A McPhee Associates of Cape Cod Quarterly Newsletter | |
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Greetings!
As we approach Thanksgiving and the close of another year, we’re filled with gratitude for all of you – our clients, team members and trade partners. Your trust, dedication, and collaboration have been essential in making this year a successful one for us. We truly appreciate each and every one of you!
With a new year on the horizon, we’re preparing for important changes in our industry. The 10th Edition of the Massachusetts Building Code goes into full effect on January 1, 2025, introducing updates that will make homes more energy-efficient and airtight. As always, we will keep you informed of any and all changes that could impact you.
In our final newsletter before the new year, we will be taking a closer look at the Cape’s Real Estate market over the last 10 months, sharing helpful tips for home winterization, giving progress updates on homes featured in past issues and reviewing a few shops along Main Street in Dennis Village just in time for the holiday season.
Please note our office will close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27, giving employees enough time to travel and prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen on Monday, December 2. If you have questions or need assistance, please call or email our office before the holiday break.
Thank you once again for being an integral part of our community. We look forward to another wonderful year together.
Wishing you and yours a warm and joyful Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Rob McPhee
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Take a look at this harborside remodel in Harwich Port we recently photographed for our online Portfolio.
Situated between Wychmere and Saquatucket harbors, Harborside Home Refresh pays homage to its coastal setting by integrating subtle nautical details.
Seen here, the updated kitchen pairs white-painted maple cabinetry and Fantasy Blue quartzite countertops and backsplash that reference the soft blues of the harbor. Antique Heart Pine wood flooring and hardware with a satin brass finish lend a warm elegance to the space.
For the children's room, our team custom designed and built a set of bunk beds with storage drawers integrated into the stairs.
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A custom-built bookcase painted Benjamin Moore’s Dark Pewter helps create a cozy reading spot on the second-floor landing of a new home we are wrapping up on Bass River in South Dennis. | |  |
The dining room of the same South Dennis home captures the look and feel of an old sea captain’s home with a (gas) fireplace and a brick surround. The fireplace wall and mantel are painted Sherwin Williams Dark Night to complement the English landscape wallpaper mural. | | |
In last fall’s newsletter we spotlighted the architectural plans of this gambrel-style new home build in Brewster. A year later, we are in the homestretch, painting the interior, finishing plumbing and electrical work and putting the final touches on before delivering to the homeowner. | | |
Another project update: In our spring newsletter, we featured the design plans for this new four-bedroom Shingle Style gambrel in Windward Village in East Dennis. Making progress, here it is today, seven months later. | | |
A screened-in porch is being built as part of a full-scale renovation of a historic home in South Dennis. A covered walkway will span the gap between the new screened-in porch and garage on the left. View the design plans of this project in the Architectural Design section below. | | |
The foundation footings are ready to be poured with concrete for a new three-bedroom home our team is building in Eastham. To see what this home will look like when complete, check out the Architectural Design section below. | | |
Below are the architectural designs created for two projects that are currently underway – a full-scale home renovation and a new home build. | |
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For the remodel of a historic home located in the South Dennis Historic District, our team created the following design plans. The clients wanted to preserve their antique home, built in 1849, while improving its functionality. The main design objectives were to create a first-floor primary suite, a large common area for gathering and a convenient side entrance close to the driveway.
To accomplish this, our team designed two additions. For more space, storage and convenience, a small addition adjacent to the driveway was designed, creating enough room for a side entryway, mudroom, powder room, laundry area and coat storage. To address the need for a common area to gather, the old kitchen will be removed and a second, larger addition will be built to create an open-concept kitchen-living area. To create a first-floor primary suite, an adjoining bedroom will be converted into a walk-in closet and bathroom.
Other updates will include a new covered walkway built between the new screened-in porch and new oversized garage (left side on front elevation). Additionally, the property’s former one-car garage will be converted into a pool house to accompany a new plunge pool and patio area with a pizza oven.
For a seamless transition between the historic home and its new updates, our team replicated the pitch of the rooflines and other architectural details such as the antique pilasters on the corners of the home.
