Boomers planning to relocate have some big decisions to make. What kind of community do they want to live in and where? There’s lots written about active adult communities and you get the idea that everyone has worked their entire life to move to one of these communities designed for the perfect retirement. But ask yourself what it is you really want and what you’re willing to pay for -

• Age restricted (55+) or not
• Clubhouse
• Fitness Center
• Pools
• Golf
• Game rooms and more

If you don’t belong to a Fitness Center now, will you really use it when you move? How about the indoor pool? Is golf your passion? How about tennis? What does active really mean to you?

In an age-restricted or 55+ active adult community, you’ll meet people in your own age group with similar backgrounds. With a ready group of new friends you’ll always have people to get together with, travel with and throw parties.

I’ve often thought that these communities look to reward us for working hard, giving us that chance to finally live that country club lifestyle we never had time for while we were raising families and working 24/7.

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No longer a well-kept secret, Rehoboth Beach has been rated one of America’s Best Little Beach towns by Travel and Leasure!

Often referred to as “America’s Summer Capital”, the Delaware beach resorts now attract people from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region. We’ve even seen folks moving here from as far away as San Diego, Seattle, Florida and more!

Is now a good time to find a retirement home in Delaware? YES, for many reasons. Not only because prices have come down in response to the economy, and not only because interest rates are absurdly low, the lowest rates EVER, but also because builders don’t like year-end inventory. Many builders end their year in September and that means Inventory Blow Out prices and special deals galore.

The home pictured to the left is in a community called Noble’s Pond, located in the Dover area. They have an introductory offer on a delightful 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home that is not to be believed. I just spent the morning at Noble’s Pond last week and I was very impressed with the community clubhouse, the brand new pool and the lovely homes. The Hampton is a new model and they have one spectacularly priced starting at only $159,995! Each day’s mail brings new information on “Quick Delivery Homes”, Current Incentives, Final Inventory Home Prices and more, and it’s only July! (more…)

Who knows your home is for sale? Your neighbors? The people down the street or around town? Where are the prospective buyers? Not next door.

Your buyers are on the Internet

Do you know who they are and where they live now? Ask yourself, who is relocating to Lewes, Delaware, and the surrounding areas like Rehoboth Beach, Milton, Milford, Georgetown and the rest of Sussex County? The majority of our buyers do not currently live in Delaware; they live in New Jersey or New York, Connecticut or Pennsylvania, Maryland or Virginia. Most are over the age of 50 and they intend this to be their last move. They may not be moving here full time quite yet, but the idea is to relocate to Coastal Delaware to retire. (more…)

Meet Real Estate’s ‘Interventionist’

HARD TRUTH: Mike Aubrey discusses pricing and market conditions with sellers during an episode of HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention.” The show airs Tuesdays beginning June 29 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

By Deborah Ball Kearns, RE/MAX Times Online Associate Editor

Interventionist

Many of today’s sellers need a reality check on pricing. Mike Aubrey provides one each week on HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention.”

The popular TV show follows sellers who are either thinking of listing their property or have had their homes on the market without a successful sale. Aubrey, a Hall of Fame and Chairman’s Club member with RE/MAX Metropolitan Realty in North Potomac, Md., takes sellers through two comparables – a home that recently sold and one that’s still on the market – to show them how their property stacks up to the competition. Then he sits them down for “the talk,” which entails a rundown of the numbers and his suggestion for pricing.

Most of the time, the truth hurts.

“Sellers can get extremely upset or offended when I tell them my opinion on what their house is worth given the market conditions,” says Aubrey, who remains remarkably patient with difficult sellers in several of the episodes. “Part of this business is telling people things they don’t want to hear, but you can’t get emotional about it. You have to control the situation and trust your work and the numbers. Having their best interest at heart means being honest.” (more…)