Oh, Agreed - Zillow's data and numbers are guesstimates at best. I don't think Zillow is accurate in specific cases, but I think it is a useful comparison tool to look at overall trends.

Even with that - just looking around town, around my neighborhood, and talking with people - in the past two or three years, I haven't heard of a single house going for under asking price. It's all at asking price, or over. Usually, if the house stays on the market longer, it's at asking price, at least that's what I have seen with my admittedly incomplete information. To be fair, the number of houses sold here is so low, that getting an average selling prices is ... usually an N=2.. so it doesn't mean much.
And lots of houses are never on the open market, they go pocket listings - so you don't really know until 30-60 days after the sale has closed.

Previously lived in Washington state, then moved East to be closer to family in Boston.
We stayed with the family in Boston 8 months, while we looked for a house as close as possible. We ended up in Barrington, as it was the closest place to Boston, with the best school district - that we could afford at the time. So back in 2015/2016 - RI was significantly more affordable, and relatively underpriced compared to MA. Housing prices in RI have easily doubled in that time( a 350k house then is a 700k house now) .
I far prefer RI to MA, I know folks complain about Government - but MA is flat out unfriendly and does not want new residents. RI Gov't makes it much eaiser to live here, and do things in RI. Just doing any government related stuff done(official paper work, taxes, permits, licensing, etc) is vastly easier in RI than MA. I know folks like to say RI is all corrupt, and mafia run.. but compared to other places I have lived (VA, PA, WA, MA, RI ), RI is about average, perhaps better than average.

I'd like to add, that I like East Bay (Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Portsmouth) ... it seems less busy, and folks are generally friendly and very quite nice around here, as compared with Warwick/Cranston - people seem more crowded, more rushed, and overall less happy.

Several people in my neighborhood have done additions in the past 2 years.

Here in Barrington - Prices are coming down a little bit.. but it's still close to top of market - maybe only a couple percent..Zillow claims my house has dropped 10 % from peak in june 2022, and down about 2 % in last 30 days.. if you believe zillow..The biggest difference is that houses are staying on the market longer - e.g. 10 days instead of 1 day..I believe that there will be at least two houses in my neighborhood this spring.. it'll be interesting to see what they go for.

No idea. It's be nice to have a Costco closer than Dedham or Avon.

It was a beautiful morning..

To be fair - if you have a quote for new heat pump or electric car - you can get them to increase size - based on predicted usage - and then you have to document with them that you got the new heatpump, new electric appliance or new electric car within one year - but ... I didn't get a heat pump until a couple years later.

Solar was installed in 2018 - and i got a heat pump in 2020.

Yeah, and the rules for how the sizing is determined.. is rife for abuse.

The law allows you to install a solar array with which is 100% replacement production for average of last 3 years (or total of last year if you haven't live there for 3 years) -
but there is a "correction" factor multipled against the DC size of the array to calcualte it out.
So my "replacement' number was 10,500 kWh for the year.
but I was only allowed to put in a 8.7 kWh DC system - the "correction" factor is rougly 19% ... but my array has never made more than 8,800 kWH in a year.
E.g. I could have put a bigger system - but the "correction" limited what i could put up.

Solar is good, and believe it or Not - RI has some of the most generous Solar incentives in the country - but it could be a bit better still.

https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a

Oops, my bad.. CT, MA and NH have more expensive electricity than RI,. As do California and Hawaii....

So RI is definitely expensive, but only #6.. not number 1.

I'm pretty sure California and Hawaii still have more expensive electricity.

East Bay here .. forecast said <1" .. and we easily got 3+" here. :)

It doesn't hurt to get it checked - and checking is free. :)
When the auditor comes over - they will go over the full list of available programs.. and if you ask them, they will talk about heating/cooling.

still haven't turned on the oil furnace....
buuuuuuut we have been using the heat pump set to 64... . so how does that count?

Congratulations on making it to safety!
I'd say. .get out and get to know the area and your neighbors.
Make sure you get your paperwork in order - any documents, immigration status, citizenship or residency papers.. that's pretty important. Alas, I don't know how to provide any guidance there. It helps to establish residency.

Things are getting a bit colder now, but it is still nice here.

If you get a chance - you can check out Waterfire -
<https://waterfire.org/schedule/2022-waterfire-providence-event-schedule/&gt;
It'll be a bit chilly, so dress warmly, but it it's a good way to meet the community.

Yes, DMV have vision tests. They give it to you when you first get your drivers license.

You can't avoid it.

And really.. you don't want other people avoiding it either! :)

When I moved.. I did..
Insurance, Drivers License, Vin Check, Registration

DL, Insurance, Inspection and Vin Check all come before Registration.

Insurance does not require either a License or Vin Check.

Vin check doesn't require anything.
License just requires that you live here for 30 days and have some proof of residence.

I think insurance first.. because if you have moved and you didn't tell your insurance, they might consider that breach of contract, and they can cancel your insurance as the date of your move.