April Review:
April certainly was a little unusual. When the Spring market should have been in full swing much came to a grinding halt instead. Closed sales were down 22% from April 2019 and saw a decrease from March 2020, which is unusual as well. We expect the trend of low sales to continue into May since the lagging indicator of number [...]
We don't know what this summer will bring exactly, but we are hopeful that it will look somewhat normal. Here we'll keep you up to date with the latest news and information about vacationing on Cape Cod. We would also like to take a brief moment to express our thanks to those essential workers who are putting themselves at risk to keep us all safe and healthy. If you can give, here are some guidelines on giving wisely.
Update 6/8: Short-term rentals are now open as a part of phase 2 of the governor's reopening plan. See here for more information on the lodgings regulations --HERE--
Update 5/18: The governor has included short-term vacation rentals in phase 2 of his reopening plan. This may start as soon as June 8th. View our available vacation rentals here
Update 5/14: We are awaiting firm guidance on whether short-term vacation rentals can proceed. We expect this information to be released on May 18th
Please see our page with links to each town on Cape Cod as well as the local chambers of commerce and Barnstable County. These websites are updated frequently with town specific information and guidelines. In addition the local Cape Cod and Islands Association of Realtors has a very helpful page on short-term vacation rentals --HERE--.
In addition to the general state level guidelines the local State Representatives and Governor's Office, in conjunction with a number of Cape Cod healthcare and business partners, put out helpful guidance to our seasonal visitors on the Cape. The original can be found --HERE--.
The CDC has a lot of useful information, updated frequently
Well, life looked a lot different in March than we are used to and we can only assume that any changes the Cape Cod real estate market felt in March are merely the beginning of a trend line that we do not yet have a full view of. Some good news is that Gov. Baker has deemed real estate an essential service so we are still able [...]
We hope this finds you all hale and hearty in these trying times! We are thankful to still be open for business and meeting the real estate needs of our clients, for a little more detail on how we are managing this please see our previous blog here. Today we wanted to share the first of a few ideas for how to improve your home to add value (since you may have spare time these days), whether you are thinking of selling this year or in the future.
W
e always recommend that you undertake upgrades that will make you enjoy your home more! If you can afford it, don't wait 20 years to replace a bathroom you hate, improve and enjoy it now while you are living in your home. Some sellers stress about doing these improvements just before selling and often don't reap monetary benefits as a results (see our blog about recouping investment on upgrades here). You can even undertake very inexpensive projects that improve the overall look and livability of your home that - while mostly intended for you - also make your home more appealing when selling. See the after and before photos (before has the mess of wires on the right) of a quick organization of home electronics. This makes your home more livable for you and, by being tidy and neat, can improve buyers' first impressions. A visibly clean and orderly home with very few 'punch-list' items implies that the owners are taking care of larger, invisible maintenance items -- this can have significant positive impacts by attracting higher and earlier offers when selling
If you are considering listing your home, please give us a call to put two generations of tradition and three decades of experience in your pocket. For some more tips for homeowners check out our blogs tagged here.
As 2020 starts rolling into the Spring market, February brought some interesting happenings. February closings, inventory and supply of homes are all down nearly 20% compared to 2019. We did see a 15% increase in pending sales last month which may portend more closings in March. Inventory compared to January is on the [...]
Buyers are looking for homes that sparkle. Some homes for sale on Cape Cod have been recently renovated and benefit from fresh paint, new floors or carpets, and updated appliances in the kitchen, bath or both. A home with newer updates is definitely more appealing to buyers (but worth it? Please see our thoughts here) and with our simple trick you too can make your home look its best without spending thousands of dollars.
