What Buyers & Sellers need to know.

Earlier this year Rhode Island's Congress amended the Rhode Island Cesspool Act of 2007 to help clean up Narragansett Bay and protect our drinking water. The new changes go into effect January 1st 2016.

Amended? What was the Cesspool Act originally?

For the past few years only homes within 200 feet of the water or watershed areas were required to meet Phase Out inspection criteria including acceptable water flow and a passing grade on mandatory annual inspections.  If a property was sold in these areas, the new buyer was given a timeline to replace the system.

The original act was intended to make the process and expense more manageable for homeowners, while improving Rhode Island's water quality.

So…

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A Short History

The Kaiser Aluminum plant covered nearly every inch of what is now Carnegie Harbor Drive, The Carnegie Tower and the Royal Cottages at Carnegie Village. This photo, taken in 2001, shows the sprawling industrial complex with its 220-foot wire manufacturing tower. Strands of cable passed from the top floors to the bottom as they underwent various manufacturing processes. On the ground floor, the coated cable was cut, spooled, loaded onto trucks and driven away.

Local attorney, Eric Chappell recalls a tour of the Kaiser facility, "This is the only property tour I have ever done that required a car."

2001: Sale to Carnegie Abbey Developer

The property had been vacant for over 10 years when developer, Peter de Savary, purchased the…

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"Cathy is very modest about her accomplishments. She is light and funny, and you would never know how formidable her skills are unless you worked with her.  Those who do become fans for life."  Leslie Hogan, Co-owner Hogan Associates

SEPTEMBER 2015 - The Newport County Board of Realtors bestowed the 2015 Gloria Slavens Award on Cathy Wicks of Hogan Associates! Named after the legendary and beloved Realtor, Gloria Slavens, the award is the Realtor equivalent of MVP acknowledging team spirit, selflessness, professional training and propensity to give back.

The surprise announcement came at NCBR's September meeting. Cathy, who spoke briefly about her respect for Gloria and her appreciation for the award, received a second surprise when her two…

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Everything you need and more. 

The stunning design of this Newport boathouse offers soaring ceilings. nautical styling and luxury details that feel just right. With three bedrooms, four well-appointed baths and an exquisite chef's kitchen you have enough room to entertain summer quests and have your own private 3rd floor getaway too. Boasting more than 3,700 square feet of living space and 2,200 square feet of workshop space, just imagine having your home office perched above your very own marine workshop. It really doesn't get much better than that. 

The ground floor marine workshop is perfect for working on your boat or simply storing it for winter - and alternatively works as the coolest garage on the block. Just steps from the harbor, this home…

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8% short-term rental tax effective July 1, 2015.

Here are the details:

WHO WILL OWE THE TAX?

  • Private Home Owners who rent their homes for fewer than 30 consecutive days will be required to obtain a sales tax permit and collect an 8% tax (7% sales tax plus a 1% hotel tax). Real estate commissions and cleaning fees included as part of the lease are also subject to the tax. Refundable damage deposits are not taxed.

WHO COLLECTS THE TAX?

  • Homeowners are responsible for collecting taxes from tenants. Homeowners are also responsible for collecting the tax if their tenants sublet their property (with or without their knowledge).

This is an excerpt of the DRAFT regulation distributed 6/24/15 regarding Agents' responsibility for tax…

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What makes the perfect RI Beach House?

Everyone has their own criteria for RI beach house perfection. For me it's the sound of the surf at night, walking out the door onto the beach, a fried clam shack nearby (serving the "real" kind with bellies and tartar sauce), ice cream cones scooped by industrious kids seeking "tips for college," and, oh yes, I want to do these things with all the people I love, all at once, in one house big enough for togetherness and solitude.

Enter 115 Purgatory Rd, Middletown: Beach House for Sale

You might think this heavenly situation - a beach house for sale with all the right elements - is easy to find on Aquidneck Island. In fact, only a handful of homes have direct access to ocean beaches. 115 Purgatory Rd. is one…

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If you’re buying a new home in Newport County, it’s important to know how much energy it will consume. After a winter like this it’s nice to see the housing industry offering a Home Energy Rating (HER) for new construction homes. The HER certificate estimates the annual energy cost for new construction homes, and buyers are wise to ask their builder how homes stack up.

HER ratings range from 0 to 500. Zero is the best rating meaning “off the grid” or not using any energy at all.  500 means, well, let’s just say it could be very expensive to heat and cool a property with such a high rating.

WHAT’S NORMAL? 

Most older homes on Aquidneck Island fall into the higher end of the HER range.  New homes with more modern materials and mechanicals are…

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Living in a Colonial in Newport brings American History to Life.

Opportunities like this do not come around that often...

This historic treasure was built in 1751 and sits on its original foundation. It is located on Prospect Hill Street in the Newport National Landmark Historic District which was established in 1968 to preserve the architectural integrity of this colonial neighborhood. This amazing gambrel style home is referenced on the 18th century Newport map created by Ezra Stiles in 1758. It is also mentioned in the book "Architectural Heritage of Newport, Rhode Island 1640-1915.

This  house features it's original center chimney with 6 fireplaces and many period features including interior doors, woodwork and wide-plank pine floor…

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 Presenting the Carriage House of Belmead Mansion, this historic "shingle style" property features a main residence plus 2 apartments, artist's loft, greenhouse studio, screen porch, garage and ample on-site parking. All within walking distance to the Cliff Walk and Bailey's Beach.

This represents one of the last remaining chances to renovate and revitalize a Newport carriage house from the Gilded Age. Take a walk or a drive and look around the city, you will find numerous examples of some of the amazing work that has been done to re-purpose these magnificent structures.

There is over 6,000 square feet of to have some fun. Let your imagination run wild. Grab your architect, your interior designer, your contractor and oh yes your checkbook. Have…

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Acreage, Water & Views....!  Take the Fly Over!

 Rich in history and riddled with quintessential New England charm, these 49 acres of waterfront property along the Kickemuit River are not only just plain breathtaking, but they could probably tell a story or two about its unique settlers and current residents. Dating back to 1720 and known as "Touisset", which comes from the Native American name meaning "at the cornfield", this very special spot feels as if you have gone back in time where the smell of the salt air and the sound of  gentle breezes blowing through beach grass was all that inhabited this great peninsula. You would never know that just beyond the stonewalls, wildlife refuge and working farms exists the vibrant city of Providence, the…

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