaced by some pretty fabulous Ct lakefront homes!  Currently there are 3 true waterfront  properties available on the lake.

The 3 properties range in price from $285,900 – $459,900 and all 3 have taken price reductions recently.

Another home is being advertised as lakefront, but you will need to cross the road in front of the house to reach the water – and although the view is completely unobstructed, if you are looking for true waterfront, this may not be the perfect fit for you.

Priced at $389,900, built in 2001 with 4 bdrms and 3.1 baths

As Connecticut dries out from the torrential rains and heads into what is going to be gorgeous weather this coming weekend, we are looking forward to helping more Ct lakefront property buyers find just the right home for them!

Please give us a call to find out more about lake homes in Ct and where the best deals are in the current market at 860-429-2853!

More Ct lakefront homes are starting to come on the market with the warmer spring weather!  As lakefront property owners and waterfront specialists, we love this time of year and look forward the buzz of lakefront home buying and selling activity.

Here are the current homes for sale on Lake Pocotopaug in East Hampton Ct. The lake is approx. 516 acres in size and is a fully recreational lake, so if you are looking for boating, skiing and lots of fun activities, you will enjoy living here year round living or as a wonderful second home and weekend retreat. 

Your Lakefront Retreat – Only a short Drive Away

 Many lakefront second home/vacation home buyers are looking for a lake home within a reasonable distance of their primary residence, so they can easily drive there and even commute to work should they choose to.  Lake Pocotopaug is an easy drive from anywhere in Ct and within 2 hours of Boston and New York. 

Please let us know if you would like to see any of these homes, or have any lakefront home buying and selling questions.

4 bed, 2 bath, 2311 sq ft classic cape with 275 ft. of frontage – $798,000

3914 sq. ft. stunning contemporary w/5 bed, 3.1 baths and over 200 ft. of frontage-$749,000

2250 sq ft. 4 bd, 2 bath with 80 ft of frontage – $746,900

Built in 1998 with 4 bed, 3 baths, 2784 sq ft – $665,000

2100 sq ft contemporary with in law apt., price range from $519,000 – $598,000

2.45 acres with 58′ frontage on Lake Pocotopaug, rustic building with 2 apartments and 3 seasonal cottages on property – $529,000

3 bd, 1.1 bath, 1940 sq ft, very desierable location on the lake – $475,000

Spectacular sunsets from this 1142 sq ft cape w/3 bed and 1 bath with sunroom – value range price from $399,000-$458,876

2184 sq ft, 4 bed, 2 bath direct waterfront home with many updates – $449,900

2 bed, 2 bath, 1400 sq ft, only steps from the water with beautiful sunsets – $375,000

765 sq ft cottage to enjoy or tear down and build new, 3 bed, 1 bath with 50 ft of direct waterfront – $325,000

Built in 1900, this 1800 sq ft home offers 4 beds, 1.1 baths and 90 ft of direct waterfront – $299,000

This is a pretty good list of homes with a range of styles and pricing, we specialize in many Ct lake areas and find that buyers are  flexible when choosing which Ct  lake they buy a lakefront home on, so touring all the lakes in the area can be fun and often takes up most of a warm spring weekend!