Moving to Providence Area

Hi A.!
Ummm so I've got to tell you. Providence isn't all bad. I live here in Providence near LaSalle Academy and my whole neighborhood is elderly Italian people on the most part and some new younger families moving into the area including us. our neighborhood is super safe and there's a police station close-by that patrol everywhere around here to make sure it stays safe. There's many houses up for sale around here because many of the older people are selling them and moving down south (Florida and the likes). I'd be happy to get you some agents numbers if you want to check them out. We are a few blocks away from the PC Campus, and although there are many student rentals around the outside area, you can't hear them and they are really nice kids anyway. They go for lots of runs around here.
I lived in Cranston and frankly found it to be dirty, congested and a little stinky from all of the cars. I just think you should give Providence a chance. This city has come a long way and it's much safer than most people think it is. It's only really dangerous in the ghetto-y areas, which this is not.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need some help.
M.

Hi A.

Cranston is a nice location. While houses may me "reasonable" for the area, property taxes in Cranston are extremely high. Coventry is not a bad commute for Providence. Coventry has some excellent house prices (taxes are a little steep there as well, but you make up for that with the lower cost of houses). Coventry also has a very good school system. Another option would be Warwick. Warwick is where I decided to purchase my first home. For the state, the house prices were decent (lower than Cranston, a little higher than Coventry), the tax rate is reasonable. The city services are top notch and they have excellent schools. Plan for the long run...you would want to look into a district that has Pilgrim for a high school vs. Vets.
On the East Bay, you have very good options with East Providence, Riverside and Rumford. Nice neighborhoods, good city services, and good school systems. Unfortuately, the price of houses is pretty high in those areas. Very easy commute to PC, though.
Good luck with your move.
A.

Hi A.,
I live in Warwick and my husband drives to PC every week, its not a far ride. RI is so small, nothing is really far. Cranston is nice, but the taxes are high and there are plenty of other communities that are just as nice and you'll spend less on taxes. Check out riliving.com and you'll see house prices and taxes to get an idea. It also depends if your looking for city life or suburbs. Not all of Providence is bad, but you just have to look in the right areas-your realtor could help you find a nice neighborhood. There are plenty of other towns in RI other than Cranston & Providence that are beautiful.
Good luck!

I grew up in the Cranston area. It is much better than Providence in most areas. Some areas of Cranston are a little more busy than others. The homes are somewhat affordable in most areas. The taxes are on the high side though. And the schools have had a few programs cut in past years. Overall it is a nice city. I currently live in /own a home in Warwick. It is also busy in the main areas of the city. But it has alot of small communities in its self. The houses range from small to large and are affordable in most areas.I hope I was some help.

I live in Cranston now with my 2 young children...we're in Western Cranston. My husband works in Providence, and it's about a 15-20 minute commute for him. Orchard Farms school is great (my son is in 3rd grade there) - new school just opened about 5 years ago. The property taxes are somewhat high, but home prices have dropped over the last several months. Not sure what your price range is, but I know of 4 houses right in my neighborhood currently for sale. I'm sure there are many others around as well. Shop around and you can probably find something in your price range.

If you are looking in the Cranston area I would also reccommend western cranston. My husband and I always joke that it really should be a seperate city than the rest of Cranston. It is clean and quiet. The schools are great and the neighborhoods are wonderful. Taxes are high but in my opinion it is a small price to pay to live in such a lovely community.

hi,
i live in cranston and would recommend the city. it's centrally located and has everything you need. if you're looking for a city that is safe and has kid friendly neighborhoods, then cranston fits that. i would recommend the western part of cranston to the pontiac/eden park area. hope this helps!