Last month, we reported that the beach real estate market slowed some in August. We are pleased to share that buyer activity picked up nicely in September ! During the month, 30 properties in the Bethany-Fenwick area went under contract. This is up 43% when compared to 21 sales during the same month last year.

A nice rise in newly available inventory, specifically for single family homes, was a leading factor that contributed to this flurry of activity. As the chart illustrates, through the first 3 quarters of the year, the market has remained firm for all property types at the beach. If you are exploring your options as a buyer or seller, we always welcome a conversation.

Leslie Kopp                          Christi Arndt                

Light traffic, cooler temperatures, and warm ocean breezes make September our favorite time of the year to live at the beach. This is also a special month for me personally as it marks 35 years since starting a career in real estate at the beach. I am extremely grateful to have earned the trust of so many of you over the years and together with Christi Arndt and the group, we will continue to offer the highest level of guidance and expertise in real estate well into the future!

After a flurry of activity in July, the beach real estate market slowed some in August when compared to the last year. During the month, 22 properties went under contract in the Bethany-Fenwick area. This compares to 28 during the same month last year. As the chart

While real estate activity in Bethany Beach was relatively flat this Spring when compared to last year, we experienced a nice flurry of activity in June and July. During those 2 months, 31 properties went under contract in Bethany Beach (versus 23 during the same time last year).

As the chart illustrates, sales are up year-to-date, while sales volume in dollars is flat. Inventory has doubled when compared to the same time last year, creating more competition for sellers. Meanwhile, properties continue to sell quickly with 8 days as the median days-to-contract.

So far this year, our group has participated in more than 30% of property sales in Bethany Beach. If we can offer you any real estate guidance, please give us a call.

Leslie Kopp     

This is the time of year when we calculate absorption rates in order to understand whether we are trending in the direction of a buyer’s or seller’s market at the beach. 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 market is clearly shifting as all areas moved in a favorable direction for buyers. We continue to stay in a seller’s market from North Bethany to South Bethany, but growing inventory in Fenwick Island has shifted that area into a buyer’s market.        

If you would like to discuss the market in more detail as a buyer or a seller,

Credit to: Coastal Point, Sam Sandler

A new pedestrian pathway was recently constructed in Bethany Beach along Collins Street, a portion of Kent Avenue and Wellington Parkway. While the project took approximately three months to be completed, many years of Bethany Beach Town Council discussions and subsequent planning were required to bring this new passageway for pedestrians and cyclists to life.

Bethany Beach Town Council Member Mickey Hinman is a strong advocate of the recently completed project, and he says this is just one of many steps he and other members of the town council hope will improve overall pedestrian safety in Bethany.

The recent improvements to the corridor allow cyclists and pedestrians to be separated from traffic, which

The summer season is upon us, and we have enjoyed seeing so many of you enjoying the area over the last few weeks! During the month of May, 20 properties went under contract in the Bethany-Fenwick area.  20 properties were also under contract at this time last year, and 21 in May of 2022. There is some softening of values, particularly in the single family home market. However, there are still plenty of buyers waiting for specific properties to be listed, especially those closest to the beach.

If you have any questions about the market in general or and specific property, please give us a call.

Leslie Kopp
(302) 541-5207        

Christi Arndt
(302) 245-5223               

The Town of Bethany Beach will be hosting the Poseidon Festival again this year to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend!  Fun for all ages can be expected when you head downtown to the boardwalk and bandstand, with visits with mermaids & pirates, a costume contest, a Bethany Beach First Responder meet & greet, mammal rescue exhibits courtesy of the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, live music, and more starting Friday through Monday!  Come Monday, The Veterans Foreign Wars Post 7234 will host a memorial service at the bandstand near the flagpole. This weekend will be one for the books as The Town of Bethany Beach kicks off Summer 2024.  For more information on this event, check the schedule below or contact The Town of Bethany Beach!

Happy Spring! Last month, we shared with you that after many years of deficient inventory, we were starting to see properties coming on the market more frequently. As we start the month of May, this trend continues as inventory in Sea Colony has more than doubled when compared to the same time last year. Inventory is growing most significantly on the East. 

The real estate market remains firm in Sea Colony. As the chart illustrates, sales activity is up 79% so far this year when compared to the first 4 months of last year. Sales volume is up for both sides of the community. Prices remain stable on the West, but the market is showing some softening on the East. 

As always, if we can offer you any real estate guidance, please call our Sea Colony

Happy Spring! Last month, we shared with you that after many years of deficient inventory, we were starting to see properties coming on the market more frequently. As we start the month of May, this trend continues as inventory in the Bethany-Fenwick market is up 58% when compared to the same time last year.

The beach real estate market remains firm. As the chart illustrates, sales activity is up 14% so far this year when compared to the first 4 months of 2023 and sales volume is up 19%. Properties are taking a little longer to sell with 11 days as the median days-to-contract so far this year, vs. 9 days last year. Meanwhile, prices are stable.      

The busy Summer season is just around the corner, if we can offer you any real estate guidance,

Photo courtesy of Sussex County Property Reassessment

Just in the last week or so, homeowners in Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and other surrounding towns have started to receive letters from Tyler Technologies regarding the reassessment of their property. The letter asks property owners to review Sussex County's current building information provided, and to make corrections to any inaccurate reporting.  

As a reminder, Sussex County, in connection with Tyler Technologies, is currently undergoing a county-wide reassessment of all real property, resulting in new property values for both residential and commercial property.  The revaluation is being carried out to adhere to a 2020 ruling by the Delaware Chancery Court, which deemed the property taxing