When the going gets tough, the tough buy assets and Real Estate is one of your best assets. People might go bankrupt, companies can go out of business, but real estate is always a solid investment. It’s not a short term investment, but over the long term, real estate will generally pay you a solid return on investment. The price of a home may go up and down, but it will never go to zero. A Lehman bond is now worth nothing and a share of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is no longer safe. But a home that used to sell for $400,000 might be bought now for $375,000 or less, but not zero.

Sometimes the best investment is in something you can understand and use on a daily basis. Whether your real estate investment is a primary residence, a vacation home for your extended family and friends or an investment property, a scary market creates opportunities. This market might mean a chance to buy that second home you couldn’t afford back in 2005. It could also provide an opportunity to purchase your future retirement home at a bargain price. And once again, you can actually find an investment property in a desirable area that will generate positive cash flow.

Boomers are in the best position to benefit from this difficult real estate market. Typically, Boomers have good credit scores and don’t need 100% financing. As Boomers near retirement age and consider where and how we want to live, investing in real estate for the future just makes sound business sense.

Anyone that has been reading this blog or receiving our email newsletters knows that Bill and I have been avid supporters of Jack Markell. Well, today I had the pleasure of watching Jack take the oath of office and become Delaware’s 73rd Governor. I now live in a state where I know the Governor! WOW.

He is going to be an excellent Governor and Delaware will be a state in the news for so many reasons. Jack is committed to alternative energy like solar and wind. Jack is dedicated to making our schools the best in the nation. Jack is determined to foster entrepreneurship and to help businesses grow. With Jack in the state house and Joe Biden as our nation’s Vice President, you will be very glad you chose to stay or move to Delaware. Goodbye Dela-Where? Here we are, as they say in our state song, in “our Delaware”.

There will be no Inauguration Ball in Delaware this year. Instead, Governor Markell will lead a weekend of service. He launched a new website www.betterdelaware.org to inform Delawareans and encourage everyone to volunteer their time to those in need in our state. That tells a lot about the man Jack Markell.

The Buyers and their agents were everywhere this weekend. Despite the rather cold and cloudy weather, there was a full house everywhere we went. At one point over the past three days, I was at Nassau Grove, Independence and Bay Crossing. The good news is that all three were busy and there was an air of enthusiasm like we haven’t felt in quite some time.  The truth is that the activity level and attitudes seemed to change over the holidays here. The phones have been ringing more, showings are up for resale homes, and sales of both inventory homes and to be built homes at many of our new home communities are also up.

Today one couple I began working with this past June went to settlement on their new home at Independence. What a beautiful home they built and they are looking forward to all the activities at Independence Hall.

Home at Independence

Before Active Adult communities, what did people do when they retired? Some went fishing or discovered artistic talents and began painting. Others indulged a passion for gardening or relaxed with a good book. What’s your passion? You can find unique properties throughout Sussex County, Delaware, like the home pictured below. There are affordable homes with water views on our many ponds and rivers and this peaceful setting  just might be your vision of  the perfect lifestyle.

To take a tour of this adorable cottage on Hearns Pond, just click on the photo above. Everything has been totally redone, inside and outside.

When you begin your search for your perfect retirement home, don’t limit yourself to new communities until you’ve seen what else is available in Coastal Delaware.

If the only reason you are thinking of a move is lower taxes, think again. Over the years of raising a family and advancing careers, taxes that go up every few years are overlooked. But, as we get ready for retirement or a change in career, concern about cost of living moves up the list. All of a sudden, the idea of moving away from the neighborhood, selling the family home and relocating somewhere new, with lower TAXES, seems like a great idea. It may be, but low taxes alone are not enough of a reason.

We are talking about our life after all and there are a variety of ways to reduce our cost of living if and when we can actually retire!

Move locally. Do you love the town you live in but your house is more than you can handle? You could sell your home and buy a smaller home or even a condo in the same general area. Do you live in an area where prices have come down significantly? If you own your own home outright, you could take advantage of a good opportunity to buy now and wait to sell your own home when the market improves.

Update your existing home and make it more energy efficient. Replace old doors and windows. Replace an outdated furnace with a state-of-the-art efficient HVAC system. Replace your old water heater with a new Tankless Water Heater. Add Solar panels to your home. Install a wind turbine in your back yard. Take advantage of both federal and state tax credits and grants for your efforts and watch your monthly gas and electric bills go down.

Remodel your home and add features that will make your home more livable in the future. Find room for a first floor master suite or add on to your home to create more first floor living space. Update your master bath with a new spa bath and walk-in shower. It’s not only fabulous looking, it can be built barrier free. Convert an extra bedroom into a home office or space to pursue your new hobby or craft.

Doing small things can get you excited all over again about your home, your town and your life. If this works for you, stay where you are and send me an email saying “Thanks Kathy”. If not, give me a call and we’ll find you a new home here in Coastal Delaware.