Prepare your home for subzero temps and strong winds this weekend!snow shovel - rhode island homes for sale

Forecast is for single digit temps and a wind chill of -30!

Every year frozen pipes cause extensive water damage in RI - often in homes that are vacant for the winter.  The good news is this damage is preventable.  Here are some things to do prevent your pipes from freezing:

  • SET HEAT TO AT LEAST 55 DEGREES
  • IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, HAVE SOMEONE CHECK FOR HEAT AND COLD SPOTS EVERY DAY
  • OPEN CABINET DOORS UNDER SINKS TO HELP WARM AIR CIRCULATE
  • MAKE SURE THE WATER TO OUTDOOR FAUCETS IS SHUT OFF
  • KNOW WHERE YOUR WATER MAIN IS IN CASE YOU NEED TO SHUT IT OFF
  • USE ALL YOUR PLUMBING FIXTURES AT LEAST ONCE DURING THE DAY

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FIRST BIG STORM IN RI, January 23, 2016

Enjoy this fun video of a snow-day in the life of a Jamestown, RI kid.  Budding cinematographer and Jamestown resident Christian Kirby produced! Cameo appearances by Evan Kirby and Teddy the dog. Note their pretty little house too!  #prettiesthouseinjamestown.

Winter Storm 2016 - Jonas from Christian Kirby on Vimeo.

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THE WHOLE WORLD IS GRANTING DORIAN'S WISH

Dorian is famous in Newport- rhode island homes for sale

Dorain Murray is a 7 year old boy from Westerly, RI. He has a rare form of cancer, and he's going to Heaven, but before he goes, he wants to be famous - all over the world.

LET'S HELP HIM.

SPREAD THE WORD.

#DStrong #cancersucks #prayingfordorian #bravestboy #dancingmachine #biglove

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IF YOU WANT TO SING OUT, SING OUT!

One of the great things about living in Rhode Island are the cultural events this time of year. The Jamestown Community Chorus has been performing since 1949 and they will be presenting their holiday concert featuring Christmas Carols from Old England and New England.

The 55 member choir will perform at 7:30 pm on the 12th and the following afternoon at 3pm. The public is  invited to come and enjoy the music. For those who are wondering the chorus in a non profit, secular chorus made up of over 450 singers over time of its founding until now. 

 Concert tickets are always available in advance at Baker’s Pharmacy, Jamestown Hardware and the Secret Garden. Also available at the door or by calling for…

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It's been a banner year...

...at our real estate office. So many good things have happened for us and Thanksgiving is a time not just to reflect on those blessings, but to find ways to give back to those who may not have had such a wonderful year.

 

There are many non profit organizations in need of help this time of year, but we thought that it would be good just to list a few in case you have a few extra hours to serve or maybe a few extra bucks to give.

The Martin Luther King Community Center has a number of needs for volunteers to help with Thanksgiving meal baskets for 255 families (up from 220 families in 2014!). Did you know that 1 in 5 Rhode Islanders is food insecure? That's 1 in 5 of the kids in your classroom, 1 in 5 of the health…

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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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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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The "Big 3" for Newport, RI home sales

It's simple really.  Buying a home in RI requires careful consideration of location, condition and price.  If 2 of these 3 components are excellent, you can usually compromise a bit on the 3rd. Every once in a while, however, you find a home that has all 3 - good location, good condition and a good price.  That's when you want to make your move, and that's the situation at 11 Greenough Place, just listed in Newport, RI.

Location? Check!

Few Newport locations offer all the advantages of Greenough Place. It's a pretty little dog-leg-of-a-lane tucked away from the through streets of the Kay Catherine neighborhood. Yet it's within easy walking distance of town, beach and beautiful Bellevue Ave. What's…

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