Building Near the Water

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting my clients at a waterfront listing they are considering.

The listing is very special- the house is decidedly NOT special!

The house in question has a large footrpint and overlooks a GORGEOUS body of water. Great views of the Chesapeake Bay from all sides.... Stunning. The house itself is full of mold and is literally falling down.

A well-respected builder accompanied us to the property (to help the buyers assess what they might be able to do on the site with new construction). He kept saying what a blessing it was to them that the old (gross) house currently on the property is still standing there. Had it been removed or demolished pre-sale, this would have greatly restricted the size and location of the new home my clients could build on this waterfront site.

The thing is, when this old, delapidated house was constructed many years ago, building restrictions near the water were far less stringent.

If my buyers decide to move forward with this property to purchase, demo, and then build their dream home, they will likely be able to place more sq. feet closer to the water than if the property were currently just vacant land.

Lesson: If you think the waterfront property you are listing is too shabby and too much of an eyesore, don't have your sellers tear it down til you check with local zoning boards and local experienced builders. The ugly duckling house can help tomorrow's buyer build a real SWAN!