Categories
trends

January Sales Steady – Cape Cod Times

 January performance in line with previous year despite blizzard

 Two men walk along the middle of Jones Road in Falmouth during the Jan. 27 blizzard. Despite the weather's effects, property sales on the Cape were solid in January, the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds reported Friday.  Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times

 

Two men walk along the middle of Jones Road in Falmouth during the Jan. 27 blizzard. Despite the weather’s effects, property sales on the Cape were solid in January, the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds reported Friday. Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times

By Bryan Lantz
[email protected]
BARNSTABLE – The Cape’s real estate sales for January may have gotten partially buried in snow, but the market’s performance remained solid.
The Barnstable County Registry of Deeds reported Friday that sales volume last month was nearly identical to January 2014. The median price last month was down slightly less than a percentage point. Register of Deeds John F. Meade said those results came in a month when harsh winter weather limited activity to close sales.”The last two weeks are typically the busiest time of the month,” Meade said. “The snowpocalypse didn’t help much.”When a blizzard struck in the last week of the month, weather forced the registry to close on Jan. 27 and 28. “On Thursday (Jan. 29), we were open, but really no one was coming out to close transactions,” Meade said.
For the month, the registry recorded 396 deeds of property valued at more than $50,000, one fewer than in January 2013. The median price receded from January 2014’s $328,000 to $325,000 last month, the registry reported. The beginning of the year is typically the slowest time for property sales, Meade said. “January and February are the quietest months,” he said. “But we did have a strong December.”
Though weather may have prevented closings late in the month, both residential and commercial agents said the market has been robust. “It’s like an April market in the middle of a snowstorm,” said Tom Hester, principal of Tom Hester Real Estate in Dennis. “The phone’s been ringing a lot this winter.” Hester said low interest rates have provided a strong incentive for buyers to finance home sales. And he said both interest in both first and second homes has been strong this winter
Meade also said that interest rates were bringing more activity to the registry. Mortgage activity was up almost 2 percent, he said, as rates have reached multi-year lows.
On the commercial real estate front, John Ciluzzi, president of Premier Commercial in Hyannis, described conditions as “bullish.””The first quarter of 2015 has proved to be pretty good,” he said. “We’ve seen strong sales and leasing in January. There’s been a lot of interest, which we gauge as actual offers and money placed into escrow. When you get conditions like this, it’s why I say I’m bullish about the market.”
While the registry covers sales, Ciluzzi pointed out that another key part of the Cape’s commercial landscape also has been performing well: leasing. “That’s really the origination of new businesses,” he said. “Right now, we see a lot of leases in the office, retail and medical sectors.
And a look at a broader time span shows the real estate market continuing to improve, Meade said. “Six months to a year gives a better tell about where things are going,” he said. “And that looks like we’re on pace for continuing slight improvement.
The registry also reported that January was the 10th consecutive month with a median Cape sales price above $300,000.
Categories
general info trends

Southie Leads Development Boom

Another great post by Scott.

 

Southie Leads Boston’s Development

 

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Flickr Creative Commons

 

By Scott Van Voorhis

 

 

 

Sure, Back Bay and Downtown Crossing may have all the new towers, but when it comes to overall development activity, South Boston is arguably the epicenter of the city’s development boom.

Southie currently has 42 projects either in the planning or approval stage, under construction, or recently opened. Most feature or include new apartment rentals, townhomes, or condos, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s map of the Hub’s development scene.

The developments range from converted churches to brand spanking new buildings. The luxury West Square development at 320 D Street, which is still under construction, includes 259 apartments and 143 parking spaces.

If you throw in another 22 projects happening in the South Boston Waterfront, including the multibillion-dollar Seaport Square development , the number rises to 64 – three times or more than any other city neighborhood.

Not that super hot neighborhoods like the Back Bay (11 projects) and South End (19 projects), are any slouches either.

Back Bay and neighboring Downtown include plans for the three poshest and tallest towers even built in Boston: one still in the planning in Copley Square, and construction underway at the 61-story Four Seasons Tower and the 60-storyMillennium Tower.

