Hello,

My name is Sebastian Barneby and this is my blog. I appreciate you taking a minute to stop by and read my daily ramblings! Within you will find that I have some pretty interesting thoughts on a variety of subjects, especially real estate!

 

What areas surrounding Westport do you cover?

Can you tell me a little about each?

Although I have helped clients in many towns in Fairfield County the towns immediately surrounding Westport CT are where I have most of my clients, including but not limited to the towns of Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Wilton, Easton, Stamford and Stratford.

Fairfield CT is located in Fairfield County, Connecticut along the Long Isalnd Sound coastline. Fairfield is a town of many neighborhoods, such as Southport and Greenfield Hill. Southport has historic buildings and waterfront homes. Greenfield Hill boasts stately mansions and a rural atmosphere. In July 2006, Money Magazine ranked Fairfield the ninth "best place to live" in the United States, and the best place to live in the Northeast.

Fairfield's 56,000 residents enjoy a mix of suburban-style settings and a city atmosphere. Housing is more affordable than its neighboring towns. Home prices in the 2nd Quarter 2007 averaged a litter over $900,000.

Fairfield is home to Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University. The colleges and dining scene provide a sense of liveliness not found in many of the more staid, family-centered suburbs nearby.

Fairfield offers many recreational venues. Residents enjoy 7 beaches, 2 marinas, 27 open space preserves, 10 tennis courts, 17 parks, 4 baseball fields, 2 football fields, and 6 soccer fields.

Downtown Fairfield offers boutiques, bike shops, big-box hardware stores, grocery and health-food stores just to name a few.

Public schools in Fairfield include Fairfield Warde High School, Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Roger Ludlowe Middle School, Tomlinson Middle School, Fairfield Woods Middle School, and 11 elementary schools. Private schools include Fairfield College Preparatory School, Notre Dame High School, the Unquowa School, Fairfield Country Day School, Holy Family School, and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School.

Norwalk CT is located forty miles northeast of New York City and borders Darien, New Canaan, Westport and Wilton in Fairfield County along the Long Island Sound. Norwalk was founded February 26, 1640 and incorporated September 11, 1651. Norwalk is the sixth largest city in the state of Connecticut with a population of approximately 83,000.

Home prices in the 2nd Quarter 2007 ranged from the low 500's to over $1.5 million.

Major employers, diversified housing and excellent educational opportunities attract people from all over the United States to live and work in Norwalk and the surrounding communities. The presence of many major employers based in Norwalk generates job opportunities and enhances economic security for all the communities in the Greater Norwalk area. Norwalk offers numerous shopping, dining and recreational opportunities in East Norwalk, historic South Norwalk (SoNo), Rowayton, Silvermine, Cranbury, Norwalk Center, and major centers on U.S. Route 1 and Route 7. Over the past ten years the community has undergone a revitalization that incorporates historical preservation and beautification, the creation of major office complexes, the improvement of Norwalk's extensive waterfront area, as well as the development of new retail, cultural and recreational offerings.

The safe, sandy beaches of Norwalk's Long Island Sound shore are glorious recreational assets both in summer and off-season. People can swim, cook out, fish, walk, enjoy the children's playgrounds, play miniature golf, visit the concession stands, learn to sail, play tennis, or just sit and relax. Calf Pasture Park and Cranbury Park are the largest of the public parks.

Norwalk is rich in history. In 1776, Nathan Hale, disguising himself as a teacher, was rowed to British-held Long Island and then on to New York to give a report to the British. Later, General William Tryon raided Norwalk with a combined force of over 2,600 Hessian and British soldiers and burned the town down, leaving only six homes untouched. After the war, the citizens of Norwalk rebuilt the town, adding coastal trade, manufacturing and shipbuilding to their farm businesses. Norwalk citizens manufactured clocks, watches, paper, pottery, and nails, and hats. Oystering peaked between 1885 and 1910, going from public oyster beds to oyster farms. Today, the oyster business is booming in Connecticut.

Weston CT is a residential community in Southwestern Connecticut (about 45 miles from New York City) with a population of 10,037, two acre zoning, and a Board of Selectmen - Town Meeting form of government.

Weston is woodsy and serene and contains miles of country lanes lined with estates, historic colonials and farmhouses, along with towering contemporary homes. Properties are zoned for plots of two acres or more. The average home price for the 2nd Quarter 2007 was just over $1.2 million dollars.

Most shopping opportunities are outside of town. Weston offers a post office, gas station, hardware store and one or two other small businesses.

Almost one-quarter of the town's total acreage is devoted to open space and includes a popular Nature Conservancy preserve -- Devil's Den, 645-acre Aspetuck Land Trust forestland, and 53-acre Bisceglie-Scribner Park.

Weston residents enjoy close proximity to New York, Stamford and Greenwich.

Weston's school system and facilities are among the finest in the nation. Their Board of Education, school administrations and staff have achieved a level of educational excellence which is unparalleled.

Wilton CT is located in Fairfield county. Incorporated in 1802 Wilton has retained much of it's quaint New England small town charm.

