Only one active adult community in Delaware made the Short List of “Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States” – Heritage Shores in Bridgeville. The Short List focuses on 50 communities that they describe as “amenity-rich, with clubhouses, recreation and activities to keep residents fully engaged.”

The author, Van Sheridan, gives the following advice – While researching communities to live out your retirement dream, consider following the example of Hank Morris, 80, who retired to Heritage Shores in Delaware not on “promises of things to come, but on amenities already in place at the community.” I heartily agree with that advice. Betting on the come gets more difficult the older we become. When making a decision about how and where you want to live for the rest of your life, there is no room for uncertainty.

Where to Retire Magazine published The Short List in the July/August 2011 Issue.

It’s always nice to hear from a new homeowner. When you’re in the search and think you’ve found the right new home in the right community, it’s very exciting. Then you go through all the paperwork and the packing and the moving and one day you live there. Is it what you hoped? Are the neighbors friendly?

Linda Chick

Let’s ask Linda how she feels after living at Heritage Shores for about 2 months. “Linda, tell me about what happens at Heritage Shores,” I asked. Linda and her husband Jack moved here from Suburban Maryland and they’ve been booked solid since then.

The Heritage Shore Clubs are numerous: Red Hats, Photography, Whip Stitchers, Card Club, Genealogy, Walking Club, Both Men’s & Ladies’ Lunch Clubs, Dine Out, Book Club, Computer, Pool Sharks, Quilting & Sewing, Anglers, Civil War Roundtable, Tennis, &  Military Groups.  These groups meet weekly, biweekly or monthly.

Then there are all the special activities that meet every week:  Water Aerobics, Land Exercise Class, Zumba Fitness & Zumba Gold (low impact version), Pilates, Beginner and advanced Tai Chi.

And, don’t forget the Community events:  The Lifestyle Committee is holding a Food Basket Drive from July 4-July 8.  All collections will benefit the Bridgeville area. Widgeon Way already held their block party and Canvasback Circle had one on Sunday, June 5th.

Linda and Jack are avid “hand dancers” and hope to start a chapter right in the community. We look forward to more news of their progress.

This lovely single family home is on the golf course at Heritage Shores in Bridgeville, Delaware.  It will be available for rent on November 1st, 2011 for a one-year lease. If you’re wondering what it’s like to live in an active adult community why not give it a try?

If you’re interested, contact us for an application.

This month we were happy to welcome Jack Flood and Linda Chick to Heritage Shores in Bridgeville, Delaware. Jack and Linda are avid “hand dancers” and look forward to starting a dance club at Heritage Shores. With the fabulous dance floor in the ballroom at the Heritage Club, I’m sure it will become a popular activity and I look forward to getting my invitation to the first dance party!

Linda has been a Realtor in Maryland for many years and I am very pleased to announce that she will be joining the Active Adults Delaware team at RE/MAX Associates in April. Linda will help me with both buyers and sellers at Heritage Shores. Whether it’s a resale home or new construction, no one knows Heritage Shores better than the Active Adults Delaware  Team. Now that Linda is living in the community, she looks forward to meeting you and helping you with your real estate needs.

This home is now under contract and going to settlement mid-September!

We get requests like that all the time from people that have never even been to Coastal Delaware. I often wonder what difference it makes if you like or don’t like a particular floor plan unless you already know you like the area and the community. You can look at pictures of houses, study the floor plans til you find the perfect one, but then what? Doesn’t it make sense to get a good orientation first?

I think the first step is to find a good buyer’s agent, an experienced real estate professional that you can work with. Tell your agent what you like and what you hope for in your new home as well as in the community and surrounding area. Then let your agent schedule your visit so that you see multiple options before making a decision. If you only drive down by yourself to see that one community and find you don’t like it, then what would you do? You might decide you don’t like the whole area and miss out on some wonderful neighborhoods that would have been a better fit. Or, you might run into a great sales person in the first model home you see who works for the builder and make an impulse purchase decision! (more…)

Is the glass half full or half empty? That all depends on who you are and whether you are ready to buy now or sell. “Sometimes you’re the bat and sometimes you’re the ball.” If you’re a buyer today, this is your turn to be the bat. If you bought in 2005, you had your chance to be the ball; next time maybe you’ll be the bat!

I read with interest this article in philly.com about the evidence of real estate and banking collapse in southern Delaware. I agree there have been painful times even here in Sussex County, Delaware, but I would much rather be here than in many other parts of the country. Things are much improved in many parts of Sussex County and one community this writer was criticizing, Heritage Shores, is actually a “bright spot in the county”, according to broker Tommy Cooper. As he pointed out, the community is well kept and

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I received an email with some corrections to an earlier post on this blog that I wanted to share with you here:

Lennar was not the sole original developer. Heritage Shores was developed by Passwaters LLC which was a partnership of Brookfield Homes and Lennar. Brookfield Homes remained and assumed 100% ownership when Lennar left. Providence is the business group within Brookfield that is responsible for AA community development and building. At Heritage Shores, Providence is a builder and Passwaters LLC is the developer (Brookfield). Ryan buys finished lots from Passwaters LLC and is not a partner in the development of the community.

That clears everything up doesn’t it? For those of you thinking about buying a home at Heritage Shores, what matters most to you is that you have lots of options and we will make sure you see them all. We’ll also help you compare the pricing and understand the real story behind the fees and taxes you may see reflected in the fine print. Think of us as your Buyer’s Guide as well as your Buyer’s Agent!