House Hunt near the things you like.
When you start your RI home search, think about your day-to-day life, brainstorm the things that are important to you, then make a list of the amenities you can’t do without. If living near a yoga studio or specific type of food store is a must-have, drive around the areas closest to those businesses to find pockets of neighborhoods that meet your needs.
Do you want a home that’s walkable?
Walkability index can be a biggie for some people. For house hunters who love to walk, having stores or eateries within convenient walking distance is a must-have, so you should consider how important walkability is for you, too. When scoping out at a potential new address, be sure to check a map of the area for grocery stores, cafes, salons, and more to get the lay of the land.
Do you want a neighborhood that’s quiet or lively?
You may love to hang out at home and party with friends in a certain bustling neighborhood every weekend, but would you want to buy a home there? Maybe not. Consider your noise-level preference.
“I’ve worked with many clients who are lured to a neighborhood by popular restaurants and coffee shops,” One agent says. “They want to hang their hats where they hang out on weekends, but when it comes to living in these areas, they suddenly find they don’t like the nuisance of so many other people coming to their neighborhood parking, making noise at night. Being in the middle of the party isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
The takeaway here? Reconcile the fact that if you love an area for its lively atmosphere, lots of others probably do too. Weigh the importance of having hot spots nearby with the importance of a good night’s sleep.
Want to live near your friends?
Whether your besties are already in the neighborhood or you want to chum it up with your new neighbors, you should take into account the kind of social life you hope to have in your brand new home.
Think about how your new home is situated. If you’re on a cul-de-sac or across the courtyard from another neighbor, there’s going to be some required water cooler chat. Some people really like to be in an area where their friends are nearby or at least close enough so they’ll come visit. Others not so much.
Post research: Does it seem like a place where you’d want to live?
Once you’ve done your due diligence, visiting your potential neighborhood during different hours of the day to get a real sense of it and checking to ensure all the boxes are checked on your must-have list, trust your gut.
Some say intuition is a gift, so go with it. If a neighborhood just feels right, it probably is. On the flip side, if anything gives you pause—hit the pause button. It may be time to try and reach out to residents (or realtors) who actually live there to get a first-hand perspective of what everyday life is like, or it may be time to move on.
NEWPORT COUNTY OVERVIEW:
Newport County consists of the cities/towns of Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Jamestown, Tiverton and Little Compton.
Living in Newport RI: Beautiful, upscale waterfront areas and lots of culinary and cultural opportunities.
Living in Middletown RI: Beautiful beaches and natural sanctuaries Located between Newport and Portsmouth housing ranging from modest to luxurious.
Living in Portsmouth RI: Year-round community with excellent schools and many coastal neighborhoods.
Living in Jamestown RI: Living in Jamestown RI: Gorgeous waterfront areas. Upscale community. A quieter town than the above three. Very close to Newport (about 10-15 minutes from downtown Newport) and about a 20 minute drive to the Kingston Amtrak station (if you don’t already know, you can park in their lots for free to take the trains to Boston, Providence, CT or NYC) or a 10-15 minute drive to Wickford Junction where you can get to Boston on the commuter rail M-F.
Living in Tiverton: Has some beautiful waterfront areas, but much sleepier than the above towns. The Fogland Beach area is pretty. Based on where in Tiverton you are, it is about a 30-40 minute drive to downtown Newport.
Living in Little Compton: Exclusive, upscale area, but farther drive to Newport than Tiverton.
Washington County RI – (Narragansett, South Kingstown and North Kingstown) have terrific opportunities, but will be about 25-30 minutes from downtown Newport (but closer to the train and commuter rail stations).
Living in Narragansett RI: Miles of Sandy Beaches
Living in North Kingstown RI: Rhode Island Sea Town a famous summer resort with natural harbor and beaches
BRISTOL COUNTY (comprised of the towns of Barrington, Bristol and Warren):
Living in Barrington RI: Lovely waterfront homes and estates, bustling downtown and excellent schools Close to Providence. It has the top school district in RI; it is much more of a year-round community.
Living in Bristol RI: Bristol has more of a mix of second home and year-round homes. 30 minutes from Providence and Newport. 90 minutes from Boston (rte. 24).
