That’s where the College Hill Neighborhood Association in conjunction with Hope High School’s “Project NEED” has stepped in to assist. This Saturday’s program you can drop off those electronic devices in the parking lot on Olney Street just off of Hope Street. On hand will be Metech Recycling to collect the products and securely begin their journey to new products.

Privacy and identity is one of the major concerns we all have when it comes to recycling computers and cell phones. What happens to my data on the machine? Can some identity thief purchase the items and then syphon off the critical data? That’s why Metech Recycling is helping in this event. They are an expert at removing and shredding that data before the old equipment gets into the wrong hands. It can be done, and they are a Certified e-Stewards® Recycler.

NEED (which stands for National Energy Educational Development project) designs and delivers curriculum and support for virtually any classroom and at any grade level. It is a 30 year old program growing from the National Energy Education Day, started by a joint congressional resolution during the Carter presidency.

Residential Properties is supporting this effort through our Providence and Cumberland offices and Leslie Kellogg, an agent in the providence office, is leading the charge as a member of the CHNA. Please contact her if you have questions.

WHAT: A four-bedroom, two and a half bath home in Scituate
HOW MUCH: $625,000
SIZE: 3,500 square feet
SETTING: The home is in Northern Scituate, just over fifteen miles west of downtown Providence. The community is rural; known for its apple orchards, hearty farms, and stone walls, and major fall art festival. The dominant geographical feature is the Scituate Reservoir—the largest freshwater body of water in the state, with forests and ponds filling the rest of the landscape. The property is about five miles away from the historic village of North Scituate—known for its annual art festival over Columbus Day Weekend.
INSIDE: The home itself is a historic reproduction of the 1683 Parson Capen House in Topsfield, MA. The house is done in the post and beam style, and incorporates wide brick fireplaces, hardwood floors, and paneled walls into the design. The living room, dining room, kitchen, library, and family room are on the entry level. The four bedrooms are upstairs, and there is a study on the third floor. Several of the rooms have built in bookshelves.
OUTDOOR SPACE: The home sits on 1.58 acres. There is a large stone patio and a bird bath. A walkway weaves throughout the gardens.

WHAT: A four bedroom, three and a half bath townhouse in the Wayland Square neighborhood of Providence
HOW MUCH: $639,000
SIZE: 3,900 square feet
SETTING: This building is in the affluent Wayland Square neighborhood of the East Side. The neighborhood, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, features a mix of colonial revival architecture and Queen Ann style houses. The building is within five bocks of Wayland Square, a commercial area lined with restaurants and shops, amidst residential homes. It’s also three blocks from Blackstone Boulevard, a 1.7 mile green space for jogging and walking, and about half a mile from Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.
INSIDE: This unit, a townhouse, is one of only two in the 1915 building. The interior features hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, and crowned moldings. The entire building has been renovated within the last two years, including the kitchen, washer, dryer, bathrooms, windows. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the entry level. Three of the unit’s bedrooms are on the second level, and the fourth is on the third floor. There is a sitting room on the lower level.
OUTDOOR SPACE: There is a common area outside with a large stone patio and white gazebo.

WHAT: A four-bedroom, four bath historic farmhouse in North Kingstown’s Harborview Farm Preserve.
HOW MUCH: $650,000
SIZE: 3,687
SETTING: This house is in a private compound less than five minutes from Calf Pasture Beach and the Quidnesset Golf and Country Club. Goddard Park—about four miles away—features a nine hole golf course, a horse barn where the public can rent and ride horses, a beach with a bathhouse, sprawling open fields, and a carousel building for functions. Wickford Village—about ten miles away—is anchored by a natural harbor lined with historic buildings and locally owned shops, galleries and restaurants.
INSIDE: The house was built in 1800, and recent renovations accent the original hardwoods, five fireplaces, and exposed beams. The home now includes skylights, kitchen-and-bathroom updates, and central air, along with a new roof and heating system. The living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen are on the entry level. All four bedrooms are on the second floor. The master bedroom has a fireplace.
OUTDOOR SPACE: The lot is on well over three fourths of an acre, surrounded by stone walls and wooden fences. There’s a backyard patio, accessible from the family room. There are views of the fields in every direction.

Residential Properties offices collected at four different locations this year – Providence, at the Stop and Shop on Branch Avenue and the Eastside Marketplace on Pitman, the Stop and Shop on Mendon Road in Cumberland, and inside the Warwick Mall.

Our team has entered into several charitable endeavors this holiday season, as we have in the past years. We are proud that our agents are actively involved in so many diverse organizations, such as the ‘adopt a family’ drives and this small but important role manning the pots. It seems we always recognize the giving during the end of the year, but the tireless commitments made every day by all of our associates is indicative of their resolve to be part of each community.

