Cool. Great tips.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I hated living in Fox Point despite liking to visit. No crime issues, but the proximity to neighbors always kept me up, along with the rampant new construction. I found that even the small yards in other neighborhoods really buffered these annoyances.

Also odd question, but what do you recommend for first floor units with no temperature control? Removing ac units all the time seems difficult and they are often wet from condensation. Just genuinely wondering how people you know have resolved the safety concerns.

Just for reference, 2019 prices are way out of date. Website shows that is now the price of a 1 bedroom there (so still in OPs price range, but for context).

Hey OP, a lot of the neighborhoods mentioned here are a mixed bag depending on the street and preferences-- like I assume you mean South on Fricker but not North on Fricker from the schools. Considering your current neighborhood you hated, I would strongly recommend you do not buy as your next move since finding the right neighborhood right now feels like guesswork(I'm going to assume you're new to the area). I've seen people come on here and complain because they have a mortgage in a neighborhood they hate.

I would also recommend you avoid Smith Hill, the west end might still give you anxiety still due to this experience, and South Providence. Don't get me wrong, these are fine neighborhoods but its not a guarantee you will be happy if you dislike the area you are currently in and they can vary a lot within the neighborhood. If you do choose one of these neighborhoods, I would spend time there to get a vibe of whether it is for you or not since you have so long to keep browsing.

Elmhurst and the East Side or surrounding towns are probably the best bet, but if you're testing to buy then Elmhurst is most likely to still be in budget along with areas like EP.

I also have to wonder if you have a more expensive car given the damages you quoted (but I realize they might have just done some bizarre/expensive stuff). I will say that in some neighborhoods an expensive or new car doesn't blend in well and might be targeted more. For example, a Tesla or a BMW residential parking on the west end would stick out, but on the East side is ultra common.

Let's not forget that the South water bike lane was hugely contentious for the businesses because of parking.

He's quite popular with realtors as his husband is the (I believe) top selling real estate agent on the East Side.

So, yeah, popular with those groups is definitely accurate.

Yeah it's weird for an article not to be composed of entirely hyperlink loops to their other articles. They still don't pose any solutions here and it sounds like in each situation the administration handled it well and didn't brush it under the rug (ironically if they had GoLocal wouldn't have any info to sensationalize). Providence has something like 25,000 students to put this into context and charters vary.

It's also worth noting (in case anyone reading this reply is confused) that the charter issues (which I hadn't hear until now) operate completely independently of Providence Public.

Electric heat costs are pretty wild. I've heard friends quote some insane costs over the years, so with the rate hikes, $400 sounds possible.

It's worth noting that RIE gave some kind of financial credit to everyone that obscured the true cost of the bill recently. It shouldn't have made that much of a difference, but perhaps the credit and the warm days in fall can explain the difference.

Do you have neighbors you can compare with? are you a first floor hooked up to the water heater?

I also recommend against turning off the heat altogether in the evenings or certain rooms. Many leases list a minimum thermostat temperature like 55 to avoid risking frozen pipe damage.

Unfortunately, many of the best FHA options (most likely to choose FHA) are probably the least able to qualify for the conditions of the loans. I assume the less problematic properties are still going to the stronger offers. I have friends who had similar challenges with VA loans in 2020, though, I think it's great both programs try to avoid financing possible money pits.

There is a semblance of a story here, but its hard to find seeped in how dramatized this is.

There seems to be two loosely related parts that GoLocal is:

1. violence is increasing in ppsd(?) They don't seem to make this claim directly probably because they don't have any clear data to sort this out. So they just vaguely refer to certain violence.

2. Teacher vacancy (This is an issue, but there are arguably 100 other reasons contributing to this. I'd be willing to wager that this is probably not even top 5 given the scathing coverage the district gets in other areas). Safety is an issue at every school, including the other districts in the state that break up fights and confiscate items.

But let's say that it is probably true that some Providence schools have more issues with safety than other schools (and some teachers and students feel unsafe). So what's the solution? Don't expect it from GoLocal. They're just going to ask 100 rhetorical questions under the guise of safety, but really in a way that incites fear about the local community.

I encourage you all to volunteer with local organizations that let you meet community members and youth. Stories like this just create divison here.

Finding an apartment is miserable. You're gonna get the standard advice (and sort by "new"). I want to also add that I have a friend who moves states every few months and has had good luck with places like Sublet (.com) which might tide you over until you get to know neighborhoods. It is also is a huge help for her when it comes to making connections in the area. There are not a ton of postings here, but I've seen a handful and they are pretty affordable (700-800 due to many roommates).

Also, I would encourage you to be open to Feb options in case a particularly good option pops up. I was looking a few months out, but ended up renting a month earlier because I knew I found the best option. With low vacancy, I saw a lot of people getting desperate because they had to be somewhere and 30 days wasn't enough time-- it was really heartbreaking to see (group showings/ open house thimgs).

I would encourage you to talk to someone sooner (and be honest about your intentions of just browsing at this point). For example, if FHA is a non-starter you'll want to know as soon as possible because you will need to be saving for a better down payment. Realtors who know the area closely should be able to give you an idea of where you'd have the best shot of FHA for your desired size and budget (or if its even a possibility).