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Our team designed this three-bedroom traditional Cape in Eastham for a couple with two college-age daughters. Designed to blend into the architectural style of the surrounding neighborhood, the new home will feature a farmer’s porch with flared roof eaves above and an arched, formal front entryway.
The home’s interior will have an open floor plan with visibility straight through the kitchen to the living room fireplace. While the primary suite is located on the first floor, the upstairs will include two bedrooms and a lounge space for their daughters.
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Follow us on social media to see progress photos and more McPhee projects. | |
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WINDWARD EAST & WINDWARD VILLAGE
Located on the north side of East Dennis, Windward East and Windward Village are exclusive McPhee Associates neighborhoods. The homes in both neighborhoods are set on pristine, wooded lots and are protected by special covenants that ensure new homes are designed and built to be compatible with Cape Cod and New England styles.
Windward East has sold out, but you can view our Windward East gallery of completed homes at the link above.
In Windward Village, there are just two lots remaining for custom-built homes: Lot 1 and Lot 5. Visit Windward Village for more details.
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We finally made our television debut. Did you spot us on the premiere episode of Coastal Lifestyle TV?
During the episode, which aired Oct. 19, we gave host Sarah Laplsey Martin a tour of a home we recently designed and built in Dennis. The talented interior design team at Lark + Soul was also interviewed.
At left, we have a behind-the-scenes photo taken during filming with company president Rob McPhee and architectural designer Kendra Seifert.
The season’s final episode airs this Saturday, November 16 at 12:30 p.m. on WSBK-TV, channel 38.
For a photo home tour, see the full gallery of Bayside Cape Retreat.
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Clear skies and temperatures in the mid-60s: We couldn’t have asked for better weather for our company’s annual Lobster Roll Cruise out of Sesuit Harbor this September. We enjoyed good food, good company and a spectacular sunset. It was the perfect ending to a busy but memorable summer. We are so thankful to work alongside this talented, hard-working crew. | | |
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14 Charming Coastal Dining Rooms: Cape Cod’s Finest
With the holidays just around the corner, we take a look at 14 coastal dining rooms we’ve had the privilege of building over the years, from traditional formal dining rooms to contemporary open-concept dining areas.
Keep reading
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Dreamy Cape Cod Waterfront Homes with Views
Updated to include our most recent projects from 2024: These waterfront homes range in style but all share the splendor of a water view. See how each of these homes embrace their coastal setting.
Keep reading
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Inspiring Home Architectural Details and Examples
We explore the architectural details common to Northeast coastal communities.
Keep reading
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It’s that time of year again – and winter will be here before we know it. As we all know, cold weather can wreak havoc on a home if it's not properly protected from the elements. Here are a few critical winterization tips from our team to help protect your home this winter.
- Clean gutters to avoid ice dams.
- Turn on humidifiers to keep woodwork from shrinking. Remember, the overall goal is to stabilize the humidity level in your home throughout the year. This will help the opening and closing of joints in wood as well as plaster.
- Winterize irrigation system: we recommend contacting your irrigation vendor to schedule work. And keep their contact info for activating the system again in the spring.
- Winterize your frost-free hose hookups by disconnecting the hose from the spigot. Then, locate the cold-water line in the basement, closing the shut off and opening the bleeder valve next to the shut off as an additional precaution.
- Contact your plumber to make sure the outdoor shower valve is drained and properly stored. Keep in mind, these all vary by what you selected to put on your home. Some are more complex than others to winterize and require parts to be removed for the winter.
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Make a plan to monitor your house, including mechanical systems, in case of a storm.
If you have questions or concerns about winterizing your home, feel free to reach out to our Property Management department. We are here and are more than happy to help
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
McPhee Associates will close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, December 2.
A Note for Property Management Clients
With Thanksgiving just two weeks away, we want to remind Property Management clients to please let us know if you will be spending the holiday at your home so we can schedule around any plans you may have.