Residential Properties, Ltd. and  Smith & Associates are members of The Active Enterprise Network, a union of privately-held real estate companies across the country that share information and strategy as well as a unified technology platform.

Real Estate in the Year 2030

Welcome to the year 2030…

I pull into the driveway of my dream home in my 100% hydrogen powered car, iPad 21 in hand, ready to sign the contract and call it my own.  At exactly 2:30pm (yes, Realtors are on time in this fictional age), a highly anticipated vibration comes from my iPad and a hologram replica of my vacationing Real Estate agent pops up (Yoda style) to tell me that as soon as we conference in our Title closer, we are ready to sign the papers.  The closer chimes in and the contract appears in unison on the shiny glass screen.  With the click of a few buttons and my autograph via tiny black stylus, 10% of the purchase price is removed from my bank account and I am officially a home owner.

I walk up the perfectly kept sidewalk to the door, swipe my pre-programmed fingerprint and I am granted access.  The blinds open, lights come on & air conditioning is automatically set to the temperature of my preference before I even have time to put down my purse.  I am a bit startled the first few times I am greeted with “Welcome Mrs. Campbell” upon entry but it eventually grows on me & I feel a bit sorry for the previous generations that missed out on these luxuries.  It is the year 2030.  I am a proud member of Generation Z and now I am home.

In All Reality…

While some of these ideas may seem a bit far fetched (and loosely based off of various Sci-Fi movies from my previous years), it is an indisputable fact that our world is rapidly advancing technologically and the Real Estate Industry is going with the flow.

You can’t walk into an Apple store without noticing that their checkout methods are unbelievably efficient – using nothing but a small scanner attached to an iPod Touch with the option to have your receipt magically appear under the closest table or emailed to you.  Customers with an iPhone 4 or above can even download an “EasyPay” app that will guide them through self checkout, avoiding the process altogether.  This is only a small glimpse into the future of electronic transactions, making contracts via iPhone & hologram meetings seem closer than we may have thought.

How Can You Prepare for the Future?

One of the biggest pieces of advice that can be offered is to adapt.  It is much easier to grow with technology then to try to pick it up mid swing, when you can no longer operate without it, which is a problem many generations currently face.   Attend classes, sign up for technology based newsletters, follow both Real Estate & technical blogs, take advantage of Social Media outlets including Facebook, Twitter & Google+ to ensure you are reaching out to as broad of a network as possible, have clients write Google reviews after your transactions to boost your credibility,  invest in a Smartphone (among other beneficial gadgets) and lastly, never get too comfortable because technology isn’t stagnant so we can’t be either.

I don’t have a DeLorean to steer us into the year 2030, but I have dreams, ideas and projections of an ever changing world.  I would however, also like to think that even though technology will continue to advance through our lives, trends will always come back around (except for some poor style choices that should probably stay lost in the 80s).  Staying up to date on the latest gadgets and Social Media will always be imperative to your business but never forget your roots.  Hand written notes, cards, phone calls and common courtesy may not be what closes the deal but they can definitely set you apart from your competition.

What is your take on the year 2030 and how do you think the Real Estate industry will change?  Are you ready?

By Kortney Campbell, of Smith & Associates, serving Tampa Real Estate, is a proud participant in the Holiday Blog Swap, presented by The Active Enterprise Network.

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More article on Real Estate in 2030 found here: Residential Properties, Helen Adams Realty, Murney Associates, Windermere Tri Cities, Reinhart Realtors, The Group, inc., Hasson Company, McEnearney Associates, N.T. Callaway, and LandVest.

These days, downsizing does not necessarily mean a smaller or less expensive home, instead the concern is lifestyle. Baby Boomers make up a significant amount of home buyers, especially in Rhode Island. These people, now between 47 and 65 years old, are “younger”, healthier and have more disposable income than the previous generations. As they switch residences, they move into areas that satisfy their cultural and social interests. Residing in a walkable town filled with arts, entertainment, great restaurants and a lively atmosphere, like college towns, is extremely appealing to this generation.

Many of these buyers are searching for certain amenities in their homes, as well as location. They are in pursuit of homes with higher quality features, lower maintenance and proximity to public transportation and health care. In addition, features which they may not have worried about before now, are of growing concern. A universal design which generally offers single story living, accessibility and maneuverability have become of great importance.

The ideas of convenience and lifestyle are making cities and tight knit communities the destinations of choice for the downsizing community. To hear more about this in depth, be sure to tune into The Money Pro$ this Sunday the 11th at 11:30 on Fox Providence.

