Looking for that Rhode Island beach cottage? Some Helpful Tips to Find a Deal

Waterfront real estate in Newport County is as good as it gets for summer vacation homes.  For many buyers, however, sticker shock can get in the way.  Don’t lose hope!  Take a step back and consider the advantages of only a water view?  Walking distance to the beach is almost as good, right?  Or maybe you’re just looking for a place to get away.  Here are a few helpful tips to help in your search and get you into a life-enhancing beach home for less!

-Search a bit further from the beaches than you typically would

            Most “beach homes” are on the water or within a ¼ to ½ mile of the beach, but these are in high demand, making them much more expensive.  But if you search just a tad further you can find a much better deal and only have to…

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Ocean Drive, Rhode Island Luxury Home Video

Luxurious Ocean Drive Home at 18 Winans Av, Newport, Rhode Island, 02840 - MLS® #1027978

View the video for this incredible ocean view Cape Cod home on Ocean Drive that includes deeded beach rights on a half acre lot.

Get more information about this Ocean Drive home, or feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

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Astors' Beechwood Takes Shape as Larry Ellison Art Museum

Restoration of Astor's Beechwood underway 12/30/12

on Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI

Yesterday, while cruising down Newport's Bellevue Avenue, I glanced over at Astors' Beechwood and, much to my surprise, it wasn't there!  After a quick double take I realized the big, beige Italiante mansion WAS in fact there, but it was no longer the cream-colored wedding-cake-of-a-house I remembered, but rather a somber red brick edifice with pale quoining along the corners and roof line.

It's a temporary look, as plans call for the reapplication of the stucco, but the mansion's current "nakedness" combined with the wintery, leafless landscape accentuates the dignity of the original architecture.

Astors' Beechwood is undergoing a complete restoration thanks…

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Newport's Hopedene Sold Today for $16M

Hopedene, Newport, RI, sold $16M 12/19/12

It was another stellar day for Newport, RI luxury real estate as word spread that Gustave White Sotheby's brokered the sale of Hopedene for $16M. The sale was Rhode Island's highest recorded sale this year and the second highest ever. 

Located on Cliff Avenue with a sweeping lawn and stunning views of First Beach and the Atlantic, Hopedene was designed by Peabody and Stearns and completed in 1902 for Elizabeth Hope Gammell Slater.

Interior designer Ogden Codman, Jr. built an addition in 1913 and redesigned the Georgian Revival mansion when Charles P. Patterson, a NY antiques dealer purchased the home.

When he died, Mr. Patterson left Hopedene to Newport's Preservation Society and in 1983 Britty Cudlip…

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Rhode Island Coal Mines at Carnegie Abbey Golf Resort

Portsmouth, RI Coal Mine

COAL MINES BENEATH CARNEGIE ABBEY GOLF COURSE

PORTSMOUTH, RI - Most golfers at Carnegie Abbey Club are unaware that the water used to irrigate the golf course comes from miles and miles of abandoned coal mines running east/west from Narragansett Bay to East Main Rd. and north/south from Portsmouth town hall and to Melville Marina.  Today, the mines contain an estimated 400 million gallons of fresh water. Carnegie Abbey's original developer briefly considered bottling this fresh water under a private Carnegie Abbey label. 

HISTORY OF MINING PORTSMOUTH RI

In the early 19th century they were teeming with men and mules mining coal to fuel America's industrial revolution. The mules hauled the coal bins in and out of the…

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Newport Mansion Stories: Afternoons with Mrs. Firestone

I married into a family of native Newporters descended from the European immigrants who worked in Newport's mansions.  As I result, I have heard many amazing stories about Newport's gilded age families.  Among my favorites are my husband Paul's recollections of Elizabeth Parke Firestone and his visits to her Newport, RI Firestone Estate, Ocean Lawn. 

After her husband died, Mrs. Firestone (a.k.a Betty) summered alone at Ocean Lawn, a sprawling 1888 Peabody & Stearns mansion overlooking the water on the corner of Narragansett Avenue and Cliff Walk. She was the widow of the late Harvey Firestone, Jr., son of the founder of Firestone Tire. 

In those days, Mrs. Firestone didn't get out much, but she enjoyed a little sherry and conversation with…

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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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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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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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