“There has been a big shift in our city,” said Tracy Campion of Campion & Co., the brokerage in charge of the building’s sales. “Back Bay and Beacon Hill are bursting out of their seams.”

Other neighborhoods are also seeing a big surge in development.

East Boston may now be one of the hottest new neighborhoods in terms of big projects outside of South Boston.

A trio of grand waterfront developments is in the works for the neighborhood’s once hardscrabble waterfront, including 400 new apartments and condos at Clippership Wharf.

Charlestown’s real estate market heated up a couple decades ago, much like Eastie’s is doing now. The Charlestown boom continues, with plans for 85 new residential units and public space on the first floor at Pier 5.

Fenway is another neighborhood in the middle of a dramatic transformation, from a gritty student alcove to one of the more exciting places to live in the city.

With building sites scarce in the densely packed neighborhood, developers are pushing to span the Massachusetts Turnpike with ambitious air-rights projects.

Developer John Rosenthal is lining up financing for Fenway Center , a $550 million apartment and retail project proposed for an air-rights platform over the Massachusetts Turnpike by Fenway. Plans for Parcel 7 air-rights include a seven-story residential building and a 22-story residential and office tower.

Near the Hynes Convention Center and the Berklee College of Music, New York-based Peebles Corp. is pushing plans for a $330 million air-rights project at Parcel 13, including 88 condos, a hotel and shops.

Often overlooked, Dorchester now has 20 major projects in the works, including a proposal for for 275 residential units and 143 parking spaces at 25 Morrissey Boulevard by the JFK/UMass T station, while St. Kevin’s redevelopment, now underway, features 80 affordable units.

Brighton has 21, including 1505 Commonwealth Ave., a proposal to convert an office building into 85 residential units. Allston’s 15 projects include a new proposal for 87 apartments, ground floor retail, and 66 parking spaces at 37-43 North Beacon Street.

Meanwhile, Roxbury has 20 big projects in the pipeline, a number that includes 102 residential units in two buildings in the first phase of Bartlett Place , along with 16,839 square feet of commercial space and a garage with 130 spaces. When the build out is complete, the entire development will have 323 residences.

Last but not least, Jamaica Plain has 16 new projects, including The Commons at Forest Hills Station, which calls for 283 new residential units at the former Hughes Oil site. Demolition work began last fall.

Categories
analytics general info

January Sales – Provincetown

 

Snow Snow and more snow…but that didnt slow down the Provincetown real estate market in January.

 

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Twelve condos sold in January, most sold in the popular mid market price range of $500K to $800K. Six of them are pictured below.

 

18 Standish Street #A, 2 bed/1 bath, 636 sf, sold for $380,000
18 Standish Street #A, 2 bed/1 bath, 636 sf, sold for $380,000
12 Conwell Street #A, 3 bed/3 bath, 1,400 sf, sold for $586K
12 Conwell Street #A, 3 bed/3 bath, 1,400 sf, sold for   $586K
480 Commercial St. #2, 3 bed/2 bath, 1,225 sf, sold for $625K
480 Commercial St. #2, 3 bed/2 bath, 1,225 sf, sold for $625K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

57 W. Vine St #B, 2 bed/3 bath, 1,300 sf, sold for $692K
57 W. Vine Street #B, 2 bed/3 bath, 1,300 sf,  sold for  $692K
19 Tremont Street # 3, 2 bed/3 bath, 1,146 sf, sold for $786K
19 Tremont Street # 3,  2 bed/3 bath, 1,146 sf, sold for $786K
555 Commercial Street #D, 2 beds/3 baths, 1,300 sf, sold for $1.3M
555 Commercial Street #D, 2 beds/3 baths, 1,300 sf, sold for $1.3M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One single family property sold. 160 Bradford Street is a 6 bedroom 6 bath B&B, single family home with 2,493 square feet.  It sold for $980K.

Whats up for February?

 

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See all available properties at Beachfront-Realty.com.

Categories
analytics trends

2014 Year End Review – Continued

 

Many of you have seen The Goode and Farmer 2014 year end report which I recently posted. Below are some market  highlights of our  2014 business which is representative of the market as a whole in Provincetown with a natural focus on the popular mid market.

