Beach Houses

Houses on the beach have different standards than the average, practical suburban family home.

While regular home-owners are primarily worried about solid craftsmanship, energy efficiency and fitting in with the rest of the neighborhood, beach house owners are generally wealthier people who can afford to worry about stylizing the house and making it unique.

It is not just the owner that creates the different standards, but also the environment. The average suburban home is located on a block and considered part of a neighborhood, which typically creates an environment that demands some sort of uniformity. Meanwhile houses on the beach typically have rotating tenants due to seasonal renting, and the more lavish beach homes are typically not located in a neighborhood setting. And of course, there’s the simple fact that a beach house is on the beach, while a suburban home is in suburbia. A bay window, for instance, is ideal for a beach house with an ocean view, but makes little sense for a suburban home with a view of its neighbors’ homes.

Some of the differences are seemingly inexplicable. For instance, while some of the upper-crust suburbs frequently feature French patio doors, it is more common for an average suburban home to have a sliding patio door. Meanwhile, French patio doors are almost standard in West Coast beach houses.

One of the most bothersome aspects of owning a beach house can be the process of renting the property. There are options out there, obviously, such as timesharing or renting to tourists, but the ideal situation is to find a seasonal renter each year to rent during the offseason, the difficulty of which depends on location. Obviously renting a beach house in Maine during the winter will be more complicated than finding offseason renters in San Diego.

There is also the matter of getting a fair price as a renter. Renting seasonally is already a bit of a disadvantage because part of the allure of the beach is the season. While, in theory, that money could be made up because short-term leases typically feature higher rent, it can be hard to find a seasonal renter and cheaper rent rates make that a bit easier.

In terms of upkeep, there are positives and negatives. On the one hand, much of the value of a house on the beach is tied up in the actual property location, as opposed to the quality of the house. However, renters always come with an increased chance of damage to the house, and in order to attract new renters and charge a profitable rate, the house has to be well-kept and up to date, as far as style and appliances go.