Michigan’s Great Southwest, and Harbor Country in particular, just gained a huge measure of credibility when it comes to recognition of the beach life thanks to a new ranking from the national property management firm Vacasa.
That agency opens their 2021 list of the Best Places to Buy a Beach House by saying, “A wise person once said, life is better at the beach.”
They then go on to rank the Top 10 Best Places to do that, and New Buffalo comes in at #4, in direct competition with three beaches in Hawaii, several in the Carolinas and beyond.
Vacasa reports that with 57-percent of the guests they recently surveyed planning a trip to the beach this spring, it was a good time to share their list of best plays to buy a beach house.
The Vacasa report notes, “Second home and vacation rental purchases continue to skyrocket, so if you are looking for your own little slice of sand, don’t hesitate—and get in touch with a licensed real estate agent to aid you in your search.”
Regarding New Buffalo, specifically, they offer this commentary:
Sitting 70 miles from downtown Chicago, the town of New Buffalo is just moments off the highway, but feels completely separated from the hustle and bustle of a city center. Never heard of it? Well tune in, as New Buffalo snagged the number four spot on our list and has a lot to offer vacation home guests beyond the majestic beauty of Lake Michigan. Spend a sunny afternoon playing in the sand, use the launch area for a boating adventure, or swim in the lake’s waters. Lake Michigan is an enormous body of water, and it’s easy to forget you aren’t actually on the ocean as the wind gently whips up small whitecaps. Speaking of caps? A 7.1% cap rate ain’t too shabby for south Michigan.
Here’s the full list…which can also be found at this link:
https://www.vacasa.com/top-markets/2021-best-place-to-buy-a-beach-house
The 10 Best Places to Buy a Beach House in 2021, Ranked:
| Market | Cap rate | Median home sale price | |
| 1 | Cape Hatteras, NC | 8.6% | $379,248 |
| 2 | Ocean Shores, WA | 7.8% | $250,255 |
| 3 | Dauphin Island, AL | 7.8% | $289,623 |
| 4 | New Buffalo, MI | 7.1% | $319,306 |
| 5 | Corolla, NC | 6.9% | $560,599 |
| 6 | Kauai South, HI | 6.2% | $593,554 |
| 7 | Isle of Palms, SC | 5.8% | $708,920 |
| 8 | Wailea, HI | 5.6% | $885,086 |
| 9 | South Kohala, HI | 5.6% | $639,908 |
| 10 | Bolivar Peninsula, TX | 5.6% | $299,354 |
My thanks to Real Estate Broker/Company Owner Ryan Arnt of Keller Williams of Southwestern Michigan who shared the news with me today, so that I could share it with you.