Maybe reach out to Rhode Island HUD as I think they offer free counseling on this kind of thing.

Such important points (though, of not OP someone else will still jump at the inflated price). I saw the same multifamily switch hands 3x in under a year (1 flip, the second buyers did nothing but raise the price 100k and relist in a few months).

Hey OP, I see you're mentioning FHA. I would speak with an agent about your hope to use FHA and for a multifamily. FHA is a great program, but it seems like it is extremely hard to use since the pandemic (according to some friends in real estate). The competition is still there, so your offer will be much tougher of a sell against offers with 20% down. From my understanding, the multifamily market is still competitive since rents are astronomical here. It doesn't mean it can't happen, but you might want to evaluate your options.

Also, I'd do some research into FHA (if you haven't already). For example, I have friends who did a multifamily on FHA pre pandemic and this impacted their ability to refinance for a lower rate or move when their family got bigger because it was under 5 years. They're doing well, but it does have some conditions.

Just be aware that Oak Hill is pricey-- like East side on slight sale. You probably wouldn't be looking into a multifamily for less than 700k.

Pawtucket across from the interstate probably has some better deals to be had.

I've eaten at Not Just Snacks on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas on years I didn't have more traditional plans. There is no place in Providence more reliably open than Not Just Snacks. The prices are superb, the food is good, and the staff is crazy nice.

The Sep 1st thing is exclusively a Boston phenomena. No other cities, as far as I've ever heard, have such a bizarre seasonal operating transition (and I've lived in much bigger college towns that still didnt operate like that).

The rental signs are hit or miss. For example, the Biledou rental signs in Wayland square have been there since I moved here a decade ago. Some get changed out or are temporary, but a lot are permanent fixtures on properties that may or may not have openings.

All that matters is that you sort by new. Anything more than a few days old is going to be a dead listing, overpriced, or have some serious red flags (why wouldnt the first 100 people who emailed in the first 3 weeks according to the listing have filled it?).

The park entrance isn't super far. Maybe like an 8 minute walk. Admittedly, I've only done it during Halloween or summer but it's super easy and I just parked on the residential street outside the main entrance.

I'm not sure what the traffic is like for this event, but if its anything like the Halloween one you shouldn't call the uber from the entrance.

Walk outside of the park and call it from the neighborhood. Driving into the park in these events is usually slower than walking.

People are arguing about the methodology, but this is the big takeaway. The salaries here are low and the rents are astronomical (and this is not historically the case here pre-pandemic). Not everyone can work remotely in six figure jobs-- a lot of people work in the state, for the state, or do everyday things to keep the state running. The goal isn't to retrain these people into software engineers because the city still needs janitors, chefs, plumbers, teachers, and nurses to show up in person.

What's weird is conversations on here and in real life either oscillate that Providence is "super cheap" or "unfathomably expensive". I hear both of these things every day and it's hard to believe people in this city are living such different realities based on circumstance.

Providence is going to have some really rough growing pains the next few years that are going to suck for everyone when the working class gets priced out because those people run this city.

This has always been the case. I'd say 2018-ish there was an article about how 1 to 2 bedrooms are within about $100 of each other here. The price wasn't this bad, but the range has always been extremely narrow.

Because the median income is around $130,000. This is compared to 81k for boston and Providence at.....55k lol. According to google, median 1 bedroom in SF is around 3k (again just all google quick results) but salary median being nearly 2.5x compared to here.

Genuine question: is it ever open when you walk your dog? I've been there many times and it's always completely random because they don't abide by the listed hours on Google. It seems even less predictable since covid. These days, if I'm in the area I will drive past and get food if it's open, but I seem to have a 20% success rate. I'm usually genuinely surprised to see that it's open and walk in like I don't quite believe it.

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It's just worth mentioning to OP how unpredictable the hours are, but is it better in the daytime?

According to Google, it was the Loft. All I remember is that it had the coat check, DJ, dancing, and Bottle service you'd expect to actually see. Only time I've ever seen anything resembling that kind of set up in Providence, but it looks like there was some kind of issue with the city and they shut it down (only time I ever hear clubs mentioned here is when the city is trying to pull a license).

I think that the city probably finds the lack of clubs a feature and not a bug. There are rarely more than a handful of bars which close late and are located near each other and even rarer that those bars all offer dancing. My hometown (different state) had a club district exclusively made of bars and it was always a huge mess to dump 100s of drunk people out on the same street at 2am.

I would not hedge your bets on Western, MA. I have heard that even central MA is costing a fortune these days and so when Amherst is unaffordable, everyone who can't afford to live in Amherst for their jobs will be cramming into the remaining 1 hour of the state to commute. Then, you're moving into the territory of Albany where, you guessed it, costs are exploding.

This family is homeless which means it will take them several years to get on their feet (especially with a relocation) and sending them to western MA would just be buying them enough time to get priced out again. This story is necessary to highlight the exploding inequality in this state.