Watch Rebecca Lister, Rental Manager at Residential Properties Ltd. give a walk through of Rosedale Landing in Edgewood, RI. Rosedale Landing is luxury waterfront living with picturesque views of Narragansett Bay. Contact Rebecca for more information.

Ever wonder what your real estate agent does when not showing houses on weekends, evenings, and every other waking moment? Well, Residential Properties has some very active and competitive people. During the last three days, we had some great accomplishments.

There were two golf tournaments in the blistering heat on Monday for the Realtors of Rhode Island. The 17th KWAOR Annual Charity Golf Tournament was held at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown, RI. Our IT Director, Tom Flanagan, joined the East Greenwich team led by manager Cheryl Eley. They were joined by Sheila Harrington of Harrington & Rhodes, Ltd. and another friend of Cheryl. They didn’t enter into the leader board, but had a great time anyway. Proceeds from the event benefited the South County Habitat for Humanity and Habitat for Humanity West Bay and Northern RI.

The Northern RI Board of Realtors held their 3rd Annual Golf Tournament at the Crystal Lake Golf Club in Burrillville, RI. Cumberland sales agent, Debby Smith, was the co-chair of this event. Residential Properties fielded two full teams and a husband of an agent joined the third.

The Residential Properties Men’s team won the tournament. The team included agent Katie Baker’s husband, Gary, sons – Trent and Grant, and agent Doug McKinnon of the McKinnon team. The Women’s team, which was comprised of three agents, Anne Carey, Anne’s sister Marcia Clayton, Doreen LeBlanc and Anastasia Kaufman, also made a fine showing. Anastasia’s husband, Brian, played in another team of three people.

In other athleticism, our own COO, Libby Isaacson, put on a great personal performance in the Narragansett 5 mile run placing 4th in her bracket. This non-profit road race supported the Bobby Doyle Scholarships and the Bobby Doyle youth running fund.

So, when the conversation lags about homes or neighborhoods, you might want to ask about their hobbies. The answer may surprise you.

Watch Libby Isaacson, Chief Operating Officer for Residential Properties Ltd. discuss the 2nd quarter 2009 market report. Libby discusses the state of the market and some of the trends we’ve discovered over the past few months.

It’s the middle of August and finally summer seems to be here. There are several great events this weekend for everyone to enjoy. Make sure you check them out.

1. Bobby Doyle Summer Classic
When: Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 5pm
Where: Narragansett Pier School (Narragansett, RI)
This non-profit road race is a 5 mile course that supports the Bobby Doyle Scholarships and the Bobby Doyle youth running fund. Medals will be given out to the first 700 finishers and cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 men and women overall. Come out to Narragansett to enjoy a wonderful summer event and cheer for Residential Properties’ COO
Libby Isaacson!

2. Ocean State Circus Performers
Where: Providence Children’s Museum
When: Friday, August 14,2009 5pm-8pm
If you are looking for a fun and FREE activity to do with  the kids this weekend look no further. Kids will learn how to juggle, ride a unicycle and balance objects on the tip of their nose.

3. 11th Annual Newport Storm Luau
Where: Fort Adams Park (Newport, RI)
When: Saturday, August 15, 2009 5-10pm
Cost: $15 at the door until sold out (Must be 21+)
Have you wanted to travel to tropical Hawaii this summer, but did not get the chance? The Coastal Extreme Brewing Company is presenting the event to benefit the Fort Adams Trust. At the event will be Polynesian dancers, the Jason Colonies Band, Fire Gypsy, and Roots Reaction Reggae just to name a few.

4. Flutterby: Butterflies in Bloom at Roger Williams Park Zoo
Where: Roger Williams Park Zoo
Cost: $12 adults $6 children plus$3 adults $2 children (ages 3-12) for the butterfly exhibit
Visit the zoo to check out the miraculous colors that fill the sky when butterflies emerge from their cocoons. You will get the chance to walk around the beautiful greenhouse filled with our country’s most tantalizing butterfly species.

5. Hall of Fame Champions Cup
Where: Tennis Hall of Fame (Newport, RI)
When: August 20-23
Cost: Tickets as low as $20
This is actually next weekend but the tournament starts on Thursday. It features 8 tennis champions competing for $150,000 in prize money. An extremely fan-friendly event held on the legendary grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Afterward, you can check out the beaches or the mansions next to Salve Regina university.

Many of our agents are very devoted to their pets and we know that many clients share the same feelings. Our Cumberland office recently published an advertisement in the Valley Breeze which includes their pets in the photo opportunity. The dogs not only got along, but also upstaged their owners as they always do.

In addition to being cute, this branding message helped the company to illustrate that pets are an integral part of some buyers’ and sellers’ families. Safety for all pets during the showing process is paramount, and following instructions from sellers concerning doors or gates is rule number one. We do sometimes suggest that if pets are overly protective of their homes, that the sellers take pets with them during showings.

When working with buyer clients that are pet owners, we find out their needs as far as property size, street traffic, and fencing requirements. If a home does not have a suitable fenced yard, invisible fencing can be explored as an option.

When working with clients looking to rent a home or apartment, an agent can help to explore and negotiate leases to insure that pets are accepted. This applies to condo associations as well. Oftentimes, lessors often require information about the type, breed and size of a pet, so it is helpful to have that information on hand for your Realtor’s use.

During the process of creating this blog post, we came up with a list of pet-friendly resources in the area:

Pet Friendly Hotels
Hotels in the area that offer pet friendly services include The Westin Providence, The Hilton Providence, The Hotel Providence, and The Providence Marriott Downtown. For more pet-friendly accommodations check out pet-friendly travel lodging.

Pet Friendly Restaurants
Many restaurants offer outdoor seating and welcome pets. Trinity Brewhouse, Amy’s Place, and Cable Car Cinema & Cafe are just three of many establishments in Providence. Some even provide water and treats. There are many other pet-friendly restaurants across the Ocean State that welcome pets with open arms.

Dog Parks
In Providence alone, there are a few off-leash dog parks, such as the Gano Street dog park. Check out the Providence Dog Park Association for more details.

Traveling with Your Pet
There is a new Pet Only airline offering First Class Pet travel where they fly in the main cabin and not in cargo. Their website is www.petairways.com. If your pet can get to New York, they can fly out in
style.  This service is not yet available in RI or Boston.