Ready? Vinegar, warm water, elbow grease. No kidding. Too often we see homes that are, quite simply, dirty. Many sellers do a decent job cleaning their homes by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping floors. What so many people miss are the walls! Spend a little time with some diluted white vinegar and wash every surface in your home. You will be amazed at how much grime can appear on a rag from, what you thought was, a 'clean' flat wall. Spend a little extra time by beds, furniture, paintings, and anywhere that people touch (light switches, around door knobs etc...). Haven't you noticed that light discoloration on the wall when you move the bureau? When your home is empty and that bureau is gone, every potential buyer walking through will notice it as well. Another great tip: use a 'Magic Eraser' or similar product for larger marks, but be careful, these can change the texture of paint which is very visible in certain light.
If you are trying to squeeze every ounce of potential value out of your homes consider this inexpensive way to make it more appealing to buyers. When someone walks in and can see everything that is wonderful about your home without the distraction of dirty walls, you give yourself a great shot at a higher sale price!
If you are considering listing your home, please give us a call to put two generations of tradition and three decades of experience in your pocket. And to see a few houses that don't need this treatment take a look at some of our listings here. Or for some more tips for homeowners check out our blogs tagged here.
Are you interested in the health of the Cape Cod real estate market? How it compares to Massachusetts' real estate trends? We have had some time to review the market data from 2019 and have some interesting findings to report. We'll take a few key points and break them [...]
After the holidays the January market saw an increase in new listings which was up nearly 14% from January 2019. We are hopeful this trend will continue and result in more months supply of inventory as we enter the Spring season. We also note several trends in other metrics that indicate what the Spring may look like. Days [...]
The numbers are in for December 2019. When considering the fall market we see that closed sales have remained relatively consistent but new listings have not kept pace so inventory has been declining since September. Compared to December in 2018, inventory is down approximately 21% and new listings about 17%; this coupled [...]
It's that time of year again, winter. After a fairly temperate holiday season, it is easy to get a little lackadaisical about preparing your home for the fury of winter. For this edition we checked in with Ned, who heads up our home watch services, about some winter hazards and how to get your home ready. The point he stresses more than any other is the benefit of having a neighbor or qualified and insured business keeping an eye on your home.
Winter on Cape Cod is not kidding around. At the time of writing it is the beginning of 2020 and approximately 40 degrees outside. But ol' Jack Frost knows better than anyone how to lull homeowners into a false sense of security. Ned's tip? Turn off your water and drain your pipes. Ned is fanatical about this and will even shut off his water in the summer if he leaves for a few days. Here is his explanation.
"With your water off at the main line, a freezing incident (or broken pipe) is never as catastrophic. All that can happen is the amount of water sitting in the pipes leaks out of the break, but no more! If you leave your water on and a pipe breaks on Friday, by Sunday this could be gallons of water pouring onto your wood floors and destroying your drywall. With a well winterized home including drained pipes, a shut-off main, antifreeze in strategic locations, and human eyes walking through habitable spaces, you greatly reduce the possibility of damage as well as the amount of damage that does happen. The horror story is a former sales client had, over several months, tens of thousands of gallons leak out of a broken pipe before anyone noticed. Please have your house checked."
Cold outside is cold for everything, including animals that like to be warm and fed. If you winterize your home we recommend removing all food items, even those in plastic packages and bags. Mice will eat through bags of rice or popcorn and make a mess in your pantry. Also chimneys are a consideration if you don't need them for venting a furnace since raccoons, opossums and plenty of other animals can make homes in them over the winter leading to messy cleanup come spring.
Storm DamageAs always Nor'Easters are a very real threat to property here on Cape Cod. With hurricane force winds battering trees and roofs, these storms can drop branches or entire trees on your home. We recommend some simple things to get ready for any storm here, and particularly where landscaping is concerned. The main idea, remove large trees and limbs from the area immediately surrounding your house. Old pitch pines are particularly susceptible to breaking off near the top and dropping heavy and damaging tops on houses, so pay close attention to these when assessing your landscaping.
Be prepared this winter and add the peace of mind of having a person walk through and around your home by contacting Chatelain Real Estate today. With our house watch service you don't need to wait until April to discover a problem that has been ongoing since January.