‘Life’s Too Short’: Home Buyers Eye Cape Cod’s Risky Oceanfront

David Moot assumed he’d never be able to afford his dream of owning a beachfront home on the Massachusetts coast, his vacation retreat for nearly 20 years. When he spotted one on Cape Cod listed at a surprisingly low $395,000, he jumped at the deal.

There was a catch: The ocean might soon be at his doorstep. The house, at 157 Brownell Road in Eastham, sits just 25 feet (7.6 meters) from an eroding sand bluff. With the tides projected to encroach 3 feet closer to his door each year, his investment could get swept away within a decade.

“Life’s ...