By Judy Szablak

Spring officially arrives on Friday, and certain price ranges in Westport are already beginning to enjoy the seasonal upswing in market activity.

Featured Home: This home AT 12 Jennings Court is listed at $2,995,000. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo courtesy of William Raveis- Westport/Molly Lane Homes

The three dominant price pockets of available homes for sale are $2.25 million to $2.5 million, $2.75 million to $3 million, and $3.5 million to $4 million. Together, they comprise almost 25 percent of the available inventory.

The hottest “price pocket” that is trending right now for deposits is $950,000 to $1.3 million, and a lot of that also has to do with lack of inventory in that range.

These homeowners will most likely be moving up in a price bracket, and many of them will stay in town.

By Judy Szablak

New construction sales are through the roof in Westport, and are more brisk than they have been in recent memory.

Featured Home This home at 100 Coleytown Road is listed at $2.8 million. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo courtesy of William Raveis-Westport/Jeanette Dryburgh and Associates.

An initial look at the housing market shows that first few months of 2015 mirror the first few months of 2014.

The exact same amount of 41 unit sales occurred in both years, there is an inventory level difference of just one property, the median price is within 3.5 percent, and the average price is within 2 percent.

However, total sales volume has increased by more than $30 million over this same time period from last year.

Patriot National Bank, 370 Post Road East in the Compo Acres Shopping Center, plans to relocate to 50 Charles St. in Westport’s Saugatuck section this summer, according to a bank official. The Stamford-based bank, founded in 1994, which has grown to eight branches in Connecticut and two in New York state, purchased the Charles Street facility from TD Bank NA for $1,925,000 in November 2014. Robert C. Hauck, vice president branch manager of the Westport branch said,“There’s much need for a bank in the Saugatuck section. We plan on a big grand opening.” The Patriot National Bank opened at Compo Acres Shopping Center in 2007 in a space previously occupied by Sam Goody’s record store (see WestportNow July 5, 2007) The 50 Charles St. location had housed Westport Bank & Trust Co. for many years until it closed in 1996. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com