Prepared for by
18 Birchwood Hollow, Fairfield
Asking $1,875,000 ($463/sf) · 4bd · 3.5ba · 4,050sf · 2.05 acres · built 1968
34 days on market · 78 min door-to-desk via Demo station · score 99/100
The read
fair — Immaculate 1968 colonial with stunning 2018 kitchen and spa-like primary bath on two pristine acres—handsome but asks 33% above town appraisal with no comparables context.
Tour it if you want move-in turnkey finishes and land; but demand the listing agent provide sold comps within one mile and one year to justify the $1.875M ask—there is material risk you are paying a seller's premium for cosmetics on a 56-year-old frame.
What's right
- Two acres of largely cleared, level, professional-grade landscaping in Fairfield is rare and valuable; mature trees, stone walls, usable yard for entertaining or future pool.
- Kitchen renovation (2018) and primary bath are genuinely premium—marble, gas range, coffered ceilings, spa shower—and represent ~$150–200k of recent work.
- Central AC, forced-air gas heat, public water/sewer, two-car garage, and 3.5 baths meet all standard expectations for price tier.
- No obvious deferred maintenance, rot, water damage, or structural red flags visible; house is clean and well-staged.
What's wrong
- Ask is $467k (33%) above the town's own 2024 appraisal of $1.407M; CT five-year revaluation cycle means appraisals often lag, but no sold comps are available to validate premium.
- Three remaining bathrooms (secondary full, powder room, guest bath) are original 1968 and dated; expect buyer to budget $40–60k to update them within 5 years.
- 34 days on market is borderline; combined with asking above appraisal, suggests price resistance or market absorption challenge.
- No building permits on file for the claimed 2018 renovations—verify they were permitted and closed out; unpermitted work can block a closing and create buyer liability.
Price 5/10 · Condition 8/10 · Location 7/10 · Systems 9/10 · Land 9/10
Proposed offer
| Opening | $1,762,000 |
| Target | $1,900,141 |
| Walk away above | $1,957,000 |
| Versus asking | -6% of the $1,875,000 ask |
| Basis | Comparable-sales value $1,996,650, from 12 sales at a median $493/sf |
Why the seller should take less
- already cut 5.1%
Adjustments to comparable value
| Comp-implied value | 4,050 sf x $493/sf median (12 comps) | $1,996,650 |
| Condition premium | photos rate finishes 9/10 vs board median 8 | $49,916 |
| Work required | Renovate secondary full bathroom, Update guest/third full bathroom, Inspect and plan roof, siding, and major exterior systems | $-35,500 |
| Unverified square footage | 450 sf the assessor doesn't measure | $-110,925 |
What it costs to own
| Mortgage | $9,669/mo |
| Property tax | $2,330/mo |
| Insurance | $625/mo |
| Maintenance | $1,562/mo |
| Heat (forced hot air, natural gas) | $321/mo |
| Commute (rail pass, parking, gas) | $441/mo |
| All-in monthly | $14,949/mo |
Assumes 20% down, 6.69% 30-yr (Freddie Mac survey, 8/6/2026). Taxes are the current owner's actual bill. After Fairfield's next revaluation they could rise ~$775/mo.
