342 Woodbridge St
Manchester, CT 06042
3 bedroom, 2 bathroom
​$199,000.00

I have been working with a lovely couple who are buying their first home and their primary search area has been north western Massachusetts.  It feels good to stretch my legs and get up to a part of the state I don't visit often enough.  There are so many great spots up that way!  Thanks to my clients, I found myself in Shelburne Falls again recently and could not pass up the opportunity to take another walk across the Bridge of Flowers.  I had also skipped lunch and even though it was a bit early for dinner I decided I was going to take myself out to eat.  I popped in to the VERY busy West End Pub.  Even though it was early evening on a Saturday, I was able to get myself a seat right away.  It turns out there is almost always room for just one.  The restaurant was crowded and the staff were friendly and attentive and I did not have to wait long for anything.  After looking over the menu I knew I had to have the Philly Steak Fries which tasted even better than they sound.  My table for one was tucked into the corner of the bar and I could still see the Deerfield river through a window across the restaurant.  This dapper cat lamp was my only companion and we had a nice leisurely meal together with no unnecessary conversation and lots of comfortable silence.  I can't speak for him but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  

Long story, short!  If you find yourself in Shelburne Falls, it is worth it to eat at the West End Pub.  Enjoy a meal on the banks of the Deerfield River.  They offer unique pub-fare featuring local beef and the staff are super friendly!  If it's a weekend and you're a party of larger than one, you may want to call ahead for reservations.  

​This well maintained raised ranch has all the space you need plus room to grow into! The main level has hardwood floors throughout. The living room has a lovely bay window, a fire place and opens to the dining room. The dining room has sliders to the deck and the deck offers wonderful wooded views. The kitchen is fully applianced with corian countertops, plenty of cabinet space and room to eat-in. The master bedroom is spacious and has it's own full bathroom (original but beautifully maintained). The remaining bedrooms are good size with ample closet space. The lower level is ready to be finished! It's framed, has a fireplace and is rough plumbed for a bathroom. The possibilities down there are limitless; home gym, office, playroom, game room, home theatre, craft room or full in-law apartment. Take the opportunity to customize a dream basement!

On this episode of Poking Around with the Martins, we stumble upon the Chesterfield Gorge.  I was driving and we were on a scenic road in the middle of nowhere, Massachusetts when Sean said, "Gorge!".  So I slowed down, turned around and pulled in.  I'm so glad we did!  

From their website:  ​Chesterfield Gorge is a dramatic rock canyon, forming the entrance to an extensive natural recreation area along the Westfield River, a popular spot for catch-and-release fly fishing. Seventy-foot walls—carved by centuries of rushing water from the East Branch of the Westfield River—rise from a landscape situated adjacent to the General Marquis de Lafayette Trail. Across the river, you’ll see stone abutments from a historic bridge that spanned the river around 1762, swept away by floodwaters in 1835.

 There is a half mile trail along the cliff tops and the views of the river below were wonderful. 

We climbed up... 

And then we climbed down... 

It was super fun climbing around on all the rocks and then finally settling in to a comfortable(ish) spot and just watching the river go by.  

​Thanks to our legs for getting us in AND out of the Chesterfield Gorge!

What is your favorite day trip adventure?  Inspire us! 

Meet Bill!  Bill was looking for something VERY specific.  Lakefront property in Connecticut or Massachusetts with a reasonable commute to his work.  There is not exactly an abundance of these types of properties readily available in a normal market and with the current market being so crazy, the pickings were even more slim.  We looked at quite a few lake houses on quite a few lakes.  Some were even called "ponds".  We even looked at a few with "water views" or in lake association neighborhoods that weren't exactly waterfront.   Bill was patient and I love looking at lake houses so we made a good team.  We finally found the one in Griswold.  It was definitely worth the wait.  The location is fantastic, the lake is crystal clear and the views are AMAZING.  We were able to do his closing right at the picnic table in the photo below.  The weather was glorious, we got to see a mama and a baby deer swimming and I even got to stick my feet in the water!  All in a day's work!  I'm so, SO happy that Bill found exactly what he was looking for and now he's living that lake life!  Congratulations, Bill!    

1130 Enfield St
Enfield, CT 06082
3 family 
​$265,000.00

​Wonderfully located, large three family home on historic Enfield St. Situated on a corner lot with convenient access to highways, shopping and town activities. 1st floor is about 1400 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with laundry in-unit. 2nd floor is about 1400 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with original woodwork and front and rear balconies. 3rd floor is about 1100 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with plenty of storage space. Walk out basement has laundry for 2nd & 3rd floor units plus storage. Ample off street parking for all three units.

On today's episode of Poking Around with the Martins we visit The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.  It's an old trolley bridge that connects the towns of Shelburne and Buckland that has been turned into a lush garden footbridge.  It's open from April until October and something is always in bloom.  We crossed on a gorgeous day in June and we highly recommend visiting if you find yourself in the area.  You can visit the bridge's website to learn more and even to see what's in bloom when to help plan a proper visit.  You can cross the bridge for free but the entire thing is run by volunteers for our enjoyment so don't be shy about dropping a little something in donation box.  

Sean and I both enjoyed the bridge and took lots of photos.  He was in tattoo-reference heaven with so many different flowers in so many stages of bloom.  

We also both enjoyed the village of Shelburne Falls, With the Deerfield River running through downtown, the bridges, the little independent shops, galleries and restaurants, we agreed that it reminded us of life in Cork City, Ireland (the Ireland experiment of 2014).  While you're there you can also see the glacial pot holes which were super cool to see too!  

What is your favorite day-trip adventure?  Inspire us!   

​2 Bernardino Ave
Enfield, CT 06082
2 Family
$146,000.00

Sold!
6/9/21

Cash is still king in some places and it ruled this multiple offer situation!  My favorite family investor team picked up this two family for a song- especially considering how crazy high the prices are in this market!  Once renovations are complete, there will be a couple of very fine apartments for rent on Bernardino Ave.  

Meet Dan and Megan!  Together, the three of us rode the real estate emotional rollercoaster for months!  Now that the ride has come to a complete stop and our lap bar has been lifted I think it's safe to say we all had fun and that the ups and downs were worth it.    We traveled to LOTS of towns.  We looked at LOTS of houses.  We wrote LOTS of offers.  We received LOTS of rejections.  But they were strong buyers and they were determined.  Even when this tough market got them down they did not give up.  They ended up with a glorious and spacious new home on a lovely corner lot in a fantastic neighborhood.  Congratulations, Dan and Megan!  Thanks for having me along on your wild homebuying ride!  And PS- Please don't tell anyone about that time at that one house where we had to climb through a window, keep that between us!