Wanted: A home for four houses. No big waves.

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

Ever since a Northeaster punched a hole in Nauset Beach in Chatham more than a year ago, Mother Nature has taken or forced the dismantling of seven homes in a tiny community known as First Village.

A house about to go in January

Now, she is poised to take the remaining five.

During the last two months, as waves and currents made the narrow spit of land known as North Beach ever narrower, four homeowners moved their houses out of the sea's reach. Now, the four houses are clustered around the most northern - and protected - home. Homeowners are hoping the sea gives back some of the sand that it took away.

But it doesn't look promising. While the southern tip of the beach - once eroding at six feet a day - appears to be be stabilizing and possibly even gaining sand, the beach protecting the homes continues to erode.

"Things don't look good today and if beach and dune conditions don't improve, I wouldn't want to go into the stormy winter season with the tenuous protection that is out there now," said Ted Keon, director of Coastal Resources for Chatham.

At May town meeting, residents allowed zoning rules to be relaxed to allow the homes to permanently remain where they are now clustered. Owners now are deciding whether it's worth it to do so.