Liz Beinfield has never been so busy in her life. The real estate market in Rowayton, where shes the leading agent, is hopping and shes just moved into a new house, designed by her brother, architect Bruce Beinfield. Im living in a construction site. Theres dust everywhere, she says, pointing out where new oversized sliding doors will be installed to separate the living and dining areas of her open plan first floor.
Liz, who has a degree from the New York School of Interior Design, has worked full-time in real estate since 2006, though she got her license 20 years earlier. She credits her ability to match the right person with the right house for her success. I sold my first house four days after I got my license, she says. She also sold a house to Elizabeth Eakins, owner of the South Norwalk rug company of the same name. Elizabeth told me she wanted to start a cotton rug company, says Liz. She asked if Id like to help. Liz worked with Eakins for seven years, then went to Rogers & Goffigon, a trade fabric showroom based in Greenwich. I loved the owners, but didnt like lugging the sample books around New York, she says.
When her friend, Susanna Carillo, asked if she would help realize her dream of starting an art school for kids, Liz jumped. It was a labor of love, very progressive, she says. We had 800 kids a session. Paper, Scissors, Oranges was a fixture in Darien for nine years. The schools philosophy was never to judge the kids creations. They would never know if it was good or bad it was just art, she says.
When the school closed, Liz turned to real estate once more. She says that a lot of people have recently discovered Rowayton. I had a group of five to six young guys. I think they were all in the same hedge fund, she says. "They moved into rentals and are now buying homes." Shes also seen a big increase in downsizers, people moving to smaller houses once their kids have left home. I think thats the current market in Rowayton right now, says Liz.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.