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Thanks for the replies. I think we'd try to stay closer to the eastern side of Coventry so as not to have too long a commute to Warwick, but I've been told that there are are "pockets" of Coventry that are nice but that the town on the whole is a "mishmash." I'm not sure what this means...are there areas that are really run-down with trailer parks or something?
There seem to be some newer housing developments closer to the eastern side of Coventry...Hope Furnace Estates, Walker Ridge, Fairview Commons, Highwood Estates, Summerfield Estates. Anybody have any insight into these developments? I've never driven through the area but have seen these listings on the MLS and the houses look nice. No insight into the neighborhoods, however.
Thanks!
Those developments you mention are all nice. Fairview Commons is a small neighborhood, and I quite like that area, but I'm biased since I grew up skating on the pond there when it was all still woods. It's an easy commute to Warwick from there, it has the advantage of being on the eastern side of town so a bit closer to everything. It's really only one road though, so not a very big development. The houses across Fairview and in the surrounding area are older and were mostly built in the 50s and 60s.
You should probably also check into Pine Ridge, a new development off Hopkins Hill Road. I don't think they've finished it off yet, and you could probably still customize. One good thing about this location is easy access to highway, or to East Greenwich through back roads. Hope Furnace Road will feel more country, if that's what you're looking for.
Coventry has always been cheaper than a lot of very similar towns. No one seems to have a good explanation why. But it's the largest town in the state in area, and was one of the least populated for a long time so perhaps it's the availability of land. It doesn't have the same attraction as northern RI towns for people pushed out of the Boston housing market. It's too far for an easy commute to Boston and though it's not far from Providence, there are closer towns people might look at first. Maybe some people look at it as too far out in the sticks and still not close enough to the beach.
But I think they make a mistake in overlooking it. It's centrally located, and not far from anything in RI. You tend to get more for your money there. I'm not sure why no supermarkets came up in your search. There's Stop and Shop, Dave's, and Tom's for groceries and a couple different markets for seafood. The town has grown a lot in recent years (for better or worse) and now has a Super Walmart, a BJs, a Home Depot, a Cracker Barrel, Applebee's, Denny's and all the usual fast food suspects.
As far as it being a mish mash, yeah I guess it is. It's not a planned community, it's a regular town, so there are some farms and old houses dating back hundreds of years, and then a lot more small ranches and capes built post WWII when the town went through a big growth spurt. Nothing wrong with any of those neighborhoods; the houses are just smaller than what it sounds like you're looking for. But all that postwar development was still just in the most eastern slice of town. Heck, even now Coventry Center, the geographical center of town, would be regarded by some as 'Western Coventry'. Since the 80s, development as been pushing westward. Western Coventry or 'Greene' has its own post office (in a village called Summit) and that area is much more rural, with some dirt roads and no grocery stores.
And then there's Johnson's Pond. A lot of social life in Coventry is centered around Johnson's Pond or Lake Tioque, at least for those lucky enough to live there. Again, there's that mish mash though. Some of the houses that back onto Johnson's Pond are in Wood Estates, which was the nicest neighborhood in the town when it was built (and still might be). Some of the newer houses on the pond are quite posh while others are little more than summer cabins - or summer cabins built up into year round houses that barely fit on their lots. Coventry's a great down for outdoor recreation, whether it be biking, water skiing, boating, fishing, swimming or hiking.
Those developments you mention are all nice. Fairview Commons is a small neighborhood, and I quite like that area, but I'm biased since I grew up skating on the pond there when it was all still woods. It's an easy commute to Warwick from there, it has the advantage of being on the eastern side of town so a bit closer to everything. It's really only one road though, so not a very big development. The houses across Fairview and in the surrounding area are older and were mostly built in the 50s and 60s.
You should probably also check into Pine Ridge, a new development off Hopkins Hill Road. I don't think they've finished it off yet, and you could probably still customize. One good thing about this location is easy access to highway, or to East Greenwich through back roads. Hope Furnace Road will feel more country, if that's what you're looking for.
