Sponsored by KMS Team at Compass

WESTON–Westport’s residential real estate market has been white-hot since the summer of 2020, when city-dwellers realized that commuting isn’t terrible if you only need to be in the office on occasion.

But, guess what? Over the last three years, the Weston market is even hotter than Westport’s; the median sale price of a Weston home grew 79% while Westport’s grew a mere 70% (comparing the first six months of 2022 to the same period of 2019, according to Smart MLS).

According to Susan Seath, team member at KMS, “Homebuyers began to realize they wanted or needed more living space, more outdoor play space and more entertaining space. With town-wide two-acre zoning, homes in Weston boast more privacy, more land and more elbow room. When Westport’s home prices started to soar at the beginning of the pandemic, Weston became a second look where many homeowners found their nests.”

In addition to space and privacy, Weston also offers more value. Your dollar buys a bigger house in Weston vs. Westport.

But Weston’s idyllic nature and privacy come at a cost. The town has very little commercial property, so the town’s services are paid for almost exclusively by homeowners taxes (rather than split between homeowners and commercial property owners, as is the case in Westport).

A comparison of two recent sales illustrates the value and tax differentials. Earlier this year, an 8,000-square-foot Weston home, built in 1966 and recently renovated, with six-bedrooms, six and a half baths, a pool and two acres sold for $2,127,000. 

In Westport, $2.1 million bought a 1962-built and recently renovated home with 4,100-square-feet, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, no pool and an acre of land.

The tax bill on the 8,000-square-foot Weston home is more than $30,000 a year while the tax bill on the Westport house is less than $14,000. Weston: more house, more lawn, more taxes.

Over the last decade, Weston has created a sense of community, with many options to gather and socialize with neighbors.

Samantha Nestor, Weston’s First Selectwoman, said, “Like other Fairfield County towns, Weston has welcomed many new residents since the beginning of the pandemic. With more than 25% housing turnover, Weston has been fortunate to be such a sought-after location.”

When asked about the character of the town, Nestor replied, “Weston is often described as a small town with a big heart. That is so true. Westonites help one another and especially enjoy coming together — at Lachat Town Farm, exploring the magnificent open spaces, participating in athletics, attending our community events, and numerous charitable initiatives.

“Weston has been fortunate to receive public support for infrastructure projects that bring our community together (especially participating in outdoor activities) and keep us safe. Residents are excited about new projects that are moving forward: building sidewalks, a new town green, pickleball courts, and the Daniel Offutt III educational center at Lachat Town Farm. We are also investing in our roads at unprecedented levels to ensure residents can get around town more easily.” 

 Lachat Town Farm’s 40 acres may be the crown jewel of Weston. 

According to Carol Baldwin, the President of The Friends of Lachat, “Lachat–once a dairy farm–is now a community gathering spot for the entire town. A lot of newcomers with young kids are meeting their neighbors and making friends at the farm through our programs, our concerts in the meadow and our farmer’s market.”

Anita Dinwoodie, Executive Director of The Friends of Lachat, likes to refer to the “pixie dust” that settles on everything that happens at Lachat: “With its open meadows, rolling hills and beautiful vistas, Lachat is nature’s canvas. The beekeeping classes, the music, the children’s programming, the Giving Garden that provides fresh produce for neighbors in need, the high teas we host for area seniors, the learning opportunities all really get to that next level because of the beautiful surroundings. It’s the kind of place where you always leave feeling lifted. It’s magic.”

The Weston Fine Arts Festival was launched in 2021 to great success and acclaim. Patricia Perez-Goodrich, past member of the Weston Commission for the Arts and the Chair of WestonArts, which helps produce the festival, said the fest “attracted 2,000 people in 2021 and more than 3,000 last month.” 

The weekend festival features an array of musical artists, scores of booths featuring fine art from artists and craftspeople from around the globe, top-end local food trucks, a cafe that serves beer and wine, and a more casual eating area for families with small children.

Weston resident Jose Feliciano headlined the musical lineup in July and the town thanked him by proclaiming July 17th as “Jose Feliciano Day” all across Weston.

In 2023, the festival will take place on July 15-16.

Other perennial events in Weston include the July 4th fireworks and the Memorial Day parade – giving the town and its residents a great, small-town vibe. The Weston Historical Society hosts an outdoor summer concert series.

Though Weston’s commercial heart is smaller than Westport’s, Matthew Mandell, Executive Director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce says, “Weston Center and those businesses in it are a vibrant part of the town and community.”

Mandell continues, “The market in Weston’s town center just reopened after a major renovation. The pharmacy is under new management, and it reopened recently. Weston town center meets all one’s basic needs. It’s got a gas station, a post office, a pharmacy, a liquor store, a bank, a dry cleaner, a grocery store, a cafe and a boutique fitness studio. And you’ve got one of the best suburban shopping areas in the country just down the road in Westport.”

Weston is a busy yet bucolic town where residents have a lot of opportunity to entertain themselves, enjoy its beauty and meet new friends.

Note: KMS Team at Compass has a business relationship with Westport Journal. KMS Team at Compass Westport is an exclusive real estate partnership, serving Connecticut — Westport, Weston, Fairfield, Norwalk, Wilton and beyond. (203) 295-4375. www.kmspartners.com