Life’s Not Always a Beach at Your Beach House

Welcome to Beach Week, our annual celebration of the best place on Earth.

Perhaps you’ve fantasized about owning a beach house. Maybe you’d love to set up an annual timeshare on a coastline, or revisit your favorite oceanview Airbnb every summer. Certainly, the demand for coastal living is high—according to 2024 research conducted by global market intelligence firm CoherentMI, the "modern beach houses market size is expected to reach USD $26.20 billion by 2032." When it comes to Americans’ desire to own a second property, primarily to be used as a vacation home, beachfronts seem to be where it’s at.

The hype speaks for itself: There are picturesque views, the calming ocean waves, and immediate access to recreational water-based activities. But, unsurprisingly, setting up shop next to a massive body of salt water comes with its own set of unique issues. Is the ocean always bluer on the other side? Ahead, we dig into the most common beach house problems and how to deal with them—and, hopefully, shed some light on the realities of beach homeownership.

Sand, sand everywhere

Live by a beach and sand is bound to make its way indoors. Not only is the clean-up annoying, but unclogging sand in the drains can become an unexpectedly high maintenance cost. Beach house Airbnb hosts on Reddit recommend setting down WaterHog outdoor mats by the entrance to help capture any last-minute debris before stepping inside and investing in a ShopVac for deep indoor cleans. But perhaps the best way to prevent incoming sand is an outdoor shower. It’s the most effective way to rinse off lurking sand inside swimsuits, between the toes, and from other body crevices. (You can even DIY an outdoor shower for less than $1,000.)

Saltwater’s wrath

Saltwater is highly corrosive. It means if you live near an ocean, the salt that permeates the air will also enter your home. The salt will rust metals (including appliances), pit leather furniture, leave a buildup on windows, and prevent you from landscaping the way you wish. While there’s little that can be done to combat Mother Nature, a few preventative measures include running dehumidifiers inside the home (moisture is a villain), spraying equipment with food-grade silicone (to serve as a protective coating), and using wire brushes to flake off loose rust from metal railings or car parts (then layer on a primer afterward). To get rid of the cloudy film on windows and glass, spray the area with a water-vinegar mixture and let it soak—the vinegar will break down the salt, which can then be wiped away.

Beware of hurricane season

Life’s not a beach year-round. Both the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons run roughly from June 1 through November 30, with the peak hitting mid-August through mid-October. With natural weather patterns becoming ever more erratic, the cost of homeowners insurance for coastal houses tends to be notoriously high. Therefore, preparation (that’s done well in advance) is key. This includes making sure the roof is properly leak-proofed, any branches or plants that could potentially snap off are removed, all cracks in doors and windows are sealed, and there’s a fully-stocked pantry and first-aid kit. You may even want an emergency plan for basement flooding, just in case.

Roughing the riffraff

There’s a lot of cash to be made in the beach house rental market. According to a study by Grand View Research, short-term stays raked in over $134 billion in 2024, with numbers projected to increase 11 percent every year through 2030. This could potentially be bad news if you’re a prospective homebuyer who dreams of living in a vacation beach house half the time. There’s a chance your neighbors will be a revolving door of Airbnb tourists, rather than longtime locals. You may deal with noise, uncouth behaviors, and visitors who are inconsiderate about community beachside protocols. On the upside, however, if you do invest in a beach house, you always have the option to rent it out.

Smells like tide spirit

Have you ever gotten whiffs of a rotten egg smell while seaside? That’s likely the scent of rotting seaweed at low tide when it washes up on shore. You won’t want to sunbathe on the beach while it reeks of sulfur, so instead, why not stay indoors, light some fragrant candles, pour yourself a beverage, and enjoy the view from inside? Trust that another perfect beach day is just around the corner.

Photo by Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

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