At a recent Lewes Chamber meeting, I had a chance to talk with Alex Pires, the owner of Highway One. For those of you who are not yet familiar with Coastal Delaware, Alex is Chairman of the Board and one of the founders of Community Bank. He is also the owner of Jimmy’s Grille in Bridgeville and owns the large parcel of land across the street from Heritage Shores. Locals got to know Alex Pires first as the owner of Ruddertowne in Dewey Beach. When he began investing in real estate and businesses in the Bridgeville area, I saw that as a great vote of confidence in the town and communities like Heritage Shores.

He told me that a new traffic light for the entrance to Heritage Shores on Route 13 has been approved. With the tremendous growth along the Route 13 corridor and the number of homes being sold in Heritage Shores, a traffic light will certainly make it much easier for residents to enter the highway whether they are traveling north or south. I don’t have any information about the expected date of implementation, but I will stay on top of it and report more.

I am also pleased to report that Alex’s impression of Heritage Shores is extremely positive. He commented on how impressed he is with the clubhouse and other amenities and the number of homes being built and sold every time he happens to drive through the community.

This has been a slow year for sales at Heritage Shores. Of course, it has been a slow year for sales everywhere when compared to 2005 when the first homes were sold and occupied in this community. Even compared to 2007, when there were 77 homes sold at Heritage Shores, 2008 has provided a great opportunity for buyers.

When times get tough, builders get creative. In good times, premium lots can command a big premium. In lean times, those premiums disappear and upgrades can be negotiated. Because of that, many buyers believe they can get a better deal by negotiating with the builder rather than by looking at resale homes in the same community. In a new community a resale is only a couple of years old and may be in a prime location that is not available with new construction in the current phase.

Looking at the actual year-to-date sales at Heritage Shores, I found the following statistics:

• Four (4) new attached homes sold at an average sales price of $293,754
• One (1) attached resale was sold at $229,900
• Fourteen (14) new single family homes sold at an average sales price of $368,336
• Four (4) single family resale homes have sold at an average sales price of $328,750

What do these numbers indicate? You might be able to find the best opportunity in a resale home. To find out which is best for you, have your Buyer Agent show you resale homes as well as new homes in any community you’re considering.

Last year the wood working shop opened at the Heritage Shores Club. I’m told it has every imaginable tool so we should expect to see some wonderful pieces on display at residents’ homes. To help hone their skills, Del Tech is offering a wood carving class at the clubhouse for Heritage Shore’s residents only.

There is a Geneaology group that meets monthly and an active walking group; both combine field trips with lunch at their destinations. And then there are the Ladies who lunch at a different restaurant each month, traveling to towns all around Delmarva.

For the holidays, a digital storybook class is helping residents create holiday gifts and in January, there will be a Fiber Arts Exhibit of the handwork made by members of that group. This exhibit is open to the public, so mark your calendar to visit the Clubhouse between January 6 and 8, 2009.

Every week another resale goes under contract at Heritage Shores. Some are under contract with contingencies, others are simply awaiting financing approval or home inspections, but one by one the resale homes are being purchased in great locations and at terrific prices by fortunate buyers. Homes on golf course lots without a lot premium, homes that back to an agricultural preserve on which no homes will be built and homes in nice neighborhoods and completed streets. For those in a position to buy, this is the year to do so, at Heritage Shores and anywhere in Coastal Delaware.

Do you like to dance? On occasional Sundays, there is a Cocktail Mixer at the Heritage Shores Clubhouse with music provided so you can dance the night away. The event is complimentary and there is a cash bar available. I understand there are serious dancers and everyone has a great time.

If you don’t dance, there is always something going on. There are Trivia nights, bingo nights, movie nights and parties for every occasion. On the agenda this month is the annual Halloween Party.