Additionally, if you've signed up for gutter cleaning, our crew will be completing this work over the next three weeks.
Please contact Dan Skinner with your holiday plans and any questions your may have about upcoming gutter cleanings or other home maintenance work.
Your home means everything.
Let us help you protect it.
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REAL ESTATE MARKET NEWS
Below are the year-to-date (January to November) real estate data highlights for Cape Cod (Barnstable County) in comparison to the same time period last year. In this newsletter edition, we are providing hyper-local data for Dennis, Brewster and Harwich in comparison to Barnstable County as a whole.
As you see, home prices continue to rise on the Cape, but the rate of increase varies by town. Brewster stands out with a sharp 13.8% rise in median sales price. In contrast, Dennis, with its more moderate price growth of 5.3%, suggests a more balanced market in the mid-range price points. Harwich also saw substantial price growth (11.9%), while Barnstable County as a whole had more modest increases (5.7%).
Cumulative days on the market have also risen across all areas, with Harwich seeing the largest jump (+51.9%). The increase in market time indicates a potential softening, even if overall sales volume remains healthy.
The bottom line: The Cape Cod real estate market is currently experiencing a mix of growth and moderation. While prices are still rising in most towns, the pace has slowed. The increase in new listings and longer days on the market across the region suggest that the market may be cooling off after a period of intense demand.
Real Estate Report Highlights for all of Barnstable County (YTD)
(January 2024 to November 2024 in comparison to the same 10-month period in 2023)
- Closed Home Sales: 2,329 (+4.7%)
- Median Sales Price: $766,000 (+5.7%)
- Cumulative Days on the Market: 45 (+32.4%)
- New Listings: 3,333 (+17.0%)
See full report
Highlights for Dennis (YTD)
- Closed Home Sales: 214 (+32.1%)
- Median Sales Price: $684,000 (+5.3%)
- Cumulative Days on the Market: 43 (+38.7%)
- New Listings: 317 (+27.3%)
See full report
Highlights for Brewster (YTD)
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Closed Home Sales: 89 (-9.2%)
- Median Sales Price: $885,000 (+13.8%)
- Cumulative Days on the Market: 38 (+35.7%)
- New Listings: 121 (+9.0%)
See full report
Highlights for Harwich (YTD)
- Closed Home Sales: 155 (+4.0%)
- Median Sales Price: $831,000 (+11.9%)
- Cumulative Days on the Market: 41 (+51.9%)
- New Listings: 222 (+18.1%)
See full report
(Note: All highlights are single-family home sales only.)
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Forever Summer Cape Cod (766 Main St.), a stylish clothing boutique specializing in resort wear, opened in Dennis last spring.
The well-curated boutique, owned and operated by Kim Baroni (above), is filled with apparel that is comfortable and casual yet refined. Here, you can expect to find fashions that are just as well suited for brunch with your girlfriends as they are for an epic end-of-season beachside bash.
Open year-round. Check their website for hours.
Visit website
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Still as sweet as can be, Nancy’s Candy (776 Main St., Dennis) is now Sweetside Candy & Gifts.
New owner Lynn Mason-Small (above) is carrying on the tradition of selling sweet treats – chocolates, fudge and penny candy – along with unique gifts for special occasions or just because.
From foodies to the young and young at heart, there is something for everyone here – all rolled up into one sweetly nostalgic shopping experience.
Visit website
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For more than a decade, Scout Vintage (800 Main St., Dennis) has been delighting shoppers with an array of antique furniture, European-style luxury items, home décor and accessories.
Part of the fun of shopping here is you never know what you may find as inventory is always changing. Stop in now and you’ll find the shop is all decked out for the holiday season, which is sure to make you feel merry and bright.
Visit website
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At McPhee, we truly believe that our clients are the heart of our business. Our goal is to consistently provide the best service possible, and in doing so, we would love to receive feedback from our clients.
We would be incredibly grateful if you would take a moment to leave us a Google review. This will help us let others learn of the value of our service.
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WE LOVE TO SHARE OUR WORK |
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