Southern Rhode Island Real Estate Buzz

Can you feel it? It is a low and underlying buzz. If you work in real estate full-time the buzz is almost deafening. Real estate is making an exciting comeback.

Buyers are getting loan approval and getting into a market that is offering a variety of housing choices. Desirable properties are getting multiple offers and some are selling for higher than the listed price. For more information on those properties see my blog post entitled, “Richmond Market Analysis Report.”

Overall the market has seen an increase in home prices with a month-to-month slight uptick. It has seen the most sales activity in 3 years. According to the National Association of REALTORS, home sales are at the highest they have been in 3 years.

For the consumer this means now is an advantageous time to get into the market. Lower home prices are great for buyers. Home prices are still below what they were at the height of the housing market, but homes that are priced properly are selling relatively quickly and may even have multiple offers.

If you would like more information about the southern Rhode Island real estate market contact me at Rebecca@browngrouprealty.com

Hiking Breakheart Loop Trail

Looking for a diverse trail that offers steep inclines, rocky footing and beautiful scenery of hardwoods? If so, Breakheart Loop Trail may be a great trail to try. The trail is located on the north half of Arcadia State Park in West Greenwich, RI.

Breakheart Loop Hiking Trail

Great Swamp Press Map

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

The trail takes approximately 4 hours. It crosses creeks that eventually feed into the Wood River. It borders Camp E-Hun-Tee and Alton Jones Campus.

Hill

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All rights Reserved

The trail rambles through mostly hardwood forests but there are pine woods dotted throughout and fields of blueberry bushes.

Field of Blueberry Bushes

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

The footing is smooth at times; it can get a little “swampy” in some areas and goes up and down like a roller coaster. None of the hills are particularly challenging but there are many of them.

Drive down Frosty Hollow Road and take a left at the end onto Austin Farm Road. Take the first right and park at the beginning of the Shelter Trail.

Then, walk along Austin Farm Road to Matteson Plain. It will be the old dirt road that was at the end of Frosty Hollow Road.

Walk up Matteson Plain and take the second left. That is the beginning of Breakheart Loop Trail. There are connecting trail throughout this trail. Generally, staying right will keep you on the trail.

Follow the trail back to Austin Farm Road (note that this road is open to vehicular traffic), or try taking some of the shelter trails, or Penny Hill trail back to the car (for those who hate hiking dirt roads).

Mountain Bike Report: Breakheart Loop Trail

Breakheart Loop Trail, it seems it has been the “holy grail” of local trails. Local mountain bikers like to talk about the trail. Everyone knows a biker who “went over the bars” on this trail. It is slippery, frustrating, tricky and a technical trail. Which is why I wouldn't recommend it for most beginners. It is also beautiful and challenging; a tempting combination for mountain bikers.

Penny Trail Before Breakheart Loop Trail

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

How did I prepare for the “holy grail” of local trails? I didn’t, I actually took it on accident; which is why I am not including a trail plan, just the trail location. The trail goes behind Camp E-Hun-Tee and Alton Jones Campus.

Breakheart Loop Trail on Great Swamp Press Map

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

2 weeks ago I posted a Mountain Bike Report on Shelter Trail. It was such a smooth and fast trail I decided to try a new trail off Shelter trail. Unfortunately, the trail map did not specify that the trail I needed to take to get back was for hikers only. It had boards and a sign on the start of the trail stating that it was for hikers.

Shelter on Shelter Trail

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

I could have backtracked and been on the trail back to the car in less than 15 minutes. However, I am apparently incapable of backtracking. The only way back was Breakheart Loop, which I had to do in the rain.

Most mountain biker's take the trail counter-clockwise, I took it clockwise. The trail is rocky, hilly, has lots of roots and some gorgeous scenery. It has 2 wooden bridges across creeks. There are low hanging branches, and did I mention it was peppered with rocks, stones and roots.

Hill on Penny Hill Trail

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

If it wasn’t raining the footing would have been tricky. In the rain after a long ride before taking the trail it was slippery and at times frustrating.

Downhill on Shelter Trail

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

The trail took about an hour to complete. At the end on Matteson Plain Road I wanted to jump off my bike and kiss the dirt, but I was too exhausted.

It was a great ride that challenged my abilities and my patience. The terrain was everything riding in pristine and untouched Rhode Island woods should be. There were some beautiful areas lush and green. When I finished I thought, “I am never doing this again” but I am already planning my next trip.

