Wallingford Wired

Ready to Kick Some Asphalt?

by Harriman Real Estate on July 29, 2010

Ready to Kick Some Asphalt?

Those who have lived in and around Wallingford for any length of time have probably heard of Willy D’s Photo T’s & NASCAR Collectibles, a racing themed apparel and collectible shop located at 106 South Colony Road in Wallingford. Owners Bill and Barb Doucette are going into their 18th successful year with the store and have recently decided to take their love of NASCAR one step further: to the track!

Having already run a successful indoor go kart track for several years, Bill and Barb began research into the possibility of bringing outdoor performance karting to Wallingford. They were unable to locate any other tracks of that type in Connecticut, so they set out to make plans to open the first one in the state. They secured a location, designed an outdoor track that includes a road course as well as a traditional oval course, and submitted plans for the operation - to be called CT Motorsport Park – to Wallingford’s Planning & Zoning Board for approval.

One of the criteria for approval was a sound test to ensure that the noise levels from the karts were within acceptable levels. This test was done in early June and passed with flying colors (see a short video of the test here). The P&Z Board then reviewed the proposal in its entirety and about a week or so ago, the proposal got the P&Z stamp of approval.

Situated on nearly 2.5 acres in Wallingford’s Silversmith Park, the track layout will accommodate 4 different courses, including a 1/4 mile oval and a 1/2 mile road course. Bill plans to operate with about 10-15 carts that can negotiate the track in about 50-55 seconds, covering about 4.5 miles in their 9-lap race. There are just some final details to work out, and then the track will be ready to open to the public. More info about CT Motorsport Park can be found at their website, or you can contact Bill Doucette by email at doitoutdoors@ctmotorsportpark.com, or by phone at (203) 269-6802.

Watch for more info about the opening, pre-opening specials and more, and get ready to kick some asphalt!

Welcome back!

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Wallingford Market Update for June 2010

by Harriman Real Estate on July 29, 2010

Wallingford Market Update for June 2010

Here’s the way the housing market is shaping up in Wallingford as of June 30, 2010:

There are currently 210 single family homes for sale in Wallingford (virtually unchanged from last month):

Low list price: $49,900
High list price: $989,000
Average list price: $329,385
Median list price: $299,450
Average Days on Market: 62 (up 11% from last month)
Homes sold on average for 96.8% of list price (up slightly from last month)

There are 63 homes currently under contract, priced between $69,900 and $999,900. Based on the number of homes sold in June (31), it would take approximately 7 months to sell the current inventory, down 36% from May.

As for condominiums, there are currently 106 condos for sale (up 4 from last month):

Low list price: $55,000
High list price: $574,900
Average list price: $223,670
Median list price: $209,900
Average Days on Market: 62 (down 3% from last month)
Condos sold on average for 94.9% of list price (down 2.2% from last month)

There is currently 1 condo under contract, priced at $169,000, down 50% from May. Based on the number of condos in June (20), it would take 5 months to sell the current inventory, unchanged from May.

The following chart shows annual home and condo sales in Wallingford for year-to-date 2010:

Single family home sales rose by 63% in June, from 19 to 31, but condo sales were up by just a single sale. This is encouraging news since the expiration of the tax credit was expected to deflate the sales numbers going into the summer months. Buyer activity is still strong, fueled in part by still low home prices and mortgage rates, but they seem to be more deliberate in their decision making, perhaps due to the state of the economy. July and August’s numbers will hopefully continue the upward trend of the past few months.

The following chart compares average days on market (ADOM), or how many days it took to sell a home or condo during the month, for the first half of the year:

Average days on market for the two categories both rose in June, continuing their trend of alternating up and down months. The trend may stop this month, as there are some indications that some owners are deciding to rent their homes instead of selling. And, with mortgage criteria becoming more strenuous, this trend might continue through the end of Summer.

For more market info or to inquire about our services, please call us at (203) 672-4499!

Data used was provided by the CTMLS (Connecticut Multiple Listing Service), and is considered reliable but not guaranteed.

Wallingford Market Update May 2010 (wallingfordwired.com)
Wallingford Market Update April 2010 (wallingfordwired.com)

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Wallingford Sonic Drive-In Breaks Sales Record

by Harriman Real Estate on July 26, 2010

Wallingford Sonic Drive-In Breaks Sales Records

This past Saturday, July 24th, the Wallingford Sonic Drive-In held a one day Special Grand Opening event from 6 AM to midnight. I figured this event would be well attended, even packed to the gills. It seems I was right.

Today, everyone who is signed up for Sonic’s email newsletter received the following email, and it was also posted on the Sonic of CT web site:

“We would like to thank all of our Sonic Drive-In Fans and Customers who came out to support our ‘Special Grand Opening Event’ on Saturday the 24th.

