It may be only February but people are already thinking summer – and Cape Cod! Early signs are that summer rentals should be up nearly 10 percent over last year, according to the agents at WeNeedAVacation.com.
“This is very encouraging, but these are early numbers through January 31st,” said Elizabeth Weedon, press and PR coordinator for WeNeedAVacation.com, an 18-year-old local business dedicated to linking vacationers to rental properties on the Cape and Islands. “These numbers are a positive sign, and they can be sustained or they can rise from there.”
The most expensive house listed on the website is a summer rental on Martha’s Vineyard. Sporting five bedrooms and water views with an in-ground saltwater pool and convenient beach access, the house in Edgartown is available for $42,500 per week.
On the other end, We Need A Vacation also lists a cozy two-bedroom cottage in Dennisport in the 14-unit Cape Cottages colony. Located on a private way between Depot & Sea Streets, the cottage is near several area beaches and is available for $1,000 per week.
Broken down by region, the Islands account for the lion’s share of the demand, with Martha’s Vineyard enjoying a 16.4 percent increase in bookings over last year while Nantucket was up by as much as 18 percent. Bookings on the Cape increased by a more modest 3.8 percent. Weedon cites several reasons for the increased demand.
“Despite the recent global and U.S. stock market woes, the domestic economy is fairly strong and the Cape and Islands are a very affordable vacation spot for families,”she said. “The recession is still clear in people’s minds and prospective vacationers are conscious of saving money when they can. Renting a house on Cape Cod is affordable because expenses can be shared with extended family and friends…. Visitors can cook in and take advantage of the free activities the Cape offers. It’s also cheap to get here by car, as most do, because gas prices are down.”
Weedon said We Need A Vacation has plenty of summer rental inventory that will suit a wide variety of budgets and situations.
In the middle range, a family of four can expect to pay $2,300-$2,500 a week for vacation digs such as Tree Tops, a cottage in Brewster with two bedrooms, one twin and one queen-sized, situated only 100 steps away from a private white sandy beach on the Cape Cod Bay.
— By Mary Petiet
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