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The real estate industry may be challenging for some, but Jill Keating Brannigan can handle just about anything. A roll-with-the-punches attitude is what you'd expect from the mother of four boys: Jill is mom to a set of 13-year-old twins, a twelve-year-old, and a nine-year-old, all of whom are as active as the day is long (and the days can be very long!). "They're all playing in lacrosse games right now," she said on the afternoon we met at one of her properties. Through one of the newly constructed home's many, many windows, Jill eyed the gathering clouds nervously. "If it starts raining, there's going to be a problem!"
Even the gray skies couldn't dampen the impressive appearance of the 6,400 square foot house at 111 Ridge Acres Road in Darien. The house was custom built by the current owners, who were going to live there themselves. The couple had a change in plans, but whoever does move in to their dream home will benefit from the abundance of commissioned detail work throughout such as carved borders, built-in (invisible) china cabinets in the formal dining room, and all those windows. Originally priced at over $4,000,000, it's since dropped to $2,999,000. Not a bargain, exactly, but a very good deal for a house like this. With a butler's pantry and stainless appliances, the kitchen is primed for entertaining. Every bedroom has its own bathroom; the master bedroom features his and hers bathrooms and dressing areas (talk about a marriage saver!).
Another plus is the home's enviable Ridge Acres location. "I absolutely love this area," says Jill. "It's just beautiful." She grew up in Darien herself, attending the same public schools - Holmes, Middlesex, Darien High - that attract families today (including her own). "We've been thrilled with the schools," she says. "And the curriculum is standardized for the entire zone, so everybody in Darien says the same thing - no matter which school they're zoned for it's their favorite one."
As much as she loves her hometown, Jill did her fair share of traveling, too. In fact, in her former life as a business exec, she lived everywhere from Brussels to Paris to London. She was happy in Europe, she says, but was content to come home. "This is such a place to raise a family. And it's nice being close to my mother. The older my kids get, the more fun she has with them. They go on little adventures together."
Jill says she can imagine a family like her own moving into the house on Ridge Acres. There's even a built-in pool in the backyard, though it needs renovating. Roof's tight as a drum, though - when it finally rained, it poured!
"My boys are going to be soaked!" said Jill.
Jill can be reached at (203) 655-5358 or jill@221sold.com.
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