THE GREAT LURE OF GREENWICH, CT
The picturesque town of Greenwich, just 30 miles from Manhattan, is the entrance to Connecticut and home to some of the most desirable properties in real estate. Renowned for its luxurious, well-manicured estates and private acreage, the town has long attracted elite professionals including actors, athletes, entrepreneurs, financiers, and politicians. For centuries, notable families like the Rockefellers and Gimbels have enjoyed its peaceful charm.
Greenwich has always been popular for its rare combination of serene seclusion and close proximity to the city. However, in recent months, the area has become even more attractive to homebuyers: “People are gravitating towards the Greenwich lifestyle,” say Compass Greenwich founding agents Jack and Carolyn Sarsen. “They’re either looking for a second home, or they’re interested in moving their family to a place where space and privacy are abundant, yet close to Manhattan.”
The numbers speak for themselves. Throughout the third quarter of this year, Greenwich experienced the largest volume of single-family home sales in any three months of the decade with a 41% increase in sales year-over-year. Greenwich’s Back Country, in particular, posted the most significant increase in single-family homes sold year-to-date in Q3 — up 75% compared to 2019. This surge is largely due to the area’s expansive properties and lifestyle staples that homebuyers are especially drawn to today: greater privacy and outdoor space.
Greenwich’s real estate portfolio often features compounds with unique amenities, replacing the need to visit shared public spaces. This includes outdoor features such as pools, tennis courts and paddocks, as well as indoor amenities like gyms, movies theatres, home offices, and sports courts. “These attributes are in demand as people need more space to work from home and for children to learn remotely. Private access is necessary as isolation and quarantine are essential for safety,” says Jack Sarsen. Regularly ranked among America's best teams by Real Trends for sales volume, the Sarsen Team offers an unparalleled understanding of the Greenwich market from a current and historical perspective, having lived there for 40 years.
But there’s more than space and privacy that lures homebuyers to Greenwich. A town rich in both history and modern luxury, Greenwich is also home to some of the highest-ranked school systems in the country, a big draw for those looking to raise families in the area. Paired with 32 miles of coastline, 5-star restaurants, world-class shopping on Greenwich Avenue, and numerous private country and yacht clubs, Greenwich elegantly combines tranquility and abundance just outside metro New York.
