Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com June 13, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 7 WHAT'S AHEAD: ■ 6/20 Focus: Entertainment & Gaming ■ The List: Entertainment Venues ■ Nonprofit Profile: Social Enterprise Trust CALENDAR THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Deepening your referral connections The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Connecticut and Exit Planning Exchange are hosting a joint Hartford seminar on helping businesses develop referrals. The event will take place June 23 at the Infinity Music Hall & Bistro in downtown Hartford from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Referrals play a major role in business development for professional-services firms. But what behavior drives these referrals? The Exit Planning Exchange and Hinge Research Institute conducted a research study to find out. The event will explore this topic to help businesses strengthen their network. The featured speaker will be Lee Frederiksen, the managing partner of Virginia marketing firm Hinge. Cost to attend varies. For more information or to register go to: http://www.acg.org/connecticut/. F O R A C O M P L E T E L I S T O F G R E A T E R H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S E V E N T S , G O T O W W W . H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M A N D C L I C K O N ' C A L E N D A R . ' A L L C A L E N D A R I T E M S M U S T B E S U B M I T T E D E L E C T R O N I C A L L Y V I A O U R W E B S I T E , H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M . REAL ESTATE Home sales show strong gain in April For the first time in 12 months, single-family home sales in Connecticut showed a gain in median sales price. Total sales vol- ume was also at its highest in nine years. According to The Warren Group, publisher of The Commercial Re- cord, the median price of a single-family home rose by 0.8 percent in April to $240,000 compared with $238,200 in the year-ago peri- od. Year-to-date, prices have decreased by 0.3 percent to $230,000 compared with $230,625 during the same time a year ago. Single-family home sales in Connecticut rose 16.2 percent in April. A total of 2,340 single-family homes sold in Connecticut dur- ing the month compared with 2,014 sold in April 2015. Condominium sales in Connecticut posted a double-digit increase in April, rising 18.7 percent to 659 condos sold, up from 555 the same time a year ago. Year-to-date, condo sales were up 16 percent with 2,152 condos sold compared with 1,855 during the same time- frame last year. The median sales price for condos in April posted a slight decrease of 3.9 percent, slipping to $157,000 from $163,450 in April 2015. Lee Frederiksen H ealth insurance is the most important benefit you offer and it's a big part of your budget. You need an insurance program that not only meets the needs of your employees but also helps you control costs. CBIA Health Connections — the most successful private insurance exchange for small business — is the solution. With Health Connections you simply set your contribution level then let your employees choose a plan from Aetna, ConnectiCare, Harvard Pilgrim, or UnitedHealthcare. From medical and dental plans to life, disability and vision options, there's something for everyone with CBIA Health Connections. Contact your agent for a quote or call 860.244.1900. Who do small businesses choose for health insurance? Richard P. Ramondetta President Alloy Specialties, Inc. Manchester CBIA Health Connections allows me to offer my employees a valuable benefits package while helping to control our medical benefits budget. TECHNOLOGY TicketNetwork inks deal with Yelp TicketNetwork and Yelp have formed a partnership that allows Yelp users to purchase tickets directly from the site. Financial de- tails were not revealed. Don Vaccaro, CEO of South Windsor-based TicketNetwork, said it's a good partnership for his online ticket marketplace because Yelp is the largest consumer review site on the Internet. He said lots of people look to Yelp for venue and entertainment options because it has a neutral bias. Beyond the direct economic benefit to his company, Vacarro said the agreement sends a signal that deals with Silicon Val- ley companies can be struck without physically being located in northern California. TRANSPORTATION State receiving 267 buses worth $122M The state Department of Transportation is taking delivery of 267 new buses with a combined pricetag of $122 million. It has an option for an additional 218. The buses are supplied by New Flyer of America Inc., a sub- sidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., a manufacturer of heavy- duty transit buses and motor coaches. The contract includes a firm order for 267 clean diesel and diesel electric hybrid buses valued at approximately $122 million, with options for an addi- tional 218 buses over the next five years. The order will replace older vehicles in DOT's current fleet with newer, more fuel ef- ficient Xcelsior XD40 buses. Connecticut home prices inched up in April for the first time in a year. P H O T O | C N N

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