Should I Move To RI? (Providence, Warwick: how much, new house, construction)

[eastcoastgrl]

hi rrnboy, here is a super-late response to your question if you are still even out there!!! i live in virginia beach now but have also lived in san diego and have done some travelling and seen a lot of the country. i grew up in ri and i miss the food, the history, the character, "towns" the scenery, good iced coffee, lilacs. I miss the smell, and the quality of the air. its hard to explain. I like the people in ri and find them to be no more rude or ignorant than anywhere else, i can understand that if you are coming from somewhere else it might be kind of hard to handle, people are very different wherever you go, but i love it, miss it,and would love to come back someday. where i am now - it's just sprawl, vinyl clad neighborhood after vinyl clad neighborhood, and strip malls. that's it. no character. no sense of preservation of any sort. i would be more than happy to come back.

[takagi1901]

To tell you the truth, I was stunned to see all the negative comments about RI.
I was wondering, where did those people live in RI? RI is so diverse: coastal towns have different vibe from northern part of Rhode Island, but it is all good. Blue color towns like Cranston, parts of Warwick, Pawtucket may be?
I find, that even there most of the people are nice and friendly and keep their houses and landscape in good order and try to do the best they can, they are not dumb! I see a lot of good there, and homes more affordable.
Sure, politics, taxes, real estate prices, school systems could be a problem, but isn't it the same all over the US?
RI dialects? Which dialects? Never heard any, and I lived there for 12 years.
Unfriendly people? Where? What do you mean? Do they say go to hell every time, you ask for directions? Never, ever encountered rude people in RI, except some aggressive drivers, but between commuters trying to get home and kids with their cell phones, just do not pay attention; bad drivers are all over- FL, NYC, NJ, MA, CA- much worse, and half of the country is on some kind of medication anyway ... Stay safe!
Sure, parts of Providence not pretty, but have you ever seen some states trailer parks, urban sprawl, congestion, plain, sorry to say, ghetto towns with graffiti all over, rats, shut down buildings and gang signs?
I think, RI need better jobs and less socialism, welfare must be outlawed, and only available to a small number of people for a very short period of time in real emergency, with the re-payment option, once they get better.
I wonder, what kind of job in which town did Mom with 2 kids have, and who hurt her so much? I hope, she can get help, it is not healthy to be so angry. I can tell, she is not native Rhode Islander. I wish I know, where she is from, so I would be careful ,while visiting that state.
I am glad she moved out, I would not want to run into her, when I visit the beautiful Rhode Island.

[Rnrboy]

Hey, thanks for the responses guys!

Yeah, I love it here....yes, even the weather!

[new2ri]

HI! My self husband and three children just moved to RI six months ago.
Having lived in PA, AZ, SD and a few other states I can say it's beautiful here.
On#3 you will have a problem while the cost of living per say is not bad, the cost of housing is awful. I would strongly suggest you secure employ before coming.

My husband is commuting to CT for work and hates it. I have talked to many other including locals and it seems that there is a severe lack of employment. While we would like to stay I think we may have to move. The salaries are lower and the cost of homes are high (to rent not buy). My husband made 82K in AZ and is now making 55K for the same position. The state is losing population instead of gaining. It really is a shame because RI does have so much to offer.

In short it is a lovely state if you can afford it.

Good Luck!

[lillies123]

I am born and raised in RI and any Rhode Islander will tell you this=residents complain about the state but always seem to live here the rest of their lives! The people aren't too friendly,exceptionally clicky, and not very open minded. I love to travel and enjoy various different characters but alot of people from RI don't usually. The living is pretty affordable, one bedroom apt would range from $500-900 but utilities included are becoming scarce. School systems are better in the suburban areas, def. not providence. I would suggest coming to visit to RI first and see for yourself. It is really is a pretty state but I wouldn't suggest living here. Good luck with everything!

[new2ri]

hi eastcoastgirl if you are still out there i've got questions. we are considering leaving ri for va because of the cost of living. how are the beaches there and are the people racist and stuck in the civil war?

thanks
new2ri

[eastcoastgrl]

hi new2ri - the beaches here are wonderful!!! it's something about this area that i absolutely love. Very clean, and you have the bay as well as the ocean. That said, you have to be very careful about where you live here, yes there is some racism, and there is some good 'ol boy stuff going on, depending on where you are. It's very diverse and i don't find it to be as "separated" as up north, for example you can pretty much say in Rhode Island: "Barrington is nice" or "Central Falls is not so nice" and you'd be right, here, there are million dollar homes, and a block over is a seven eleven and next to that- a trailer park. it takes some getting used to. The houses are a bit cheaper, not too much though for a good area, but the cost of living I believe is less. The taxes are much lower, gas is a bit cheaper as is food. The sales tax is I think 5%. It's not a bad place, there are lots of things for kids to do, and the weather is decent. I think northern virginia would be more cosmopolitan, but it's a lot more expensive - i've neve lived there though, and you don't get the beaches!!

[joyfulinma]

As a long time Massachusetts resident, I was also surprised at some of the negative posts about RI here.
I absolutely LOVE RI !! I'm planning on moving there in 6 months. I will say that some parts of of the state are not the prettiest, but I think it's charming. Some parts of Mass aren't any prize either.

Compared to Mass, the cost of housing is so much more affordable. The cost of homes are much lower and rents are lower compared to Mass. RI property taxes are a little bit higher, but varry town to town.

My auto ins. will be about the same.

Generally, the people in RI actually seem friendlier to me than those in Mass. RI drivers seem more considerate as well.

I can't wait to hear my first, in person, "youze gize." Although, I have experienced a "what can I get YIZ" once at a Massachusetts Dunkin Donuts. I LOVE and appreciate different accents and dialects. Thank God we don't all sound the same! Believe me, I've had my share of razzing about my local Mass accent and lingo. I can't believe how truely offended some people get about diversity.

Don't get me wrong, I love Mass too, but it's just not middle working class friendly. Living in RI seems more accommodating.....for now anyway.

[L.L.]

Originally Posted by quinnellabella

i am a native rhode islander forced to leave due to high rents and difficulty finding a full time teaching position in my field. i am 38 years old. anyone lucky enough to live and work in rhode island and make their rent is doing ok. but pay is only good for teaching as the years go on (tenure) 20 minutes away from any ocean side too difficult to purchase a home and afford the taxes. i wish you luck if you decide to try it.

I am in a similiar situation....Native RI'er...looking to leave because the job market is not good and the rent is much too high. I recently had to move back in with my Mother to save money, I cannot wait to leave....

[Wants2GotoFL]

Originally Posted by nlupfer

We were pleasently surprised at the home prices we found online. It appears that you can by a decent single family home in Providence for under $300,000. You can barely do that here in Florida!

Hello. I am originally from NY and have lived in Providence for nearly 10 years. I would be careful about homes in Providence for under $300K. Where in FL are you from? I am considering moving to s. florida ironically.