Dad’s Favorite Spots
June 18, 2011
With the United States celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday, and recent events for Boston’s professional teams, like the Bruins’ Stanley Cup win on Wednesday, or the current Red Sox’ streak of wins, is there ever a better time to feature prime spaces to kick back and watch the game? That’s right, we’ve scoured our current inventory of homes to find fantastic media/recreation rooms. (I’ll stay politically correct and not use the colloquial term.) Some of these have made our property videos, and here are some favorites.
The luxurious and classic is the Billiard Room. We found one in Cumberland and the current owners have furnished this room with a pool table (thus the label “Billiard Room”). However, the space has wooden detailing with exquisite built-ins, perfectly sized for a big screen TV and the space could have many uses.
A similar atmosphere can be found in Smithfield. Here, a finished basement offers a spacious Great Room and Home Theater. The Great Room has an elegantly crafted built-in wet bar, which is why the current owners chose to mount plasma TVs in the room and furnish it with a poker table. In the theater section, a movie screen drops from the ceiling with the press of a button which highlights some some great gadgetry.
And over on the East Side of Providence, we found a recreational sanctuary in a basement in the form of an enormous Club Room and Media Room/Home Theater. The Club Room has beautiful wooden detailing and moldings as well as a wet bar. Of course, there is the ubiquitous plasma TV over the exquisite fireplace – an excellent idea. The theater has as large a screen as possible for the room, and the electronics are neatly stored in built-in cabinetry. The dimmer controlled lighting over movie posters is a great touch.
These are well done spaces, but wherever your favorite spot is, let’s hope you have a great weekend.
Real Estate Insight Discusses Inviting Lincoln Home
June 4, 2011
This week on my radio show, Steve and I will be in the studio with Chris Hannifan, executive director of the Housing Network of Rhode Island. This organization is a state association of 20 non-profit community development corporations. Founded in 1992, the Housing Network’s members have created thousands of affordable-housing units throughout the state and initiated a number of revitalization efforts in neighborhoods across Rhode Island. We will also speak with an agent in our Cumberland Office, John Bessette, who will be featuring a great affordable home in Lincoln.
The grounds are beautifully landscaped and would be ideal for those who enjoy gardening.
Lincoln is a scenic town in Northern Rhode Island, located on the Blackstone River. Chase Farm is a beautifully preserved historic dairy farm in that is now a green space and is used for a variety of the towns outdoor activities. The town is also home of one of the areas great treasures, Lincoln Woods, which offers activities such as swimming at the fresh water beach, trout fishing, hiking, horseback riding or just relaxing in the shade.
More information on the home and the area can be found on the Residential Properties website.
See the Historic Homes of Providence
May 21, 2011
The Providence Preservation Society’s Festival of Historic Homes has been a Providence favorite for the past 32 years. Each Spring, this city-wide preservation organization opens selected historic homes to the public, allowing locals to enjoy the remarkable real estate that makes Providence unique. Recent tours have been based in areas such as the West Side’s Stimson Avenue, and the Wayland Square and Fox Point neighborhoods on the East Side. In fact, my home was featured in 2008! This year’s event is especially exciting because the Boulevard is a highly visible area in Providence, due to the popular walking path that extends down the center. For more information on this upcoming event, visit the Providence Preservation Society website.
Attesting to its worth, 2 George Street has also been on several of the PPS walking tours. Built at perhaps the best location on the entire East Side, this home is right at the heart of one of Providence’s most popular cultural hubs. Set at the corner of Benefit and George Streets, the property is within walking distance to downtown, Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Providence Art Club, the RISD Art Museum, and the Providence Athenaeum, as well as the Hope and University Clubs. The home was built it 1814 for Eliza Ward by her father and this spectacular brick Georgian has been beautifully preserved inside and out. With unique attributes such as antique French hand-painted wallpaper and a beautiful courtyard, the property is truly one of a kind. These are only some of the many merits of 2 George Street, but you can view the whole list on the property’s website.
Real Estate Insight Discusses Waterfront Haven in Conimicut
April 16, 2011
This week on my radio show, I’ll be in the studio with Billy Whitty from Homestar Mortgage and Architect Lisa Foster from Reconstructure LLC. Coming from a Providence based interior architecture and design firm, Lisa will discuss how an architect can add value to a remodeling project, and the importance of design. In addition, Rich Morin, an agent from our East Greenwich Office, will feature a great listing on the water in Conimicut.
This gorgeous, fully updated home on the water in Conimicut is a truly special property. Five to six years ago, the house was completely gutted and remodelled to showcase the stunning views of Narragansett Bay.
With an open floor plan, stainless appliances, hardwoods and new windows, this property is perfect whether entertaining or relaxing. The downstairs could be used for single level living, but the upstairs bedrooms are desirable as well; boasting fireplaces, water views, and a large upper deck.
Conimicutt is a historic bayside village that strives to provide an aesthetically pleasing, safe and active living environment for residents. With a quaint but thriving village center and a close proximity to historic Pawtuxet Village, this spot is one of Rhode Island’s hidden gems. Close to T.F. Green and an easy commute to downtown Providence, Conimicut provides an oasis for individuals who desire a life surrounded by natural resources.
Rich Morin has extensive experience in construction and investment properties, and has been involved in various aspects of real estate and home building for over 20 years. He is also involved with Legacy Custom Homes, a company which emphasizes green building practices. Although he grew up in Lincoln, Richard currently lives in East Greenwich with his wife and two daughters.
Real Estate Insight Discusses Secluded Scituate Post and Beam
April 10, 2011
There has been a lot of commentary about how low appraised values have killed sales. There is some truth to this, but it certainly does not paint the whole picture, and yesterday on my radio show Rich and Steve were in studio with Jim Houle from James Houle & Associates, a full service Real Estate Appraisal and Consulting firm based in Portsmouth, RI. They were joined by John Bessette from our Cumberland Office who profiled an amazing 4 bedroom Post and Beam home in Scituate, which is a reproduction of a historic home from the late 1600’s. Unique properties like this can often be a challenge for appraisers, so Jim gave us some insight into the methodology for appraising unique and historic homes.
Located in the western part of Rhode Island, Scituate is an easy commute to Providence, New London, and Worcester. The juried Art Festival has an exceptional reputation, attracting over 200,000 people annually amist the striking fall foliage. The sprawling forests, expansive stone walls, and massive reservoir all help make this local the picturesque New England village you will love.
John Bessette is a lifelong resident of Cumberland with over 30 years of sales experience and prides himself on going the extra mile for his clients. He has served as a member of the Cumberland Zoning Board for 13 years and was a member of the Cumberlandfest Steering Committee for 10 years.
- Comments Off
- Full Story