The ocean is your nearest neighbour in this clifftop home

A dreamy beach shack with views to die for is on the market for $359,000. 

The timber cottage sits at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. 

It’s a wild, lonely spot in the US where seabirds soar through the air and seals sun themselves on the sand below.

But there’s a catch – the house may not be here for much longer. 

Each year, the sea creeps steadily closer. 

In July 2023, satellite imagery shows the cliff-edge was 18 metres from the front door.  

By November 2024, the precipice was just seven metres away.

It’s part of a bigger story of erosion that is dramatically reshaping this part of Cape Cod. 

As storms and hurricanes become more frequent, roads, staircases and entire buildings are being washed away. 

The threat of erosion is impacting property prices too. 

David Moot bought a house just down the road for a modest sum, according to NBC Boston. 

Just a year prior, the same property had been listed for nearly $US1.2 million. 

Buyers in the area know that losing their home is not a matter of if, but when. 

In the meantime, however, they have the rare chance to live an oceanfront lifestyle that would otherwise cost millions. 

The cottage for sale at 153 Brownell Road, Eastham is a classic 1950s wood-shingle home.

The three-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow has a cosy living room with panoramic ocean views. 

Solar panels, radiant heating and a charging station bring the cottage firmly into the 21st century. 

The listing bills the home as an “invitation to live with the ocean as your nearest neighbour”. 

It’s advertised with an asking price of $US239,000 ($359,900).