The RI Cesspool Act goes into effect 1/1/16.

 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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Newport, R.I.: Harbor Front Living at its Finest

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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Rhode Island's 8% Tax on Short-Term Rentals

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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Summer's Better in a Newport Beach House!

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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Private Waterfront Treasure in Touisset

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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Newport, RI: Raised Ranch Revival!

The Newport Raised Ranch

Throwback Americana

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and few styles evoke one's inner Don Draper like a classic American Raised Ranch. This simple 2-story structure was the product of the post war housing boom.  It's sturdy, sensible style suited veterans back then, and it's finding a whole new audience now.

Ranch Fundamentals 

First some history, a Raised Ranch House is a two story house with its foundation serving as one level of the structure. It’s an Architecture style which originated in the USA and primarily in the Western states post war era.  To meet the housing boom, builders had an easy fix for accommodating a demand for more living space. Build more houses, but on smaller parcels of land, make them affordable,…

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Newport Dutch Colonial offers Location, Condition & Price!

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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Newport, RI: Water View Beach Home for Sale

180 Degree Water Views!

The big water view... ahhhh.... There's just something about it that soothes the soul and makes life a little sweeter, and that's what you get with this neat-as-a-pin Newport home for sale near Easton's Beach and Cliff Walk.

Exceptional water views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby pond combined with proximity to long, sandy Easton's Beach make this pristine three bedroom Colonial a rare and wonderful find! Every room has a water view, and its location on a gentle hill keeps the home out of the flood plain (one less thing to worry about and no flood insurance expense).

The fenced yard is nearly half an acre with amazing specimen trees and flowering shrubs. A reservoir just across the street offers a beautiful walking…

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Tips for Homeowners preparing for the Blizzard

With the blizzard of 2015 coming to New England, many homeowners are in full panic mode.  First word of advice: STAY CALM. Now that we’ve made it past that one, here’s some tips to weather through the storm (Sorry for the bad pun everybody… Couldn’t help myself) 

Be Prepared: The Boy Scout motto: “Always be prepared”. During a situation like a blizzard, home owners should be practicing this motto as well.

• Stock up on Flashlights, candles, batteries: the biggest hurdle in a pending storm isn’t just the snow; it’s the potential for a power outage.
• Have food you can eat without cooking if you don’t have a gas stove. 
• Bottled is water is always a good idea.
• If you have pets make sure they have a few days worth of food
• Board games, especially if…

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Newport County RI Single Family Home Sales Infographic

HOME SELLER ADVANTAGE: NEWPORT

Low inventory and strong demand gave Newport home sellers an advantage in November.  Other Newport County markets remain in "Buyer Advantage" territory but less dramatically than in previous months.  Foreclosure activity continues at a steady pace. The total number of homes sold was up 12% over last year, but average and median sale prices declined.

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