Fall on Nantucket is a terrific time to take advantage of a myriad of activities from the historical to the athletic, from the educational to the just plain fun!

October is still an excellent time to visit, the weather will be on the crisper side, but all the beauty abounds! Of course with fall on Nantucket not only do we get a change in temperature but we get variations in color. Many of the greens start to fade to reds, ambers, and browns, which can make for some fantastic photo opportunities. 

On October 12th the island is hosting the 16th Annual Cranberry Festival at Milestone Cranberry Bog. "The Nantucket Cranberry Festival is a popular event among adults and children alike – the Foundation’s Milestone Cranberry Bog is transformed into the most unique and beautiful of Festival grounds for this special event. Visitors can expect to learn about the history of cranberry farming on Nantucket through educational displays and harvesting demonstrations, participate in family activities, sample delectable cranberry treats, and other New England classics, or simply enjoy the music and the spectacular autumn scenery. And as always, there will be pounds of organic Genuine Nantucket Cranberries available for purchase!"  To find out all the details follow THIS LINK. 

If you're the more active type and up for a challenge the 9th Annual Nantucket Half Marathon is the very next day! "This race is one of the most scenic Half Marathon courses on the East Coast! Set on charming Nantucket Island, the route travels through wooded dirt roads (some with short sandy sections!), tree-lined bike paths, and lightly traveled streets with beautiful ocean views. The course is gently rolling, but you are never more than a few feet above sea level! Approximately 40% of the course is on dirt roads with a few sandy sections that can be challenging, but there are no significant hills. You may run on roads and see parts of Nantucket you never knew existed!" The course map can be found HERE and more details on how to signup HERE. 

Did you know Nantucket is home to a vast array of conservation land and walking/hiking trails? This can make for great Fall fun, and many of the trails are easy to access and navigate so they can be perfect for family fun. There is a great online resource called All Trails, and we took the time to sort out the Nantucket trails HERE. If you don't want to take the self-guided route, you can call Nantucket Walkabout. Nantucket Walkabout is Nantucket’s only year-round guided hiking service offering natural history walks on Nantucket’s protected lands all over the island. They lead hikes during all seasons that inform on how, geologically, the island was created by the last glacier, how Nantucket got its unique collection of plants and wildlife, how and when Native Americans and European settlers impacted the island’s natural world, conservation efforts, and what the future may hold for the island. Nantucket Walkabout is not a tour bus or van service driving from sight to sight. They get out and walk into Nantucket’s wilderness to experience life off the road in all seasons. It’s a part bird walk, part botany hike, part geology and all about exploration.

The final pieces to any weekend getaway are transportation and lodging. For ferry schedules head over to The Steamship Authority or Hy-Line's website. For accommodation, you can browse our Nantucket vacation rental listings by clicking here.

Have a great fall!

-The Jordan Real Estate Team

 

 

 

Nantucket is always bustling with events both big and small! We made a small list of some of the events taking place in late August that are on our radar that you may be interested in checking out!

Nantucket Race Week

August 10th – 18th

Nantucket Race Week is nine days of regattas, awards ceremonies, and parties hosted by Nantucket Yacht Club and Great Harbor Yacht Club to benefit Nantucket Community Sailing. Nantucket Race Week is proud to be a Clean Regatta as certified by Sailors for the Sea.

 

Swim Across America

August 24th

Swim Across America is a Nantucket Island open water swim. Swimmers of all ages and skill levels are invited to take part in our annual event at beautiful Jetties Beach and help us support cancer treatment and patient care on Nantucket Island.

Register Here!

 

Nantucket’s Swim Across America

Oyster Farm & Harbor Tour with Nantucket Land Council

All Month Long

This summer, join the Nantucket Land Council for an exciting and educational afternoon aboard Shearwater Excursions Shearwater 47′ power catamaran with Captain Blair Perkins, NLC Executive Director Emily Molden, Resource Ecologist RJ Turcotte, and Oyster Farmer Simon Edwardes for a tour of Head of the Harbor, and an exploration of Fifth Bend Oyster Farm. Along the way, you’ll learn more about oysters and their role in the ecology of the harbor. Tickets are limited and advance registration is required.

Tours begin at 3:30 pm at the Nantucket Town Pier located at 34 Washington Street downtown, and will return at 5:30 pm. We will meet at 3:20 pm at the Town Pier, located at 34 Washington Street – across from the Town Parking Lot. Please dress comfortably. We recommend you could take the bus, bike, or walk to the Town Pier or use the in-town valet parking. Should you choose to drive, please leave ample time to find a spot. The tour will leave promptly at 3:30 pm.

Email meg@nantucketlandcouncil.org with questions or to schedule a private tour.

 

As always if you’re looking for a rental for any event taking place on Nantucket we would love to help find you the perfect retreat for your stay.

We look forward to making this the best resource for information about real estate, our local area, and current topics that impact you. Please feel free to comment on our posts if you have questions or reactions to share. If there is anything you'd like to see us write about, we'd love to hear your ideas.

 

Where to eat in Nantucket?

