Dear Cape Friends,
If you're new here, welcome. If you've been along for the ride, welcome back.
People ask Realtors all the time what they would buy themselves. So, with absolutely no scientific methodology whatsoever, I thought I'd answer that question this week.
If I were buying a Cape Cod house today, what would I look for?
First, I don't think I'd necessarily be looking for the biggest house. Or the newest kitchen. Or the most bedrooms. And I'm pretty certain I wouldn't need 7,500 square feet to feel “cozy.” I’ll leave that to the Kardashians.
I'd be looking for a house that simply does Cape Cod well.
What does that mean? Well, for me it starts with an outdoor shower. I realize there are probably places in America where showering outside is considered unusual behavior. On Cape Cod, I'm pretty sure it's an amenity. Give me an outdoor shower with some weathered cedar around it and I'm already interested.
I'd want a fireplace – as in burning actual firewood. Seasoned, preferred. But I digress.. Not because I particularly want to think about January right now, but because some of my favorite Cape days are the ones when the weather doesn't exactly cooperate – fog rolling in, wind picking up or just the prevailing southwesterly suddenly decides to shift. There's something pretty great about a crackling blaze going while the rain comes sideways outside with a glass of Macallan packed-with-ice in your port-side hand.
I'd want a porch, a deck, or some little place outside for morning coffee. It doesn't have to overlook the ocean. Frankly, it doesn't have to overlook much of anything. A couple of hydrangeas and a comfortable chair will do just fine.
I'd want to be reasonably close to the water. Walking distance would be wonderful. Biking distance works. And if I can somehow smell the salt air from the house, we're really getting somewhere.
I'd want enough yard for the pups, a game of cornhole and a bunch of people standing around with drinks while Uncle Donn inevitably burns something on the grill. ha
And I'd want a house that isn't too precious. In fact, I wouldn't be afraid of one that needs a little work - aka love.. I might actually prefer it.
One thing I've learned in this business is that Buyers can be remarkably quick to dismiss a house because the kitchen is dated, the paint colors are wrong or the bathrooms haven't been touched since the first Bush administration. 😄
But here's the thing: a lot of that work is significantly easier to tackle than people imagine, and I say it ALL the time. Paint. Floors. Countertops. Fixtures. Landscaping. None of it is free, of course, and every house is different. But updating a home doesn't necessarily mean signing up for a six-month renno to impress the likes of that hilarious comedian who is blowing up on Instagram - Johnny Hillbrant - and taking out a second mortgage.
Often times there's real value in seeing what a house could become - not just what it is today. Of course, that's my list. For someone else, the Cape dream might be a turnkey waterfront home with a pool, a dock with the Regulator 41 sporting quad 450 Yammies, six bedrooms, a wine cellar and enough room for three generations to spend the summer together. And if that's your version, I completely understand the appeal – just give me the nod to swing by on July 4th. I’m always good for showing up with a case of Coors Light on the fly. 😄 LFG!!
Oh, almost forgot the “panic room.” Yup, I literally heard of one of those just a few weeks ago.
But seriously, maybe underneath all of this, what I'd really want is pretty simple: a warm and welcoming home to share with someone you love, where the kids and grandkids want to be, friends stay too long, everybody eats and laughs too much, and hopefully you make a whole bunch of memories along the way..
NET NET: That's one of the things I love about selling real estate here on the Cape. There really isn't one definition of the perfect Cape house.
For some people, it's the spectacular house that's already finished down to the last detail. For others, it's the slightly imperfect one they can make their own. Either way, The perfect Cape house, is the one that lets you live the Cape Cod life you've imagined.
And that's just about impossible to measure in square feet.
So... what's on your Cape Cod house must-have list?
If you're around Friday morning, I'll be holding court at Chatham Perk from 8:00–9:00 AM. As always, the coffee is on me. Feel free to stop by and say hello.)
See you around the elbow,
Paul
P.S. If you're thinking about buying, selling, or simply keeping tabs on the market here on the elbow- or if you know someone who is - PaulBorde.com is a great place to start. You'll find listings, market updates, past NEWSLETTERS, and enough reading material to get you through at least one rainy Cape Cod weekend. A few of the articles came dangerously close to Pulitzer Prize consideration.
(Editor's Note: This statement has not been independently verified.) 😄
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