Comparable sales (last 12 months)
| Address | Sold | Sqft | $/sf | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Copperbeech Lane | $2,005,000 | 4,060 | $494 | 2026-04-03 |
| 38 Rockmeadow Drive | $2,060,000 | 4,180 | $493 | 2026-05-30 |
| 11 Halewood Terrace | $1,920,000 | 3,900 | $492 | 2026-05-14 |
| 31 Havenbrook Road | $1,895,000 | 3,860 | $491 | 2026-06-15 |
| 6 Marlbank Row | $2,145,000 | 4,320 | $497 | 2026-04-28 |
| 17 Ashfield Green | $1,840,000 | 3,780 | $487 | 2026-06-21 |
| This house asks $463/sf against a median of $493/sf — 0.94× the median. | ||||
What the town's records show
| Measured area | 3,600 sf per the town, versus 4,050 sf advertised |
| Property tax | $27,964/yr currently assessed |
| Sewer / water | Public sewer / Public water |
| FEMA flood zone | X |
| Road | Residential street (Birchwood Hollow) |
The score, itemised
| Base | every house starts here | 100 |
| Sqft Gap | Listing claims 4,050 sf; assessor measures 3,600 sf (+450) | -10 |
| Price Cut | Cut 5.1% from $1,975,000 (1 changes since 2026-07-08) | +6 |
| Lot size | 2.05 acres (+2/acre, cap 3) | +4.1 |
| Price vs comps | 0.94x the $493/sf sold-comp median | +3 |
| Ceiling | capped at 99 — nothing is flawless before an inspection | -4.1 |
| Score | 99 | |
Condition, from the listing photographs
| Overall | 9/10 — finishes read as c.2018 kitchen/primary bath renovation; remainder original 1968 colonial finishes |
| Kitchen | Brand-new 2018 renovation: white shaker cabinetry, marble subway backsplash, stainless steel appliances (gas range, built-in fridge), marble countertops, pendant lighting, coffered ceiling, island with seating; shows like move-in ready. |
| Baths | Primary en-suite completely remodeled (2018): freestanding soaking tub, walk-in marble shower with rainfall head, double vanity, radiant floor heating. Three other baths remain original—secondary full bath shows light blue subway tile (vintage, c.1968–1980s era), pedestal sink; powder room has damask wallpaper and wood cabinetry—both dated but clean. |
Work required to bring it current
| Renovate secondary full bathroom | $12,000–$18,000 |
| Update guest/third full bathroom | $14,000–$22,000 |
| Inspect and plan roof, siding, and major exterior systems | $0–$5,000 |
| Estimated total | $26,000–$45,000 |
| Plus a 10–15% contingency for hidden conditions — this house was built 1968, and ranges this precise don't survive opening walls. | |
Market position
| 2026-07-30 | Price changed | $1,875,000 |
| 2026-07-08 | Listed for sale | $1,975,000 |
Down 5.1% from the original $1,975,000 ask. 34 days on market — no particular time pressure.
Verify in person
Generated from this house's own records and photographs — bring this page to the showing.
- Walk the house against the assessor's 3,600 sf — which rooms make up the extra 450 sf, and were they permitted? (Listing claims 4,050 sf; assessor measures 3,600 sf (+450))
- Septic: age, tank and leach-field location, last pump-out. Well: yield plus arsenic, uranium, radon, bacteria. (standard Fairfield County diligence)
- Pull the full permit file — do permits match the renovations being marketed? (unpermitted work becomes your problem)
- Taxes are $27,964 now but roughly $37,260 after the next reval — has the seller appealed? (post-reval tax shock)
- Can you provide sold comps in Fairfield, 4–5 bed, 2–2.5 acres, within $1.65–1.95M, sold in last 12 months? We need to validate the ask. (specific to this house)
- Were the 2018 kitchen and primary bath renovations permitted? If so, what are the permit numbers? If not, did the current owner pull them after the fact? (specific to this house)
- The secondary and powder baths remain original 1968—have they ever been updated? Any plumbing or electrical work noted? (specific to this house)
- Are there any open issues with the Town of Fairfield planning or zoning board regarding this parcel (e.g., wetland questions, subdivision questions)? (specific to this house)
- Can you confirm the town's square footage of 3,600 is accurate? The listing shows 4,050 sqft—where is the discrepancy (finished basement, guest house, etc.)? (specific to this house)
- Secondary and powder-room baths dated and likely next to need updating
- One secondary bath fixture image shows original tile and modest fixtures—cosmetic but not current
- No visible water damage, rot, or structural issues in any interior or exterior shot
Sources
Comparable sales from the last 12 months of recorded transactions. Age, measured floor area, kitchen and bath grading, and permits are the town's own assessment record. Road classification and traffic from public mapping and DOT counts. Flood zone from FEMA. Condition is read from the listing photographs and is an opinion, not a survey. Renovation figures are Fairfield County mid-range estimates, not quotes. Nothing here substitutes for an inspection.
Illustrative Demo Property — this packet describes a fictional property. No MLS listing data or listing photography is used in this demonstration.
Prepared August 11, 2026 · buyerhomeintel.com