Open for business: brand new ticket office at The Steamship Authority in Woods Hole. It’s light, bright, and has lots of smiling ticket sellers eager to help you.
Picture-Perfect Day on the Vineyard – Not!
A cold, wet day on the ferry to and from the Vineyard – dark, roiling swells, everything gray-green, no horizon or land in the distance. Not the kind of picture you usually see of the Vineyard!
House Swap 101
Swapping homes is a delicate and somewhat difficult process, not for the faint of heart or sloppy of habit. We each spent a lot of time clearing away a lot of our own personal stuff to make room for the guests. This itself took the better part of two days for me.
In addition, we were using each other’s car, and since my inspection sticker was going to expire Nov. 30, part of my prep included getting a new sticker. But big surprise, the car got a big “R” (for “rejected”) instead of a new sticker, because my old license plate was apparently no longer sufficiently visible. Who knew? But this required another half day – a half day I hadn’t planned on – of going to the Registry to order new plates, and returning to the inspection station to re-inspect and get a new sticker.
In real estate, clients’ needs and strict deadlines can’t be rescheduled because the agent is unavailable, so organizing to take care of clients and their transactions in absentia was another time-consuming and sometimes murky task. Fortunately, both Sissy and I were able to continue to work remotely, although three mornings my phone rang way too early with calls from people who had no idea I was away or that HI is five hours behind Cape Cod.
The key to a successful house swap really depends on both parties being flexible, generous, and hospitable, which luckily, we were. We each derived as much pleasure from the others enjoying our home and town as we did from the time we were spending in a new home and town. It’s remarkable to me that two strangers, along with their families, could so easily and happily share each others’ lives in this most essential way. But we did, and all of us are thankful for the random set of circumstances that brought us together.
We’re already planning the next swap!
Come With Me to Work (1 of 3)
Come with me on a virtual tour of some of the homes I’ve been showing lately. As always, click on the address or the picture for additional photos.
#21716839
28 Upshur Drive, North Falmouth
$399,000
If the budget is limited and privacy is a goal, this would be a good candidate. It’s a 3 bedroom, 2 bath Cape with around 1,500 square feet of living space on a half acre. It’s on the end of a cul-de-sac, and once inside the house, you don’t see any other homes. There’s no garage, and the house needs updating, but it’s not bad for under $400,000 in North Falmouth.
#21716638
23 Old Main Road, North Falmouth
$439,000
Twenty-three Old Main is a good comp for 28 Upshur – same North Falmouth location, same 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, similarly generous lot. And in original condition. This one has more visibility on the road, although the backyard is private. I think many buyers would want to knock out walls to create a better flow. Once you start doing that, you may as well look at the next house.
#21716860
51 Horseshoe Lane, North Falmouth
$654,900
Here’s a gut renovation that has produced a bright and spacious ranch in desirable Grey Rocks. Everything is new: windows, roof, floors, HVAC, septic, kitchen, and baths. And it’s got an attached 2 car garage; also a generous lot. The challenge with this one is that the ranch next door, also renovated, but with substantially more interior square feet recently sold for less than this asking price.
Wild Harbor Estates, Falmouth
The perfect autumn tree before the storm on Monday.
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