 

Highlights

Categories
style trends

Ten Hot Housing Trends For 2015

Below is a great post by Mike Wheatley of RealtyBiz. Emerging trends include specialized storage, charging stations, porcelain floors, quartzite counters and more – an interesting rundown on design trends we will see in 2015.

 Ten Hot Trends For 2015

This time of the year, we hear from just about every sector of the economy what’s expected to be popular in the coming year. Foodies with their fingers on the pulse of the restaurant industry and hot TV chefs will tell us to say goodbye to beet-and-goat cheese salad and hello roasted cauliflower, and there’s no end to the gadgets touted as the next big thing.

In real estate, however, trends typically come slowly, often well after they appear in commercial spaces and fashion. And though they may entice buyers and sellers, remind them that trends are just that—a change in direction that may captivate, go mainstream, then disappear (though some will gain momentum and remain as classics). Which way they’ll go is hard to predict, but here are a few trends that experts expect to draw great appeal this year

Coral shades

A blast of a new color is often the easiest change for sellers to make, offering the biggest bang for their buck. Sherwin-Williams says Coral Reef (#6606) is 2015’s color of the year because it reflects the country’s optimism about the future. “We have a brighter outlook now that we’re out of the recession. But this isn’t a bravado color; it’s more youthful, yet still sophisticated,” says Jackie Jordan, the company’s director of color marketing. She suggests using it outside or on an accent wall. Pair it with crisp white, gray, or similar saturations of lilac, green, and violet.

Open spaces go mainstream

An open floor plan may feel like old hat, but it’s becoming a wish beyond the young hipster demographic, so you’ll increasingly see this layout in traditional condo buildings and single-family suburban homes in 2015. The reason? After the kitchen became the home’s hub, the next step was to remove all walls for greater togetherness. Design experts at Nurzia Construction Corp. recommend going a step further and adding windows to better meld indoors and outdoors.

Off-the-shelf plans

Buyers who don’t want to spend time or money for a custom house have another option. House plan companies offer myriad blueprints to modify for site, code, budget, and climate conditions, says James Roche, whose Houseplans.com firm has 40,000 choices. There are lots of companies to consider, but the best bets are ones that are updating layouts for today’s wish lists—open-plan living, multiple master suites, greater energy efficiency, and smaller footprints for downsizers (in fact, Roche says, their plans’ average now is 2,300 square feet, versus 3,500 a few years ago). Many builders will accept these outsiders’ plans, though they may charge to adapt them

Freestanding tubs

Freestanding tubs may conjure images of Victorian-era opulence, but the newest iteration from companies like Kohler shows a cool sculptural hand. One caveat: Some may find it hard to climb in and out. These tubs complement other bathroom trends: open wall niches and single wash basins, since two people rarely use the room simultaneously.

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photo credit: Rev Stan via photopin cc

Quartzite

While granite still appeals, quartzite is becoming the new hot contender, thanks to its reputation as a natural stone that’s virtually indestructible. It also more closely resembles the most luxe classic—marble—without the drawbacks of staining easily. Quartzite is moving ahead of last year’s favorite, quartz, which is also tough but is manmade.

Porcelain floors

If you’re going to go with imitation wood, porcelain will be your 2015 go-to. It’s less expensive and wears as well as or better than the real thing, says architect Stephen Alton. Porcelain can be found in traditional small tiles or long, linear planks. It’s also available in numerous colors and textures, including popular one-color combos with slight variations for a hint of differentiation. Good places to use this material are high-traffic rooms, hallways, and areas exposed to moisture.

Almost Jetson-ready

Prices have come down for technologies such as web-controlled security cameras and motion sensors for pets. Newer models are also easier to install and operate since many are powered by batteries, rather than requiring an electrician to rewire an entire house, says Bob Cooper at Zonoff, which offers a software platform that allows multiple smart devices to communicate with each other. “You no longer have to worry about different standards,” Cooper says.

