Aliesha Noonan Lombardi is a co-owner and broker manager behind Noonan Lombardi Realtors. On top of that, Noonan Lombardi is the president of the Northern Rhode Island Board of Realtors for 2026. With 22 years in the real estate industry, Noonan Lombardi also served as the 2025 president-elect, 2024 treasurer and 2023 corporate secretary for the organization, while sitting on its board of directors since 2021, serving on numerous committees.
Finally, Noonan Lombardi sits on the board of directors of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors. In addition, she holds several real estate professional certifications and designations, including Senior Real Estate Specialist, Graduate Realtor Institute, and Accredited Buyer Representative.
PBN: How has your experience as co-owner and brokerage manager of Noonan Lombardi, Realtors informed your approach as 2026 president of the Northern Rhode Island Board of Realtors?
NOONAN LOMBARDI: Working with our real estate agents at a brokerage level has given me insight into the evolving needs of our Realtors at the Northern Rhode Island Board of Realtors, which in turn helps shape my understanding of our membership needs at the board level.
The technological advancements we utilize at our brokerage to combat productivity challenges can benefit all – and the industry news that our board delivers helps all our members serve their clients effectively. Realtors want concise information that they can utilize to do their job well.
PBN: Inventory constraints and affordability concerns have continued across Rhode Island in recent years. What trends are you seeing so far in 2026, and what do you expect for the market during the rest of the year?
NOONAN LOMBARDI: While Rhode Island’s housing market has seen growing inventory and increased sales over the past few months – a typical trend leading into spring – overall, housing challenges across the state have shown little improvement year over year, according to the Rhode Island Association of Realtors latest report.
Demand and limited inventory remain a challenge. The climate is expected to stay consistent throughout the year; however, we are seeing many buyers take a multi-generational approach to homebuying. This helps ease the financial burden, and we are also seeing many buyers take advantage of programs that provide down payment assistance. Accessory dwelling units are another smart option when possible.
PBN: What role can Realtor organizations play in conversations surrounding housing production, zoning, affordability and workforce housing in Rhode Island?
NOONAN LOMBARDI: Realtor organizations bring a practical, on-the-ground perspective to housing policy because our members see every day how zoning, housing supply and affordability challenges affect Rhode Islanders. We can help policymakers understand market conditions, identify barriers to housing production and support solutions that expand supply, protect private property rights and create more opportunities for working families to find homes they can afford.
At the same time, Realtor organizations can serve as a bridge between the public and private sectors. We can bring together local officials, housing stakeholders and the real estate community to focus on solutions that are practical, market aware and centered on expanding opportunity.
PBN: What advice would you give to someone entering the real estate profession today, particularly in a market that remains competitive and fast-changing?
NOONAN LOMBARDI: In mentoring our own agents, we encourage ongoing training and education to stay current on the ever-changing needs of the consumer, and to strengthen their individual value proposition.
We also emphasize the importance of excellence – do all things with the utmost care and diligence, treating all clients in a manner you, yourself, would want to be represented. A real estate agent will never have a shortage of clients with this business plan.
PBN: How are buyer and seller expectations changing in today’s market, and what are real estate agents doing differently now compared with just a few years ago?
NOONAN LOMBARDI: There are many sources of information at the fingertips of the general public. It is no longer enough to simply deliver pertinent details about properties to buyers or provide market reports to sellers. We need to provide specialized service – saving our clients time, providing convenience, and giving them tools and resources they can recognize as value-added benefits. Strong recommendations for trusted service providers, knowledge of AI [artificial intelligence] tools that can enhance listings, and social media expertise are skills that today’s clients greatly appreciate.
Marc Larocque is a PBN contributing writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @Marc_La_Rock.
