**My phenomenal real estate agents:** **Edie DeBalsi** **and** **Ralph Grassia** deserve a medal for putting up with me. They did so with grace and truly went above and beyond. Being local to Onset and working as a team made all the difference. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

When I first visited Onset, the place moved me in a way that no other place had done before. There is a bustle and yet a quiet peace in this village. I had so many hopes and dreams for the Zandy Castle, but sadly, like many broken dreams, it did not come to fruition.

Growing up in Massachusetts there were those families who had a cottage “down the Cape”. I always wanted to be one of those families. My grandmother had a cottage once but sold it because of all the unwanted guests and long-lost family members who showed up every summer.

But Onset is not the Cape, and I will delve into this more in a bit.

A Family Summer Home - That Did Not Quite Materialize

The Zandy Castle also was not my summer home in the traditional sense. If I had the money, it would be where I summered to get away from the NC heat and humidity. However, I could only afford it by renting it out during the summer. So, when I was there it was most likely January, February, or March. Not the greatest months to spend in Mass. Sure I could block off a week in the summer but will talk more of this later.

Unlike my grandmother, I wanted my family to enjoy the house. My mother is up there in years and unable to get around the way she used to. My sister has a very hectic life with her family. Various in-laws stayed a few times. I wanted to open it to extended family for free, but many were busy, uninterested, or the timing did not work.

My children are in NC and Ohio. My daughter likes to vacation in the mountains, and my son would prefer to drive a couple of hours to the Outer Banks than fly to Mass. For them Onset was not the 45 minute drive it would have been to my grandmother’s cottage for me growing up.

The Difficulties of Running an Airbnb/Vrbo Property from 800 Miles Away

This, however, is not the main reason I left. I agonized over selling. I tried every possible way to make this work financially. The home was slightly profitable but VERY difficult to manage remotely. My Achilles heel was getting workers to the house. For instance, one time the glass shower doors shattered. I was extremely lucky I could get my handyman there that day. Toilet clogged on the weekend; my handyman is usually away on weekends and good luck getting a plumber. I had a list of helpful neighbors and my indispensable housekeeping team, but there were times when I had run down the list of 6 people and no one was around.

Sometimes it would be something simple, like the batteries needing to be changed on the smart lock keypad. This happened several times per season and always while a guest was there. Sure, I had a backup physical key, and the app (most guests did not bother to use the app), but there is pure panic if a guest thinks they have been “locked out” and definitely not the best customer experience.

**View of the Stonebridge just 3 houses down from me. Taken by my Mom. Love this.**

During the summer every week looked like this: Guest checking out at 10am on Monday, another guest checking in at 4pm on Monday. I might need a worker to tighten the faucet, but they have to in and out between 10am-4pm. More often than not, this does not align. You want to avoid having a worker there while a guest is in the house because they will ding you on your review. No guest wants a lawnmower going while they are taking a nap.

Why didn’t I just hire a Property Manager, and they would take care of all of this for me? I tried that once with Vacasa and they were horrible (I could write an entire article about just Vacasa). Besides a Property Manager takes 30% of your gross income from the house. The Zandy Castle was profitable but not that profitable. This would work very differently if I lived close by. I could change batteries and hang fairy lights instead of paying someone $50 to do it. Because workers know you are desperate to get work done during a small window and they charge you a LOT more for it.

I ‘Might’ Be Able to Come By Sometime This Week Between 12-4PM

Then there were those, “I can come by Tuesday between 12-4pm”. Can you narrow it down? “No, it will be sometime between 12-4pm and we need someone to be physically present at the house”. Who am I going to get to sit around and wait for 4 hours? Half the time they don’t show up anyway because they “got tied up” at their last job.

Let’s go back to Onset is not the Cape. I like that about Onset. Great beaches, fewer crowds, and those gorgeous Victorian homes! Wonderful restaurants, friendly locals, fun events. But again, I never got to be there during the summer. I could not afford to block off a week in July for myself. I have never even attended a Summer of Love concert or the Canal Cruise, and they look like so much fun! I did get to attend the very last Harvest Moon Festival with fireworks that I could see perfectly walking just 3 houses down to the water.

**Drone footage of Onset Beach by John-John Souza used with permission**

A Hidden Gem Is Great for Locals and Savvy Vacationers but Can Be Challenging for Business Owners

Onset is still a hidden gem. I have found that most people come to Onset Airbnb’s by accident (they were driving through, or the Cape or Plymouth were booked – this is how I found it) but the majority of my guests had family in the area or a family connection. Perhaps their family used to summer here, and they wanted to recreate that memory. Sometimes people are touring New England and want a mid-point between Boston and Rhode Island. Don’t hate me for saying it, but it was not a destination the same way that the Cape is or Orlando, Charleston the Outerbanks, New Orleans, etc. I was constantly posting about the property on social media to generate interest. It did not “sell itself”. I had a few repeat guests. Or guest that would say it was the best house in Onset they stayed in and had been coming here for years, and then I would never see them again…. ugggh.

