'But What About Erosion? What About the Barrier?'

I am Susan Gorden Ryan, a REALTOR® with Jack Conway in Mattapoisett, MA, and I live on Buzzards Bay myself. “But what about erosion? What about the barrier?” is close to the most common question I get from waterfront buyers, almost always asked with real worry behind it. It deserves an actual answer, not a reassurance that papers over the question.

Coastal erosion is not uniform along a shoreline. It depends on the exact geography of that stretch of coast, the direction it faces, whether there is a natural or engineered barrier protecting it, and the property's own documented history. Those are all things that can actually be checked, through conservation commission records, geotechnical or coastal engineering assessments, and the property's deed and permit history, rather than guessed at from the shore.

A seawall, revetment, or natural barrier beach can meaningfully reduce exposure, but none of them make a property immune, and maintenance obligations for an engineered barrier sometimes fall partly or fully on the property owner. Knowing whether a barrier exists is only step one. Knowing who maintains it, and what condition it is actually in, is the part that tells you what you are really buying.

I never want a buyer to walk away from the water out of a vague fear they never actually investigated. Plenty of waterfront homes along this coast have stable, well-documented histories. The goal is checking the actual property rather than labeling an entire stretch of coastline as risky or safe based on a feeling.

If you are looking at a specific waterfront property and this question is on your mind, get in touch and we will go find the actual answer rather than guessing at one.