Hurricane Sandy - An Update

It currently appears that the eye of Hurricane Sandy will cross from sea to shore somewhere between Cape May and New York City. The sheer vastness of this storm, estimated at about 800-1000 miles across, will ensure that Cape Cod gets its share of wind and rain. The local news stations are comparing Sandy with the "Perfect Storm" of 1991. The 'Perfect Storm' reference may be a bit overstated, but winds may well approach 75-80 mph on the Outer Cape early Tuesday morning. We aren't expected to get a lot of rain, likely under 2 inches. Waves on the ocean side may top 15-20 feet, and bayside erosion may be severe. We'll need to pay attention to the weather predictions as the storm gets closer. Follow the 'action' at www.Weather.com.

Below is the projected path of Sandy, captured just a few minutes ago. The time marks on the figure suggest that this could be a long duration event.

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Wood End Lighthouse Gets a Coat of Paint

The very tip of Cape Cod has two similar lighthouses. They are the Long Point and Wood End lighthouses and are accessible only on foot or by boat. Every few years they need a coat of paint and this is the year. The video crew from the Cape Cod Times accompanied the painting volunteers to the Wood End lighthouse for this year's paint job. Enjoy!

 

My November 2012 Newsletter Is Available Now!

My November 2012 newsletter is available now! This issue of my newsletter has my 3rd quarter  market update for Eastham.  Additionally, you'll find a few links to articles that previously were put on my Facebook 'corporate' page.

This newsletter has been published every month for over 9 years. My goal, with my newsletter, is to provide accurate sales and market information about the Eastham housing marketplace, to add commentary and opinion (as appropriate), and to keep it interesting. Download your copy of my November newsletter now.

The Death of Stainless - What's Next?

As a Realtor I see a lot of kitchens. Ignoring the occasional Harvest Gold and the older Coppertone appliances, the majority of the kitchens have either white or stainless steel appliances. The newer kitchens seem to tend toward the stainless.  Well, the reign of stainless seems to be coming to an end. That begs the question of 'what's next'? Surprisingly, white may be making a comeback, but the appliance makers have a variety of thoughts here. 

 

Check out an article on 'what's next' from the Wall Street Journal...Here.

IRS Pub 527 - A Must-Read For Second Home Owners

If you have, or are considering, a second home that you'd like to rent to summer folks, you've probably wondered what the tax ramifications might be. Well, look no farther than IRS Publication 527. This pub will take you through the requirements for deductions, depreciation, personal use limitations, reporting, and just about anything you can think of.

You'll see what is deductible (a lot!), and what income doesn't need to be reported (yes - there can be some!). I don't recommend reading this just before bedtime or you'll wake up in the morning on the couch, but it should be a part of your planning for tax-time. Get IRS Pub 527 on the Internal Revenue Service website ...  Here.

2012 "Bus Season" Is Here!

I call it our 'secret summer'. September and October have significantly diminished traffic, warmer weather, and most of the other benefits of summer on Cape Cod. But Labor Day (actually the day-after Labor Day) starts the season I call 'Bus Season'. During bus season there is a steady stream of large tour buses traveling up and down Route 6, checking out all the 'tourist' attractions along the way. You know - lighthouses, windmills, gift stores, etc., on their way to P-Town.

I took the photo below yesterday. There were 7 or 8 buses at the Seashore visitors' center. Where was my wide-angle lens when I really need it? On my way home there were 2 buses at the Gift Barn and another at the Eastham Windmill. Oh my!

Bus Season at the Seashore

Eastham's Preliminary September Sales Update

Eastham's September sales seem to show a bit of a slowdown from prior months.  September 2011 had 16 sales.  September's sales reflect a somewhat slower summer. The details.. 

• There were 7 homes sold in Eastham in September, down from August's 9 sales.
• Total sales were approximately $2.5M - the average home sale price was $356K
• The median sale price in September was $362,500.
• There are currently 122 active single family listings in Eastham, with an average list price of $621K and a medium price of $450K.
• The average days-on-market is currently 223 days.

For more details, graphs, and commentary, download my latest monthly Eastham newsletter -- here. I've been publishing this newsletter for over 9 years with the goal of providing market information to my clients, so they may approach the market from a more informed position. Check it out!