This is a question that we hear almost daily. The answer is never an easy one. There are myriad variables that affect how various Towns on Cape Cod may restrict or control your home’s bedroom count. We've prepared an easy-to-understand synopsis of some Cape Cod Town Bylaws, how they may impact your home, and what to do about it:

Bedroom Count Rules Report

Bedroom Count Rules Report

Wow...some of these ideas are very cool! Father's Day is a great time for simple, homemade gifts that mean a lot to Dad. The Necktie pillow is my favorite! (Except we don’t wear a lot of neck times on Cape Cod!).

The Cape lifestyle is all about easy and fun. This is where Dad’s come to relax. Here at REEF one of our priorities is to make the home-building experience a real pleasure for our customers…no stress.  Here’s a Customer Testimonial that reinforces our hassle-free home building system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wo57kh7VgE

Simple and Good Father's day Gifts for Cape Cod

Simple and Good Father's day Gifts for Cape Cod

Cape Cod has always been a great place to retire. Yes, it's a wonderful place to raise a family (worked for me!), but the Cape is renowned for its easy lifestyle for the golden years.  

The Baby Boomer Generation is the largest age group of our population. These retirees, or soon to be retirees, are also looking to downsize from their current homes, and looking to purchase or build ones that are specific to their new needs and lifestyles. These buyers are very specific in their desires and needs. 

Here's a great article outlining what baby Boomers are looking for in their retirement home. Fortunately, you can find all these amenities in REEF-Built homes!

What Downsizers look for in Cape Cod Homes

What Downsizers look for in Cape Cod Homes

How’s the real estate market on Cape Cod? There are lots of opinions about the state of the market and where it’s headed. Opinions are easy to come by. We like to place our trust in actual metrics, measurable data.

Eastham is on the outer arm of the Cape, and offers year around tranquility. Although it’s often quiet, the serene vistas and peaceful places create a steady demand for real estate in Eastham. Here’s one Realtor’s report of actual sales in Eastham. Bob does a great job of analyzing his neck-of-the-woods, and helping us all understand how the Cape is fairing.

Please let us know when you’re ready to fix up or build your Cape Cod “sand castle”. We’d be happy to help.

Eastham Real Estate Market Update

Eastham Real Estate Market Update

Almost every day we get a call from folks interested in updating their Cape Cod home. Frequently they have owned the home for many years. Sometimes our Customers have purchased an older home with replacement in mind. Every case is different, which makes our job fun.

Whether you seek a seasonal escape big enough to accommodate family and friends, or have dreaming of a comfortable retirement home on Cape Cod, we can turn your tired cottage into a wonderfully inviting place to enjoy life.

We've put together some Before & After examples. These are great to get your creative juices flowing:  Before and After Home Transformation Examples

 Looking for your Cape Cod Summer Rental?  Stay in a brand new REEF Home this summer - check out our  Summer Rental on Barnstable Harbor Click Here:  REEF Summer Rental

If you are considering a new home or major renovation here on Cape Cod and what to know what your new home might cost? click here to download our Consrtuction Cost Guide

If you are considering buying land on Cape Cod, click here to download our Guide to Buying Land on Cape Cod

 If you want to follow one of our current custom home projects in real time  you can Follow the Build Here:

Follow the Build Part II

Here’s an example of a Before and After transformation:

Before and After Home Transformation Examples

Homes we build for our Customers are great sources of pride. Substantial planning, financial commitment, and lots of anticipation make for long term celebrations by our Customers when they move in to their new Cape Cod home. Pride is reflected in the curb appeal of a REEF built home. We invest significant design time and effort ensuring that our Customers feel that sense of pride when arriving home, for many years to come.

Here are some entryway makeover ideas that can help bring new life and warmth to a tired and unwelcoming house design. Many of these ideas are easy to do. Some are more involved. If you’d like some help redesigning your Cape Cod home, please call the team at REEF.

Entryway Improvements for your Cape Cod Home

Entryway Improvements for your Cape Cod Home

Often we are asked to maximize the space available on a parcel of land. It always seems that friends visit when you have a place on Cape Cod, so people need to accommodate extended family and friends.   Space is usually at a premium, so we find ourselves designing to fit as much fun as possible into new homes.

One of the hidden benefits of building a new home on Cape Cod is having fun during the process. Once the design is complete, and the construction begins, you can start planning the décor.

Here are some great bedroom ideas that maximize the utility of available space, and make the home seem bigger. Some of the decorating is a little out there, but...well you’ll get the idea.

Great bedroom ideas for your small Cape Cod Home

Great bedroom ideas for your small Cape Cod Home

Same old, same old is no fun. Although REEF homes contain the spaces required and desired for comfortable living, we are always looking for new and different ideas to add some fun, and make spaces unique. Kitchen islands are very popular. They often contain cooking surfaces, refrigerated drawers, sinks, and electrical outlets. They have become the center of the heart of the home.

Here are 64 unique kitchen island ideas. Using different textures, colors and unusual pieces will bring your special place alive. Making your Cape Cod home comfortable is important. Making it special and unique is half the fun!

Unique Kitchen Island Designs for your Cape Cod Home

Unique Kitchen Island Designs for your Cape Cod Home

The Cape Cod look: hydrangeas, privet hedges, shingles and clapboard…and gravel driveways. Many of our Customers are not interested in a paved driveway. This is Cape Cod after all, where lifestyle is important, and people come to relax. So a nice bluestone driveway is very popular.

Crushed clam shell driveways are popular too, but the shells disintegrate over time. Then the powdery shells are easily tracked into the house. For folks who want that white driveway look, we use white stones mixed with about 10% clam shells, so you end up with a nice white drive without all the clam shell chips and powder.

Whether blue stone or sea shells, the loose material will end up moving over time. And the occasional snow plow really wreaks havoc with the stones. Here’s a paving technique that creates a stone driveway surface that will stay in place. It behaves like regular pavement, but gives you the more relaxed Cape Cod feel. It’s details like this that have helped build REEF’s reputation for fine home building over the years.

Create a low maintenance gravel driveway on Cape Cod

Create a low maintenance gravel driveway on Cape Cod

Old houses on Cape Cod hark back to “the days of yore.” These antiques are nice to see on a casual walk or drive, and we work diligently with some Customers to modify and renovate the buildings so they can accommodate today’s lifestyles. Frequently the changes and modifications that Customers request cannot be accommodated in the existing structure. Houses that were built 40, 50, 60 years ago usually can’t support the additional loads, or meet today’s building codes. Replacing the old home with a new Cape Cod style home is often more cost effective.

When we “raze and replace” a home every effort is made to disturb as little of the surrounding area as possible. And the design of the new home must fit nicely into the neighborhood. Energy saving windows and doors, quality insulation, high ceilings and modern, open floor plans do not preclude us from building a home that looks very similar to its 60 and 80 year old neighbors.

Here’s a short video of REEF carefully and quickly removing and old home. In its place will rise a much more efficient, comfortable, and attractive Cape Cod home. Stay tuned for progress reports!

REEF removes a house to build a new Cape Cod Home

REEF removes a house to build a new Cape Cod Home