The most recent Cape Cod single family home sales statistics are now available. The data points to a market that is continuing to slow, with pending sales down 20% from the same time last year.  Average days on market for single family homes in July was 30, representing a 25% increase over July 2022.  Condos are taking even longer, with the July average days on market being 72 days -- a 140% increase over last year.  

 

To view the most recent Cape Cod Real Estate market report, click here. For a town-specific report, click on the map.  Or, if you want to dig deep into the market data yourself and narrow your statistics by price, number of bedrooms, or other specific criteria, visit my new Market Insights page where you can even sign yourself up for periodic updates.  

Homebuyers are feeling the sticker shock of higher prices, but it’s not just inflation. They want bigger homes. In 1949, the average size of a new single-family home was 909 square feet, while homes grew to 2,480 square feet by 2021. Homebuyers want more than they had before, including more space, energy-efficient appliances, and smart home technologies, all of which is making homes more expensive.

But how much living space does a family really need? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, a typical home purchased recently is 1,800 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and was built in 1986, but that may not be enough space for some homebuyers. While it’s totally subjective, a good rule of thumb is that each person should have 200 and 400 square feet of living space. So, a family of four would be comfortable with a home of about 2,400 square feet.

To help you choose the right-sized home, consider your family’s needs. Small children can comfortably share a bedroom, but teenagers need more privacy. Aging parents are safer in single-level homes or a downstairs owner’s suite, preferably with a separate entrance and living area. You may need more space if you’re working from home and need a home office, a playroom for kids, a bigger kitchen, or an owner’s suite with his and her baths.

Whatever you choose, make sure the layout and square footage also aligns with how much you want to maintain and pay for utilities. 

 

No matter what size home you are considering, be sure you are working with a reputable lender for your purchase or renovations.  For expert financing assistance, feel free to reach out to one of my trusted lending partners below.

 

Pride Rock Mortgage

Cape Cod Five

HarborOne Mortgage

The fact that homebuyers begin their home search by perusing listing photos online means that you have to grab their interest in your home right away. The purpose is to get buyers interested enough to view your home in person and make a solid offer.

It’s human nature – we want what we see. Here are six important steps work together to get your home sold quickly and for the highest price possible in your current market.

Decluttering

Clutter crowds a photograph because the lens captures everything in its range equally. If a kitchen is cluttered with too many appliances and knick-knacks on the countertops, the impressions the buyer takes away are that (A) There’s not enough storage and (B) Lax housekeeping could also mean lax home maintenance. Homebuyers want a ready-to-move-in experience where everything works and nothing will go wrong.

The best way to look at decluttering is that it will save you tons of time, effort and money on moving day. You don’t want to pay movers to move or store items you don’t use, love or want, so resolve to cut down the amount of stuff you have.

Begin by clearing every surface in each room. Separate items you need now from seasonal items or items you seldom use. List items you want to sell online, or take them to a consignment store. Throw away broken items you’ll never repair and stained or wrong-size clothing you’ll never wear. You’ll be better organized and feel less stressed once you list your home for sale. 

Depersonalize

According to Homego.com, removing personal items from your home helps potential homebuyers imagine their families and themselves living there, as well as helps you declutter and pack non-essentials away for moving. You may think it does no harm to leave family photos on the walls or on the bookshelves, but they only remind the homebuyer that you still own the home.

Other examples of depersonalization include removing degrees, certificates, awards and trophies from home offices and children’s bedrooms. Hobbies are also very personal and homebuyers may not understand the tools and accessories that accompany needlework, games and puzzles, sports memorabilia, and exercise equipment.

Also, take down any décor that includes name art like “Welcome to the Smiths” or aphorisms like “Live, Love, Laugh.” This may rile some readers, but the same goes for religious icons and anything political. Keep holiday decorations to a minimum Photographs taken during the holidays date your home if it’s still being marketed in late winter or early spring.

