Dear Cape Friends,
If you’re new here - welcome. Each week I share what’s happening in Cape Cod real estate, sprinkled with local flavor and the occasional detour.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ve found myself thinking about presence, gratitude, and what truly matters. Recently, I came across a short reflection inspired by Audrey Hepburn - one of our family’s favorites. We actually re-watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s last Sunday, and as always, she radiated something rare: a kind of grace that wasn’t about perfection, but about simply being there - fully, openly, authentically.
That idea landed differently this year.
So much of life pushes us toward polish, productivity, and performance, but I think Hepburn believed something much simpler:
*that style is really presence…
*and that abundance isn’t about excess - it’s about having enough to share.
Those two thoughts quietly reframed my whole week.
Life has a way of reminding us - sometimes gently and sometimes not - that what counts isn’t how perfect the moments are, but how present we are inside them… the people we sit with… the conversations we show up for… the small kindnesses we extend. And for many of us, those reminders come close to home.
Here on Cape Cod, presence is woven into the landscape - early light on Ryder’s Cove, wind moving across the outer barrier beaches, the quiet dignity of an empty winter shoreline. This magical place teaches us to slow down, to notice, to appreciate. It reminds me that life itself is a gift - a blessing from God above.
From a real-estate perspective, presence is also at the heart of what I try to offer: being there when clients need clarity, sharing honest guidance, helping them understand the rhythms of this market, and respecting the fact that a home (especially here on the Cape) carries real emotion, history, and of course hope.
As we move toward winter, the market naturally shifts into its quieter season. Thoughtful buyers emerge and sellers reassess timing and strategy. But underneath all the endless data and decisions, this season always brings us back to something simpler: gratitude for the roofs over our heads, the communities we belong to, and the people who choose to walk alongside us.
Without naming names, I’ll share this: my own family is navigating a very challenging chapter right now. It has made me rethink the meaning of home, of abundance, of what “enough” truly is. And it has deepened my appreciation for the support, kindness, and presence of this community.
So this Thanksgiving, I’m especially grateful for each of you who read these updates, for the neighbors who regularly stop me at Chatham Perk (each Friday) for the conversations on porches and docks and dirt driveways, and for the privilege of helping people find or let go of a place that matters to them.
And BTW, if you haven’t watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s in a while, consider revisiting it this week. Not for the glamour - but for the reminder that presence is its own kind of grace.
If you’re starting to think about buying or selling, PaulBorde.com is always a great resource to browse listings, past archived newsletters, and market updates.
And if you’re around Friday morning (yup, the day after Turkey!), please swing by Chatham Perk. Best coffee in town - and as always, it’s on me.
Happy Thanksgiving