WALT'S WINDOW EPISODE 72

Episode 72 begins with a few words from Real Estate pundit Alex Delgado. "Real estate is not about selling or buying a home. It’s about representing your client’s greatest asset to your client’s greatest benefit."

Now, The Window.

CLOSING KING.

The King is on Newport's Castle Hill Ave. This 8,600 square foot castle on Castle closed for $7.1 million after more than a year on the market. It was originally listed for $10 million.

The best bargain of the week is in North Kingstown. A manufactured home with 1,100 square feet of space sold for $90,000.

2,512 properties are active, including 1,434 single families and 464 condos. 209 closed and 332 went under contract.

ZOMBIE FREE IN RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island has fewer "zombies" than most states in the country. Zombie foreclosures are properties that sit vacant during the pre-foreclosure process with the bank. These homes can be targets for vandals.

Across the country, there are abut 8,500 zombies and Kansas and Iowa have the most. The Ocean State ranked 47th with just one, according to the survey.

UNIQUE STYLE ON RI COAST

The architectural style is called Brutalist--known for stark angles, blocky shapes, unpainted poured concrete, raw stone and natural woods.

This Little Compton home has all of that plus a less than brutal view.

The contrast between this unique style of home and the timeless view of our Farm Coast is fantastic. What do you think?

ROBO-BUILDERS

Robotics and automation are a potential answer to building homes fasterand possibly cheaper. The biggest gains so far are tied to what I will call "fore-robots" that prevent mistakes, coordinate trades and automate repetitive work.

Here's some data that shows why robotics can help. The U.S. is short about 1.2 million homes, but surveys show nearly 300,000 construction jobs remained open at the end of the year and the trades need to attract about 740,000 workers a year to account for growth and retirees.

WALT'S PICK IN THE MILLION DOLLAR RANGE

In this price range, I like a Dean Estates colonial on East Hill Drive with 4 bedrooms and nearly 4,000 square feet of living space.

In Dean Estates, value isn't just square footage. It's the combination of location, lot, architectural character and adaptability.

There are 83 condos and single families priced from $980,000 to $1.2 million. 8 are new listings, 9 went under and 2 closed.

WALT'S PICK IN THE MEDIAN RANGE

A new construction townhouse in Warwick on College Hill that's nearly 1,500 square feet with a garage is my median priced choice of the week. It's listed for $487,000.

Not a lot of pictures yet, but the big picture is new construction gives you a clean slate.

There are now 170 active single families and condos, including 29 new listings between $480,000 and $530,000. 116 are single families. 17 medians closed and 29 went under contract during the week.

SPOTLIGHT ON NEWPORT

Newport is probably one of our best known cities. It blends historic character, coastal beauty and an internationally recognized waterfront lifestyle. It is of course famous for its Gilded Age mansions, sailing heritage, Cliff Walk and vibrant downtown. The restaurants, shops, beaches and cultural attractions create year-round appeal.

City by The Sea Real Estate also offers everything from historic homes to luxury waterfront properties and conds. For buyers, Newport’s limited geography and distinctive neighborhoods make location and water access important factors in long-term value.

There are 98 properties on the market with a good mix of 42 single families, 36 condos and 18 multis. At the top of the price list---$18 million for a Bellevue mansion.

A townhouse on Girard just had a price drop to $330,000 resting comfortably at the other end of the price equation.

Let's take a deeper dive into the Newport condo market. The median sold price is up there at $775,000. The median for a single family here is $1.2 million, obviously driven by the higher priced properties.

The days to sell a condo is now 49, up sharply from the end of 2025.

This week, it was Newport. Window archives include posts on Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, East Greenwich, Narragansett, Coventry, Cumberland, Johnston, North Providence, Barrington, Warren, Pawtucket, East Providence, Providence, Bristol Warwick, South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Lincoln and Cranston.

QUIZ TIME.

Abigail Hacket sent me a text with the right answer for the quiz question. New Hampshire was the first colony to declare its independence from England.

This week we ask, What New England state is home to the nation's first synogogue?

Send me the answer and pick your charity for the prize money.

Thank you for reading the 72nd Walt's Real Estate Window. Text me at 401-339-0090 when you're ready to buy or sell, and as always your comments and questions are welcome. Have a great week!