Clean, clean, clean

Cleanliness makes things look sleek in photographs. It’s worth it to hire a professional cleaning service to clean your home after you’ve decluttered and depersonalized. The cleaners will get into every nook with such detail that things will sparkle. Have your hardwood floors waxed and buffed as well as the carpets cleaned. 

CleaningInstitute.org recommends washing the windows, which may have to be done professionally to be thorough. You want attractive views to be featured in your home’s marketing.  Be sure to use non-streak cleaning products on glass, mirrors and wood furniture.

Pay special attention to the kitchens and bathrooms where caulking may be stained, curling or holding mold or mildew. It’s better to remove old caulking and reapply so tubs, showers and sinks really shine. If your tile floors or shower are stained with use, you can apply a topcoat of grout to make them look fresh and clean.

Light and bright

Some homes are darker than others. Heavy curtains hold dust and can make your interior gloomy, so replace them with lighter, sheerer fabric. Let as much natural light in as possible. Lightbulbs matter - especially if they’re too dim, too harsh, too warm or too cool.  NYMag.com suggest Soft White bulbs between 2,700 and 3,000 Kelvins for the right color temperature in bedrooms and living rooms. In kitchens, baths and utility rooms, Warm White between 4,000 and 5,000 Kelvins work best.  Amplify the light you have with decorative mirrors and glass top tables where you can. 

Staging

Staging is simply adding, removing and arranging furniture and accessories to make your home more modern and attractive. A professional stager has many ways to improve your home’s appeal that you may not have thought about, including replacing and storing your furniture with better-looking, correctly sized and edited pieces for each room. It can also include painting walls a more fashionable shade, setting the dining room table with fine china and crystal goblets, or decorating an easy chair by the fireplace with an attractive throw or quilt.

Curb appeal is essential – the first impression the buyer has of your home. Trim trees and shrubs, keep the grass cut and pick up toys, tools or any trash. Make sure your porch has an inviting container of plants or flowers, a new welcome mat, and new outdoor pillows on the swing. Paint your front door a fresh new hue. Clean your outdoor light fixtures and replace the bulbs.

Photography

All of the above steps should be completed before you or your Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network professional schedules your photographer. Clutter, poor lighting, crowded furniture, messy countertops, dead tree limbs, cat boxes, toys and leaves in the pool, and cars in the driveway all make for bad photography.

As PhoenixRealEstatePhotography.com puts it, “We are not photographing your home, we are photographing the potential new home of prospective buyers.” They have a number of suggestions to improve the results:

Keep all the bulbs the within a room the same type, LED, incandescent, etc.

Too much furniture and decorations don’t photograph well, distract from the home’s features, and make a room look smaller.

Throw rugs and runners in entryways, kitchens, and bathrooms prevent the floor from being clearly seen, plus they’re visual distractions in a photograph.

Remove all items from tabletops except lamps. Make sure there are no fingerprints, smears, or dust on any surface as they will show in a photograph.

Don’t leave anything out that’s personal or used in the bathrooms, including toothbrushes, bars of soap, hair brushes, wet towels, shampoos, body creams, bath oils and candles on the tub. Replace mildewed shower curtains. Hide the toilet brush, and close the toilet lid.

In the kitchen, remove dirty sponges, dish towels, dish soap, hand cream and other clutter near the sink. Put small appliances, knife blocks, paper towels and kitchen gadgets away. Remove photos, notes, papers and magnets from the refrigerator. Clean the fronts of major appliances – refrigerator, oven, stove top, range hood, and dishwasher and make sure there are no streaks or fingerprints. Move trash cans out of sight.

Outdoors, move all cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. from the driveway and don’t park in front of the house. Move garbage and recycling cans out of sight. Put away garden tools and lawn maintenance equipment such as hoses.

A swimming pool must be pristinely clean with no debris on the surface. Make sure pool lights, waterfalls, and spas are working before the photographer comes.

