Residential Properties Ltd. is excited to announce that Sales Associate Brent Runyon has joined the team of real estate experts at our West Side PVD office. Brent was born in Thomasville, Georgia, grew up in Jennings, Florida, and is a credentialed historic preservationist with two decades of experience. Advocating for historic properties throughout both Rhode Island and Georgia, he recently worked for nearly 10 years as the executive director of the Providence Preservation Society.
Discovering the Ocean State
Brent received his real estate license in the winter of 2021 when working remotely for the preservation society, seeing it as the next logical step in continuing the work he has done. “Understanding the real estate market is a key component of successful advocacy for historic places,” Runyon said. “Being one of the oldest cities and states, Providence and RI have some of the best historic architecture in the country. Also, I never knew how much I loved being near the ocean until I moved to Rhode Island!”
For sellers, he provides step-by-step guidance in the long-term preservation of historic properties. For buyers seeking an older home with character but updated with new amenities and materials, Brent is an invaluable resource for informed decision making. Being a new agent, he wanted to affiliate with a brokerage that offers genuine, full-time support and services. “RPL really sets up agents for success,” Runyon added. “From mentoring and in-house referral networks to the overall spirit of collaboration, Resi really does it all. I see how involved Sally Lapides is in the community, how much she supports causes like historic preservation and the arts, and that's important to me. I also love that the West Side PVD office is just a couple of blocks from my house.”
Diving into real estate
Moving to Providence at the end of 2013, Brent found a small apartment on Broadway, then in 2016 bought his home, an 1896 two-family building on Hollywood Road in the Armory Historic District. He is an advocate for both neighborhood revitalization and home preservation, founding a preservation and nonprofit consultancy, Runyon Heritage Associates, in 2023. “I value the cultural diversity of the metro area,” Runyon added. “People from all over the world have come to make this place their home, and there is a high level of civic participation that comes with that.” In his free time, he enjoys paddle boarding on the Narrow River, relaxing on out-of-the-way beaches in Little Compton, and dining in Providence's many excellent restaurants. As if that weren’t enough, he also recently became certified in scuba diving!
Now that a new chapter of his career begins, Brent plans to use his considerable knowledge and experience to help the greater community while honoring the beauty and history of his adopted home. “I want to improve our neighborhoods – in a way that doesn’t displace existing residents – while helping people preserve their homes and learn how to care for them,” Runyon said. “As an affordable housing advocate, I look forward to helping people become homeowners and build wealth through what is likely the largest purchase of their lives.”
To learn more about Brent, please visit BrentRunyon.ResidentialProperties.com.
