Summer Season Solid

We Need a Vacation draws on its decades of data to predict that this season returns the Cape and Islands to its pre-pandemic path - tho with some general shifts in expectations.

What does this season on Cape Cod look like?

Jeff Talmadge, CEO of We Need a Vacation in Orleans says Cape Cod and the Islands have moved past the COVID era blip - and that's a good thing. The company has been tracking seasonal rental data for decades and says this season sees bookings slightly above pre-pandemic levels while pricing has dropped slightly mirroring pre-pandemic levels as well.

Is there an accurate inventory of seasonal rentals on Cape Cod?

The housing crisis on Cape Cod has highlighted the large inventory of seasonal rentals, but Talmadge suggests those number may not be fully accurate. He says his firm saw a dip in inventory during the pandemic and while those numbers are rising he sees current active inventory similar to 2018 numbers.

What trends is Cape Cod seeing in rental demand?

The world has changed - and renters of 2024 demand air conditioning. The days of using the beach and cool night breezes to stay comfortable to the strains of Olde Cape Cod represent a bygone era in today's seasonal market.

Another big change Talmadge sees is an increased number of pools as part of seasonal rental homes. We Need a Vacation's data saw an uptick in pools shortly after sharks became big news and hypothesizes that concerns about ocean safety may have triggered this trend.

A third trend he flags may represent a generational change. While the seasonal rental has traditionally been a week from Saturday to Saturday, the Millennial generation has been driving a demand for shorter stays representing perhaps a larger shift in how families use vacation and recreation time.