By Judy Szablak

As the fall season is upon us, there are strong and valid reasons to buy or sell a home during this time of year in Westport.

Featured Home: This home at 14 Brooklawn Drive is listed at $1,899,000. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo courtesy of William Raveis Real Estate — Westport

In fact, last year, 92 sales occurred during the fall season which accounted for 21% of all sales in 2018.

One popular misconception is that the majority of homebuyers move to coincide with the educational calendar. However, families are still looking in the fall since it is still considered to be early enough in the season.

Keep in mind that not all buyers have children of school age, and don’t forget about the empty nesters either, who can move any time without regards to the school years.

Westport real estate price changes over the past week:

5 Sylvan Lane, Unit B $525,000->$499,000
9 Rumpenmile Avenue $589,000->$579,000
17 1/2 Hale Street $615,000->$599,999
303 Harvest Commons       $635,000->$615,000
2 Pilgrim Trail                 $759,000->$715,000
6 Vineyard Lane               $499,000->$725,000 ***increased
384 Greens Farms Road     $795,000->$775,000
7 Colony Road                 $847,000->$799,000
22F Cross Highway           $920,000->$889,000
20 Cross Highway             $925,000->$889,000
14 Highwood Road             $999,000->$899,000
66 Bayberry Lane             $998,500->$949,000
8 Onion Hill Road           $1,149,000->$995,000
15 Overlook Road         $1,149,000->$1,099,000
19 Terra Nova Circle       $1,124,900->$1,099,900
15 Blind Brook Road       $1,198,500->$1,149,000
230 Bayberry Lane         $1,295,000->$1,195,000
68 North Avenue           $1,225,000->$1,199,000
6 Court Of Oaks           $1,237,500->$1,220,000
7 Bonnie Brook Lane     $1,385,000->$1,375,000
222 Wilton Road           $1,495,000->$1,449,000
6 Bauer Place             $1,549,000->$1,519,000
16 Taylor Lane             $1,600,000->$1,575,000
57 Compo Beach Road   $1,995,000->$1,795,000
1 Berkeley Road           $1,825,000->$1,795,000
1 East Meadow Road     $2,248,000->$2,195,000
38 Fairfield Avenue         $2,375,000->$2,299,000
133 North Avenue         $2,695,000->$2,495,000
175A Cross Highway       $2,600,000->$2,799,000***increased
50 Shorehaven Road       $3,325,000->$3,099,000
57 Compo Beach Road   $3,495,000->$3,295,000

—Judy Szablak

One of Westport’s most prominent properties, 261 Hillspoint Road between Old Mill Beach and Compo Beach behind stone walls overlooking Long Island Sound, has changed hands for $10 million, according to a filing in the Town Clerk’s Office.

The house has vast views of Long Island Sound between Old Mill Beach and Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Bross Chingas Bross at The Riverside Realty Group photo

The seller was Dianne B. Bernhard, widow of Arnold Van Hoven Bernhard, who died March 7, 2018 at age 83. He was the son of the late Arnold Bernhard, founder and chief executive officer of Value Line Inc., the world’s largest investment advisory service. The buyers were Melissa and Doug Bernstein of Westport, the toy manufacturers.

It had been on the market 309 days with the last asking price $14.9 million, reduced in May from the original $20 million listing price last November. It was the first time the 1978-built property was up for sale in almost three decades

The 5,206 square-foot property on 1.48 acres has four bedrooms, four baths, and three partial baths. Two of its four bedrooms open to vast waterside decks and balconies.