Because of you, the Wallingford, CT store broke the record for the highest sales in one day for any Sonic Drive-in across the country!

The CT store beat the record that was previously held by Peabody, MA!

We would like you to know we appreciate all your support and business and are proud to have ‘The Sonic Experience’ a part of CT”

Thank you to all our Fans and supporters!!

Sincerely and with Great Appreciation,

The Mesite Family, The Sonic Management Team, Staff and The A-Team Members”

Well, I’d say that’s a pretty good indication of good attendance! It’s saying a lot that the Wallingford store broke a record for ALL Sonic restaurants throughout the United States. That’s over 3,500 locations and counting! But, there is scuttlebutt going around that the record won’t last long, as residents of both the upcoming Manchester and Milford locations are boasting that each will break Wallingford’s record. Will they or won’t they?

I’m betting NO. What do YOU think?

Wallingford’s Sonic Drive-in Open For Business (wallingfordwired.com)

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The Connecticut Wine Trail: Third Stop

by Harriman Real Estate on July 22, 2010

The Connecticut Wine Trail: Third Stop

Our third stop on the Connecticut Wine Trail took us to the countryside of central Connecticut, to Colchester’s Priam Vineyards. Founded in 1998 and opened to the public in 2003, the winery produces 22 acres of grapes in the style of northern France and Germany. Having lived for many years in Germany and having developed a particular affinity for the Riesling varietal, we were particularly pleased to find that Priam Vineyards counts two Rieslings and a Gewurztraminer amongst the dozen or so award-winning wines they produce, and we couldn’t wait to give them a try.

As usual, we signed up for the wine tasting which gave us the opportunity to taste 10 of Priam’s wines. We were not disappointed with the pure Riesling, an off-dry wine with pleasant lemon, apple and peach notes and a clean finish. The second Riesling was the Jeremy River White, a semi-sweet blend which was very fruity and juicy in the mouth, a real quenching drink. The Gewurztraminer was a little less satisfying, being drier and less spicy than we prefer, but it was still an excellent offering. The other favorite we had among the samples was the Westchester Red, a semi-sweet wine with a hints of fig and dark chocolate on the palate and a crisp finish.

After the tasting, we purchased a bottle of the Riesling and retired to the sunny patio to enjoy with our lunch and the tranquil scenery. Priam Vineyards prides itself on being the first New England winery to produce their own solar power; they also practice sustainable agriculture and propagate bluebirds in the fields to assist in maintaining a healthy vineyard.

Priam Vineyards is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester, and they’re open from 11am to 5pm for tastings every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between March 19th and December 31st. You can click here for directions. We certainly recommend visiting Priam soon, so bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it on the patio! And don’t forget your Wine Trail Passport!

The Connecticut Wine Trail: First Stop (wallingfordwired.com)
The Connecticut Wine Trail: Second Stop (wallingfordwired.com)

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Wallingford’s Sonic Drive-in Open For Business

by Harriman Real Estate on July 14, 2010

Wallingford’s Sonic Drive-In Open For Business

Mickey D’s arches are sagging a bit. BK’s crown has lost a little of its luster. And Wendy’s? Well, they may be lost in Never Never Land.

After months of negotiation, debate, meetings, planning, studies and construction, Wallingford’s newest eatery opened today with style, fanfare and fantastic food. While I could not be there in person, I did follow some of the festivities on Facebook. After the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 AM, the drive-in began serving customers in earnest at 10:30 AM. Sonic staff did well to take lots of pictures of the tidal wave of customers who descended on the place to get their first taste of the delectable menu of burgers, hot dogs, fries, tater tots, salads, desserts, and the over 169,000 possible combinations of drinks available.

Traffic Woes

As anticipated by Operations Manager Robert Mesite the traffic volume was considerable, apparently high enough to get people turned away at the entrance as early as 1:30 PM according to some disappointed patrons who posted comments on Sonic of CT’s Facebook page. One person said that they had driven about two hours to attend the grand opening, only to be told that no one else was being admitted. The traffic problem, though unfortunate, should not have come as a surprise to anyone who has been following Sonic’s progress. It was a main sticking point in the approval process, and has been emphasized repeatedly by Robert Mesite on the Sonic web site. Plus, anyone who’s been in Connecticut for any length of time remembers the Krispy Kreme opening on the Berlin Turnpike a few years back. Just remembering how that turned out should have been enough to prepare everyone for today’s heavy attendance, and it will probably continue for several more days at least.

