Jessica Dziob joins Phase Zero Design, Simsbury firm

SIMSBURY — Phase Zero Design recently welcomed New Hartford resident Jessica Dziob to its Architecture and Interior Design firm, as Business Development Manager. This position is a first of its kind for their office in Simsbury.

With almost 20 years of experience in retail banking and financial services, Dziob brings a wealth of experience developing and maintaining business relationships to the firm. Having held roles in management, business development, sales, and even marketing; Dziob will play a vital role in the firm’s continued dedication to strengthening client relationships, and to elevating their client experience.

“Her high-performance background made the decision easy,” said Matthew Wittmer, cofounder and Principal of the firm. “We are incredibly proud to have her on board. We’re excited to see all that Jess brings to the table for us, and for our clients.”

Phase Zero Design remains focused on diversification of the firm, with the recent addition of the Healthcare market sector and strong growth in multi-family residential. Dziob will assist the Simsbury office in these efforts as she plans to cultivate and maintain client relationships with a range of new professionals and organizations. Having played integral roles at nearly every level of the corporate landscape, Dziob is eager to adapt to the A/E/C industry.

“It’s incredibly powerful to add another woman to the team,” tells Lindsay Corsino, Associate Principal and Director of Business Development & Marketing, “we’re highly focused on growing the firm in strategic market sectors.

Jess’s innate ability to connect with people and build relationships will help us do just that.”

To get in touch with Jessica Dziob, find her on LinkedIn. Or, email jdziob@phasezerodesign.com

Prime Time House welcomes new board members

TORRINGTON — Prime Time House is pleased to announce that Lindsay Raymond of Torrington and John Seagrave of Burlington have joined the Board of Directors. Prime Time House is a nonprofit agency that empowers local adults with mental illness to lead productive and independent lives by providing opportunities for education, employment, friendship, housing and transportation.

"We are excited to welcome John and Lindsay to our Prime Time House board” said president Louisa Roraback. “They bring significant professional

experience and skills that will enable the board to continue its work with our staff and members to improve existing programs, fight stigma, and improve the quality of life for those that live with mental health issues on a daily basis."

John Seagrave, CFP, CRPC is a local financial advisor with Barron Financial Group of Torrington. Born and raised in Connecticut, John graduated from UConn with a Bachelors in Resource Economics and an M.S. in Education. For eight years, Seagrave worked with the UConn’s Athletic Department in a variety of roles, including Director of Sales/Revenue Generation, where he was responsible for managing a $10 million marketing and advertising budget. Upon leaving UConn in 2016, he became an advisor with Barron Financial Group.

He is an active member of the community, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce, Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce. He is also a Corporator for Brooker Memorial and a member of the Hundred Club of CT. His former volunteer work included chairing the United Way of Northwest CT’s campaign in 2018 and 2019.

Raymond is a talented leader with extensive experience in nonprofit management, human resources, strategic planning, program development and fundraising. She holds a bachelor of arts. in Government from Cornell University and is pursuing a master’s in Public Policy & Administration from UConn. She is the former Executive Director of Torrington PAL, where she was responsible for increasing programming, membership and fundraising.

She serves as the Grants & Contract Specialist for the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, reporting directly to the commissioner. She is responsible for innovative funding and planning, grants and contracts management, and other special projects.

Raymond is a trustee of the Torrington Library and for the United Way’s Employee Giving Campaign. She was a board member of St. Peter St Francis School in Torrington, the former chairperson of the board of Newport MOPS, and a former board member of the Salvation Army of Newport, RI.

Real estate firm releases first-quarter market report

STAMFORD — A report detailing market results for the first quarter of 2021 in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Litchfield and Hartford Counties, Connecticut, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York, has just been released by William Pitt-Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, according to a statement.

The report found that in the first three months of 2021, closed single family unit sales and volume in most markets increased dramatically over the first quarter of 2020, which was itself a robust quarter with unit closings and dollar volume soaring over the same period the prior year.

In the first quarter of 2021, Westchester County single family unit sales and dollar volume grew by 34 percent and 53 percent, respectively, over the same period last year, while neighboring Fairfield County saw an uptick of 29 percent in units and 81 percent in volume. Moving up the Connecticut Shoreline, sales increased by 19 percent in units and 46 percent in volume in New Haven County, 20 percent in units and 57 percent in volume in Middlesex County, and 7 percent in units and 33 percent in volume in New London County.

In Litchfield County, unit sales climbed ahead of the same time last year by 26 percent and dollar volume by 65 percent. Hartford County’s sales decreased a small 3 percent in units but volume rose by 15 percent, as Berkshire County saw units up by 12 percent and volume by 44 percent.

The report also stated that inventory is nonetheless keeping the housing market in check, supplying charts that reveal how low inventory is this year versus years past, according to the statement. The reduction in new listings taken since the beginning of 2021 has created an environment where bidding wars are commonplace and well-priced properties are accepting offers significantly over ask, often all in cash.

The significant spread between unit sales and dollar volume was another key finding, according to the statement. Since the summer, gains in volume are consistently much higher than those in unit sales, a sign that more properties are transacting at higher price points. This trend is also reflected in the rising 12-month median selling price for single family homes, which increased this quarter by 12 percent in Westchester County, 22 percent in Fairfield County, 12 percent in New Haven County, 13 percent in Middlesex County, 13 percent in New London County, 28 percent in Litchfield County, 12 percent in Hartford County and 25 percent in Berkshire County.

The First Quarter 2021 Market Watch is available at williampitt.com

Dziob