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Nantucket's New-Season of House Moving: Climate, Preservation and the Real Estate Market

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/12/1 .. ate-preservation-and-the-real-estate-market.html
  Published in House and Home on Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 7:54 GMT by The Boston Globe
      Locale: Massachusetts, UNITED STATES

Nantucket’s New‑Season of House Moving: Climate, Preservation and the Real Estate Market

In late December, a handful of residents in Nantucket, Massachusetts, began the island’s most unusual seasonal activity: moving historic homes. The Boston Globe’s feature, “Nantucket House‑Moving Season: Erosion, Climate Change, Preservation,” takes readers through a story that blends the island’s picturesque charm with the stark realities of rising seas and aggressive coastal erosion.

The Growing Threat of Coastal Erosion

Nantucket’s picturesque harbor and storied colonial architecture are under threat from a relentless, rising tide. The Globe’s article cites a 2024 NOAA report that shows the island’s shoreline retreating at an average of 10 centimetres per year. The erosion is not only a visual problem—it undermines the very foundations of many homes. “You can’t rely on a stone wall to hold back water when the sea itself is climbing,” explains Dr. Maya Hsu, a coastal geologist at the University of Massachusetts, whose work is referenced in the article.

The piece notes that a handful of Nantucket houses—especially those built before the 1900s—are literally sliding toward the water. The local government has had to adopt a “move‑up” policy, encouraging owners to relocate homes that are at or below the projected 2050 sea‑level rise line. In a move that feels at home in a modern reality show, the island’s historic preservation society, the Nantucket Preservation Society (NPS), works in partnership with the state and the federal government to map out relocation routes.

The “House‑Moving Season” in Action

The Globe recounts the dramatic image of a family in a 17‑room Georgian house, disassembled and loaded onto a barge that has to navigate a narrow inlet. The family, the Mays, had lived in the home for three generations. “We didn’t want to lose the family’s legacy,” says Maye, a former schoolteacher. “But the house was on the edge, literally. It was safer to move.”

The article details how the NPS’s volunteer crews and professional movers use a combination of timber framing, hydraulic jacks, and specialized trailers to disassemble, transport, and re‑assemble the houses on new foundations. The cost of this operation ranges from $200,000 to $600,000 per home, the Globe notes, a sum that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has helped subsidise through grants.

A Real‑Estate Market in Flux

Real‑estate experts interviewed in the article point out that Nantucket’s housing market has begun to reflect the new reality. “The price of a historic home on a low‑lying parcel can drop 20% to 30% compared to a similar house on higher ground,” says real‑estate consultant Lillian Chen. “You’re not just buying a house; you’re buying a risk assessment.”

The piece links to a Boston Globe column on “The Economics of Climate Change in Coastal Communities” (published earlier this month), which examines how rising insurance premiums and new zoning codes are reshaping the local market. According to that column, the city of Nantucket has added a surcharge on properties within 200 metres of the high‑water mark, a policy that has been met with both support and resistance.

Preservation Versus Practicality

The article’s heart lies in the debate over whether historic houses should be preserved or replaced. Preservation advocates, such as NPS board member Thomas R. Ellis, argue that these houses are “cultural assets” that embody the island’s identity. Ellis believes that “moving a house is a form of preservation—it keeps the architecture alive, even if it’s not in its original spot.”

Opponents, however, see the process as “inherently destructive.” The Globe brings in Dr. Elena Vargas, an architect who has studied the impact of relocation on building integrity. She warns that “even meticulous reassembly can alter the character of a structure. Each time a wall is taken apart and put back together, there is a loss of original material and a change in craftsmanship.”

Legislative and Scientific Backing

The article also references new federal guidelines released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on “Climate‑Resilient Housing in Coastal Regions.” These guidelines provide a framework for owners of historic properties to secure financing for relocation or retrofitting. The Globe explains that these measures have already enabled the relocation of seven houses in 2025, according to the NPS.

In addition, the article links to a recent study from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on “Coastal Resilience Planning.” The EPA’s findings are used by the island’s planning committee to assess the long‑term viability of various preservation strategies. According to the study, building sea walls, while expensive, can delay erosion for up to 50 years in some areas.

The Human Side of the Climate Transition

The Globe’s narrative is grounded in personal stories. In the case of the May family, the article shares how the move was not just a logistical task but also an emotional journey. “It felt like we were parting with a piece of our childhood,” says Maye. The piece ends with a hopeful note: a group of young artisans is now offering workshops on “Historic Home Re‑Fabrication,” ensuring that traditional building techniques will survive even if the homes themselves are relocated.

Conclusion

Nantucket’s house‑moving season, as reported by the Boston Globe, is a microcosm of the challenges facing many coastal communities. Climate change is forcing historic preservation societies, property owners, and government agencies to make difficult choices: preserve the past by relocating it, or let it go and adapt to a new reality. The island’s ongoing experience provides a living laboratory for policymakers, preservationists, and the general public to grapple with the intersection of heritage, economics, and environmental science. As the article underscores, the story of Nantucket’s homes is not only about moving structures but also about moving forward in a world where the shoreline is no longer a static backdrop but a dynamic force shaping our lives.