: Image via Wikipedia

Play Nice in the Sandbox

One last thing I’d like to address before I close is all the Sonic bashers/haters/trolls that have been clogging up Sonic’s Facebook page today. These people were making rude remarks about Sonic, the pictures that were being posted, the poor quality of the food, etc. All I have to say is this: if you disapprove of Sonic, their food or how they conduct business, there are ways to make your feelings known without showing the world how much of a butthead you are by acting like one online. Remember, what happens online, stays online…forever. Sonic is proud of what they’ve accomplished, and well they should be. In a time of rising unemployment and dismal economic forecasts, Sonic has brought 130 new jobs to Wallingford and who knows how much revenue will be generated. Bottom line is, Sonic will be nothing but a boon to the Wallingford economy for years to come.

The last official word I heard is that for the first two weeks they’re open, the hours of operation will be 10 AM to 10 PM; beginning August 1st, the hours will change to 6 AM to 11 PM. These hours may change, and of course if they do I’ll post something here as I receive it. In case you don’t know, the new Sonic is located at 1033 North Colony Road on the site of the former Yankee Silversmith Inn. If you haven’t yet done so, you can sign up to be a TIFOS (The Incredible Friends of Sonic) on the Sonic web site, and there are also four videos by Robert Mesite further explaining the grand opening, the honeymoon period, traffic issues and other important information.

WELCOME TO WALLINGFORD, SONIC!!

Update on Construction of Wallingford Sonic (wallingfordwired.com)
Sonic of CT Breaks Ground for New Wallingford Drive-In (wallingfordwired.com)
Wallingford Sonic Drive-In Closer to Reality (wallingfordwired.com)

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New Rental: 53 Christian St. 2nd Floor, Wallingford CT

by Harriman Real Estate on July 13, 2010

Spacious 2 bedroom apartment on second floor of beautiful 1890 Colonial. Lots of kitchen cabinet space; formal dining room, office nook, off-street parking, a deck and nice yard all in a convenient location. Credit check required, security deposit and one month’s rent due at lease signing. Don’t let this one get away!

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Pat at (203) 672-4499 today!

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Harriman Real Estate, LLC Welcomes Terez Murphy!

by Harriman Real Estate on July 11, 2010

Harriman Real Estate, LLC Welcomes Terez Murphy!

I don’t mind telling you, it’s been pretty hot lately. In more ways than one: the temperature climbed to a record-shattering 106 degrees last Tuesday, and the local real estate market has shown signs of igniting as well. It’s been a hot time for Harriman Real Estate, too. We’ve sold a few homes, put a couple more under deposit and have a couple of new listings in the pipeline. All is right with the world.

And it got just a little more right recently when Harriman Real Estate welcomed Terez Murphy to our family of agents. Terez comes to us with 11 years of experience under her belt, the last 5 1/2 with Coldwell Banker. She is equally at home working with buyers, sellers and renters, and she holds the ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) designation and also the SFR (Short Sales & Foreclosures Resource) designation, given to those agents who have learned how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales, as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

In addition to her real estate experience, Terez also has over 16 years experience as a legal secretary/paralegal. She lives in Wallingford with her husband of 15 years, Bryan, and has two stepchildren and Bandit, their dog. Terez will be plying her considerable talents in the Greater New Haven area, and we are very excited and honored to have her join us!

Terez can be reached by phone at (203) 444-1079 or by email at tmurphy@harrimanre.com.

WELCOME TEREZ!!!

Harriman Real Estate, LLC Welcomes Laura Ritter! (wallingfordwired.com)
Harriman Real Estate, LLC Welcomes Paula Eisner! (wallingfordwired.com)
Harriman Real Estate, LLC Welcomes Sue Farone! (wallingfordwired.com)

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Fieldstone Farm Premium Residential Community, Wallingford CT

by Harriman Real Estate on July 6, 2010

Fieldstone Farm Premium Residential Community, Wallingford, CT

Fieldstone Farm is an established, sought-after community of 95 homes built by Baker Residential, offering high quality and fine craftsmanship in a serene setting. Fieldstone Farm is an Open Space Planned Residential Community (OSPRC), with minimum monthly HOA fees (currently $112) for maintenance of the common areas, such as the open space and gazebo/pond area.

Five models were offered at time of construction:

Ashford – 2,215 sf with three bedrooms plus a loft, 2 2/1 baths, great room with fireplace, a gourmet kitchen, open dining area to great room. There is a spacious first floor master bedroom suite, two spacious bedrooms and a loft are on the second floor. The Ashford comes in the standard Colonial style, Country Cottage or Arts & Crafts, each with distinctive design features.

Branford – 2,495 sf with three bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. There is a spacious kitchen with breakfast nook, open to a large family room with fireplace, plus a formal dining room and first floor laundry. The second floor offers a beautiful master bedroom suite and two additional bedrooms. The various styles for the Branford include New England, Colonial and Arts & Crafts.