One of the major events being featured is the Holiday Lantern Tour. The tour is designed to illustrate how the holidays were celebrated in the colonial era. Tour-Goers will be guided through historic Newport and learn the rich history of one of the most important places in Rhode Island. These run every Friday and Saturday evening starting at 4:30 pm through December 23rd and is a great way to start a festive weekend. The Newport Historical Society allows members to receive a discounted price in efforts to increase involvement within the organization.

In addition to the lantern tour, NHS has other educational events this December including the “Discover Colonial Newport” and “Working Waterfront” walking tours.  By learning more about Newport, the society hopes to brighten your days as you help to preserve and celebrate the history of this great city by the sea.

Reservations are strongly encouraged as these events tend to book quickly. Call now or visit the website to secure your spot to enjoy a weekend in Newport and preserve our state’s history.

Architecture for Humanity has helped people and communities in countries like Haiti, Japan and South Africa, as well as, in the United States, focusing on keeping places safe and sustainable by rebuilding communities, alleviating poverty and creating spaces that aid in community causes. The Providence Chapter is a new group of the global organization which is a network of architects, designers, and other building professionals working to brings design, construction and development services to communities in need. To kick start their efforts, the local group has a different initiative with its “Holiday Wish List Exhibition”. This program is asking members of the Providence community to submit 2-D artwork or photography of a property which you wish to be renovated, transformed, or re-purposed. The details needed with the submission are enumerated on their website. All submissions should be emailed or mailed to the address on the Architecture for Humanity, Providence Chapter’s website by December 15th. They will be displayed on the 19th of December.

Though the architecture group is new to Providence, the city has been a national leader in preservation through an organization that was founded by some astute women back in 1956. The Providence Preservation Society offers many programs and each year they showcase some of the historic deliverances which have occurred over the past 50 plus years. This past Sunday, I had James Brayton Hall, executive Director of PPS, on my radio show to discuss aspects of preservation in Providence. We talked on items from their Ten Most Endangered Properties program, to his vision of saving neighborhoods one building at a time, to their upcoming Benefit Street event this Saturday, December 3, 2011. You can hear a free podcast of the show via itunes.

This weekend you should make it a date to enjoy a collection of gems, which make Providence so unique, by attending The Providence Preservation Society’s “Benefit Street Holiday” event. Ticket holders will be guided through historic homes and shops on Benefit Street, learning about the significant collection of architecture, while enjoy festive decorations, storytelling, and celebrations. And there are activities for everyone in the family.

Preserving our community is the best way we can build a better future. Whether you want to bask in the glory of past renovations, or get involved in proposing new projects, this December is a great time to start.

A few weeks ago, we blogged about the Woonsocket Adopt-A-Family. The group provides gifts and toys to children of needy families, and two Residential Properties agents―Sandra Soares and Janice Geddes―are actively involved. Their goal is to deliver a message of hope to those youngsters who might not get to have a traditional holiday celebration, and we think this is an admirable aim.

While the organization has matched 1,400 children with donors this year, they are still in need of volunteers to provide for the remaining 472 children. If the group cannot find additional volunteers, this will be the first time in nine years that they have had to turn families away. If you would like to help bring the holidays to those less fortunate, contact Sandy Soares at ssoares@residentialproperties.com

The RPL Providence office is also getting in on the holiday giving. For the past four years, the office has worked with the Salvation Army on Broad Street to bring gifts to children in need. Organized by agent Sandy Conca, the office has delivered almost everything requested in years past, and looks forward to doing the same in 2011. If you would like to contribute to this initiative, contact Sandy Conca at sconca@residentialproperties.com

Video is a perfect medium for the real estate industry. It is a great way to showcase our neighborhoods and the communities of our beautiful little State.

We recently partnered with WellcomeMat, a video hosting solution specifically for the real estate industry, to deliver our video content.

I am excited to announce that we have launched a brand new video gallery that showcases all of our videos. Our new video gallery enables users to create playlists and browse through our different categories and best of all, our videos are cross-platform and can be viewed on all devices including the iPhone, iPad and Android!

We’re really excited about taking our videos to the next level and hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Our latest property video is of 49 Carousel Drive in East Providence. It’s a beautiful waterfront home on Bullock’s Cove listed by Caroline Butterfield. Check it out and let us know what you think by leaving us a comment below!

We especially enjoyed the birthday cake competition and the food truck face-off between Poco Loco Tacos, Hewtin’s Dogs, Mama Kim’s Korean BBQ, and Haven Brothers.
Just because the official celebration has ended, we don’t need to stop celebrating. There are a bunch of fun, albeit seasonal events going on in the Capital City for the next month. This Friday, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is playing at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Even more, the Providence Performing Arts Center has Festival Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker coming up in early December, and Trinity Rep’s annual rendition of the Christmas Carol started last week and continues on until December 20th.

These performances are just a few examples of the culture Providence offers. And that culture is something we’re thankful for.