There are certain moments that define your life. Anniversaries, funerals, the first time you add a home-repair tool to a wish list. Buying your first car, buying your first booster seat, deciding that your mother was right and eating ice cream for dinner isn’t wise. Things like that.
As a realtor, one of my defining moments was when I realized I had a favorite village on Cape Cod.
When you’re a kid, your house is just… your house. You don’t spend a lot of time comparing and contrasting it with the others in your area. But as an adult? You’re at risk of spending a Sunday viewing open houses… and enjoying it. And that, dear reader, is how you wind up with a mortgage, a tool shed, and a favorite village.
Or, in my case, three favorite villages.
Cape Cod is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, which is one reason I love Chatham. This seaside village is located on the southeastern tip of the Cape and is home to 19th-century stunner, Chatham Lighthouse. The village also provides easy access to Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, a welcoming place for migratory birds since the early 1940s. When my clients are looking to ground themselves in nature, I bring them to Chatham.
Another of my favorite areas is Osterville, which is one of the seven villages of Barnstable, Mass. It’s tucked between Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound—a true paradise if you love the water as much as I do. I’m talking ponds, a lake, marshes, bays, and, of course, beaches. Outside of a gorgeous residential community, Osterville also has a small but mighty business district. If you’re looking to outfit your beach cottage, Osterville is the place to shop.
For the history buffs out there, don’t miss Dennis Village. It’s jam-packed with historic sites, including The Cape Playhouse, which is America’s oldest professional summer theatre. It’s also home to several excellent art galleries (another reason why people love the Cape so much). In fact, Dennis hosts a weekly “art walk” every summer. I find that it’s the ideal way to experience Cape Cod’s natural beauty, history, and culture all at once.
We encounter many defining moments in our lives. As much as I enjoy exploring the Cape, there’s something uniquely thrilling about helping my clients experience one of their moments. There’s a look people get when they find their home, you know? The one that says, Wow, this changes everything.
What can I say? Some people love sharing their favorite DIY hacks—I love sharing my favorite places to live. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.