You’re planning a vacation to Nantucket; you’ve already called Jordan Real Estate to book your Nantucket vacation rental and now it’s time to plan some dinners. Sure we could simply share a list of a few great places to eat based on popularity, online rating sites but we wanted to offer some on island insight! We asked a few of our brokers where they love to grab a bite to eat on Nantucket and why;

Michael Angelastro: FUSARO’S. According to their site, Fusaro’s is “The perfect gathering place for families and friends, Fusaro’s hearkens back to traditional Italian-American roots of Sunday meals at Nana’s. Just a mile out of town, with plenty of parking, we are proud to offer an affordably-priced, Italian inspired selection of appetizers, salads, pizzas, pasta and seafood in a family-friendly setting.” Michael notes he loves that it is run by owner/operators and offers full meals to pizza. “I really love the enclosed patio and the reasonable prices” states Michael.

Debbie Cleveland:  Languedoc Bistro on Broad St. “In my humble opinion, has THE BEST Cheeseburgers on the Island.  The hamburger is served with Cheddar Cheese and on an English Muffin instead of the usual hamburger bun.  The shoestring garlic fries are a perfect match.” According to their site link in this description “On any given night at the Languedoc, from the balmiest evening in August to the coziest blustery November night, an eclectic mix of locals, visitors, couples, singles, old-timers and newcomers can be found enjoying a perfect night on Nantucket over some of the island’s best food and wine.”

Debbie also mentioned what you will soon see is an island favorite Pi Pizzeria “My tennis girlfriends and I insist on calling the Rustica Pizza at Pi Pizza our “crack pizza” for whenever we return to the Island….we must have it!  Fabulous Italian Cheese, Pancetta and ample Arugula…..we always insist on extra Arugula too.”

Broker/Owner Gloria Grimshaw echos Debbie’s sentiment with a resounding recommendation for Pi Pizzeria as well! “It’s delicious wood-fired oven pizza in a lively casual setting!  The menu offers many other tempting options!”

Joelle Hess Bouchard: “When it’s fancy, I have always loved The Galley but these days with kids we tend to favor The Saltbox and Keepers” Saltbox Tavern & Table is Nantucket’s newest family-friendly spot. They offer a newly renovated dining room and a beautiful outdoor patio and bar. They have the best-frozen drinks and sangria pitchers, Saltbox is the perfect place to unwind with family and friends after a long day or a day at the beach –  according to their website.

If you still need to book your Nantucket Vacation rental we can help! Give us a call, send us an email or finds us on Facebook!

“For over twenty years, the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival has brought distinguished winemakers and chefs together for a world-class epicurean celebration. 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, this unique setting creates the backdrop for what has become one of the most celebrated events of its kind in the world. Over the course of five days, the island comes alive with prestigious tastings, lunches, dinners and educational seminars. Our luminaries are an extraordinary group of winemakers, chefs, sommeliers and presenters who contribute to the understated elegance of our festival.”

The above can be credited to the Nantucket Wine Festival website and does a great job of summarizing this wonderful event. The expo takes place just as the summer season kicks in here on the island and that can make finding a rental tricky if you don’t plan ahead. Thankfully at Jordan Real Estate we manage a wide variety of Nantucket vacation rental properties. Many of these properties have minimum stays of one week however some of them have shorter minimum stays of one to three days. Let’s take a look at a couple of properties we have that may work for anyone searching for a shorter stay.

This is a brand new build one bedroom studio located right on Main Street and is just $600/night with a one night minimum. Looking for more information? Click Here

 

Next we have a two bedroom apartment that sleeps four. The listing is also right on Main Street so it’s very close to all the shopping and entertainment. This one is $928.50/night with a 3 night minimum. Want to see more? Click Here

 

If you’re coming to Nantucket for a longer stay of a week we have a very large inventory of rentals that can be searched by clicking on the Rental banner above. We hope that you find a place that works for you to enjoy the Nantucket Wine Festival and all the event has to offer!

Planning a trip to Nantucket but you’re worried about where you can run and ride? Nantucket has an amazing network of trails, bike paths and running routes so don’t you worry! For many people being active while away is a big part of choosing a vacation destination. We get it and Nantucket is the perfect place for you. Home to Nantucket Velo, The Nantucket Triathlon and many running road races.

Here are is the official trail and bike path map. As you can see there is an entire network of paved paths and unpaved trails. This does not include the numerous paths and trails on the conservation land all over the island. Here is a link to some fantastic maps and information on the Nantucket Conservation Foundation website. Bring a camera or your cell phone you will want to snap a photo of some of these amazing views!

Thanks to the power of MapMyRuns we also have linked you to a list of over 56 different Running Routes on the island which you can filter by distance! Click here to get over to that page directly.

Are you looking to ride your bike on Nantucket? You can always bring your own over but if that is too much of a headache you can rent all different types from our friends over at Nantucket Bike Shop.

 

– The Jordan Real Estate Team

 

One of the signs that spring has sprung is the increase in Nantucket Real Estate Sales inventory.  Many sellers opt to unlist their properties for the winter.  This is due to the off season for tourism, as well as homes being closed down for the winter.  But it starts to smell like Spring and suddenly there’s a lot for sale.

