Kadri Graffeo Running For Newtown, Board Of Assessment Appeals

NEWTOWN, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in Newtown will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on various topics of importance in town.

Patch will post these candidate profiles over the next several days, so check back often to see the latest.

Republican Kadri Graffeo, 43, is running for Newtown, Board of Assessment Appeals in Newtown.

Occupation: Real Estate Agent

Family in government: No

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I’m originally from Estonia, a little country in northern Europe, right below Finland. I came to the USA alone when I was 23-years-old as an au-pair, met my husband Anthony a year later, got married and bought a house together in Newtown.

For the last 18 years, we have called this beautiful town home and is where we have raised all four of our boys who are now between ages 7-17. I want to contribute as an American citizen to the well being of the society. I love Newtown and feel blessed and proud to be a resident of this strong town.

I would help Newtown residents by reviewing their applications, doing in-person property investigations and comparisons, and to work with them regarding property taxes and other inquiries. I would assist Newtown residents by helping them remedy clerical omissions or mistakes in the assessment of taxes.

My direct experience that will make me an asset as an elected official for the board of Assessment Appeals, comes from my full-time real estate agent work where I routinely compare property statistics every day. Also, as an experienced “property flipper,” I’m use to managing budgets, time frames and doing research for different products and options around budget concerns.

My husband and I have been in the real estate business purchasing distressed properties and reselling them, as well as managing both long term and vacation rentals for the past 15 years. While my husband was involved in the construction side, I managed architectural and structural changes being recorded in the building, health, and zoning departments. From this broad experience of managing permits to conferring with inspectors and beyond, I have developed skills in understanding both the homeowner’s point of view and the laws instilled statewide and locally.

I have been a full-time real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty for 5 years and I’m a member of Northern Fairfield County or Realtors. As a part of my job, I give due diligence to my clients before I either put their house on the market or help a buyer purchase a home. This involves cross checking actual house stats with public records information. If I find any inconsistencies, I advise them on solutions, often requesting permits for buyers and applying for permits for sellers in order to prevent any issues that might cause a sale to completely fall through.

Beyond my professional commitment to the town of Newtown and its residents, I am also personally involved. I am the founder of Newtown Sitters Facebook Group, one of the very first free FB groups available for local families (3,000 FB followers and growing every day). I have also been very active within the Newtown public schools and loved my time volunteering at Middle Gate Elementary School as a room mom almost every year, in classroom writing centers and at the school library.

My work with my church has brought me even closer to this community and the goodness that exists here in spades. As a new hopeful for town government, and I humbly and most gratefully ask for your vote!