desperate for the Cape (New Bedford, Falmouth: oceanfront, foreclosure, insurance)

[nohogal]

Hello folks...Have been lurking and reading some wonderful posts. I am looking to move to the Cape, more in the Falmouth, Wareham area, definitely not at the elbow down. Just want to know some weather things...flooding? Hurricanes? Would love to live on the water (who wouldn't!) but I am tentative about the weather. I would love to relax on the deck, watch the wildlife (birds) putter around on the water. Ahhh, ideal!! Any thoughts out there? I'm looking at about $350,000.

Thanks, noho gal

[CapeCodder]

Originally Posted by nohogal

Hello folks...Have been lurking and reading some wonderful posts. I am looking to move to the Cape, more in the Falmouth, Wareham area, definitely not at the elbow down. Just want to know some weather things...flooding? Hurricanes? Would love to live on the water (who wouldn't!) but I am tentative about the weather. I would love to relax on the deck, watch the wildlife (birds) putter around on the water. Ahhh, ideal!! Any thoughts out there? I'm looking at about $350,000.

Thanks, noho gal

You might be looking at a condo then...I'm sure the realtors on the board will pop in with advice on that price range.

In my life (43) I've experienced one serious hurricane...Bob in 91 (I think). My parents live in Falmouth Heights and they lost both of their large willows during that hurricane. It was a cat 1 or 2 when it hit. There was a lot of damage in the area...getting insurance is hard near the water. Flooding has never been a problem for them, Chatham experiences a lot of flooding durng storms. You can go online and see photos of the hurricane's damage.
Other than Bob, it was a lot of "near misses", but nothing major.

The weather we seemed to deal with the most was fog...always foggy...and back when I was a kid...no good hair products made for some wild hair.

Good luck to you...

[RLCMA]

First off, Wareham is NOT Cape Cod. I hate when people think Wareham is Cape Cod. If it's not on the other side of the bridge it's not Cape Cod. Buzzard's Bay is a village of Bourne on the mainland and I don't consider that Cape Cod because it's not on the island. Anyway, if you're looking to be on the water for $350,000 you're going to have to be on fresh water because there is no way you can get an oceanfront property in Falmouth or anywhere on the Cape for $350,000 unless you're looking for a pre-foreclosure and can talk the owners down to this amount. They'd have to be extremely desperate though. I'm not sure if you could get an oceanfront property in Wareham for this amount but you have a better shot there than on the Cape.

[nohogal]

First off, Wareham is NOT Cape Cod. I hate when people think Wareham is Cape Cod.

Oops! My bad! I did know this but...I'll blame it on a senior moment!

As for hurricanes, I have been through a number, having grown up in Hingham, on the water. Glad to know you all have just had some near misses (except for Bob) - better than a "hit" any time!

I really don't want a condo, although I'm getting to the age maybe but only by the numbers!!

Is insurance pretty easy to get, and not have to pledge your first child?

[RLCMA]

Insurance isn't bad unless you're going to buy an oceanfront property. Then be prepared to collapse. I'm certain you could get a freshwater view for 350k.

[Max73]

You can get a salt water view in Wareham for $350. I have a second home there. Big problem with Wareham is that in some areas the "year-round" population is a rough crowd and there is a lot of crime. I would not live there year round. If you will only be there during the summer it's not bad since most of the homes around us are summer homes for people from all over SE Mass. We are just a couple of houses from the beach with a nice water view from our deck and can walk to beach, clamming, or our boat which is moored near the beach for fishing and water skiing. The kids love it. Of course Chatham is nicer but water views there are in the millions.

[Ragdoll Kitty Lover]

HMM. This is a tough one. Cape Cod is a cape, not a natural island. It became a manmade island when they cut the Cape Cod Canal through many years ago.

My relatives have lived on the water from Mattapoisett all the way down to West Dennis over a few centuries. There have been many destructive Nor'easters, Blizzards, and Hurricanes, but recent history has been kind to that area.

I have my Grandpa's pictures of Route 6 at the Marion Wareham line where the Weweantic River flooded out the entire area and knocked my Great Aunt's camp 6 feet off its foundation. This was during Hurricane Carol in 1956, then happened again with Hurricane Donna a few years later.

Hurricane of 1938 wiped out many of the coastal homes from New Bedford down to Chatham. West Dennis beach was devastated. Of course, I've only seen pictures of this, but it can happen again. Rhode Island and New Bedford have erected hurricane barriers to help prevent this, but we can never predict what Mother Nature will do.

Wherever you buy, make sure you can get insurance for the house. Some areas are very expensive to insure.

[nohogal]

Big problem with Wareham is that in some areas the "year-round" population is a rough crowd and there is a lot of crime. I would not live there year round.
That doesn't sound good! What about Onset? Isn't that a part of Wareham? That bad in the off-season also? Because I am looking for a year-round home!

[Ragdoll Kitty Lover]

In answer to your question, nohogal,
Onset is a village right next to East Wareham. You could probably get a good price on a little place, but I wouldn't advise it. You mentioned laying around on the deck watching wildlife, but I don't think you mean the kind of wildlife you would find in Onset. ;o)

[nohogal]

LOL Ragdoll!! Great line! And thanks for the insight.