Sylwester Lemanski, manager of a Lamborghini dealership in ritzy Greenwich, Conn., says a customer backed out of a $400,000 sale because of teetering financial markets.
Shoppers get a bite on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, Conn. The economy of the wealthy enclave is being hurt by weakness on Wall Street, where many of the resident make their fortunes.
Greenwich, Conn., is home to weathly bankers and hedge fund managers, but it has not been sheltered from the downturn in the housing market. Sales of single-family homes in the city fell 37% in the first quarter, with median prices falling 3%.
With median household income last year of $115,644, compared with $49,314 for the U.S., Greenwich , Conn., can afford amenities such as police officers directing traffic on Greenwich Avenue. But shopkeepers have complained of dwindling foot traffic and well-heeled customers demanding bargains.