I spent a good part of this past week with a couple from Florida, here to buy a summer home.  Much to the woman’s surprise, they flew home today with the most charming house just off Sippewissett solidly under agreement to them, and with the inspection accomplished as well.

How’d we do this?  To begin with, they’ve been online for what seemed to be 18 hours a day for at least the last month.  After basic familiarization with neighborhoods and prices, it stopped being productive, because you really just have to put your feet on the ground and see the neighborhoods; assess your reaction; evaluate your priorities (in this case, kayaking vs. biking; away from town vs. being near downtown); and figure out what trade-offs you’re willing to make.  Because there are always trade-offs!

The first day, we looked at 20 homes, either by drive-bys or going inside.  It was an exhausting day, but by the next day, there were only a few homes that made the short list to see again.  Here are some:

#21606802
211 Great Bay Street, Falmouth
$975,000

What a sweet house, so “beachy” and with glorious views!  But on the second day, surrounding homes not consistent with the quality and value of this one took it off the list.

#21605741
55 Seashell Lane, Falmouth
$900,000

This house is so similar to mine that I’m positive it was designed by Walter Yarosh, the same Falmouth architect who designed my house.  (He was busy in the 90’s; I keep seeing variations on the theme.)  This one is still original, but because I’ve just done a major renovation that included reconfiguring some spaces, it was easy for me to help my buyers envision what the house could be.  The setting, directly on Great Pond and facing west; and with a neighborhood dock, is superb.  But in the end, the prospect of managing a project of this scope long distance also took this one off the list.

#21607478
11 Place Road, Falmouth
$650,000

This is the one that rose to the top.  The location is superb in every way, with a neighborhood trail to the bike path; a short half mile to glorious Woodneck Beach; and less than a mile to the activities and pleasures of Main Street, Highfield Hall, and Beebe Woods.  The price was fair, and because the buyers had seen so many homes, they had a solid sense of value and understood that.  The space was just right, not too big but not too small.  The trade-off is that yes, it does need a new kitchen and the addition of central air.  The buyers would have loved to have found a house that had these already, but they have a contractor they trust, and once the work is done, they’ll have a wonderful Cape house (with a spectacular kitchen!) in exactly the spot they wanted.  A great week!