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!

What’s the best deal in a 55+ community like Heritage Shores? Is it a “to-be-built” home? Or is it one of the resale homes on the market right now?
Consider that construction began at Heritage Shores, one of Coastal Delaware’s first active adult communities, at the end of 2005, the peak of the housing market. Targeted to the retiring Baby Boomers, very few Boomers were actually retired at that time. In fact, the oldest are just beginning to retire now, if they are lucky!
Initially sales were very strong but as the market in general slowed significantly, even special communities designed to attract active adults slowed in 2007 and 2008. Lennar, the original developer and one of the first builders at Heritage Shores, made a painful decision to pull out of Delaware and concentrate on other parts of the country where they had a larger presence. Providence Homes took over where Lennar left off and brought Ryan Homes into the community.
Of the resale homes you will see in this group, many are barely used and some have never been occupied.  As sales have picked up again, some of the best deals have already sold, but there are still some great opportunities here for today’s buyers:
Homes for Sale at Heritage Shores
Is Heritage Shores for you? I have worked with both buyers and sellers at Heritage Shores since 2005 and I can help you make that decision. Whether it is going to be new construction or a resale home, we can help you either way. We are completely impartial!
There is truly something for everyone in Delaware and that’s what makes it fun to work with Baby Boomers that are thinking of relocating here.

Living at Heritage Shores is about the lifestyle. It’s about the 18-hole Championship golf course. It’s about the beautiful, well-maintained tennis courts. It’s about the competitive bridge games or the woodworking shop with all of its tools. Sure, the homes are beautiful and the community is as attractive as many other throughout Delaware, but the lifestyle is why people choose to live at Heritage Shores.

Delaware is a small state with less than 900,000 people! There is only so much land available for large scale development and the chances of another 55+ Active Adult Community being built with all of these amenities in time for the Baby Boomers moving to Delaware are very small. Something to think about.

View from the Heritage Shores Clubhouse

What are we doing this Sunday on Memorial Day Weekend? Well, I will be at Heritage Shores holding an Open House and I hope to see you there.

You’ll find me at 2 Canvasback Circle. This home is a spacious one-level contemporary with a split floor plan. It offers a large eat-in kitchen plus a dining room and large great room with a gas fireplace. Three bedrooms, two full baths and a two-car garage.

If you’re traveling to Coastal Delaware this weekend, stop in and say Hello!

I’ve been getting more calls asking about rental homes in active adult communities. Is this a result of the challenging economic times we’ve been experiencing the past few years? Are some retirees coming to the decision that renting might be a better option than buying in an active adult community? Home ownership is not for everyone. When is renting a good option?

1. Try before you buy. If you’re not sure where you want to spend the next 10 – 20 years of your life, renting is a great way to try an area before you buy.
2. Ecocnomic uncertainty. If you’re not comfortable with the current economic climate and wonder if housing prices will recover, renting might be a better option.
3. You’ve never lived anywhere for more than a few years! Renting is definitely a better option for short term occupancy.

Rental homes are few and far between in the newer active adult communities, but we do have a few that come up and they always go quickly. If you own a home at Heritage Shores or one of our other active adult communities and would like to talk with us about renting it, please let us know. We handle complete Property Management as well.

Everyone always wants to know “How’s the market?” Well, here in Coastal Delaware it’s doing very well thank you.

2009 was not a stellar year in the real estate industry, but it was a lot better here than in many parts of the country. Ask your friends that retired to Florida or to Arizona how well homes are selling in their communities and you’re likely to hear a long sad story. At Heritage Shores, in Bridgeville, Delaware, it appears that at least 11 homes were sold that made it to the settlement table in 2009. The last settlement reported was in November, so it is possible that there were a few more sales that were not yet captured by the tax system and perhaps others that have yet to settle.

Of the 11 reported sales, the selling prices ranged from a low of $222,000 up to a high of just under $375,000, quite a range! Qualified buyers were in a strong position throughout the past two years and many of the truly great deals are now SOLD! Prices have come down, however, and they will not immediately return to the prices at which homes sold in 2005/2006.

Heritage Shores remains very popular with some of our buyer clients and it may be right for you. We’ll make sure you see comparable communities, both age restricted and multi-generational, BEFORE you make a purchase decision.

Why work with an Exclusive Buyer Agent when you are looking at Active Adult communities? Why not just go visit the sales office on your own without representation? That’s a good question and here are some things to consider:

The laws governing the practice of real estate are different in every state. In Delaware, Builders are not required to hire licensed real estate sales professionals. Most sales people in these communities are employees of the Builders. What does that mean to you? They are not subject to the same Code of Ethics as a licensed Realtor. They do not have the same disclosure requirements as a licensed Realtor. They represent the Seller - the Builder, not you – the Buyer.

Before making a buying decision, especially at this stage in life, it is very important to consider all your options. You may have found this one community on the Internet. You may have heard from friends that it is a great place to live. But, have you been shown other communities that may be just as nice or even better for you? What’s wonderful about Coastal Delaware is that we have so many nice communities and each one offers something just a little different. What’s right for one person is not necessarily right for everyone.

When you have an Exclusive Buyer Agent who represents you, their concern is helping you find the right house in the right neighborhood. A sales person who works for the Builder can only succeed if you buy a home from them in that one community.

Does it cost you more to be represented? Absolutely not. At least in this market, every Builder does provide some compensation in the form of a commission at settlement to Buyer Agents. They do require that your Agent actually be with you on your very first visit to their community. But they can’t control where else your Buyer Agent takes you before you make a final buying decision.

Some of our Buyer Clients have worked with us for as long as three years prior to relocating to Coastal Delaware. The first visit is often their very first visit to the area. It’s the time to get acquainted with the different towns and communities and see whether they like it in general. By the second visit, we’re often looking more closely at specific locations and zeroing in on one or two communities. We consider things like:

• the amenities available in each community
• the monthly or annual fees
• the taxes – county, city and any special assessments if applicable
• availability of resale homes and price history
• on new homes or to be built homes, the pricing of upgrades and options
• energy efficiency and Universal Design features
• transportation options and access to shopping, hospitals and other services

Relocating at any age can be stressful. Doing so when you’re planning for retirement or have already retired is a big move. The time to get advice and professional assistance is before you move. Work with someone that knows the area and has the experience necessary to help you make the right decision.

P.S. The State of Delaware is considering a change to the law that would require anyone selling real estate to be subject to the same licensing requirements and Code of Ethics. That’s the way it is in other professions.