Stonington – 2,536 sf with three bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. The Stonington has a formal living room and dining room, open floorplan for the family room, gourmet kitchen and breakfast nook and first floor laundry. The second floor has a large master bedroom suite and two additional bedrooms. This model comes includes the Colonial, New England and Arts & Crafts style.

Cheshire – 2,635 sf with three bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. This popular model has a formal dining room, gourmet kitchen which is open to breakfast area and great room with fireplace, office area and first floor master bedroom suite. The second floor has two additional bedrooms and bath. The Cheshire offers a New England style, Country Cottage or Arts & Crafts version. (Pictured at right)

Madison – 2,747 sf with four bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. The Madison model is the largest, with a formal living room and dining room, plus a gourmet kitchen, breakfast area open to family room with fireplace, library and first floor master bedroom suite. There are three additional spacious bedrooms on the second floor. This model comes in the Colonial, New England or Arts & Crafts style. (Pictured at left)

Fieldstone Farm has over 100 acres of open space surrounding this beautiful community. There is a park-like area available for residents, with a small pond and gazebo for summer enjoyment. There are sidewalks throughout the community with plenty of cul-de-sac areas for walkers. Fieldstone Farm is located near highways (Rt 91, 15 & 691) and close to shopping and dining. If you would like information on any homes currently for sale at Fieldstone Farm or have questions about the community, please contact Harriman Real Estate by phone ar (203)672-4499, or by email at pharriman@harrimanre.com.

Open space at the rear of the development…..

View of one of the neighborhood streets….

The Fieldstone Farm Gazebo…

New Listing: 6 Broadmeadow Rd., Wallingford CT $524,900 (wallingfordwired.com)
New Listing: 32 Broadmeadow Rd., Wallingford CT $549,900 (wallingfordwired.com)

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The Connecticut Wine Trail: Second Stop

by Harriman Real Estate on July 5, 2010

The Connecticut Wine Trail: Second Stop

Last time, we told you about our first stop in our journey through the wineries of Connecticut, our hometown Gouveia Vineyards. The views at sunset from the outside seating area there are spectacular, and the Stonehouse White was a nice way to end the day. Our second stop on the Wine Trail took us to the historic coastal town of Guilford and Bishop’s Orchards Winery.

Nestled comfortably into 313 fertile acres and boasting a 7.7 acre green, Bishop’s Orchard has been serving Connecticut residents for six generations with their fresh farm products. They produce 13 different varieties of wines from their crops of apples, raspberries, peaches, pears, strawberries and blueberries. This is the main difference between Bishop’s Orchards and other farm wineries on the Wine Trail: they make wines out of all the fruits they grow, but no grape wine is produced. From the Stonehouse White with its fresh, fruity bouquet with a hint of oak, to their sweet richness of their Hyland Red Raspberry, nary a grape can be found it the production of the juicy wines, but the result is still delectably delicious!

On the day of our visit, we decided to partake of the tour through the wine room, where winemaker Keith Bishop explained in detail how the fruit is washed, pressed, filtered, aged in stainless steel and then sent out for bottling. The tour we were on just happened to be filmed using their trusty Flip video cam, so it may make it to their web site’s education page!

After the tour we adjourned to the upstairs tasting bar and partook of some of the baker’s dozen wine types the winery produces. Our favorites were the New England Hard Cider, a semi-sweet but light wine that reminds one of a sparkling wine in the mouth; the Blushing Beauty Peach Wine, a mouth-watering drink bursting with peach flavors, but not too sweet as to be overpowering; and finally the Celebration White, full of apple flavors and refreshingly off-dry on the palette. All three of these wines are award winners, having been recognized at wine competitions at either the Big E or the 2009 International Eastern Wine Competition.

Lastly, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Peach Wine Sangria. This juicy and refreshing drink was a hit with all of the tasters at the bar, bar none. A pitcher full of this heavenly concoction on a hot summer day would quickly make one forget about the heat and humidity! If anyone wants the recipe to try out, let me know and I’ll be glad to share! Overall, our visit to Bishop’s was an excellent wine experience despite the lack of a grape-based wine.

Bishop’s Orchards Winery is located at 1355 Boston Post Road in Guilford. They’re open Monday – Saturday from 10am to 7pm, and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. For wine lovers traveling the Connecticut Wine Trail, or someone just out looking for something different in wines, we highly recommend a stop at Bishop’s! And if you’re going after that 13-day trip to Spain, don’t forget to get your wine passport stamped!

Next stop on the Trail: Priam Vineyards

The Connecticut Wine Trail: First Stop (wallingfordwired.com)
Connecticut Wineries Throw Out the Welcome Mat (wallingfordwired.com)

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