Charging stations

With the size of electronic devices shrinking and the proliferation of Wi-Fi, demand for large desks and separate home office is waning. However, home owners still need a dedicated space for charging devices, and the most popular locations are a corner of a kitchen, entrance from the garage, and the mud room. In some two-story Lexington Homes plans, a niche is set aside on a landing everyone passes by daily.

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photo credit: the tartanpodcast via photopin cc

Wellness systems

Builders are now addressing environmental and health concerns with holistic solutions, such as heat recovery ventilation systems that filter air continuously and use little energy, says real estate developer Gregory Malin of Troon Pacific. Other new ways to improve healthfulness include lighting systems that utilize sunshine, swimming pools that eschew chlorine and salt by featuring a second adjacent pool with plants and gravel that cleanse water, and edible gardens starring ingredients such as curly blue kale.

Special storage

The new buzzword is “specialized storage,” placed right where it’s needed. “Home owners want everything to have its place,” says designer Jennifer Adams. More home owners are increasingly willing to pare the dimensions of a second or third bedroom in order to gain a suitably sized walk-in closet in their master bedroom, Alton says. In a kitchen, it may mean a “super pantry”—a butler’s pantry on steroids with prep space, open storage, secondary appliances, and even a room for wrapping gifts. “It minimizes clutter in the main kitchen,” says architect Fred Wilson of Morgante-Wilson.

Categories
analytics general info

Provincetown Sale Of The Week

Three bedrooms and three baths freestanding condo.

12 Conwell Street #A  recently sold for $568K. It is a three bedroom three bathroom freestanding condo with 1,364 square feet. Conwell Street is in the center of town, and the condo is 1 1/2 blocks to the bay.

 

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MLS COPY: Stand alone condo that lives like a single family home. Dramatic reverse floor plan has entertainment size living room with hardwood floors vaulted ceilings and a wall of windows with views to the Provincetown Monument. Chefs kitchen with 6 burner gas stove, large granite island. Storage area/pantry and a powder room directly off the kitchen. Large private deck with Monument views. All 3 bedrooms have great closets and multiple window exposures. En suite master bath as well as a built in office nook. Second full bath and a large storage/laundry/mud room on the bedroom level. Central A/C, and quality window treatments throughout. Fenced front yard and garden. 2 Parking spaces. Lives large and fun. 1 1/2 blocks to bay beaches, steps to Farland and downtown. Great rental income.

 

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See all available properties at Beachfront-Realty.com.

Categories
analytics

The Goode and Farmer Report January 2015

PROVINCETOWN

With the start of 2015 we would like to wish you all a wonderful, happy and prosperous New Year. We also want to thank our many friends and associates for sending those many referrals our way. They are much appreciated.

In 2014 higher prices, increasing values, strong buyer demand, and continuing low interest rates made the year an outstanding one. For buyers, sellers and investors there seemed to be a healthy balance between a buyers and sellers market as inventory is generally balanced with buyer demand. That balance may change in 2015 as we are not seeing the anticipated increase in inventory that the market is craving.

Year-end sales in Provincetown were strong with condos continuing to lead the market. The median sale price of condos sold in Provincetown increased 10% to $428K from $389K. The number of condo sales recorded in MLS were 21% higher this year than last year’s 150 sales. Sales volume increased by a 23% to $69M. The average sale price of condos increased 3% to $466K. The average price per square foot of condos sold in all price ranges was $560 per square foot. The condo mid market continues to move up from the $400K to $600K range to the $500K to $700K range.

Condo inventory as of December 31 is low with only 74 available with an average asking price of $551K and an average price per square foot of $620.

The median price of single-family homes was $840K down 5% from $887K in 2013. The average price of single-family properties sold was $1.03M, similar to last years $1.02M. There were 38 single-family sales, which is down 21%. Total sales volume was $39M down from $49M. We continue to feel that these softer single-family numbers are being caused by a lack of inventory and the strong demand for condos. The average price per square foot of single-family properties sold was $486psf.

The $1M plus single-family market remains slower with12 sales and $21M in sales volume compared to 19 sales last year with a volume of $29M.

