It takes 100 consumer sites to reach 71% of the market.

If you have a Newport, RI home or condo for sale, chances are it's listed on many different real estate sites.  Some of this listing distribution happens automatically through MLS (Realtor.com, ProJo.com, NewEnglandRealEstate.com), some depends on your listing agency's syndication agreements (Yahoo, Zillow, Trulia and many more) and some is the result of exclusive agreements based on vertical markets like luxury real estate, foreclosed properties or short sales.

With hundreds of sites out there, it's hard to know which ones really matter when it comes to delivering traffic.  As it turns out, no 800 lb. gorilla dominates the consumer real estate scene (yet).  While a dominant player may emerge,…

66360 Views, 3 Comments

Read Full Post

Restaurant Week in Newport & Bristol, RI is March 25 - April 3, 2011!

food3frames_360

This popular, twice-annual event includes a fabulous selection of local restaurants offering three-course prix fix meals at exceptional prices: Lunch is $16 and Dinner is $30. (taxes and gratuity are extra) 

Check out this list of participating restaurants and menus and make your reservations now!

56882 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

The charts below provide a snapshot of Newport's Single Family Real Estate market for the 6 months ending February 28, 2011.  For those of you thinking about pricing your homes for spring, this is important information to consider.  If you would like a similar report on your town, just give us a call.

newport_sf_feb_11_charts_673

2543 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

"Isn't it just awful getting around here in the summer?"

When I bring buyers to see homes for sale in Newport, RI, I always get this question: "Isn't it just awful getting around here in the summer?"

I live in Newport, right downtown, and the truth is, it's NOT hard to get around in the summer, and by and large, traffic congestion is limited to weekends and the last two weeks of August when vacationing seems to reach its peak. That said, there are times when knowing your alternatives can save time and aggravation. Here are a few essential Newport short cuts. (Warning: share with discretion!)

SHORT CUT #1 - Bellevue / Memorial Intersection Work Around

We locals would never dream of going through the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and Memorial…

61263 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Know the Rules. Enjoy the Lifestyle.

Waterfront properties are life enhancing.  They offer long, lazy days at the shore, your own lobster pots, idyllic family vacations, views to decompress the most frazzled executive and a rare, primal connection with nature. Like most rare and wonderful things, however, they come with their own set of unique challenges. So if you're looking for a waterfront home in Rhode Island, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. COASTAL BUFFER ZONES - Although your property extends to the water's edge, Rhode Island's Coastal Resource Management Council has jurisdiction over the last 200 feet.  This area is called the coastal buffer zone, and it is measured inland from the mean high tide mark. Improvements like docks, stairs,…

14577 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Last fall, after my college-bound daughter absconded with my laptop, I looked for an economical replacement and settled on an iPad.  At first, I found it limiting compared to my souped up PowerBook. Over the holidays, however, I became one with my new device, and it has dramatically changed and improved the way I get information. I now receive virtually all my news online; I am reading more than I have in years, and I am learning things at a pace that... well... It's exhilarating. Really.

I described this epiphany to John Abell, an intrepid early adopter from Portsmouth who runs a local Apple users' group. He was delighted to have another convert, and I was only mildly deflated when he announced he now had over 600 apps! I find this astonishing especially…

55722 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Several years ago I watched hopelessly as my effusive, happy, youngest daughter sank deeper and deeper into the dreaded, grade school, mathematical abyss.  She was so confused she no longer had any idea what was going on in class, she lived in mortal fear of being called on, and she started to hate school. It was clear she would never catch up without help, so I set out to find a tutor.

I knew nothing about tutors, but by a lucky twist of fate, we ended up in the hands of Martha Cummings, a remarkable teacher who rebuilt my daughter's faulty math foundation and slowly, painstakingly got her back on track. Martha was serious, kind, demanding, friendly, strict, smart and funny. She was a godsend, and I have never been so happy to write out a check.

Later in…

2244 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

'Tis the Season

The New Normal seems to be on the wane. Reports of Black Friday scrums suggest the retail sector is gaining strength. Could the frugality of the last two years be giving way to looser purse strings? Could be, as Americans have paid down debt and boosted savings rates from 1-2% prior to the recession to 5.7% in October.  So, what does this mean for  Newport's real estate market, and how will it influence what happens in 2011? Here's my take:



We're unlikely to see a Black Friday frenzy for RI real estate. While consumers feel better about smaller purchases, sales of durable goods like cars and appliances (and homes) are down.  Like other parts of the country, real estate inventories are high here, and it's still hard for many buyers to…

55322 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Fig & Fois Gras at The White Horse Tavern

It's almost time for Restaurant Week! This much anticipated annual event has grown to include most of Newport and Bristol's fabulous dining establishments.

Each participating restaurant offers a three-course, prix fixe meal at the exceptional price of $16 for lunch and $30 for dinner (beverages, gratuities and taxes are additional). Reservations are a must, and seats fill up fast, so take a look at the participating restaurants and make your plan!

And, if you would like to look at a few homes while you're here, that would be OK too!

2377 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

The Wall Street Journal online has an cool housing stress map (link below) that shows the relative distress of cities and towns across the US.  It takes into account the percent of mortgaged homeowners spending 30% or more of household income on owner costs, the percentage of the population not working and the percentage of the population without health-insurance coverage.  Rhode Island's level is 81, just under the mean of 87.5, which is virtually the same as Massachusetts and the other New England states.

The data was collected in 2009, so it's a little out of date.  Still, in the face the daily news broadcasts about our abysmal unemployment rate, it's encouraging to know that our stress levels are about average. Perhaps, as a result, we will…

2004 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post