January 20, 2010

Buying a house and choosing where to retire to on Cape Cod MA

Cape Cod has been for a long time a destination for future retirees and it still is attracting more every year.

Some choose Cape Cod for its laid back life style or its nicer weather (with much less snow than any of the big cities in the states that surround it).

Some love its incredible views and the multitude of outdoor activities to pick from every day: walking, golfing, kayaking, fishing, bicycling, in-line skating, running, bird watching, going to the beach, boating and the list goes on…

Living on Cape Cod gives a total new definition of what retirement can be.

As a Realtor on Cape Cod, I meet a lot of clients who are looking for a house to retire to in a few years. But they often do not really know what town is best for them.

So I usually ask them to make a list of the activities they like or plan on doing when they retire. Then we compare it with what each town offers.

Golfing is a good example. Some towns have no public golf courses, some have 2, and some have private ones…

Once we narrow it down to 1 or 2 towns, then I suggest making a list of what you want and do not want, but in the following 3 categories:

1-“Must Have” in the house : (keep in mind that these are usually fields that will be entered in the computer for the search. For example: saying MUST HAVE 3 Bedrooms will eliminate every house with 2 bedrooms only, even if it has a bonus room or office etc. So having too many criteria in the MUST HAVE section might narrow down your choices fast). You should also rank the items by priority here.

2-“Would be NICE TO HAVE” : (but it is not a deal breaker if the house does not have it) Here you can elaborate, list everything you like. It could be something that you can add on also. For example, if you want a garage, but do not mind adding one on a house that does not have it.

3- “Absolutely do not like/ want” : This can be a style of house you do not like, something you do not want to be near… it can also be a limitation . For example, if you have trouble with stairs or slopes, then it would tell me to look for a ranch on a flat lot. Again, think of the computer search. It has to be an ABSOLUTE no because I will program my search to exclude all listings that have what you list in this section.

Now, if you think you are ready to start looking for your next house on Cape Cod, the 1st thing to do is to call me, Melanie Cauchon, at 508-776-5378. You can also visit my website at www.melaniecauchon.com.

I also have great listing if you are thinking of retiring near the town, the beaches and the golf courses. Take a look at this great property at 18 Randolph Lane in Harwich. If you want to see more of it, you can also take a video tour by clicking here.