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Dear Cape Friends, Numbers can be funny things. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been with me for a while, welcome back! Each week I share Cape Cod Real Estate with a side of humor, common sense, and a splash of salt air. I recently came across a chart comparing Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus and immediately fired it off to my “three” sons (golf / sports nuts). That, predictably, set off a spirited debate.. It also reminded me that if golf were just about raw statistics and spreadsheets, the Tiger versus Jack argument isn’t nearly as black-and-white as people think - and no one would ever actually agree on who dominated whom. What those numbers don’t show, of course, is context… like how quickly Tiger racked them up. Argument over. Next. Real Estate works the same way. Numbers matter - but only when you understand the story behind them. So before offering any opinions, I thought it might be useful to let the numbers speak for themselves. Below is a clean snapshot of where the Lower Cape single-family market actually landed in 2025 - no forecasts, just fundamentals.
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What Stands Out A few things become clear when you step back and look at the data. Prices held up remarkably well across most towns, even as buyers took more time to make decisions. Inventory remained relatively constrained, which helped prevent meaningful price resets. And while days on market increased, that reflects a more deliberate buyer- not a weak one. In plain English: 2025 was a normalization year, not a downturn. Why I’m Optimistic About 2026 This snapshot is a big reason I’m quietly bullish heading into 2026. Inventory remains tight by historical standards. Cape Cod continues to be a scarcity-driven market. And many Buyers who paused in 2024 and early 2025 are beginning to re-engage- more intentional, better informed, and well positioned. I don’t expect a frenzy. I do expect a healthy, functional market where well-located, well-priced homes continue to perform very well. And just like the ‘Tiger vs Jack’ debate, the takeaway isn’t found in any single stat - it’s found in the full picture. (For the record, I ended the argument with my boys in one line: “Jack mastered the game, Tiger transcended it..” mic-drop 😄) If you’d like a calm, no-pressure conversation about how your specific property fits into this landscape, I’m always happy to share perspective. And if you’re around Friday morning, I’ll be at the Chatham Perk from 8:00-9:00am - the very BEST coffee on Cape Cod, bar none (remember, its on me!) See you around the elbow, Paul P.S. If you’re starting to think about buying or selling, PaulBorde.com is a good place to browse listings, catch past newsletters, and stay current on the market - and, if I may say so, revisit a few of my Pulitzer Prize–level past newsletters. Market data is based on publicly available information from the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS® and is provided for general informational purposes only. Opinions expressed are the author’s own and based on general market trends. |