For the photography session, turn on all lights, open blinds, shades and curtains, and turn off ceiling fans.

As Realtor.com advises, more than 90% of homebuyers scroll through hundreds of listings on their laptops and mobile devices, so they’ll only click on the listings that grab their attention. Your job is to make them stop and linger on your home so they can visualize it and make it their next home. 

If you haven’t had to hire a plumber lately, you may not know how much it costs to have one come out and fix a problem that was preventable. First-time homebuyers and new homeowners will really benefit from knowing what to do to prevent household water troubles.

The first thing you need to learn is where your outside water shutoff valve is. That way, if you have an indoor leak from a broken water line or a drip that won’t turn off, you can prevent possible water damage before you call the plumber.  

There are also items you should never flush down the toilet. Don’t feel fooled by products like baby wipes, feminine products, facial tissues and makeup removal sheets, and clumpable cat litter that are advertised as flushable. They contain plastic fibers that could clog plumbing, so stick to toilet paper that doesn’t clog pipes. Don’t pour anything down the sink that isn’t water soluble, and that includes oils and damaging chemicals. Older plumbing has narrower pipes, and/or you may not have enough water pressure to send some items along their way.

Waste disposals can pulverize a lot more foods than in the past, but you’re much safer avoiding feeding them anything fibrous such as banana peels, breads or fruits with seeds, starchy foods like potato skins, or foods with nuts. Run water as you put items in the disposal and give them enough time to grind thoroughly. Stuff a sliced lemon down the neck for freshness. 

Whether or not you made it to the Cape this summer, you should DEFINITELY plan to make it here this Fall!  Check out what we have in store for you!

 

Eastham Windmill Weekend (Sept 8-10) - Eastham kicks off the Fall Festival season with this annual favorite that is now 46 years old!  The fun begins Friday night with a fish fry and talent show, followed by two days of music, artisans fair, a sand art contest, vehicle show, beer and wine garden, food vendors, a road race, and a parade!

 

Harwich Cranberry Arts & Music Festival (Sept 16-17) - This annual favorite begin in the 70's and has been going strong ever since.  The two-day event features 175 talented artists and crafters selling handmade goods and 8 bands providing the CranJam entertainment. When the music stops Saturday night, the fireworks begin!

 

SandwichFest (October 7) - This full day event features more than 90 vendors and artists, a beer and wine garden, food trucks, children's activities, music and more.  

 

Yarmouth Seaside Festival (Oct 7-8) - There's something for EVERYONE at this jam-packed two-day festival of fun!  A craft fair, a road race, a sand sculpture contest, food, music, a bonfire, fireworks, children's activities, a canoe and kayak race, and a parade!  If you've never been, be sure to make it this year!

 

Wellfleet OysterFest (October 14-15) - This Cape favorite which typically attracts around 20,000 visitors is not only back, but it's back on Main St. this year!  Featuring dozens of artisans, raw bar vendors, music, food and beverage tent, and the ever-popular shucking contest, this is not only one of the most popular Cape events, but it helps to educate people about Wellfleet shellfish. 

If you've been waiting for the right condo to come along, this spacious and tastefully updated 2-bedroom end unit at Quail Run is not to be missed! Featuring a generous 1,038 square feet of space and 1.5 baths, this unit offers comfortable, one-level living either as a year-round or second home. Kitchen and baths have been updated, and new windows and heat/AC mini-splits have been installed. Newer washer/dryer are located right in the unit. Conveniently located in North Chatham, with an easy stroll to Chatham Perk and just a short drive to downtown Chatham. You'll LOVE the tranquil, pastoral setting of this well-maintained complex! Enjoy morning coffee or afternoon tea on your private, cozy deck listening to the birds and looking out over the abutting conservation land. There is even a trailhead right behind the complex. Unit includes a designated carport and a large 9x13 private storage room in basement. Cats OK. Furnishings negotiable. LOW Chatham Taxes!  Offered at $429,900.

 

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