Heath Coker, Real Estate Broker

Since I live on the Cape, I often forget people come here for vacations and special events. Today I was reminded that I get to live in a wonderful place.

I just spent a very pleasant morning in Dennis, about 30 to 40 minutes from Falmouth. Our Sunday morning Bible study group met at the Lighthouse Inn in Dennis. What a pleasant place. They had a great buffet and we ate while looking out over a peaceful Nantucket Sound. The sun was just coming up and there were enough clouds to cause the rays of the sun to stream through in picturesque beams. One couple in our group works here during the summer months. He said they have weddings all the time. I can see why. All the staff is pleasant and friendly, and the cottages and the buildings are picturesque Cape Cod. The grounds are well cared for, it is oceanfront, and there is plenty of beach. During the summer they have things to do from skidoos to shuffleboard. Today, there was a roaring fire in the reception area, and we got to got up into the real lighthouse cupola. If you are looking for a summer vacation or a place to have a wedding, this is one to consider.

Their web site is www.lighthouseinn.com.

Happy selling and listing! - and vacationing or wedding-ing!

Whodathunk you would see Arkansas in the Top Ten list. It does have over 600 cities and towns, but what is going on there to attract real estate searches? Maybe you agents and brokers from Arkansas can shed a little light. Of course Mrs. Palin's notoriety may have been a partial cause for Alaska's inclusion in the top ten. I know Alaska a little. I ran a placer gold mining operation up near Denali in the early 80's and my cook stayed there and turned into a politician. (I hope he legislates better than he cooked, LOL!!) Iowa has gained attention because of the Olympic gymnastics team as well as the investment possibilities there. Indiana has long been a down market. Maybe they are starting to attract buyers now.

We are studying why each of these states was in the Top Ten for August on REindex.com, The Site Engine®. If you have something to point to, let us know. I'll be blogging the results of our research as we uncover it. Other states in the list were California and Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, West Virginia. There are a lot of people looking for real estate!

Happy Selling and Listing!

The sun was shining so much that everyone who could get burned - did. The cloudless sky was filled only with ospreys going to and from a nearby pond to catch fish for their ospreyettes, and an inadvertent flyby of some jet fighters on their way to Otis. Today is 6/7/8 and my second daughter has graduated high school. The speakers were positive, outward focused and contentious with their time.

The night before I attended the "awards ceremony" where scholarships were presented. This small community provided almost $310,000 for kids to continue their education in college! The amounts ranged from $100 to a $30,000 four year scholarship! I was not only proud of my daughter and the awards she earned, but I was provided a non-partisan, apolitical look into the generosity of this great community and country. So much news is bad and the reports make be wince. But yesterday and today I was encouraged about the future for my daughter, this community, and this great country.

It was a beautiful day on Cape Cod!

When I did some research on pre-foreclosures in Cape Cod towns on May 6, 2008, P-Town was one of the Cap Cod towns that had only a few properties in pre-foreclosure. Only 1.3% of the 140,000(+-) homes on the Cape were at the stage of pre-foreclosure on that date. Most homes on the cape are owner occupied, but in Provincetown almost 60% of the 2400 residential properties are second homes. Most other communities on the Cape have less than half of their homes designated as second homes. Commercial properties are not included in the pre-foreclosure data I found.

Provincetown, MA is the farthest town out on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is bounded by Cape Cod Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and Truro. Most of the properties in Provincetown are second homes (58%+-). Provincetown is another one of the towns on Cape Cod that has lots of beaches. This area of the Cape is known for its colorful summer tourists. Even with its high second home percentage, Provincetown real estate had only 17 properties in pre-foreclosure when I ran my last report on May 6, 2008.

Provincetown doesn't have villages like other towns on the Cape. Keep in mind these are PRE-foreclosures (as of 5/6/08) and some will not go to complete foreclosure.

Provincetown 17

Next: Dennis
Other Towns: Yarmouth
Sandwich
Mashpee
Falmouth
Barnstable

On May 6, 2008, I did some research on pre-foreclosures in Cape Cod towns. Only 1.3% of the 140,000(+-) homes on the Cape were at the stage of pre-foreclosure. Less than half of the homes on Cape Cod are actually second homes, and commercial properties are not included in the 1900. Most homes on the cape are owner occupied, contrary to popular opinion. Some areas within Cape Cod towns do have more than 50% vacation home or investment status, but for the most part, the Cape has a year-round economy.

Yarmouth is in the Mid-Cape area of Cape Cod. It is bounded by Barnstable and Dennis. Many of the properties in Yarmouth are second homes (35%+-). Yarmouth is one of the few towns on Cape Cod that has beaches on both Nantucket Sound and on Cape Cod Bay. This area of the Cape is one that is often depicted in postcards. Because of its high second home percentage, Yarmouth has almost 3% of its homes in pre-foreclosure as of May 6, 2008.

Here are the breakdowns for Yarmouth villages that I have found. Keep in mind these are PRE-foreclosures (as of 5/6/08) and some will not go to complete foreclosure.

Yarmouth
Yarmouth Port 44
West Yarmouth 172
South Yarmouth 132

Tomorrow: Provincetown (P-town)
Other Towns: Sandwich
Mashpee
Falmouth
Barnstable