Stephanie Betancourt Realtor at William Raveis

02/17/2025

It is important to be educated and prepared when you start your search in Connecticut. Unlike other places, it is still very much a sellers' market here. Negotiability across Fairfield County differs by town so if yours is not listed below, reach out and I'd be happy to send you more information.

Stephanie Betancourt
REALTOR® NY & CT
William Raveis Real Estate
[email protected]

01/22/2025

Today I attended the Town Hall meeting in New Canaan. The panel was focused on speaking about zoning changes, land use and planning, housing authority, and overall housing updates. It’s important to keep up to date on changes happening in any given town you work in. When you’re informed, you bring more value to clients.

01/14/2025

How to avoid a potential disaster in your home in the winter! ❄️

When the mercury dips below freezing this winter, you’ll want to make sure your home is protected from frigid temperatures. Freezing winter weather increases the risk for ice dams and frozen pipes. There are a few easy ways to help protect your home when temps drop.

The low temperatures and the accumulation of snow on roofs is the perfect environment for ice dams to form, so watch for early warning signs as ice dams can be troublesome and costly if not treated properly.

What to look for ‼️

-Icicles hanging from your roof or gutters

-Ice sitting on top of gutters, at the edge of your roof, or along your home’s siding

-Ice or water inside or around your windows

⛔ If you suspect an ice dam is beginning to form or already has, call a professional to remove it immediately.

While there are long term measures you can take to prevent frozen pipes in your home, like having proper insulation and sealing any cracks or gaps in your siding or foundation, there are a few small, but helpful, things you should do during EXTREME cold spells:

-Bump your thermostat up to 69 degrees or higher at night to keep the temperature in the exterior walls above freezing.

-Open cabinets to allow warm airflow to plumbing located next to exterior walls (or interior walls adjacent to unheated spaces, like a garage)

-Let cold water drip from the faucet to reduce pressure on the pipes even if the water freezes

If you suspect a frozen pipe in your home, shut off the main water supply and call a licensed plumber right away. I recommend you avoid thawing a frozen pipe yourself – improper technique could cause the pipe to burst, leading to costly damages to your home. Increase the room temperature and do not use a hair dryer.

12/27/2024

As we wrap up another year, I want to take a moment to thank you for thinking of me for your real estate needs. Whether you’re a client, friend, or supporter of my real estate business, your trust and connection mean the world to me.

This holiday season, I hope your home is filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. Whether you're celebrating in a cozy space with family or dreaming of your next move, I’m here to support you every step of the way.

If you are considering a new chapter in the New Year or just want to discuss your real estate goals over coffee, let’s connect!

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year! 🥂

08/13/2024

How did I achieve this just 5 months after becoming a mom? BEATS ME but I did it!

😅

08/07/2024

I made it to the Presidents Club at William Raveis!

Its been a great start to 2024 and I look forward to helping you with any real estate needs in New York & Fairfield County, CT.

Are you looking to learn more about any of these towns?
- Greenwich
- Stamford
- New Canaan
- Darien
- Fairfield
- Norwalk

If so please reach out.

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance
Stephanie Betancourt

07/29/2024

New to Stamford!

Located in prime North Stamford cul-de-sac, this Georgian colonial features 5 spacious bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms a total of 5,126 Sq ft on a 2.05 lot. Asking price of $1,275,000.

Walk into a Chef's Kitchen equipped with high-end SubZero, Wolf, and Bosch appliances, Cherry cabinetry, and a custom Copper Hood. The home boasts generously sized living areas, a first-floor bedroom suite, a spiral staircase to four additional bedrooms, a full basement with a new bathroom and study, and a private backyard, all offering serene and elegant living in a picturesque setting. Call or email for a showing or additional information.

P: 646.586.3745
E: [email protected]

Nestled in the cul-de-sac of one of the nicest streets in North Stamford, this Georgian colonial is centered on a Belgian block-lined circular drive, freshly paved. A Chef's Kitchen featuring SubZero, Wolf and Bosch appliances with Cherry cabinetry, granite countertops and custom designed, signed Co...

07/24/2024

Just closed on this beautiful Georgian Colonial in backcountry, Greenwich! Price $5,810,031

This is a career highlight for me in so many ways. Just six weeks postpartum I received a call from a past client asking me to help them find a perfect home. I remember turning to my husband and saying 'well there goes my maternity leave' ha.

Thank you to their fabulous attorney, Jay Zimner for going through serious challenges to get us to the finish line. I can't believe you contemplated going to Turkey to get documents signed!

02/05/2024

Most people think of real estate agents as sales people and we are but above that we are in the relationship and service business.

I am proud to be recognized for this achievement as I always strive to provide the best service to my clients. Helping people with their biggest financial asset is a privilege.

01/09/2024

As I approach my 35th birthday tomorrow, I reflect on my 10-year career as a full-time real estate agent. At 34, I am often considered young in an industry where the average age of a realtor is 57. This age gap has led to perceptions of inexperience, but my track record of having $100,000,000 + in sales speaks for itself.

In recent years, I have carved out a niche working with sellers who previously listed their homes. Perhaps coincidently, the agents who were initially hired were much older than me. In each case, the property remained unsold until I took over the listing and successfully closed the deal. When asked why they switched to me, the sellers often cited the previous agent's lack of commitment to real estate, favoring leisure over work.

Who can blame them? I hope to be enjoying life at that age too! But it's a reminder that success in this industry requires full-time commitment, continuous learning, and staying updated on technology and marketing trends. Which is a part time job in itself, as marketing trends and technology upgrades are ever-evolving.

Age, in my opinion, should not be a determining factor in evaluating a professional's capabilities. Instead, we should focus on a person’s work ethic, commitment, and results. I often think of Camille Vasquez (Attorney to Johnny Depp in the defamation case) who has talked about overcoming similar challenges in her profession. Her fascinating story has actually inspired this post.

So hopefully next time we encounter a professional in any industry who challenges our preconceptions about age and experience, we will get to know them and their work. What we discover might pleasantly surprise us!

12/08/2023

Popular belief is that real estate agents close deals by making a few phone calls, which is far from the truth. It also doesn't help when reality TV shows are edited to make our jobs glamorous and easy so I think it's important to share a bit of what it takes to get to the finish line.

This sale took five months of a lot of work. The buyers wanted to alter the use of the property which meant a request for a zoning change had to be made. This meant, late night board meetings with the Town Hall in Darien, a meeting with the neighbors to hear any opposing views on the rezoning request, talks with banks to see who would lend with a pending zoning change, all the while keeping an eye on increasing interest rates. It is not common that I represent both sides of a sale but in this case it helped a lot as there were many moving pieces involved that all needed to align in order to get to the finish line. Yesterday was the closing and I am sure everyone involved feels the weight lifted off of their shoulders.

Our patience, constant communication and hard work has paid off.

If you are looking to move to Fairfield County or have a property to sell, give me a call. I welcome the opportunity to impress you with my strong work ethic. 🏠