Whether you're looking to retire, buy a weekend cottage or settle down permanently, you'll find plenty of options. You can choose from property on the bayside, seaside, in small towns or in the country. You can settle on a historic house to fix up, buy land to build your dream home or find a new dwelling in perfect move-in condition. With more than 400 buildings dating from before 1865, the Shore has one of Virginia's largest concentrations of historic homes. Other period homes, such as those from the Victorian era, can be bought for a low enough price that one person we've heard of decided on a whim to buy and put her house on her credit card.
Older houses tend to be less expensive than newer construction of similar square footage.
You'll find both handyman's specials and beautifully restored homes among the older property. Like anywhere else, when you're looking for a home or some land, location is the key. As you'd expect, waterfront locations carry a higher sales price than landlocked property. Property facing the Chesapeake Bay is more popular and more expensive than waterfront property on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Shore. This is because navigable creeks give direct access to the Bay.