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

Ice begins to break on the Delaware Coast

Photo: the Leslie Kopp Group 1/30/2026

After weeks of bitter cold, the ice along the Delaware coast is finally breaking apart. What was once a solid, wind-swept sheet clinging to inlets and marshes has begun to fracture into drifting plates, opening channels of dark, moving water. In the marshlands, the transformation is especially striking. Where ice had sealed creeks into silence, water now moves freely again, carrying sediment and nutrients back into circulation. The natural cycle resumes, quiet but powerful, as the coast reawakens.

As sunlight lingers longer each afternoon, the frozen stillness gives way to motion. Ice bumps gently with the tide, docks ease under less pressure, and the marsh creeks begin to flow again. The breakup signals more…

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Should homeowners have phase inspections on new construction?

Credit: Coastal Point

If you’re building a new home, it’s strongly recommended that you schedule both a pre-drywall inspection and a pre-settlement (final) inspection. A pre-drywall inspection gives homeowners the opportunity to have the structural components, as well as the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems, thoroughly evaluated before the walls are closed up.

Catching concerns at this stage allows issues or code violations to be identified and corrected early in the construction process—often saving significant time and money on future repairs. It also helps ensure that critical systems are properly installed and accessible, contributing to the home’s overall safety, performance, and long-term quality.

The pre-settlement inspection…

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Delmarva Power adjusts natural gas delivery rates to fund system improvements

Credit to: Coastal Point

Delmarva Power recently announced that it is “reaffirming its commitment to further improve the experience for its natural gas customers across northern Delaware, expanding efforts to connect customers with programs and services that help manage rising energy supply costs while delivering the reliable service customers have come to expect.”

The company said it is continuing to “balance affordability with the critical investments needed to deliver safe, reliable natural gas to local homes and businesses.”

To support these investments, representatives said, Delmarva Power is adjusting natural gas delivery rates following an approved settlement that received stakeholder review and offered opportunities for community…

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Federal judge denies US Wind request for injunction in Maryland

Credit to: Coast TV, Matthew Pancek

Credit: Dennis Schroeder/National Renewable Energy Lab, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A federal judge has rejected US Wind’s request for a preliminary injunction, finding that the offshore wind developer failed to demonstrate that the federal government has taken a final agency action warranting judicial intervention at this time.

In a ruling issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Judge Stephanie Gallagher concluded that US Wind’s concerns about possible future actions by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)—including the potential revocation of its Construction and Operations Plan (COP)—are speculative and not ripe for review. The court emphasized that US Wind has not been denied any…

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Dune crossings in Bethany Beach reopened

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Bethany Beach Mayor Ron Calef got his Christmas wish granted early this year — four dune crossovers created by DNREC, all finished and providing access to the beach by Thanksgiving Day.

“I got an e-mail from DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson, and he said we pulled off a Thanksgiving miracle,” Calef told the Coastal Point this week, adding that, when he visited the beach after the work was finished, “It was just jammed with people.”

“DNREC was here at 6 a.m. Monday morning a week ago, on Nov. 24, and they got four of our crossovers open — two of them at Garfield Parkway and at each end, at Parkwood and at the north end at Second Street. They had them open by Wednesday, and they worked great,” he said,…

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Delmarva Power reminds customers to look out for Fraud

Credit to: Coastal Point

As part of International Fraud Awareness Week, (Nov.16-22) and Utility Scam Awareness Day, Nov. 19, Delmarva Power joined more than 100 energy companies across the U.S. and Canada to recognize Utilities United Against Scams and to remind customers to stay vigilant against energy-related scams designed to steal money and personal information.

While scams do occur throughout the year, they said, fraudulent activity and scam attempts generally increase during the holiday season. Delmarva Power encouraged customers to be extra-cautious this time of year as scams targeting utility customers have become increasingly sophisticated due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies.

One of the most…

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DNREC to repair Bethany Beach access points after significant storm erosion

Photo: CoastTV

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Officials from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) are expected to visit Bethany Beach later this month or in early December to repair beach access crossovers that sustained significant damage during storms in mid-October and again last week.

“The DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section will be in Bethany to repair the crossovers,” said Michael Globetti, DNREC’s public relations officer, in a statement to Coastal Point. “However, the project is weather-dependent and also contingent on the completion of DNREC’s ongoing beach repair work at Bowers Beach, which is expected to conclude by mid-November — weather permitting.”

Bethany Beach Mayor…

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Sea Colony Annual Median Sale Prices

Last month, we shared that real estate sales had been strong through the first 3 quarters of the year in Sea Colony. Momentum slowed in October, with 4 properties going under contract compared to 10 in October of 2024. The median sale price for East properties has risen for the 9th consecutive year. Meanwhile, after 8 years of increasing values on the West, the median sale price has dipped 3% year over year. If you are considering buying or selling, we are here to help you navigate the market. Please reach out to our Sea Colony experts, Gail Phelan and Chris Housman.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, joy, and the people who make it truly special.   During this season of gratitude, we are especially thankful that so many of you look to…

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Wags, Witches & Warlocks 2025 Recap

If you attended this year's Wags, Witches & Warlocks Halloween Festival & Parade to raise funds and awareness for the Brandywine Valley SPCA, you know that it was our best event to date!  Whether you participated in the parade & costume contest, puppy yoga, or both, your contributions are appreciated by the BVSPCA, the Wags Committee, and our community.

Our Puppy Yoga class, hosted by Jake McGough, owner of Atlas Yoga & Healing Arts, was truly one for the books! Tickets were completely sold out, and the adoptable pups were full of energy and love.  Check out some of our favorite photos from this special puppy practice!

Costumes were especially fun and creative this year, so our judges had their work cut out for them.  Those that participate…

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Bethany’s Loop Canal project to fight erosion begins

Update:  The 855ft retaining wall project along the Bethany Loop canal is back on track after the end of the government shutdown.

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Photo: The Leslie Kopp Group

Construction of a retaining wall for Bethany Beach’s Loop Canal — a $1.5 million project — is under way, with a goal of stabilizing the land strip between Lake Bethany and the Loop Canal on Town property.

The work — which began on Monday, Oct. 27, and will continue through March 1 — is being done “in response to the erosion of the bank on the Loop Canal side and is expected to support stabilization of the bank for many years along with preservation of the bank,” according to information posted on the Town’s website, at www.townofbethanybeach.com.

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