But don’t worry — we’re not moving into this one.
As we mentioned on this week’s podcast, we recently purchased a beach house. It isn’t the glossy, high-end getaway that the phrase “beach house” often conjures. This house is almost a century old and is easily the roughest, most in-need-of-help property we’ve ever bought. Despite the challenges, we’re excited by its potential, charm, and location — three major reasons we decided to take it on.
We fell for the character of this place right away. It’s a fixer-upper in every sense, but it has great bones: tall ceilings, original wood doors and hardware, interesting stained glass, and a classic layout that includes a back staircase not found in the neighboring near-identical houses. Those original details give the house personality and make it worth saving.
Where is it?
The house is in Cape Charles, VA, a small historic town on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore is a narrow peninsula separated from the rest of Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay, and our drive from home in Richmond takes about two and a half hours, including a scenic crossing of the Bay on a long bridge. We first discovered Cape Charles in 2013 and were immediately smitten by its quiet streets, calm shallow bay waters, and small-town charms like a family-run ice cream shop, a single-screen theater called the Palace Theatre, and a slow, friendly pace of life where many people get around by foot, bike, or golf cart.
Cape Charles sits on the bay side of the peninsula, which means calm water perfect for young children and excellent for paddling and kayaking. Even in the busy summer months, the town rarely feels crowded and parking near the beach is often easy to find. Over repeated visits we watched new renovation projects and hospitality businesses appear, signaling a growing appreciation and investment in the area.
Why buy a house there?
We’ve considered a vacation home or a rental property for years. Growing up around family rental properties made the idea feel familiar and appealing, and after stepping back from daily blogging we still found ourselves drawn to the idea of a second property purely because we wanted it, not just to create content. We wanted a place that would be a long-term investment for our family and a project we would enjoy renovating together.
We started by considering some local homes to rent out long term, but Cape Charles kept calling us. The town was clearly experiencing an upswing and we wanted to act before prices rose further. On a trip in early September we connected with a local realtor and quickly moved from casually considering options to actively pursuing a property.
Why this house?
We looked at many homes in various conditions, and most were rough. We wanted to rescue something affordable with good location and lot advantages, since those can’t be changed. The house we bought was a pocket listing our realtor had shown to a few potential buyers; it never reached the broader market. Priced at $125,000, it was at the top of our range, but the location made it a smart choice: three blocks from the beach, less than two blocks from the main shopping area, and close to Central Park. The walkability, the tree-lined street, and the fact that neighboring homes were already renovated convinced us this was the right spot.
Our house was built around 1920 and, despite its rough condition, has many original features that give it character: porch columns and brackets, stained glass windows, an old claw-foot tub we plan to reglaze, and a beautiful wood stair railing. It’s one of four nearly identical houses on the block, and touring a recently renovated twin on the street made it easy to imagine the possibilities. That renovated house sold for nearly three times what we paid for ours, which gave us confidence in the investment potential despite the amount of work required.
How do we plan to use it?
We envision building a family tradition around this house — summer weeks, long weekends, and occasional holiday gatherings. It feels like a place where our family can create memories for years to come. At the same time, we plan to rent the home as a vacation rental to help offset maintenance and repair costs. Cape Charles has a strong short-term rental market, and some homes command significant summer rates, so renting the property seasonally makes financial sense while keeping the house active when we’re not there. We’re still deciding how best to manage rentals, whether through a platform or another approach, and we’ll share what we learn as the process develops.
Will we DIY the renovation?
We plan to handle much of the cosmetic work ourselves, but major structural and technical updates will be done by professionals. Systems like the foundation, plumbing, electrical (which is largely knob-and-tube now), HVAC, and the roof will be entrusted to experienced contractors. We’ll take on painting, cabinetry, tile, installing fixtures, and decorating. Foundation and system upgrades aren’t the most dramatic transformations to photograph, so it may be a little while before the most visible changes appear, but we’re excited to share our layout plans and the sequence of work, including before-and-after floor plans and progress updates.
We can’t wait to get started and to show the transformation over time — from an in-need-of-help historic cottage to a welcoming beach house for family, friends, and renters to enjoy. Stay tuned for more updates as the renovation progresses, including floor plans and our design decisions.
Note: we recently shared our Annual Gift Guides for holiday shopping; if you missed them, there are still good deals to consider.