We are often asked if we are in a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market at the beach and this is the time of year when we calculate absorption rates in order to answer that question and understand how the market is trending. We compare the pace of sales over the previous 12 months to determine how many Months Supply of Inventory is for sale.

Generally, a balanced market would have 7 months of inventory while more would be a Buyer’s Market and less a Seller’s Market. The continuation of very limited inventory for sale has kept us in a Seller’s Market from Fenwick Island to North Bethany.        

If you would like to discuss the market in more detail, we are here to help. Please give us a call.

Leslie Kopp                            Christi

The summer season is well underway, and we’ve enjoyed seeing so many homeowners and vacationers return to the area over the past few weeks!

May was a strong month for real estate sales, with 31 properties going under contract in the Bethany-Fenwick area—up from 18 in May of 2024.As the chart illustrates, year-to-date, both the number of properties under contract and total sales volume are up 10%. For well over a year now, we’ve been noting an upward trend in inventory, and that continues. So far this year, properties are taking about a week longer to go under contract compared to the same time last year.

With the busy summer season upon us, it is a great time to look at homes as a buyer and a great time to list if you are thinking of selling.  

Happy Spring! As we look back on the first 4 months of the year, sales remained firm in Bethany Beach when compared to 2024. However, with 49 properties currently for sale, inventory has grown by 36% in the last year. It is important to note that we are still far below pre-pandemic levels when it was common to have more than 150 properties available for sale in the Bethany Beach market.     

As the chart illustrates, sales activity is down 5% so far this year when compared to the first 4 months of 2024, and sales volume is up 4%. Properties are taking a little longer to sell with 12 days as the median days-to-contract vs. 8 days last year.

If we can offer you any real estate guidance as a buyer or seller in Bethany Beach, please give us a

It's that time of year when the Town of Bethany Beach ramps up the fun with endless activities for all ages. Whether you're looking for group exercise, a family-friendly evening, or a fun cultural experience, the Town of Bethany has coordinated many affairs that are sure to pique your interests! Browse events and offerings happening in Downtown Bethany up to the shore, starting in May all the way through December:

10th Anniversary of The Poseidon Festival

The 10th Anniversary of the Bethany Beach Poseidon Festival will be here this Memorial Day Weekend! Check out our Poseidon Festival blog post for more!

Bandstand Performances / Seaside Concert Series

The Seaside Concert Series at the Bandstand will be here before you

Credit to: Town of Bethany Beach

Mark you calendars for the 10th Anniversary of the Bethany Beach Poseidon Festival!

The Poseidon Festival is back in Bethany Beach to celebrate it's 10th Anniversary. The weekend will be a celebration of all things aquatic, live music, pirates, mermaids and so much more! Additionally, event-goers will receive information on preparing for coastal emergencies, all at the gorgeous beach-front location of Bethany.

Caiso Steel Band
Friday, May 23 5:00 – 9:00 pm

The CAISO Steeldrum Band (pronounced ki-e-so) has been playing and entertaining together since 1979. Its seven members, all formerly with the Trinidad & Tobago Steel Band of Washington, DC, have performed previously with well-known groups in Trinidad and

Bethany Beach will host its 19th Annual Seaside Craft Show this year! Explore the creations of many ranging from beautiful hand-made jewelry to colorful garden decor! Spend your entire day in Bethany browsing handcrafted merchandise and be delighted by the music of the Joe Baione Trio. Scan the QR code for more on the event, and check out the wide range of art vendors below as well as photos from previous years.

Credit to: Coastal Point

Coastal Point

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is conducting a review of its regulations and seeking input from the public. DDA is accepting comments and will hold a series of public hearings to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (29 Del C. §10401 et seq.).

Comments on the regulations under review are being accepted through May 30, and they are available at https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title3/index.shtml. Regulations for programs overseen by a commission or board are exempt from the required review. Still, DDA will forward any comments received to the relevant program for consideration, officials said.

The public may provide written or verbal comments at one of three

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

During the first quarter of 2025, the Bethany-Fenwick real estate market was softer when compared to 2024. Total sales were down 12% (60 vs 68) during the first 3 months when compared to last year. Inventory is growing and properties took 3 weeks longer, on average, to go under contract when compared to the same time last year. The graph above illustrates historic inventory levels on April 1 each year and the median sale price of properties sold in the first quarter. We feel the market shifting, but real estate remains a solid long term investment.

Please give us a

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

The Bethany Beach Town Council, by unanimous vote at the Friday, March 21, council meeting, passed the Town’s 2026-fiscal-year budget, with no increase in the property tax rate of $2.07 per $100 of assessed property value, but with a hike in the summer-season parking fee, to $4 per hour.

The increase, Assistant Town Manager Teresa Tieman told the council, was necessary to “add to our reserves to allow summer revenues to pay the Town’s expenses, so residents can still have free concerts.”

“I think we did the right thing,” Mayor Ron Calef later told the Coastal Point about the increase. “Unfortunately, as costs go up, we’re trying to balance it so our residents and the businesses are not footing all the

March has arrived and after a winter with multiple snowstorms in a few short months, we are grateful for warmer, light-filled days ahead!

As the chart illustrates, the Bethany-Fenwick area had a slower start to the year for real estate. Through the first two months of 2025, properties took about 10 days longer to sell and new contracts were down 23% when compared to last year. The most significant reduction in sales was for condo/townhome properties under $500K, which were down 86% (1 vs.7). Therefore, sales volume in dollars, based on list price, declined by a much smaller margin (2%) and the average sale price for properties settled in January and February was up 67% when compared to 2024.

As always, if we can help you with your real estate