June 2005

This month's guest authors are:

Myers Gebhart - Sales Department
Sam Gossage - Rental Department

WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE
by Myers Gebhart

What a rare opportunity exists in the real estate market at the beach. What was once a place to visit or to have a cottage in the summer is changing. It is becoming the place where we come year round to enjoy our leisure time. Whether it is for the love of shopping, the almost weekly festivals and events offered, or serene walks on the beach, it is all here year-round. Home choices range from a single family home with a garden, to a condo with all the amenities, to a single family home that is a condominium with all the amenities. Local developers are asking for your input then creating what they think you want. It is a wonderful time to be here. Whatever you want you can find at the beach.

The opportunities that exist for securing your future retirement have never been better than those being offered now. Due to simple supply and demand, virtually all housing investments at the beach have seen unprecedented appreciation in the last 3 years. With prices increasing at a rate of over 20% a year, a simple $200,000 investment in a second home is offering a return of $40,000 per year in gained equity. If you listen to economists, we are at the beginning of the “Baby Boomers” retiring, and this pattern should continue for at least the next decade. The one thing we can count on is that Sussex County has low real estate taxes, no sales tax, and an abundance of restaurants, shopping, beaches, and water related opportunities.

Should you not have experience in beach real estate, fear not. A lot of the terms you hear sound daunting, but are pretty simple in reality. An experienced realtor can help you analyze where you are, help you find what you are looking for, and introduce you to finance and tax experts that help guide you through a simple straightforward process. It is something we help people with everyday.

You're at the beach. Relax and enjoy all the simple pleasures that we who live here cherish. When the time comes to make your stay a little more permanent you will feel it inside. Take a deep breath and give us a call. We will be here ready to help you take the next step in your life.

RENTAL VISIONS
by Sam Gossage

The 2005 rental season promises to be a banner year for the Delaware beach resorts.

Interest in Lewes has been enhanced by the archeological activities revolving around the artifacts yielded up by the dredging of the Bay. Visitors to Broadkill Beach will be impressed by the major beach restoration project to our north.

2005 will mark the beginning of revitalization of Second Street (the center of Lewes' commercial district .) Visitors to Lewes will be interested in the many improvements which have recently be undertaken for homes on Savannah Road in downtown Lewes.

As is always the case camps and workshops for young people will be much in evidence in Henlopen State Park. In addition, the "Sports At The Beach" sports complex on route nine will see activity throughout the summer.

And this season more than ever before interesting activities and events (the Kite Festival, the Film Festival, the Jazz Festival and others) will be enticements to visit the area in the spring or fall before and/or after the “traditional” vacation period.