Should I buy a beach vacation home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - So where are these elusive amazing places to buy a 2nd home? Hilton Head seems like the only upscale place I've found, and I imagine its fairly MAGA these days too.

We spent a month in Sanibel and I really loved it there, but husband really did not like the red tide that sometimes occurred, so I don't think we will ever buy there for that reason. I think it's more liberal than other parts of FL, but that might not be saying a lot.

In HHI, I only go to Sea Pines and I like it a lot, and it didn't strike me as particularly MAGA.

There are direct flights DCA to Nantucket. I'm also the one who said I've likely decided to rent for a few months a year rather than buy, though.

Living in DC and buying in FL or MA makes little sense; and FL insurance issues would make it a non-starter for most intelligent people.

Why? There are many easy direct flights to FL beach areas from DCA, BWI or IAD, every day. I know people who leave their DC home at 7:00 am and are in their FL home by noon or shortly thereafter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - So where are these elusive amazing places to buy a 2nd home? Hilton Head seems like the only upscale place I've found, and I imagine its fairly MAGA these days too.

We spent a month in Sanibel and I really loved it there, but husband really did not like the red tide that sometimes occurred, so I don't think we will ever buy there for that reason. I think it's more liberal than other parts of FL, but that might not be saying a lot.

In HHI, I only go to Sea Pines and I like it a lot, and it didn't strike me as particularly MAGA.

There are direct flights DCA to Nantucket. I'm also the one who said I've likely decided to rent for a few months a year rather than buy, though.

Living in DC and buying in FL or MA makes little sense; and FL insurance issues would make it a non-starter for most intelligent people.

FL insurance issues are only issues for people who need a mortgage. Just sayin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a house on a river and love it so much more than a beach house. We have a lot more land than you can get near the beach, so we can ride ATVs and play lots of yard games. Everyone tubes down the river all summer long, or you can put up a stake and just float in front of the house. Fishing, archery, and bonfires are popular too. Swimming is better in the river/lake than the ocean, but of course we can't make sand castles.

Can't stand the beaches here in the mid atlantic. Traffic is never ending, the cities are dated (and not in a good way) and food is expensive. The town our house is in is historic with a really cute downtown.

Just another option in case people are thinking of something like a beach house, but on fresh water.

This sounds lovely! Care to share the name of the river or the town?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - So where are these elusive amazing places to buy a 2nd home? Hilton Head seems like the only upscale place I've found, and I imagine its fairly MAGA these days too.

We spent a month in Sanibel and I really loved it there, but husband really did not like the red tide that sometimes occurred, so I don't think we will ever buy there for that reason. I think it's more liberal than other parts of FL, but that might not be saying a lot.

In HHI, I only go to Sea Pines and I like it a lot, and it didn't strike me as particularly MAGA.

There are direct flights DCA to Nantucket. I'm also the one who said I've likely decided to rent for a few months a year rather than buy, though.

Living in DC and buying in FL or MA makes little sense; and FL insurance issues would make it a non-starter for most intelligent people.

FL insurance issues are only issues for people who need a mortgage. Just sayin

Even if you own your home outright you should still have homeowners insurance. Just saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve posted a few times offering my honest views and almost every time I’ve been written off as someone who is just “jealous” that I don’t own a beach house in Delaware that’s a five minute drive from the sand. I know I shouldn’t bother responding and that I’m wasting my breath, but what the hell — I’m bored today.

I actually grew up two blocks from the beach in one of the nicest towns in NJ. Candidly, it’s a lot nicer than Rehoboth. I still have lots of family living in and near my home town. Three of my siblings own modest homes there that nonetheless are worth ridiculous amounts of money. They live there year round. Always have. We’re all close. I visit. I understand the beach scene very, very well.

I have absolutely no desire to live there myself, though. The majority of year round residents of small towns on or near the beach — or the shore, as we call it in NJ — are old AF, conservative if not downright MAGA, not well educated, and white. I cannot relate to any of it.

The Delaware beaches are no different and no better.

If you can afford to buy a home in any of those towns, which I can, there are far better and more interesting places to buy elsewhere. If you can afford to rent a (nice) house for a week or two in any of those towns, you can afford a trip to Europe or the Caribbean instead.

The absolute last thing I would want to do is own a beach house in Delaware that I could only use a week or two in the summer, where I couldn’t see the ocean from my front door, where I would have to come in the off season where more businesses are closed than opened, where the majority of the other people hanging around were old fogies and conservative hicks, and when there’s basically nothing to do.

