“Interest in the Greenwich market will have increased,” he said. “A lot of tenants are going to see that living in the suburbs is quite nice.”

The owners of the home on North Street, who live overseas now, were seeking a yearlong tenant when they put the property -- with a wine cellar and exercise room -- on the market in January. Six potential takers took a look, but there were no commitments.

Then came the week of March 16, when New York City declared a state of emergency and shuttered schools. Interest in the home surged. Within 48 hours, there were three offers, all from bidders seeking short-term arrangements, Mancuso said.

The owners picked the bidder who wanted to stay the longest -- 10 weeks. The tenants, a Manhattan family with kids and their grandparents, agreed to pay the equivalent of $50,000 a month and moved in the last week of March.

“They wanted to get out here as soon as possible,” Mancuso said.

This article was provided by Bloomberg News.

First « 1 2 » Next