Field of Blueberry Bushes

Photo Courtesy Rebecca Crosby All Rights Reserved

Rural Southern Rhode Island MOO-Naure Ordinances

MOO-nure, it’s smelly, sometimes slimy, wet and dry, colorful and constant. No one likes to talk about manure, but for rural Rhode Island residents who own or tend livestock, it is a daily (sometimes twice daily, who am I kidding, multiple times a day) reality.

Cows From Behind

For those dealing with the other end of life, here in the bottom end of the state understanding town ordinances about “it,” can at the very least keep homeowners out of trouble and in their neighbor's good graces.

Believe it or not, each town has several ordinances involving the care, removal, management and storage of manure; or as I like to consider it, future compost.

According to the town of Richmond, in the manure ordinance 6.18.010, manure ordinances are for livestock . The town's definition of livestock includes such public offenders as cattle, cows, sheep, horses, ponies, mules, burros, donkeys, goats, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, chickens, roosters, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pea fowl, peacocks, ostriches, and emus, as an accessory use to a principal residential use.  

Meanwhile, wild animals are free to use the world as their toilet.

2 other ordinances that impact manure storage are listed below.

6.18.020 General standards.  The following standards apply to any parcel on which domestic livestock are kept. 

 

A.  Areas where domestic livestock are kept shall be managed in a manner that minimizes dust, odor, and vermin.

 

B.  Stormwater runoff from all areas where domestic livestock are kept and where manure is stored or composted shall be directed away from wetlands and wells on the parcel where the domestic livestock are kept and away from wetlands and wells on adjacent parcels. 

(Ord. dated 6-7-11)

 

6.18.030 Manure management.  Manure shall be stored or composted in the following manner:

 

A.  Manure shall be stored or composted at least fifty (50) feet from a lot line, one hundred (100) feet from a well, and two hundred (200) feet from a wetland or stormwater drainage feature.

 

B.  Manure storage or composting areas shall be visually screened from residential uses on adjacent lots.

 

C.  Manure shall be stored on an impermeable surface and shall be protected from precipitation by a cover to prevent surface runoff over and around manure piles to avoid contamination of surface and ground water.

 

Manure is not a pretty or sexy topic (I can't believe I just used the word "sexy" in this post) but for those who live in rural southern RI or those who want to, it is an everyday reality. Knowing and understanding town ordinances will hopefully keep homeowners out of trouble and in the good graces of their neighbors.

 

For more information contact the local town hall.

 

Richmond Town Hall website

Februaury's Rhode Island Housing Statistics

According to a recent Providence Journal poll, 73% of those polled believe it is a buyer’s market and 23% believe it is a seller’s market. This comes on the heels of February housing statistics released by the Rhode Island Association of REALTORS.

 

Rhode Island saw median house prices increase 12% from February of 2012.The median price was $189,500 in February of 2013 compared to $170,000 in February of 2012.

 
The number of homes sold also increased. It went up 2%, with 442 houses sold.

There was good news for sellers, the number of houses for sale on the market decreased by 18% in February. The number of foreclosures and short sales also decreased from 37% last February to 31% in February of 2013. Making the market a little more seller friendly than it has been.

Why Rural Rhode Island Living?

Since this is an early post I wanted to introduce people to myself and where I live. I am a lifelong resident of Richmond, RI. I grew up on the Wood River and currently live upriver from my parents.

At the age of 23, I was the program director for a therapeutic riding center in Ashaway, RI. As a business leader in the community I saw first hand the support, kindness and collaboration there was amongst the residents of southern RI. It made me appreciate living here and want to shine a light on this community to others.

On weekends I walk, hike, bike and ride the trails that crisscross the woods in this part of the state. I still love the feeling of finding a new trail or back road, and I am still discovering them. That is one of the best parts of being a real estate agent, I have a reason to travel down roads that most people drive past.

As a resident I fully understand why people live here and why they want to move here. For some it is the dream of a new home set back in the woods, others want a historic home with a barn to try their hand at farming, horse owners want land to graze their horses on with nearby trails that are great for riding, and some want to live where they grew up.

Whatever your motives rural southern RI can meet your needs and I can guide you through the home-buying process.

This blog is intended to show residents, non-residents and future residents all this area has to offer. It will cover local events, people, residential information, weather, programs and of course local housing trends and the properties and homes that are on the market or have been on the market.