Delaware Beach Real Estate Blog - General News and Updates from the Delaware Beaches

Bear Trap Dunes Natural Gas Conversion To Be Completed Soon

The Natural Gas Conversion in the amenity-rich community of The Bear Trap Dunes is underway and moving swiftly towards final completion.   Powered by Chesapeake Utilities, section 5 of the golf community will be finalized shortly, while a total of 475 homes have already been successfully converted to Natural Gas.  Section 6, the next and last phase, is set to begin next Monday, June 19th.  The Bear Trap Dunes natural gas conversion should be fully completed by the middle of summer.

According to representatives of Chesapeake, "Beebe Healthcare's South Coastal Emergency Department and Cancer Center have had natural gas service since 2019," before the facility have even opened.  Thanks to Beebe and state funding, Chesapeake was able to expand to the…

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Strong Market in Bayside Heading into Summer

Happy Spring! As we look back on the first 4 months of the year, there was certainly some slowing in real estate re-sales in Bayside when compared to 2022. However, the good news for property owners is that there is currently a high level of activity ahead of the upcoming summer season.

As the chart illustrates, the median price is down some when compared to the same time period last year, but this is a reflection of the mix of property types sold versus the market a whole. In fact, the median sale price of single family homes in Bayside is up 14% year-over-year and condo/townhome properties are down a nominal 1%. While inventory is on the rise with 9 properties for sale, it is still far below pre-pandemic levels when it was common to have more…

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FHFA has rescinded the proposed pricing adjustment for Debt-to-Income ratios

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has rescinded the proposed pricing adjustments for Debt-to-Income ratios. 

This policy, which was proposed to offset the risks associated with higher DTI ratios, would have resulted in additional costs for borrowers with a higher DTI ratio. However, many industry professionals, including mortgage companies and real estate agents, expressed concern that this policy would restrict access to credit for countless buyers.

After considering and analyzing the potential impact of the pricing adjustment on access to credit, the FHFA made the decision to reverse the policy. This decision was made to ensure that eligible borrowers continue to have access to affordable credit, while maintaining safety and soundness in the…

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Army Corps updates beach replenishment timeline and sand totals

We have learned exciting news that the beach nourishment project is to be completed earlier than expected, as work in Rehoboth Beach has been ongoing since late April!  Now that marine construction company, Weeks Marine, is adding a third dredge to the replenishment schedule, the Army Corps of Engineers has updated the timeline and portions of sand other coastal towns will be acquiring in the upcoming weeks:

(Chris Flood, 2023, 'With two lines going, it takes a team to spread out the sand.' Cape Gazette.)

In Dewey Beach, Weeks Marine will begin work after Rehoboth's completion and is expected to be completed in early June. Nearly 195,000 cubic yards of sand will be added to the beach between Saulsbury St and Beach Ave to the south. A pipe landing…

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Sussex County Recorder of Deeds - Voluntary Notification of Activity

Sussex County is now offering a voluntary notification system to alert property owners when their registered name has been used to record a document.   This deed fraud prevention initiative is a free service to owners.  To learn more and for a link to sign up, visit the link below! 

Sign Up!

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Delays expected in Bethany Beach replenishment project

Beach replenishment for Bethany Beach, originally estimated to begin prior to the start of the 2023 summer season, is now expected to begin in either May or June.

The overall project to replenish all the Delaware beaches was scheduled to start in late March, but has been delayed due to a scheduling conflict with the contractor who is completing a similar project on the New Jersey shore. Replenishment will begin in Rehoboth Beach and move southward with completion in the Town of Fenwick Island.

Bethany Beach's replenishment will take place from Third Street to Wellington Parkway, and in South Bethany, from North Fifth Street to the north end of Fenwick Island State Park.

The Town of Bethany Beach will provide project updates on the town…

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31st Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour

The Leslie Kopp Group is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour again this year!

Celebrating 31 years of the Beach & Bay Cottage Tour, this year’s event can be enjoyed in two ways. With the purchase of a Virtual Only ticket (cost $35), tour participants can view all 10 homes on the tour virtually. With the purchase of a Combo Ticket (cost $50), participants have the opportunity to tour 5 pre-selected homes in-person, in addition to viewing all the homes virtually.

Virtual tours will be available from July 16 to August 6, 2023 and in-person tours will be offered on Wednesday, July 26th & Thursday, July 27th.

Tickets will be available for sale starting on May 1, 2023 and funds raised will benefit the Friends…

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Delaware Coast Beach Replenishment expected to begin in March 2023

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has contracted with Weeks Marine to complete the much-anticipated beach replenishment project for the Delaware Beaches. The work is expected to begin on March 20, 2023 starting in Rehoboth Beach and will move southward to Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany and end at Fenwick Island.

It is estimated that the dredging and pumping operations will take approximately 2 weeks for each location, depending on weather conditions and other factors. Total cost for the project is estimated at $23.8 million and will be shared between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 65%, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control at 35%.

For more information, please visit:

…

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Fenwick Island Route 54 bridge to remain open during replacement project

Source: Courtesy of DelDOT

At a recent public workshop held in Fenwick Island, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) presented plans and timelines for a two-year, $40 million project for replacement of the existing 50-year-old Route 54 bridge over the Assawoman Bay west of Fenwick Island.

The first phase of the project will involve installing a temporary sidewalk and adapting the existing structure to support two lanes of traffic on the south side of the bridge, before beginning demolition and construction on the north side of the bridge. During the second phase, traffic will shift to the newly-built portion of the bridge while the south side of the bridge is torn down and rebuilt.

During all phases of construction, Route 54 and…

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Fenwick Island beach replenishment expected to extend into summer

Beach replenishment for coastal Delaware is now slated to begin in March or April of 2023 and will likely reach Fenwick Island during the summer season.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project, initially expected to begin in fall 2022, will start in Rehoboth Beach and progress southward along the coast to conclude in Fenwick Island.

Fenwick Island mayor, Natalie Magdeburger, announced at a recent town council meeting that the replenishment crews are expected to reach Fenwick Island during the summer season and, unfortunately, will impact beach access. She promised to provide updates as additional information is received on the project.

For more information, please view the full article:…

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