Location, Location, Location…

Another thing that I did not realize was how critical proximity to the beach is in Onset. The Zandy Castle is super close to the beach. However, when guests book a property here, they want to be right on the beach or at least look out the windows and see the water. I did not have that. Not really…only a partially obstructed view from one window. I did not think it was important because for Cape rentals, a short walk to the beach will still book and have the benefit of cheaper rates. Discerning Onset guests desired that water view. The blue Victorian house on the private beach is booked all the time at a much higher rate, longer bookings, a more extended season, and repeat guests. If the Zandy Castle had that, I could have hired a property manager and kept my beloved home away from home – and even block off a week in July for myself. So, despite 100% all 5-star reviews, I could never compete with a private beach. Even when selling the house, a home that was just a 5 minute walk from me, smaller sq footage and not as up to date, sold for over $100k more, but they had that million dollar water view. This was a very hard and very expensive lesson to learn.

**From Onset Beach Patio and Grill Facebook page**

Would I buy another house in Onset someday? Yes, but a less expensive house for my personal use - with a water view! Would I buy another house to rent as an Airbnb? Yes, but it would need to be no more than a 3 hour drive away from me in NC, preferably 1-hour.

My Wishes for Onset

What I wish for Onset going forward. For one, I have been nagging the town for a street sign where Grove Street intersects Locust to show the continuation of Grove St. The town approved it a year ago. Despite my monthly calls, the sign is still not installed. If it ever gets installed, somone please let me know :)

Not all change is bad. I remember the backlash about Bay Side Park being torn up to be accessible. Even I griped about it, but it looks fantastic! I hope that a clam shack opens where the Onset Beach Patio and Grill stood. It will look poor for the village if this prime location is vacant or boarded up. People enjoy quick and inexpensive take out fried seafood, onion rings, shakes and ice cream at the beach. It is the perfect location for it and will not be a direct competitor for restaurants already there.

Fireworks? I won’t even touch that can of worms. What I would love to see instead is a partnership between Onset Bay Association and Point Independence Yacht club for a July 4th boat parade. I think Onset needs to do something more to celebrate the 4th and show off its prime coastal location. This seems like a fun alternative and will still give people time to catch the evening fireworks elsewhere. There could even be a contest for the most festive boat. I really think this could work…

My daughter and I were watching Death by Lightning on Netflix about the assasination of President James Garfield when it occurred to us that someone living in our house could have voted in that election!

Most of All, What I Will Miss About Onset

I will miss so many things. My eggplant sub delivery from Marc Anthony’s at 10pm. Relaxing on the Take Time to Sit by the Sea memorial bench honoring a town resident, Peter Gay, who perished in the 9/11 tragedy. A poetic and timeless tribute to honor him with the best view of the bay. I will miss the Thanksgiving sandwiches at Makepeace Farms, pancakes at the Pier View, Pina Coladas at the Quahog Republic and Acai Bowls at Sumo Fresco.

**From Wareham Week: Peter Gay Memorial Bench**

And Marc Anthony’s “pizza guy” reminiscent of the infamous Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. He would yell at you if you took too long to order. You all know who I mean. He hung up on me once when I asked what kind of salod dressings they had LOL. I could imagine echos of “no pizza for you!”. It got to the point where I wrote my order down and could rattle it off in 15 seconds – including the delivery address and phone. When I finally got it, he said, “thank you dear”. It felt like a badge of honor! My daughter of course was mortified by this. Though born in Mass, she did not grow up here, I explained a fundamental truth,“Massachusetts is not the south, people will not be fake-nice to you and pedestrians do not necessarily have the right of way here”.

I will miss drinks and conversation on my neighbor Danny’s porch with the firepit going. Arguably the best porch in Onset. I will miss my own wrap-around porch most of all, It was one of the main reasons I bought this house and the turrets. I always dreamed of having a Victorian with a gorgeous wraparound porch.

I will miss my walks along the beach, discovering Victorian homes I had not seen before, admiring everyone’s outdoor coastal decor, great signs and lobster traps and mermaids atop roofs, chatting with people walking their dogs, discovering new shops like Tide and True, or capturing a spectacular sunset, and the sweet smell of lilacs in May. Spotting a Sunfish or Osprey nest…

Taken by me. My absolute favorite house in Onset - besides the Zandy Castle of course. Will miss all the stunning Victorian homes that enrich the village. If this is ever listed for sale, please call me!

A Painful Goodbye Even Though My Time Here Was Too Short

I will miss the metal mermaid on the side of the house. I hope the new owners keep it and do not throw it out. If I could have taken it with me, I would have. My morning tea on that porch, on a quiet October morning in the gentle, slightly cool coastal breeze, faint wind chimes, that indescribable scent when you are thisclose to the water, was the most tranquility I have ever experienced in my lifetime. I hope I am lucky enough to experience it again someday. I am definitely leaving a piece of my heart here. Those who live here year round know just how fortunate you are; there is nothing so stunning as the colors of an Onset sunrise.

“Once a place touches you like this, the wind never blows so cold again. You feel for it, like it was your child”

~ Field of Dreams

Alas, good-bye, my sweet, beautiful Onset or as my grandmother would tell me, “not goodbye, see you later”.

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