*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS. Includes properties sold in South Bethany. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

Happy New Year!  As we reflect on 2024, you might recall that throughout most of the year, the real estate market was robust in South Bethany. Inventory shortages kept total sales down, but values appreciated considerably, even as interest rates increased heading into the Summer season. Buyer activity slowed considerably in the fall, which was anticipated given the election and the fact that there was essentially no inventory available for buyers. 

We are optimistic and enthusiastic about the Delaware beach market in the year ahead!  If you are considering a purchase or sale of South Bethany real estate, it is

Credit to: Coastal Point, Mike Smith

York Road in South Bethany frequently floods. It floods during coastal storms, high tides and full moons, and even on “sunny-day flooding” events, including earlier this month. Until Nov. 11, it had not rained in Coastal Delaware for more than 40 days, and yet residents came to the South Bethany Town Council meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, with photos of flood-soaked streets at York and Bristol Roads that had been taken that day.

AECOM is a global infrastructure firm that includes road engineering among its work. Kyle Gulbronson is a principal planner with the firm, based in Millsboro, and was retained by the Town of South Bethany to report on options for keeping York Road passable. The key issue is about

Last month, we shared with you that real estate sales had picked up in September. This carried into October as 34 properties in the Bethany-Fenwick area went under contract last month. This is up 55% compared to 22 sales in October of 2023. As the graph illustrates, the median sale price for both single family homes and condo/townhome properties have risen in 2024.   If you are considering a purchase or a sale, it is never too early to have a conversation. Please give us a call. During this time of Thanksgiving, we are grateful that so many of you look to our group for real estate guidance and expertise.   We wish you all a healthy and very joyful holiday!

Leslie Kopp                          Christi Arndt
(302) 542-3917                     (302)

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 my 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 South Bethany was relatively flat this Spring when compared to last year, we experienced a nice flurry of activity in July. During the month, 4 properties went under contract in South Bethany (versus 1 in July of last year).

As the chart illustrates, sales are flat year-to-date, while sales volume in dollars is up 40%. We are experiencing a rise in inventory in all other areas at the beach, but inventory remains deficient in South Bethany and properties continue to sell quickly with 11 days as the median days-to-contract.

So far this year, our group has participated in more than 30% of property sales in the Bethany-Fenwick area. 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,

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               

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,

March has arrived and we are looking forward to longer light filled days ahead! Bear Trap has had a slow start to the year for real estate activity. While it is not the frenzy that we experienced in 2021 and 2022, to-date, sales are up considerably when compared to last year in other areas at the beach, but extremely low inventory has suppressed sales in your community.

As the chart illustrates, through the first two months, new contracts were down 33% compared to the same time last year. Properties that are priced appropriately continue to sell quickly and the median sale price of properties settled in January and February was up 26% when compared to the same months in 2023.

If you are considering buying or selling, please give our Bear Trap