Coventry has always been cheaper than a lot of very similar towns. No one seems to have a good explanation why. But it's the largest town in the state in area, and was one of the least populated for a long time so perhaps it's the availability of land. It doesn't have the same attraction as northern RI towns for people pushed out of the Boston housing market. It's too far for an easy commute to Boston and though it's not far from Providence, there are closer towns people might look at first. Maybe some people look at it as too far out in the sticks and still not close enough to the beach.
But I think they make a mistake in overlooking it. It's centrally located, and not far from anything in RI. You tend to get more for your money there. I'm not sure why no supermarkets came up in your search. There's Stop and Shop, Dave's, and Tom's for groceries and a couple different markets for seafood. The town has grown a lot in recent years (for better or worse) and now has a Super Walmart, a BJs, a Home Depot, a Cracker Barrel, Applebee's, Denny's and all the usual fast food suspects.
As far as it being a mish mash, yeah I guess it is. It's not a planned community, it's a regular town, so there are some farms and old houses dating back hundreds of years, and then a lot more small ranches and capes built post WWII when the town went through a big growth spurt. Nothing wrong with any of those neighborhoods; the houses are just smaller than what it sounds like you're looking for. But all that postwar development was still just in the most eastern slice of town. Heck, even now Coventry Center, the geographical center of town, would be regarded by some as 'Western Coventry'. Since the 80s, development as been pushing westward. Western Coventry or 'Greene' has its own post office (in a village called Summit) and that area is much more rural, with some dirt roads and no grocery stores.
And then there's Johnson's Pond. A lot of social life in Coventry is centered around Johnson's Pond or Lake Tioque, at least for those lucky enough to live there. Again, there's that mish mash though. Some of the houses that back onto Johnson's Pond are in Wood Estates, which was the nicest neighborhood in the town when it was built (and still might be). Some of the newer houses on the pond are quite posh while others are little more than summer cabins - or summer cabins built up into year round houses that barely fit on their lots. Coventry's a great down for outdoor recreation, whether it be biking, water skiing, boating, fishing, swimming or hiking.
Maybe you didn't notice, but the CBA's post is over 7 yrs. old.
If one were to move to coventry? Is there a downtown that is walkable? I dont mind a two to five mile walk. Are there any bike paths? What about mass transir? Busses or taxi taxi cabs? Where would the nearest good hospital be? What about pharmacies? I am a partislly disabled youngish woman with good days and bad days..so i wouldnt always be"bopping about " but i dont drive and dont know if i will. Ive just alwsys loved rhode island and connecticut. What does anyone think an efficiency/ studio apt -a 2 bedroom might cost? Ive lived in major metropolitian areas and i admit they are useful,but i miss rural life as well. Thank you to anyone who replies to my queries. Postscript. How far is it yo the ocean or state parks
Sounds like you've never seen Coventry. It's quite rural and spread out- wouldn't recommend it for a not fully abled person or a person who doesn't drive. You need to look for a much more compact small town or at least somewhere with good transport.
If one were to move to coventry? Is there a downtown that is walkable? I dont mind a two to five mile walk. Are there any bike paths? What about mass transir? Busses or taxi taxi cabs? Where would the nearest good hospital be? What about pharmacies? I am a partislly disabled youngish woman with good days and bad days..so i wouldnt always be"bopping about " but i dont drive and dont know if i will. Ive just alwsys loved rhode island and connecticut. What does anyone think an efficiency/ studio apt -a 2 bedroom might cost? Ive lived in major metropolitian areas and i admit they are useful,but i miss rural life as well. Thank you to anyone who replies to my queries. Postscript. How far is it yo the ocean or state parks
Gianna, Coventry may not be the best for you; no mass transit per se, but there is bus service with RIPTA. Rhode Island Public Transportation; they have a website with schedules. Coventry is one of the rural areas in RI.
For what you describe, you would probably thrive in Bristol RI. Quaint historic town, some of it is rural, but you would be near the bay and Bristol has a beautiful and walkable downtown. A very popular nice state park. Colt State Park which has walking paths, bike paths, and picnic areas, parking, and areas to sit by the ocean sea walls etc. There is a nice long bike path that goes along the coast to the Narragansett Bay areas. I don't have the internet link for the bike path, but others might post it for you. Best wishes.
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