There are 46 single-family properties on the market with an average price of $1.521M and an average price per square foot of $584.

Inventory in all categories is quite low and will begin to effect sales and prices unless more properties become available. Buyers are feeling confident and will continue investing in second homes and investment properties if there are enough choices available and if mortgage rates stay low.

 

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TRURO AND WELLFLEET

The single-family home market in Truro and Wellfleet is strong. Sales have seen remarkable increases partly due to a lack of inventory and the high average price of homes in Provincetown.

Truro fared well with the average median sales price for single-family properties increasing 25% to $670K from $538K in 2013.

The average sale price was up a whopping 34% to $798K. In stark contrast sales were down 8% to 44 sales this year. There are currently 63 single-family properties on the market with a median price of $825K.

Wellfleet turned in a strong performance with a 21% increase in sales to 85 units from 70 last year. The median sales price of single-family properties sold was up 5% to $505K from $481K last year. The average sale price increased 6% to $566K. Wellfleet remains predominantly a single-family sales market. There are currently 32 single-family properties on the market with a median price of $587K.

 

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Our advice remains consistent. Positive buyer and seller attitudes coupled with a continuation of relatively low mortgage rates (30-year-fixed rates are averaging 3.875%) and an improving economy bode well for 2015 being a great year to jump into the market. Buyers are feeling confident enough to buy second homes and the rental market is so strong that rental income can make buying that second home or investment property so much easier.

Please call or stop in if you are thinking of buying a home or selling your existing home, or if you are just curious to see what your home is worth. Our business philosophy has always been that the best-informed buyers and sellers are the most satisfied with their results. And that’s what we do best.

Categories
style

Boston’s Best New Building?

Great post from Curbed.com.  Don’t you just love John Keiths comments on The Troy?  Enjoy!

What Was Greater Boston’s Best New Building of 2014?

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[315 on A]
Paul McMorrowBoston Globe op-ed columnist and CommonWealth magazine associate editor: There are so many! The Burnham building on the Filene’s block is obviously the best thing to happen downtown in forever. Sasaki’s Ferdinand building looks incredible and it’s getting private developers to take a look at a neighborhood they’ve been ignoring for decades. ADD Inc.’s 315 A Street manages the neat trick of being on the waterfront without looking like a glass box that snuck in from Houston. The Lawn on D is not technically a building, but it has swings and ping-pong tables and Wi-Fi so it wins everything.
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Lara Gordona broker in Cambridge and Somerville: Could it be anything OTHER THAN Millennium Place? Speaking not from an architectural or design perspective, but purely for its contribution to the Downtown Crossing renaissance.

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[Troy Boston]
John A. Keitha Boston broker: I’d have to go with the Troy, ready for occupancy in early 2015, purely for the huge balls the developer must have, building a 400-unit apartment building across the street from New England’s largest homeless shelter (and a Mobil station) and, literally, in the shadow of an eight-lane interstate highway. I also like the new 100 Pier 4 apartment building in the SBW Seaport neighborhood, also to be delivered (late) 1st Quarter 2015. Perhaps a step up from the existing Waterside Place down the street, 100 Pier 4 is the first building to be completed in the Pier 4 mixed-use development. It has the best views of the new residential buildings in the neighborhood and is the closest (so far) to downtown Boston. Of course, neither of these were completed in 2014, so may not qualify as “Best of 2014”.
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Charles Cherneya broker in Cambridge and Somerville: If only there were new condo buildings in Cambridge and Somerville.
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Jonathan Berk, real estate attorney, founder of the BuildingBOS blog and member of Boston’s Onein3 Council: My wink goes to Ink; Ink Block by National Development: Ink Block will be opening in the coming few days and will serve not only as it’s own self contained live, play environment but will also spur growth and redevelopment of the Harrison Ave and Washington Street corridors. It will provide the South End the necessary connection between Downtown, South Boston and the South End. Game-changing retail activation (Including a 50,000SF Whole Foods) coupled with a pool, outdoor BBQ’s, grass courtyard will make Ink a catalyst for necessary neighborhood reinvestment and a destination unto itself.
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[Millennium Tower on the Boston skyline; Handel Architects]
Nick Warrenpresident and CEO of Warren Residential: Millennium Tower … by far. I don’t know if it officially qualifies for 2014 since it currently only has a few floors of concrete and rebar’ but it’s certainly the most exciting. There has never been a building in Boston that has received so much buzz and attention like Millennium Tower has. From their $37.5M PH to the amount of units they put under agreement right out of the gate, it truly stands out against its competition.
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David Batesa Boston broker and our Bates By the Numbers columnist: 315 on A – the building located in a cool area that is getting cooler. It’s green and sustainable construction. The developers put a lot of thought into the features and amenities, like the best bike storage room in the city, the indoor pet refuse area, the conference rooms, the on-site art. Plus, the rooftop common area is among the best amenities I have seen.

