Fairfield borders several of Connecticut’s “Gold Coast” towns, including Bridgeport and Westport. It covers an area of about 31 square miles and is home to approximately 62,000 residents. Recently, Money ranked Fairfield as the best place to live in Connecticut and the nation's 44th best place to live.

Fairfield & Southport homes command a median home price of $1,069,500, about $221,000 higher than the previous year's median home price. The area enjoys a healthy seller's market, which means that more buyers are searching for a home than homes available for sale. Sellers can expect multiple offers on their Fairfield real estate for sale. Some may even garner offers much higher than their asking prices.

Newcomers looking for distractions from unpacking will find a bevy of indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy. Take in some free summer afternoon concerts and refreshments on Sherman Town Green at the Gazebo. Outdoor enthusiasts can find great hiking trails with waterfalls—known as the Cascades— surrounding Lake Mohegan. SportsPlex@Fairfield in downtown provides ideal conditions for ice skating, gymnastics, indoor climbing, and soccer. Consider these tips to entice newcomers to focus on your home out of all of the Fairfield real estate for sale.

Isn’t this what we all learned in school before we went out into the world to interview for our first jobs? The same holds true for staging your home. No matter its age, location, style, or price, curb appeal is always the Number One feature buyers notice as they drive up to your property. Make your home stand out against other Fairfield homes by fixing cracked curbs or driveways, landscaping the front and back yards, and steam-cleaning the exterior if needed. Landscaping can be a pricey endeavor, so take a long look at your front and back yards before investing. If your lawn leaves a lot to be desired, place terracotta vases with hardy succulents or flowers in bare spots, or even purchase a faux stone water feature, like a birdbath or fountain, to attract birds and bees.

Sellers may assume that realtors cost too much and can sell their homes themselves. At best, this practice is a gamble, and you can lose valuable time and opportunities. Why? Buyers subconsciously assume that FSBOs are somehow compromised or damaged to the extent that a realtor won’t take on the listing, among other reasons.
 
Realtors know the business, have the connections, and see the legal-ese needed to close the deal. Realtors know the local market and what's hot or not. They can help you navigate all of the challenges that sellers typically face. The realtor's job is not just as a paper pusher or salesperson — the job includes those components, of course. It’s also about having a professional on your side who knows the laws surrounding transactions in an aggressive seller's or buyer's market.

Even though it's standard practice for a homebuyer to pay for a home inspection before the deal is finalized, it's prudent for you as a seller to invest in one before you put your home up for sale. A home inspection can identify areas in need of repair that, if not rectified, may cause a buyer to back out of a deal or force you down on the purchase price. For example, suppose your home needs a new roof, and it costs $15,000. In this case, if you ignore this need and don't find a buyer for a few months, the cost to replace it may increase by a few thousand dollars. Your buyer may request you lower your sales price by this increased amount.

Your realtor can help you find out what your house is worth compared to other Fairfield homes but resist the temptation to boost the price above that estimated figure just because you’re in a seller’s market. On the contrary, knock the price down by 10% or 20%. Again, enlist your realtor's expertise. If the asking price is too low, buyers may wonder what's wrong with the house, and you'll have no bargaining room. If you ask too much, you'll drive buyers away. With mortgage rates at historic lows combined with a seller's market, enough buyers will jump at the opportunity to save money. Multiple buyers mean multiple offers, which can translate into bidding wars that bump your price at its original asking price or higher.

Many sellers assume an upgrade is an upgrade, but this isn’t entirely accurate. Before listing your home and investing in any upgrades, invest in a thorough, professional, deep cleaning before you list your home, then proceed with caution when deciding what to upgrade. The two most important rooms in the house are the kitchen and the bathroom(s). Consider investing in a new, high-end stove or refrigerator if all your kitchen appliances are old. Paint the cabinets or replace the linoleum floor. Replace old fluorescent lighting with pendant lights or recessed lighting to give the kitchen a warm, cozy feel. If the bathrooms are outdated, consider changing the standard sink-in-a-cabinet to a sleek pedestal sink or an above-cabinet organic-shaped bowl sink with modern hardware. Switch out the plain, rectangular mirror that's glued to the wall with a square mirror framed in a decadent gold-painted wooden frame. Fix any leaks and broken tile and declutter your spaces. Sometimes cleaning and tidying is the best upgrade of all.
 
Experienced realtors are long-established in the Fairfield area and are the best experts to turn to when searching for your next home amongst Fairfield real estate for sale. When you’re ready to start, reach out to trusted local agent Shoshana Snyder for expert guidance.