Five Questions With: James DeRentis

"I think we are undervalued. We have some stunning architecture in Providence and I believe we are held back largely by the moribund economy.

James DeRentis, a partner in Markham and DeRentis Associates, has been affiliated with Residential Properties LTD since 2009. A former chief business officer of Bank Rhode Island, he is now chairman of the Providence Redevelopment Authority. In a recent exchange with Providence Business News, he described the current market.

PBN: How long have you been in the real estate business and what inspired the career?
DeRENTIS:
I got in the business full time as a sales agent in 2009. I have been in and around the industry, in financing, developing, renovating, for my entire professional life.

PBN: You recently were involved in one of the largest transactions in Providence so far this year, the sale of the Bridgham Estate. What other memorable properties have you represented?
DeRENTIS:
All transactions are memorable. I am very fortunate in that I have gotten to represent some amazing properties, from mid-century modern classics to renovated historic homes and everything in-between. I love real estate and every property has a story to tell.

PBN: What makes the luxury market challenging in Rhode Island?
DeRENTIS:
I think we are undervalued. We have some stunning architecture in Providence and I believe we are held back largely by the moribund economy. When I meet with clients coming in from other markets they are usually amazed at what you get for the money here.

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PBN: What advice do you have for new agents, just getting started?
DeRENTIS:
Find a niche and become the best you can be at it and NEVER stop networking.

PBN: Where do you see the market heading this year?
DeRENTIS:
The national economy has begun to gather some steam and if we are able to gather traction here with development of the I-195 land, and attract new niche businesses, we will really see some gains. Providence is a great place to live and we are consistently mentioned in a variety of national publications as a place to check out. We are like an undervalued stock, now is the time to invest.

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