Is Narragansett Pier the place to buy a second home (Newport: rental homes, houses)

[elisemarie]

HELP!

We have been looking for a summer/weekend home for quite awhile in the Pier area of Narragansett. Now that I think we have found a house we like, I'm beginning to have second thoughts. My questions are:

1) Is the Pier area (Central, Gibson, Boon streets, etc) a nice place for second home owners or is it filled with either year-round residents or weekly renters?

2) Should we be considering other parts of Rhode Island?

We are looking for a real summer community where people own a summer home and go to it every weekend rather than just rent it out. We love the Pier b/c you can walk to so many things. But I'm now begining to worry that it might be filled with either full-time residents and/or weekly residents whereas we are looking for a summer community where the same families come every week and keep coming back year after year...so not transient.

Thanks for any guidance that you can provide!

[beautyprevails]

there are a lot of people who own homes that are vacant in the winter. They only spend time in the summer. My friend lives down there and says that the town is awesome in the winter because the full timers have it all to themselves but then "all the rich people invade during the summer" according to him. I do not know firsthand though

M

[elisemarie]

I guess I would love a mix of summer people and year rounders since it's hard to be the only summer/weekend person if everyone else lives there full time. We're really trying to find a neighborhood/town that offers a great summer community along with lots of places to walk to (the beach, playgrounds, restaurants, movie thater, etc).

Any other RI people with opinions on Narragansett vs other parts of RI for us?

[beautyprevails]

narragansett is an awesome place. good beaches, fun walking with shops and such (in wakefield too, just west of it). i would also recommend bristol on the east bay side. quaint town with shops, nice homes, etc. i think bristol is my favorite place to go hang out in. i couldn't afford a home there, but hpefully you can. it is nice.

matt

[delafunky1010]

Can someone please tell me which is a better city for African Americans, Houston or Dallas I'm looking to move to Texas.

[beautyprevails]

not sure you will get much response in the rhode island forum. i heard austin tx is nice.

[beach crazy]

I think you will find that there are all kinds of residents in the Pier area. some are fulltime and year round, some are summer residents only and others own but rent. The later might spend a few weeks at the rental home. The area in general in summer is filled with tourists and it's hard to get a reservation at a restaurant etc.

But these things are true of almost any vacation place. I'm sure you'd find a mix of residents in North and South CArolina beach vacation places as well.

We own rental homes down by Scarborough and we spend a few weeks up there, but we have friends that have second homes they never rent out.
We tend to eat in or grill more often in the summer when the restaurants are busy and go out more often in June and Sept. when the crowds are less. The area in general is especially beautiful in my opinion in June and Sept.

I actually enjoy the activity of the crowded beach in the peak months of July and Aug. It feels festive with all the beach umbrellas and families.

[Jen EB]

The Peir is great - I love this area. Here is the thing to know about summer houses in Narragansett: Narragansett is very close to URI (University of Rhode Island) and many people that own summer homes in this area rent them out to students in the winter months.

I would try consulting with a realtor, maybe a good one that speacializes in vacation props can steer you in the right direction.

[emilybh]

Originally Posted by elisemarie

I guess I would love a mix of summer people and year rounders since it's hard to be the only summer/weekend person if everyone else lives there full time. We're really trying to find a neighborhood/town that offers a great summer community along with lots of places to walk to (the beach, playgrounds, restaurants, movie thater, etc).

Any other RI people with opinions on Narragansett vs other parts of RI for us?

My area in Newport is a combination of both. What price range are you looking in?

[emilybh]

Originally Posted by emilybh

My area in Newport is a combination of both. What price range are you looking in?

Also it is EXTREMELY walkable with markets and restaurants, shops and clubs as close as 1/10 of mile away and two movie theatres within 3/4 of a mile. Starbucks is about the same distance and beaches and the waterfront are about 1 mile.