Articles Posted in Real Estate

For the most part, property owners can do what they wish with their property. However, Rhode Island property law steps in to provide some guidance and regulation of how landowners use their land. For the most part, this is to ensure that others who own nearby property are not negatively affected by a landowner’s decisions.…

One of the more complex areas of Rhode Island real estate law is zoning. Zoning refers to the process in which a city or town divides land and designates certain permissible or prohibited use. For example, Rhode Island zoning laws govern whether a homeowner can run a retail business out of the first floor of…

Rhode Island tenants may wonder whether they can recover compensation for injuries incurred on their leased premises by filing a Rhode Island personal injury claim. Under the common law, a landlord could not be held liable for injuries sustained by a tenant or a guest on the premises, unless the landlord breached a covenant to…

Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Not only that, but it seems that lately Rhode Island property taxes move in one direction: up. Rhode Island property taxes average 1.53%, which puts the state at the 10th highest property tax rate in the country.…

The Rhode Island Supreme Court recently decided a property case, demonstrating the importance of preserving arguments for appeal. In this case, the plaintiff entered into a lease with the defendants to rent commercial property owned by the defendants. The plaintiff paid the defendants $18,600, which was comprised of $9,300 for a security deposit and $9,300…

Waterfront property is widely considered to be the most desirable property in the state. And while Rhode Island has just 40 miles of coastline, when considering all inlets and tidal areas, there are closer to 385 miles of shoreline. Still, that is a limited amount of space for an area that is known for its…

The income provided by a Rhode Island rental property can be a great way to increase your monthly cash flow. Not only do properly managed investment properties bring in cash each month, but they can also appreciate over the years. However, while rental property income is considered passive, there are some common issues that Rhode…

Evictions are an unfortunate reality that most Rhode Island landlords will likely have to do deal with at some point. It is crucial that landlords follow Rhode Island landlord-tenant laws to ensure that they do not end up tangled in a lengthy and costly legal process. Rhode Island landlord-tenant attorneys can assist in navigating the…

Owning a home comes with its share of responsibilities and, occasionally, legal issues can arise related to home ownership. When dealing with rental properties, however, the duties and potential legal problems that a property owner may have to deal with increases dramatically. For this reason, it is essential that anyone who owns Rhode Island rental…

The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided a case that may impact a government’s ability to take privately held Rhode Island property without compensation. The issue before the Court was whether property owners are required to seek compensation in state court before filing a claim against the federal government. According to the Court’s opinion, in 2012,…