Yes, I have money. Could I afford a $5 million dollar beachfront home in Rehoboth? Nope. Could I afford a place that costs a couple million? Absolutely. I am, however, supremely uninterested — and not even remotely jealous.

That is good you are not jealous as a couple of million will not even get you a nice house in the city of Rehoboth now. Try 3m+. Why? Because it is desirable and inventory is low. You won’t get beachfront for 5m either. May want to stick with jersey. lol.

You don’t know much about Jersey

PP here. I just looked at Redfin and there’s currently only one listing in all of Rehoboth for over $5 million and plenty for under $2 million. Plenty.

Not in the CiTY of rehoboth. A few miles from the city of Rehoboth have a rehoboth address and of course cheaper because far out.

[Anonymous]

I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

Not PP, but we don't rent and I plan to spend most of September out there next fall when my nest is empty. It's the best month to be at the beach, imo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

DP. Weird post. Beach houses are great in September when the tourists finally leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

DP. Weird post. Beach houses are great in September when the tourists finally leave.

Plus you don’t have to rush out there when the hurricanes come, you’re already there and if you have a waterproof document case and a good rope to tie yourself to something you can ride out the surge and be first to talk to the insurance folks when they come through to declare a total loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

Nope. We just bought it and won’t be renting it out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - So where are these elusive amazing places to buy a 2nd home? Hilton Head seems like the only upscale place I've found, and I imagine its fairly MAGA these days too.

We spent a month in Sanibel and I really loved it there, but husband really did not like the red tide that sometimes occurred, so I don't think we will ever buy there for that reason. I think it's more liberal than other parts of FL, but that might not be saying a lot.

In HHI, I only go to Sea Pines and I like it a lot, and it didn't strike me as particularly MAGA.

There are direct flights DCA to Nantucket. I'm also the one who said I've likely decided to rent for a few months a year rather than buy, though.

Living in DC and buying in FL or MA makes little sense; and FL insurance issues would make it a non-starter for most intelligent people.

My beach house is in MA. We are there for 3-4 months every year and family members use it as well. There is a non-stop flight to Cape Cod in the summer and I can get from door to door in 3 hours (30 mins to DCA, 60 mins at DCA, 60 min flight, 30 mins to my house on the Cape. It is a regional jet so fast to board/deplane. And the Hyannis airport is tiny so it take approximately 3 minutes to be at the curb.). It takes a little longer in off season when I have to get a connecting flight or fly to Boston and rent a car. Cape Cod happens to be where I want to spend time, so it makes sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

DP. Weird post. Beach houses are great in September when the tourists finally leave.

Plus you don’t have to rush out there when the hurricanes come, you’re already there and if you have a waterproof document case and a good rope to tie yourself to something you can ride out the surge and be first to talk to the insurance folks when they come through to declare a total loss.

Delaware is in a hurricane dead zone. Take a look at 173 year history and decide for yourself about the risks

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2025/04/19/map-of-us-hurricane-landfalls/83155900007/#

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

DP. Weird post. Beach houses are great in September when the tourists finally leave.

Plus you don’t have to rush out there when the hurricanes come, you’re already there and if you have a waterproof document case and a good rope to tie yourself to something you can ride out the surge and be first to talk to the insurance folks when they come through to declare a total loss.

Delaware is in a hurricane dead zone. Take a look at 173 year history and decide for yourself about the risks

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2025/04/19/map-of-us-hurricane-landfalls/83155900007/#

Yes! One reason bought in rehoboth 20 yrs ago. Plus, closest to dc area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my beach house. Sitting on my porch right now.

rented out all summer and you had to wait for the off season to enjoy it, eh?

DP. Weird post. Beach houses are great in September when the tourists finally leave.

Plus you don’t have to rush out there when the hurricanes come, you’re already there and if you have a waterproof document case and a good rope to tie yourself to something you can ride out the surge and be first to talk to the insurance folks when they come through to declare a total loss.

Delaware is in a hurricane dead zone. Take a look at 173 year history and decide for yourself about the risks

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2025/04/19/map-of-us-hurricane-landfalls/83155900007/#

You should learn more about how probability works.

Not having a hurricane in 1908 doesn't mean anything about whether you'll have a hurricane this year.

Try using actual data and methodology: https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/map

The good news is that... as far as beach properties go, Delaware is not as risk as other places. But the risk factor is still quite high.