We’ve had a lot of questions about the rental market this year.  What I’ve noticed is that during the off season, the rental market comes and goes in waves.  Right when the Steamship puts the car ferry tickets on sale everyone starts thinking about their Nantucket getaway.  After that initial flurry of rentals come in we go into a few dormant weeks.  Another wave occurs around tax time when folks get their tax returns.  A third wave hits when Spring officially arrives.  I don’t mean arrives on the calendar, I mean when the sun starts to feel warm on your skin, and the daffodils are in full bloom and it feels like summer is right around the corner.  There have been many questions on the effect of the new rental tax.  I think it might be a little early to tell.  I think next season we will have a better take on how the tax has effected the rental market.  The fact is… it has to be paid.  Uncle Sam doesn’t do negotiations.

The rental market is in full swing.    We’ve had many calls inquiring about the new rental tax.  So here is a quick summary of what we know.   The rental tax will start at 11.7% this year.  This may change at any time.  The most important bullet points are as follows but for complete information please visit mass.gov or call Jordan Real Estate to talk to one of our knowledgeable brokers.

For any leases signed after January 1, 2019, an 11.7% occupancy tax will be attached.  For this year only, leases where the arrival date is prior to July 1, 2019 are exempt from the tax.  This also does not apply to leases longer than 31 days.  If a homeowner only leases their home for 2 weeks out of the year, the tenants who rent for those 2 weeks are exempt from the tax.  The occupancy tax will be paid by the tenant, just as they would pay if staying at a hotel or Bed and Breakfast.  As an agent of the homeowner, we (Jordan Real Estate) will be collecting the tax and remitting it to the state and local authorities.  Also just to clear up a common misconception, the tax is not included in the rent, while the commission is included.  So an additional 11.7% will be added to the cost of rent not subtracted from it (as the commission is).  Homeowners will be required to have a minimum or 1 Million dollars in insurance.  They will also be required to register their rental home.  As of now there is no such registry to add your rental home to, so it seems we will cycle back to that when the registry is live. Bottom Line is, no one likes paying taxes, but it is what it is and we’re all going to have to get used to it.  You can’t bargain with Uncle Sam.

Time is of the essence.  Homeowners please keep us updated as often as possible to any changes in your availability or your property in general.  Tenants if you haven’t booked your vacation contact us regarding your summer vacation while there is still inventory to chose from.

For those of you who think of January as the “off season” on Nantucket, I’m here to point out the reasons why you would be wrong.  I think while everyone is singing Fa la la around the Christmas tree or dreidel dreidel in the glow of the Menorah with their family and friends over the holiday season, fond memories of summers past on good ole’ ACK emerge, and the planning of another summer vacation begins.  On the day after Christmas there is a major influx of folks ready to book their Nantucket Vacation.  And then, Wham, the Governor of Massachusetts threw us for a loop and passed a short- term rental tax with 4 days left in 2018 to spare leaving brokers and tenants in a frenzy to get leases executed prior to the January 1st deadline.  And then the steamship authority opened for Car Ferry Reservations and the rental tsunami began.    Long Story short, January is Busy…and the Real Estate market on Nantucket is alive and kicking.  Here is a snapshot of the 2018 Real Estate Sales Market.  Some of the Charts are taken from our Listing Service LINK.  If you would like to be enrolled into Nantucket’s MLS, or have any further questions about Nantucket’s Real Estate Market or the impending Rental Tax, please contact us.

Governor Baker signed into law a bill regulating and taxing short-term rentals.  The details we have collected so far are as follows:

The tax is to be paid by the tenant.

State Tax: 5.7% 

Local Tax:  6% on Nantucket

Cape Cod & Islands Water Protection Fund: 2.75%
Community impact tax: 3%
*The Town of Nantucket has yet to vote on these specific taxes.   

For stays starting July 1, 2019 that are booked January 1, 2019 or later. If a lease was signed prior to January 1st, no tax is due.

For any stays of 31 days or less.

Each rental unit will need to be listed with the state short-term rental registry.

The law requires whoever collects payment for the rental to collect the tax and remit it to the Commonwealth. The Department of Revenue will issue regulations to clarify how often the tax should be remitted to the Department.

Every home owner that rents out their property must carry not less than $1 million of liability coverage for each stay unless the hosting platform provides equal or greater coverage. Coverage shall defend and indemnify the operator and any tenants or owners in the building for bodily injury and property damage arising from the short-term rental. However, if the hosting platform (the real estate brokerage, HomeAway, Airbnb, etc.) can elect to provide the coverage for their properties on behalf of the owner.

The tax imposed by the new law does not apply to properties rented for fewer than fourteen (14) days per calendar year. It is important to note that these properties are still subject to the other requirements of the law, such as insurance and registration and these properties must file a notice with the Department of Regulation saying they will only rent for less than 14 days and will be responsible for paying the taxes themselves if rented for more than 14 days and did not collect it for the first 14 days.

Cities and towns may implement a health and safety inspection requirement and set the frequency of inspections. Short-term rental operators are required to cover the cost of inspections and will likely face a fee to cover registration costs as well.

New Short Term Rental Documents:

Insurance Disclosure to Homeowners

14-Day Exemption Form

We will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.