Located one hour from Manhattan Wilton offers the convenience of suburban country living with in-town sophistication.
This beautiful town is located in the heart of mid-Fairfield County and offers rolling and wooded hills, winding roads, old stone walls, and so much more.

Historic architectural landmarks are preserved and restored. A variety of styles and architecture are available throughout the town and the majority of residential properties are zoned for two acres. There are also condominiums and planned residential community living. Home prices in the 2nd Quarter 2007 averaged a little over $1 million.

Wilton offers a mix of residential, commercial, and undeveloped sites.

Wilton has much to offer the prospective resident. The town has a real sense of community. Wilton has an excellent school system, great parks, local events, shopping, cultural activities and more. Wilton Center, with it's gazebo and town green, offers the occasional concert, awards ceremony, dedication, plant sale or craft show presented by the town government or by one of the town's many service organizations. Wilton has a large artist population and the town is rich with cultural activities from live theatre and concerts to art and craft shows.

Easton CT is located in Fairfield county. This charming town has kept it's rural character though close to metropolitan centers. Easton has approximately 7,000 residents who enjoy the quiet charm of apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and cut-your-own Christmas tree farms.

You will find historic farmhouses and colonials as well as contemporary homes too. The average home price for the 2nd Quarter 2007 was $860,000. Easton has strict zoning requirements of one- to three-acre lots. However, you will find even larger plots, and pastures filled with horses.

Easton is almost exclusively residential. There are several small businesses such as a general store, restaurant, a car-repair shop, veterinarians and a few farm stands. Easton also has a country club, golf cub and a riding academy.

There are 3 scenic reservoirs, 7,5000 acres of protected forestland, several parks and plenty of open space for cross-country skiing, hiking, and horseback riding.

Easton offers excellent schools. The Samuel Staples Elementary school, which takes children grades K-5, and Helen Keller Middle School, which takes children grades 6-8. High school students go to Joel Barlow High School in Redding.

Stamford CT is a coastal community along Connecticut's shoreline located in Fairfield County. It is the fourth largest city in the state with a population of approximately 117,000 residents. Stamford is conveniently located just 25 miles to the northeast of New York City.

Stamford was the ninth-safest city in the United States in 2006 and for the past six years has ranked in the top 11 safest cities with populations of 100,000 or more, according to the FBI. In 2005, Stamford was voted "The Best City to Reside In" by the magazine United States Living.

The population is diverse and interesting, ranging from recent immigrants to college students and professionals. You will find diverse housing too -- urban lofts to gracious homes on wooded acreage to elegant waterfront homes and condominiums on Long Island Sound. In the 2nd Quarter 2007 home prices ranged between the 500's to just over 1 million. Stamford residents pay slightly less for real estate than their next door neighbors in New Canaan, Darien, and Greenwich.

Stamford offers several neighborhoods such as Shippan, Waterside, Glenbrook, and Downtown to the south near Long Island Sound and Springdale, Westover, and Beltow in the center. More suburban neighborhoods can be found north of the Merritt Parkway in North Stamford.

Stamford residents enjoy city-owned beaches, picnic areas, parks, bird sanctuaries, ice-skating rinks, and nature trails.

Stamford has several public high schools, Westhill High School, Stamford High School, J.M. Wright Technical High School and the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering. The city also has several private schools, including King and Low-Heywood Thomas School and Trinity Catholic High School, and Bi-Cultural Jewish Day School as well as two state charter schools: Trailblazers Academy Charter Middle School and Stamford Academy Charter High School, both operated by human services nonprofit Domus. Stamford has branches of the University of Connecticut, University of Bridgeport and Sacred Heart University.

Stratford CT is located in Fairfield County. Founded in 1639, Stratford is a community rich in history and abundant natural beauty. Stratford is a beautiful and historic waterfront community sitting on Long Island Sound and bounded to the east by the Housatonic River.

Residents enjoy boating, fishing, jogging and wildlife. Stratford has public boat launches, fishing piers, 5 marinas, and 2 beaches-- all open to the public.

Within an hour's drive of New York City, Stratford is the easternmost town in Fairfield County-Connecticut's Gold Coast. Major highways such as I-95, Route 8/25 and the Merritt Parkway bisect Stratford, and provide convenient access to the entire Northeast corridor. The deep water harbor of neighboring Bridgeport provide excellent docking and terminal facilities for either domestic or overseas shipping, in addition to ferry passenger service to Long Island.

Stratford has a long association with the aviation industry. Stratford became the birthplace of the American helicopter industry, when in 1939, a Russian immigrant, Igor Sikorsky, successfully flew the first helicopter at his Stratford-based aircraft plant. More than a half-century later, Sikorsky Aircraft, the world's leading helicopter manufacturer, still designs and produces state-of-the art helicopters for both military and commercial applications at its sprawling manufacturing facility on Stratford's north side.

Stratford's 50,000 residents enjoy a 250-acre protected forest, town-owned Roosevelt Forest to the Great Meadows Salt Marsh, one of the largest unditched salt marshes remaining in New England and now a portion of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.

Housing is affordable in Stratford and provides a variety of home types and sizes. Average home prices are in the low $300,000's.