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Rhode Island housing market

The Rhode Island housing market isn’t that competitive. The median home sales price in September 2024 has increased in the past 3 months to $513,500. That’s up 9.5% and $44,600 higher than September 2023 of last year. That is higher than the national median home sales price of $428,818. Homes typically sell after 28 days on market, which is faster than the national average and higher than 24 days in September 2023 a year prior.

Housing market overview for

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Trended Median Home Values

How much do homes in Rhode Island cost?

The median home price in Rhode Island was $513,500 in September 2024, up 9.5% from last year.

September's median sale price
$514K
Caret UpUp $45K and 9.5% since Sep 2023
Trended Homes Inventory

How many homes are available in Rhode Island?

The real estate market in Rhode Island had 1,899 homes for sale in September and is up from 1822 homes for sale the month prior and up from 1,615 homes in September 2023.

Homes for sale in September
1,899
Caret UpUp 284 and 17.6% since Sep 2023
Trended Homes Sold

How many homes are sold in Rhode Island?

There were 980 homes sold in September 2024, trending down from 1059 homes sold a year ago.

Homes sold in September
980
Caret DownDown 79 and 7.5% since Sep 2023
Trended Median Days on Market

How long does it take to sell a home in Rhode Island?

Homes in Rhode Island are staying on the market for 28 days. That’s 4 days slower than the median in September 2023, which means that the market is less competitive today.

Median days on market in September
28
Caret UpUp 4 and 16.7% since Sep 2023

Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market in Rhode Island?

It is considered a seller’s market right now. Housing inventory is up since last year, which means supply is less constrained. Mortgage rates are 6.6%, making the average house payment $3,765, which is $387 higher than a year before.

Total months of housing supply available for sale is 1.9 months, up 35.7% from 1.4 month(s) in September 2023.

Months of Supply

The Months of Supply housing metric is an estimate of how long it would take to sell all the homes for sale relative to the number of homes sold each month. Historically, 5 to 6 months is the average. You may also hear this metric referred to as the "absorption rate."

Lower months of housing supply typically signal a seller’s market whereas when months of supply is greater than 6 months typically signal a buyer’s market.

Sales to Listing Ratio

Sales to Listing Ratios are an indicator of supply and demand. It is all the completed sales in the past month divided by the total number of active listings.

In a balanced real estate market, the total number of home sales to active listings ratio is between 0.12 and 0.2 while markets with a ratio higher than 0.2 favors seller’s, as homes are selling fast and there is limited inventory, while markets below 0.12 favor home buyers because there is a larger supply of homes to purchase.

Selling a house in Rhode Island

Home values have increased by 9.2% since last year, and the number of days it takes to sell a home has increased from 24 days in September 2023 to 28 days in September 2024.

The best time to sell your home in Rhode Island is in June, when homes sell fastest and for the most money.

Sellers typically pay the commission of both the listing and buyer’s agents, which typically total 5-6% of the home sale price. That’s $30,810 paid in commission to the real estate agents. You’d also need to factor in closing costs, plus other fees and your mortgage payoff amount, to calculate the net proceeds from your home sale.

Buying a house in Rhode Island

Homes in Rhode Island have a median price of $513,500, which means you’ll need $51,350 for a 10% down payment. Housing costs have increased 9.2% in the past year. When you’re several months out and have your down payment saved, make sure to get pre-approved for a mortgage and find a real estate agent.

Home values are only one part of the home affordability equation. When buying a house in Rhode Island, don’t forget to also account for closing costs, which are typically 3-4% of the home cost. In addition to a down payment of $51,350 you should have $20,540 as well as budget for cash reserves, moving expenses and ongoing homeownership costs for home maintenance and repairs or HOA fees.

Rhode Island home values are 4.1% more expensive than New Hampshire and 16.5% more expensive than the national median home value.

How does the Rhode Island real estate market compare to other markets?

The Rhode Island real estate market has a median sale price of $513,500, which is 16.5% higher than the national median sale price of $428,818. Compare other markets or nearby cities, as they can vary significantly.

Rhode Island
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New Hampshire
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National
Median home saleMedian home saleMedian home sale
$513,500$492,700$428,818
Days on marketDays on marketDays on market
283639
Monthly house payment
Monthly house payment
Monthly house payment
$3,765$3,778$2,471
Cost to buy a house
Cost to buy a house
Cost to buy a house
$71,890$68,978$60,035
Cost to sell a house
Cost to sell a house
Cost to sell a house
$35,945$34,489$30,017

Take the next step in Rhode Island: Find an agent

Navigating the Rhode Island housing market can be tricky, but you don’t have to go it alone. When you're ready to learn more, reach out to a local Rhode Island real estate agent to get the process started. We recommend interviewing multiple candidates and coming prepared with a list of all your questions.

Rhode Island housing market FAQs

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