Tales of The Help, a Newport RI Mansion Story

  An Elegant Hand-Me-Down from Newport, RI's Gilded Age

Tucked away in one of my closets is an antique wicker doll carriage abandned many years ago by my now grown-up daughters.  My mother-in-law, the late Dorothy Hogan, gave us the carriage when our daughter, Casey, was born. Casey was the first girl in two generations of Hogans, and Dorothy saved that carriage hoping someday she'd have a granddaughter to enjoy it. The fabric is worn and frayed, but the metal wheels and hinges still operate smoothly after all these years.

It was an expensive toy, elegant and built to last. In the early 1900s it belonged to a little girl who summered in a Newport "Cottage" off Ocean Drive. Sometime in the 1930s it was given to Dorothy's mother, Ethel Rabatin, a…

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Unanswerable Real Estate Questions & Hopeful Thoughts about "The Bottom"

Punxsutawney Phil - Correct 40% of the Time

"Is this the bottom?" the buyer asked.

"Yes." I replied. "Yes, it is, and there will be 6 more weeks of winter too." Like Punxsutawney Phil, I make predictions at this time of year. Unlike Phil, I actually consider the indicators.  I'm pretty confident I can best his 40% success rate. (source: National Climatic Data Center)

Here are a few reasons I believe we may actually be at or near the bottom - offered with WAY more authority than Phil's suggestion of a prolonged winter.

1. In 2011 outstanding mortgage balances went down $30B every month. Steady, sustained improvement means momentum. Momentum is what pulls you out of troughs like this.

2. Job gains are accelerating. January brought 243,000 new…

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Middletown & Newport Homeowners: File a Ratable Tax Form by 1/30/12!

Complete, sign, notarize & file Ratable Tax Form

If you own property in Newport or Middletown, RI, you probably know that 2012 is a revaluation year.  That means Newport and Middletown's tax assessors are about to revise your valuation based on comparable sales and other market indicators.  You might agree with their opinion of value, but just in case you don't, you should file a Ratable Tax Form now.

To protect your right to appeal your new assessment, you must file a Ratable Tax Form with your town hall by Tuesday, January 30, 2012. The form provides your opinion of your property's value and insures your legal standing should you decide to appeal.  With legal standing you have the right to sue for a reduction. Without it, you can only make the…

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Shopping Local in Newport, RI

The Shops on Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI

When it comes to saving money, having a Newport office among Bellevue Avenue's lovely, one-of-a-kind shops is more of a curse than a blessing, but as an incentive to shop local it is simply AWESOME!  

I am an incurable one-for-them-one-for-me kind of holiday shopper, and I confess to doing more than a little damage to my pocketbook this year buying things for myself as I shop for the people on my list. In the process, however, I made a few new friends and I hope I did a little to help preserve the character of Bellevue Avenue's very special retail businesses.  

My newfound "enablers" include Dan MacDonald, exquisite jewelry dealer / manufacturer at Three Golden Apples, watch collector and jewelry expert, Ray…

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Leaving Las Vegas

Last weekend I returned from a tech summit for real estate webmasters in Las Vegas. It  wasn't easy to squeeze into the schedule, but the meeting was great, I have an 18-page list of new ideas. The experience also reinforced my conviction that nothing - not even insanely great technology - trumps a face-to-face meeting.  

I had several terrific conversations with successful, generous, talented brokers and tech professionals who shared stories about building businesses, managing web sites and improving support for clients and agents in the process.  Among these were Dave Abernathy of  Waterfront Properties, Palm Beach, Ed and Cindy Knight of Rooms Realty in Macomb County, MI and Eric Blackwell of Eric on Search who shared some inspiring ways to "pay…

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America's Cup World Series a Boon to RI Real Estate?

Newport, RI will be the final stop of the 2011-2012 America's Cup World Series from June 23 - July 1, 2012. Developed to expose millions of people to competitive high-performance racing, the new America's Cup professional circuit will conclude here in Newport bringing with it extensive international publicity, a welcome boost to the local economy and wonderful exposure for sellers of area real estate.

Unlike previous America's Cup races held off shore, current plans call for the Newport races to stay inside the Harbor with the start/finish line just off the shoreline. Spectator viewing areas will provide front row seats as world-class sailors compete in 9 state-of-the-art AC45 wing-sailed catamarans. The AC45 can achieve speeds over 35 mph, but is…

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Daybreak: Record Breaking Sale in Jamestown, RI & New Newport Office!

Daybreak, Jamestown, RI, SOLD Sept. 21, 2011

It's been a terrific summer for Newport, RI's Hogan Associates Real Estate.  In September we broke all of our own records for contracts and sales, and we represented the happy new owners of Daybreak, a waterfront home on 6 beautiful acres in Jamestown. At $6,400,000, it was the highest sale in RI this year but also one of the most highly discounted selling for $3,100,000 less than the original asking price, which just goes to show you, there are bargains to be had in all price ranges.

In addition...Ta Da! Our new real estate office at 129 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, RI is open and ready for business!  It's great to be on The Avenue right in the thick of things.  As I rearrange the office furniture…

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The Latest Addition to the Hogan Associates Family!

William Sanford Hadfield, June 11, 2011

Welcome, Willy!

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Question: Can I Build a Dock on my Water Front Property?

Answer:  Maybe.

Dock permits are issued by RI's Coastal Resources Management Council. The CRMC classifies all RI's coastal waters, and they allow residential docks in some types of waters and prohibit them in others.

The first step in determining whether you can build a dock is learning the water classification in your area.  Water classifications are designated in the CRMC Rules and Regulations, also called the CRMC Redbook.

In Type 2, 3, and 4 waters residential docks are allowed.  There are specific rules and requirements for locating a dock, but you can submit an application if your property abuts these waters.  In Type 1 waters, however, docks are prohibited.  Some people have grandfathered docks in Type 1 waters, which leads many to…

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Newport Harbor, April 2011

Late afternoon, Brenton Cove, Newport, RI April, 2011

Newport Harbor, Before the Boats Arrive

April and May - those pre-summer months when everything begins to bloom - bring a distinctive beauty to Newport.  The chartreuse green leaves, flowering trees and the uninterrupted stretch of harbor (sans fleet) provide no hint of the bustling summer days ahead.

This photo was taken from Beechbound - a luxury condominium enclave created around a fabulous turn-of-the-century 1895 summer "cottage".  It is one of several condo communities along this scenic stretch of coastline offering active harbor views, docks, launch access and the ability to get involved or get away - all from the same spot.

So come soon, before spring gives way to summer, and see what…

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