The Oysterfest is right around the corner! Wellfleet is the center of the oyster universe with a weekend of festivities, October 19 & 20.

This two day event brings together locals and visitors alike for a weekend full of hometown flavor and big time fun! The 'Fest is produced by a non-profit organization devoted to fostering a greater understanding of the town's shellfishing industry and made possible through collaboration with the Town of Wellfleet, the support of many generous sponsors, the area shellfishermen and a dedicated group of volunteers.

It's a great time. Here's the link to the calendar of events. Plan your Oysterfest weekend now!

Wellfleet Oysterfest on Cape Cod

• Over 75 artisans, 16 food vendors, 12 raw bars and 13 community organizations
• Live Music performed by Crabgrass, Sarah Swain and the Oh Boys, The Rip It Ups, Link Montana and The Incredible Casuals.
• Family Fun Area featuring educational activities, crafts, moonbounces, clowns, face painting and performances geared for the young at heart!
• Educational programs including a locally filmed documentary about shellfishermen, Barbara and Clint Austin
• Culinary programs, Taste the Terroir and Merroir; Cooking demo and Book Signing by Phillip Hunt of Winslow’s Tavern and John Carafoli author of Cape Cod Chef’s Table in which Winslow’s is featured.
• Recreational activities such as nature walks, oyster reef tours, road races, a dance party and a skateboard competition.
• Free ocean beach parking and shuttle bus transportation into town
• And of course, the Annual Oyster Shuck-Off competition

 Wellfleet Oysterfest on Cape Cod

• Will the new FEMA flood zones affect your Cape Cod property?

• Is there anything you can do to reduce the impact to your home?

• How will the new Flood Zones affect your insurance rate?

• Can you appeal FEMA’s delineation of the Flood Zone around your property?

The new FEMA Flood Zone Maps have catalyzed myriad questions from thousands of property owners. If you are interested in buying or building on Cape Cod, this is really important information.

Property that is located in a 500 year flood plain may now be in a newly designated 100 year plain, or even a “velocity zone.” This affects not only insurability of the property, and the corresponding rates, but also what is allowed to be built on the property, and what construction techniques must be employed when a structure is built or renovated.

This is a huge deal for anybody with property on or near the water. There’s lots of confusion, many questions, and plenty of disinformation. Here’s a simple Infographic from FEMA and some explanation from Coastal Engineering Company which will help home owners and Buyers alike.

Don’t let the new FEMA maps take you by surprise! Do your research now, and be prepared for the adoption of the new maps in 2014.

New FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map infographic

New FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map infographic

“We’d like to have a house with 3 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms. Our lot is 7,405 square feet. “

That’s a lot of living on a very small footprint. But it’s not an unusual request here at REEF. Many of our Customers own property in beach communities, where the parcels of land are very small. But accommodating friends and family, and enjoying a comfortable, year-round lifestyle, are very important. So we design and build highly efficient living in what are sometimes very tight quarters.

The photo below is a REEF built home, with 1,789 Square Feet of living space, 3 bedrooms (including a Master Suite), 3 bathrooms, and a beautiful, open floor plan. The Before photo is the outdated Ranch that had seen better times.

Cape Cod is not the only community with space challenges. Here are some interesting designs and solutions to accommodating modern living in tight spaces around the country.

Building designs for thin lots like those on Cape Cod

Building designs for thin lots like those on Cape Cod

Organization is a key to success. Much of our design energy is directed towards creating open, clean, easy-to-organize spaces. An organized space helps keep the household easy to manage, creating more time for quality activities.

Many of our Customers entertain throughout the seasons, and organization helps keep the visits easy and fun. Here are some great ideas and tips to keep important areas in your home easy to organize. After all, less time cleaning means more time at the beach!

