moving to Cape? (Boston, Dennis, Mashpee: house insurance, vacation home, neighborhood)

[dennis s]

My family and I want to move to Cape Cod because we love the sea and all that implies. We have a five year old and Florida is not known for education. So ....all I hear is it's boring and there is nothing to do. Traffic......bored hoodlums.....snow .....and no winter economy. Someone tell me something good about the winter and anything else good. I need to know the bad stuff too.

[Missing LI]

Tell me too! Family lives in Cape cod and it does sound boring but I think they are just boring. It reminds me of Long Island 30 years ago (although I'm only 33) but that is what I hear. Big City close by, Beaches at your fingertips, although only to be enjoyed without your hat and gloves for 2 months and culture( somewhat). The one downfall I've experienced every time we visit them is it rains....alot. They all lie and say it doesn't bother them, but come on, when you have kids, who wants to be inside every weekend. It is what you make of it, any place that is. We now reside in NC and I love the weather but are headed up to Long Island again for my husband to work in NYC. Cape Cod was on our list, and although the taxes are dirt cheap, the house insurance is not and I've heard alot of insurance companies are pulling out of Cape because of living near the water. Pretty quaint houses though, which is what I like. The job opportunites are slim unless you are a professional or don't mind traveling to Boston. Part of me would love to move there but I'm afraid of getting stuck into a neighborhood that is too established and I have to search out children for my two young ones to play with. Another thing I've noticed from family that lives there, they never referred to anyone they talk about as friends, everyone seems to be a co-worker which leads me to believe....yes they are boring people! Sorry for the babbling and I didn't answer your one question about the winter. The family I'm referring to drives over the snow on the driveway and shops at wal-mart on the weekend. Hope that helps. May not sound it but I'm a little envious of your move there, I just know the jobs are not there for us. Good luck to you and your family with your decision!! Another thing to do in the winter is shop at the christmas tree shop or the Mashpee Commons....sorry that's all I got for ya!

[dennis s]

Good insight. Thanks I apprerciate little verbal tidbits like that. Everything published in magazines and on the web talks about tourist stuff and nothing about "life" in the cape. Virtually everything I've read about Cape life is negative. Traffic, drug and alcohol problems amongst the youth, boredom and poverty in the winter. Not too promising. The "season" isn't even that long there. If one has enough money not to have to work one still needs something to do. That's the main reason people take to drugs and alcohol.

I'm getting dissapointed

[Missing LI]

don't get dissapointed, because unfortunately there is a little bad about every place on earth. Let's try to think of something positive. If you are one of the fortunate ones to not have to work but needs something to do, maybe you can help to organize organiztions against drugs and alcohol amongst today's youth up on Cape who are probably children of high society social butterlflies, so to speak parents, who need adults who care about them. Sounds like a good plan eh?

[dennis s]

Originally Posted by Missing LI

don't get dissapointed, because unfortunately there is a little bad about every place on earth. Let's try to think of something positive. If you are one of the fortunate ones to not have to work but needs something to do, maybe you can help to organize organiztions against drugs and alcohol amongst today's youth up on Cape who are probably children of high society social butterlflies, so to speak parents, who need adults who care about them. Sounds like a good plan eh?

great idea. I've actually tried that in Florida but the government here doesn't think it's much of a problem. I've also noticed that young people with unearned weath only feel that it's neccesarry to get help when they are on their way to jail.

[Missing LI]

soooo true and so sad! what will make you decision concrete??

[zackmatt]

I have a house in Dennisport, Ma. (vacation home). Basically almost everything east of Hyannis shuts down after Columbus Day weekend. And it can get very boring in winter. Usually the snow fall there is minimual but they did have a record snow fall two years ago. The other seasons are nice with the exception of the 12 weeks of summer. Weekends are the worst, you just have to learn the side and back roads. They are always having a festival of sorts in one of the towns. The locals are very pleasant, have made lots of friends there. If you like golf, you would likely run into several celebraties. And trips to the islands can be lots of fun. As for the schools I am not quite sure but you can log onto the towns website for any stats.Any more questions?

[abe]

I vacation in Harwich.It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. It's too damp. The women are ugly.

[jmfikucki]

love the cape very expensive and there is only traffic during summer which you will learn back roads good luck we want to go back but its to expensive so next best thing sebastian fl

[smarty]

Expensive - a relative term.

I used to think making a $1mil is a lot of money until I find out there are people paying $1mil in taxes a year.