This week Rich and Steve had a great conversation with Jamie Moore, owner of Jamie Moore Appraisal Services in Warwick, and the 2012 President of The Rhode Island Association of Realtors® (RIAR). Since 1948, RIAR has been “the voice of Real Estate in New England”. While RIAR exists to facilitate its Realtor member’s ability to conduct business, everyone benefits from an economic climate that promotes affordability and availability of housing and financing. Some of the things RIAR is involved in that affect the general public include:
- riliving.com: The direct link to the Rhode Island Multiple Listing Service. You can create an account online, search for and save property searches, and check for open houses. There is no charge to the public for any of the information available.
- 13% tax on short term rentals: RIAR was instrumental in squashing the proposed 13% tax on short-term rentals in the state with radio spots and a grass roots campaign to raise opposition to the tax.
- Streamlined home inspection contingency: The Senate and House approved REALTOR® legislation to solve issues of clarity on timelines for inspections
- Realtor Education
- Sales statistics: Jamie joked that she is glad to be in office when things are looking up and came armed with the latest sales figures. Single family sales rose 15% in May over the same period in 2011, marking the 11th straight month of year over year increases and pending sales are up 22%. Inventory dropped from a 10-month supply last May to an eight-month supply, so things definitely are looking up.
