Photo: WBOC

As coastal flooding becomes an increasingly common concern, officials in South Bethany are weighing new regulations aimed at reducing runoff and improving drainage across the town.

At the center of the discussion is a technical but critical distinction: pervious vs. impervious surfaces. Pervious materials—such as gravel, permeable pavers, or landscaped areas—allow rainwater to soak into the ground. Impervious surfaces, like concrete driveways and traditional pavement, prevent water from infiltrating the soil, instead sending it into streets, storm drains, and nearby waterways.

Town leaders say that balance may be tipping in the wrong direction.

South Bethany, like many low-lying coastal communities, is particularly vulnerable to

Summer is right around the corner, and we can't wait for the Town of Bethany Beach to begin hosting the Seaside Concert Series!  Bandstand performances take place on Thursday and Saturday nights in the summer and Friday and Saturday nights in September and October.  Summer Wednesdays will feature "Kids Nights" in July and the occasional rain date.

Summer concerts typically begin at 7:30 p.m.  Fall concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m.  Shows offer something for everyone - from rock and pop to country, jazz, and anything in between.  Bench seating is provided free of charge, but it is limited. Since seating is first-come first-served, we ask that you don't save full benches in the hours leading up to show times.  Bringing your own chairs is encouraged!

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora 

The Sussex County Council this week introduced the first ordinances stemming from recommendations made by its Land Use Reform Working Group.

At the Tuesday, March 10 council meeting, Assistant County Attorney Vince Robinson said the introductions mark the first step in acting on roughly 20 recommendations developed by the group. The council created the working group last year to review land-use trends in Sussex County and recommend possible changes to the county code and Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

The ordinances introduced this week address affordably priced rental units, open space, preliminary plat requirements and cluster subdivisions. Public hearings will be held before the ordinances

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Sea Colony. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

Despite two significant snow events and extended periods of below-freezing temperatures in January and February, Sea Colony real estate started 2026 strong.With stable inventory and active buyers already in the market, we anticipate continued strength as we move into the spring season.

Through the first two months of the year, 11 properties went under contract—a 10% increase compared to the same period last year. Properties are also moving much more quickly, with the average days to contract just 8 days, down from 34 days a year ago. While overall sales volume based on list price declined by 10%, the

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Bayside. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

Bayside real estate has had a firm start to 2026, despite two significant snow events and extended periods of below-freezing temperatures in January and February.With low inventory and pent-up buyer demand, the market remains fundamentally strong for homeowners and we expect buyer activity to stay strong as we head into Spring. 

As the chart illustrates, through the first two months of 2026, 9 properties went under contract which matches activity last year. Meanwhile, sales volume (based on list price) is down 12%. Despite the slower pace of sales (52 days-to-contract vs. 10 last year),the average sale price

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Bear Trap Dunes. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

The Bear Trap Dunes real estate market has gotten off to a slower start this year as we battled two significant snow events and temperatures below freezing for much of January and February. As the chart illustrates, through the first two months of 2026, 3 properties went under contract in your community compared to 7 last year.

Both the number of sales and sales volume in dollars (based on list price) were down57% through the first two months.With the continuation of historically low inventory and pent-up buyer demand, we are confident that the market remains fundamentally strong for Bear Trap

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Ocean View. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

The real estate market has started at a slower pace this year as we battled 2 significant snow events and temperatures below freezing for much of January and February.With pent-up demand and historically low inventory, we are confident the market remains fundamentally strong for homeowners and expect buyer activity to increase as we head into Spring.

As the chart illustrates, through the first two months of 2026, 47 properties went under contract, an 8% decrease compared to last year, and sales volume (based on list price) down 10%.Despite the slower pace of new contracts, the market continued to move

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes propertiesin Bethany Beach, North Bethany, South Bethany and Fenwick Island. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace. 

The real estate market at the beach has started at a slower pace this year as we battled two significant snow events and temperatures below freezing for much of January and February.With stable inventory and pent-up buyer demand, we are confident that the market remains fundamentally strong for homeowners and expect buyer activity to increase significantly as we head into Spring.

As the chart illustrates, through the first two months of 2026, 25 properties went under contract, a 24% decrease compared to last year, with sales volume (based on list

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Bethany Beach, North Bethany, South Bethany and Fenwick Island. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace. 

The real estate market at the beach has started at a slower pace this year as we battled two significant snow events and temperatures below freezing for much of January and February.With stable inventory and pent-up buyer demand, we are confident that the market remains fundamentally strong for homeowners and expect buyer activity to increase significantly as we head into Spring.

As the chart illustrates, through the first two months of 2026, 25 properties went under contract, a 24% decrease compared to last year, with sales volume (based on list