**The Second Season (Fall) & 2024 vs 2025 at a Glance**

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.

Every fall, right around Columbus Day, something magical happens on Cape Cod (and no, its not my birthday - October 9 – but I digress). The beaches empty, the traffic fades, and the Cape seems to take a deep breath.

Locals call it “The Second Season.”

The air feels different, the conversations deepen, and for many of us, it’s the Cape at its best.

It’s also when the real estate market reveals its true shape - not the sizzle of summer, but the steady hum of genuine demand.

And, yes, you can finally get a quick resi at The Impudent Oyster.

Spring & Summer in Perspective: 2024 vs. 2025

But before we turn the page to fall, here’s a quick look at how the Lower Cape (aka The Elbow) - Chatham, Orleans, Harwich, and Brewster - performed this year compared to last.

Despite higher interest rates and fewer total listings, 2025 has held remarkably steady on pricing - proof that quality homes, well-located and well-presented, remain in demand.

(Data compiled from MLS-PIN, Barnstable County)

Takeaway:
Net Net: Transaction volume is down about 10% year-over-year, but pricing continues to inch upward - particularly for turnkey homes in desirable pockets of Chatham and Orleans. Well-priced homes continue to draw strong interest and sell quickly, even in a tighter market. The lesson remains the same: when a property is presented thoughtfully and priced reasonably, it will always find its buyer.

In short, supply is thin, but confidence remains strong.

Perspective & Tools

If you enjoy this kind of “Wall Street Journal level” of clarity, check out my new Market Update feature at paulborde.com.  (I know I know – my data points probably aren’t as click worthy as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance, but arguably more useful – unless they are buying in Chatham! 🤪 )

Click into the town you are interested in and enjoy the Data! It’s updated regularly - every 48hrs - with local insights, price trends, and short commentary on what’s really happening - not just the headline numbers.  And btw, many readers have already bookmarked it as their go-to resource for understanding the Cape beyond the usual (and often wildly inaccurate) Zillow graphs. But seriously, check it out.

Looking Ahead

I’ll be away this week for my son’s wedding in NYC (a proud papa moment) and will be staying at my old favorite – The New York Athletic Club in Midtown West, but I’ll be back at Chatham Perk next Friday - OCT 17th (8–9 AM) for my usual Fireside Chat.

Until then, enjoy this quieter chapter - the Cape’s most beautiful season (IMNSHO my personal favorite by far) - and the chance to see both the shoreline and the market with fresh perspective.

See you soon,