News

This November, let the REALTOR^® Foundation: RI know about the details of your office charity initiatives for a chance to win $1000 for your non-profit! In honor of Giving Tuesday, November 30^th, the REALTOR^® Foundation: RI is asking RIAR member offices to send us details about their charitable events for the holidays. Not only will we share the news through RI REALTORS^® communication channels, but your charity will be entered into a drawing to win $1000!

What would you do if a seller or landlord client said this to you? “I didn’t like the looks of those buyers.” “What kind of last name is that?” “They don’t belong in this neighborhood.” “What would the neighbors think if they moved in?” “I won’t rent (or sell) to [member of a protected class, including race, color, Section 8, familial status.] Rhode Island law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, familial status, sexual orientation, source of income, and more, yet discrimination still happens.

Warwick, RI – October 20, 2021 -- Residential property prices in Rhode Island continued to escalate in the third quarter, though the first signs of a slowing housing market became apparent. Data released today by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors showed that at $385,000, the median price of single-family homes sold from July through September was 15 percent higher than that of the third quarter of 2020 and reached an all-time quarterly high.

The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS® Executive Committee has approved changes to the RIAR Referral Agreement and the Post Inspection Agreement, which was previously called the Repair Addendum.  These changes will be made available to all authorized forms vendors on October 15, 2021.  Keep in mind that some vendors post changes within a week or two while others take a month or longer.

On October 1^st, FEMA began phasing in a new flood insurance pricing system called Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action. Through a two-phase process, rate changes took effect for new flood insurance policies on Oct. 1, 2021, and for existing policy renewals on April 1, 2022. 

On September 30th, the RI Association of Realtors hosted Speaker Joseph Shekarchi for an open discussion at RIAR on issues impacting housing in the Ocean State. The Speaker answered questions and touched on several issues, foremost among them, Rhode Island’s housing shortage.