Categories
general info

New Provincetown Retail Shops For Rent

Gorgeous Retail Shops For Rent. Prime Proven Location.

 

For those of you who have wanted a business in Provincetown or to expand your current business by adding another location…these two new shops at WA provide the perfect opportunity.

 

WA front

 

The shops at WA, at 220 Commercial Street will be ready for occupancy in early spring. Both spaces have architecturally significant interiors with hardwood floors, recessed lighting, granite display counters, 16 foot vaulted ceilings, central air, heat and wireless. These spaces provide the best opportunities for interior display options and retail success with terrific retail flow, back office/storage space and easy access for deliveries – on the best block of Commercial Street.

 

 

Both spaces are approximately 1,600 square feet with 1000 square feet of retail space and 500-600 square feet of back office, and storage space.

These are full 12 month leases with year round income potential. $75,000 includes heat, AC and electric.

 

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To view floor plans click on WA floor plans.

This property is also available for sale for $1.350M.

Call or email for more details. Jon Goode 617-512-8565.

 

Categories
architecture style

Tiniest Cape Cod Microhomes – Curbed.com

Fun post by Jazmine at Curbed.com.

Meet the 10 Tiniest Cape Cod Microhomes of 2014

Time to make up a bunch of awards for the best, worst and most absurd things that happened in Cape & Islands real estate, architecture and neighborhoods. Here now, your 2014 Curbed Awards.
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It’s time to squeeze into Cape Cod’s tiniest listings of 2014. From a wicked wee 162-square-feet to a rather roomy 296-square-feet, here are 10 microhomes that will no doubt cause a shudder amongst claustrophobics, micro-living haters and/or McMansion lovers.

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Kicking off in Truro, this cute 296-square-foot cottage condo with expansion potential (boo!) was listed for $249,000.

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Currently a lovely little cottage, this Chatham “investment property”has “growth opportunity” to add a two-bedroom rental. The 288-square-footer hit the market asking $299,000 and is now hoping for $274,000.

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Water views, access to a private beach on Cape Cod Bay and 272-sq.-ft.were looking for $199,000 in Truro.

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Breakfast in bed is available in this wicked tiny, as in 252-sq-ft., West Yarmouth cottage condo for $79,900.

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Behold, beachy micro-living overlooking Cape Cod Bay. This adorable250-sq.-ft. cottage condo at Truro’s Sutton Place was asking $299,000

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Located next to Truro Vineyards (!!), this 234-sq.-ft. studio condo – with the smallest kitchen sink ever – hit the market in early May for $99,000 and by the end of the month, had sold for $92,000. Cheers!

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When we wrote about this Commercial Street condo back in March, the198-square-footer had been pricechopped down to $219,900. By June, a buyer had squeezed into the place for $196,000.

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Built in 1900, this “sweet attached cottage, known as Cormorant offers a piece of increasingly rare old Provincetown charm.” The asking price for the 186-square-footer is $245,000.

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This 182-sq.-ft. West Yarmouth cottage lacks a full bathroom, but at least there’s an outdoor shower with hot and cold. Asking price is now$89,000.

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Finally, to the tiniest cottage for sale on Cape Cod. The wee West Yarmouth abode, all 162-sq.-ft., is yours for $69,900.