September is our favorite time of the year to live at the beach. We hope you have a chance to be here to enjoy the cooler temperatures, light traffic, and warm ocean breezes! This is also a special month for me personally, as it marks 36 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 slower July, the beach real estate market experienced a nice rise in August when compared to the last year. During the month, 7 properties went under contract in South Bethany. This compares to 1 during the same month

While real estate activity in South Bethany was relatively flat through May when compared to last year, we experienced a slight slowdown in June and July. During those months, 3 properties went under contract in South Bethany, compared to 6 in June and July of last year.

As the chart illustrates, sales are down 22% year-to-date, while sales volume in dollars is down 21%. Inventory is up 50% compared to the same time last year, creating increased competition for sellers. Meanwhile, properties continue to sell quickly, with 12 days as the median days-to-contract.

So far this year, our group has participated in more than 80% of property sales in South Bethany. If we can provide you with any real estate guidance as a buyer or seller, please give us a

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

Happy Spring! As we look back on the first 4 months of the year, the real estate market in South Bethany was slower when compared to 2024. As the chart illustrates, sales activity was down 30% when compared to the first 4 months of 2024 and sales volume was down 29%. Properties continued to sell very quickly with 8 days as the median days-to-contract, and inventory remains extremely low in South Bethany with just 4 properties for sale.

Meanwhile, inventory has grown by nearly 50% in the greater Bethany-Fenwick market when compared to last year (84 listings vs.57). It is important to note that we are still far below pre-pandemic levels when it was common to have more than 200 properties available for sale in the Bethany-Fenwick area, and about 20 in

*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