Organize your Cape Cod Home

Organize your Cape Cod Home

There’s a lot of coastline on Cape Cod. We love it. But the beauty and serenity come at a price. Storms, wave action, surges all take a toll on the beaches…and the nearby homes. Much of our work is done on homes that overlook or abut beaches, marshes and inlets. We are constantly designing homes and renovations to accommodate inevitable natural events, like storms and hurricanes.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) developed the StormSmart Coasts program to “assist communities and people working and living on the coast by providing information, strategies, and tools to help address challenges arising from erosion, flooding, storms, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts”.

They are a great resource for information on how to protect on of your largest assets, your beach home. Here’s some tips from CZM on the importance of “Freeboard”, basically lifting beach homes above the surge expected from passing storms. 

Coastal Zone Management Stormsmart info for Cape Cod

Tickscaping: creating a landscape that is a tick-free zone. With the release of a new report documenting that thousands of folks have undiagnosed Lyme Disease, preventing this tick-borne illness is getting lots of attention.  Lyme disease can invade and damage multiple organ-systems, the nervous system prominent among them. And summer fun means lots of outside time, with increased exposure to ticks. Prevention is the key.

Ticks love tall grass and dense vegetation. With a little effort, a tick-free landscape can be created and maintained. Cape Cod is too beautiful to let a few ticks spoil your fun!  Here are some tips from a couple experts on creating a tick-free zone.

Landscaping Tips for a Tick-Free Yard on Cape Cod

Center for Disease Control - preventing ticks

Landscaping Tips for a Tick-Free Yard on Cape Cod

Center for Disease Control - preventing ticks

Cape Cod has some fabulous neighborhoods steps away from the beach. Usually these area were cottage colonies many years ago, with tiny homes, and sometimes even tents. Now many of the homes are comfortable, year-around beach get-a-ways. But the lots of land are still very small.

REEF is proud of its work helping home owners replace worn out cottages with attractive homes. Because space is often at a premium, the outdoor living space is frequently squeezed into a corner or side of the property.

Fear not! Even the smallest space can be a sanctuary. Here are some great design ideas to help create a relaxing, pleasant space in the tiniest circumstances.

Small Cape Cod Deck Design Ideas

Small Cape Cod Deck Design Ideas

Have you ever wanted to walk out the door to the beach? Arrive at your home, and take off your shoes for a week? Step off your front porch and stroll down the lane to a beach on Cape Cod Bay? REEF can help make that happen.

Here’s a brief video illustrating the proximity to the beach of one of our current projects. Many existing beach homes are out dated, with small rooms, and systems that have reached the end of their useful life. REEF is expert at designing, permitting, and building homes to fit on beachside lots, offering all the modern comforts and amenities.

Call us anytime when you’re ready to make your piece of Cape Cod the retreat you’ve always wanted.

Brief video of REEF home steps from Cape Cod Bay

Brief video of REEF home steps from Cape Cod Bay

It is absolutely beautiful here on Cape Cod. This is the weather around which Cape Cod memories are made. Before the warm weather slips away, get your friends together for a casual porch party. Here are some great tips on how to keep your porch party fun with food place cards, cocktail ideas, and menu ideas like coconut shrimp and guacamole.

Just find a comfortable spot, add some friends, and make some Cape Cod memories!

Cape Cod Porch Party Tips & Ideas

Cape Cod Porch Party Tips & Ideas

It’s August…and time for the BEACH! It’s absolute sterling beach weather here on sunny Cape Cod. After spending some simply glorious hours on the beach this weekend, I want to make sure everybody who’s interested knows how to find the best beaches.

Many of our Customers are drawn back to the Cape after having enjoyed some part of their youth here. Always that has included happy memories of endless hours on the beach. And we are forever designing homes with provisions for those returning from the beach: easy access to outdoor shower, 1st floor laundry, etc.

So if you’re wondering where your next Cape Cod adventure will take you, check out these links.

And if you want to know about our secret beach hideaways…call any time: 508-394-3090.

Top 10 Cape Cod Beaches

Cape Cod Chamber list of Beaches