Barbara Snyder

A Professional trail of Production Management and Advocacy leads to Real Estate

My professional training is in Production Management. I managed the real estate sections for Brooks Community Newspapers in Westport, CT early in my career. I then moved to Vogue Magazine in NYC to be the assistant Production Manager. I did stints in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Pennsylvania as a Production Manager.

My husband, Tim, wrote the first and second NEW YANKEE WORKSHOP Books for Norm Abrams. I designed, produced and packaged those books and several other books for Rodale Press.

When our son, Ian, was born in 1984 with a Down Syndrome. I changed the focus of my professional and personal efforts to child and family advocacy. I worked with many not-for-profit organizations connected with the United Way. I assisted in helping those organizations with strategic planning, marketing, outreach and development of services.

Throughout our 43 years of marriage we have rehabilitated a cabin on Lake Zoar, a 1890 farmhouse in Woodbury, a Victorian in Pennsylvania, a 1980's colonial and built two houses. We are serious addicts and need to stop it!!!

In 2003 I got my real estate license. Little did I realize then that all my prior professional experience would come together to provide me with the perfect set of tools for real estate: advocacy, production, marketing, building knowledge and love of project management.

Testimonials Tell the Story

We would still be waiting for someone to buy our home in Newtown if we had not had the good fortune to work with Barbara Snyder. She knows houses and she knows people. Her knowledge is state-of-the-art and her diplomacy in dealing with offers, counteroffers and contingencies put our minds at rest as we worked with her to address the issues that inevitably arise.J. Miller-Newtown
We followed Barbarar's good advice and sold our home in three weeks while similar homes remained unsold six months later. These homes were not priced according to the market and so the market passed them by. Looking back, Barbara was honest and straight forward, exactly what you want in todayrsquo;s market. Take advantage of her experience and you will not be disappointed.
M. Dennen-Sandy Hook

I chose Barbara over more than 25 agents in my home town. Barbara Snyder is a rare and exceptional person who works tirelessly for clients in the sale, or purchase of their homes. She exhibits straightforward ethics and refined business practices that take into account the clients' needs.S. Robertson-Sherman

I would, and will, recommend Barbara Snyder to anyone interested in buying or selling a home. She is tenacious, kind-hearted and capable. At the time of both closings(selling and buying), I was going through a divorce and often demanded Barbara's assistance on short notice and sometimes for services that stretched beyond the scope of traditional Realtor responsibilities.L. Veillette-Newtown
The path towards closing could not have been better handled by Barbara. Her attention to detail and thorough management of the process was greatly appreciated, minimizing the stress that can be associated with selling one's home. I could not be more pleased with our choice and would fully recommend her to anyone desiring to buy or sell their home and property. P. Veillette
Barbara was amazing...very personable, always available...worked with us for 5 months and never gave up.C. Anderson
Awards And Designations

History of hands on experience

My husband and I purchased our first home in Sandy Hook on Lake Zoar for $6000. It was an unwinterized falling down cabin that had no septic system. He and I gutted the property, rebuilt it and sold it to an Airline Stewardess for $32,000 in 1985.

In that same year, we purchased a historic property in Woodbury for $65,000. With a 3 year old and a new baby we started the renovation of that house. It had 30 amp wiring, 59 broken window panes and needed a kitchen and a working bath. We tore off the front off the house, winterized the front and back porches to increase living space, gutted much of the interior for rewiring and plumbing. It was quite an adventure. We sold that home several years later for $180,000.

After moving to Pennsylvania to work for Rodale Press we renovated a brick Victorian. In 1997 we finally achieved our dream of designing and building our own home on a beautiful property with 5 Sycamore trees and bordering a stream. I operated as the general contractor. What I learned through that process after years of rehabbing was that building NEW is a much easier than retrofit or remodel.

My husband's job brought him back to Connecticut in 2002. Our first project in Connecticut was a 4 bedroom colonial remodel in Newtown. From 2005 to 2018 we worked on a very unusual 5 bedroom sprawling ranch house in Sandy Hook. And finally we just completed a retirement home in the center of Newtown. I am so done.

You can read about the last home on my blog: Ourlastdance.com

www.ourlastdanceweb.com

Education and Training

I hail from great state of New Jersey and attended Middlebury College. I started my career as a graphic artist in Westport, then went on to work at Vogue magazine in New York City.
As an owner /partner for 40 years in a desktop publishing business, I designed two successful books: The New Yankee Workshop with Norm Abrams for WGBH in Boston and Decks for Rodale Press. In addition, I dedicated much of my time and career to working with the United Way and other non-profit agencies that serve children and families with disabilities.
Personal Background

I am married to writer/editor Tim Snyder. Together we have a son Ian, and beautiful daughter Sarah, and three amazing grandchildren.

We live in Newtown with our yellow Labrador, Ollie.