topic Re: Retirement in Delaware in Community Chat

Retirement in Delaware

Elbelle — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 15:49:59 GMT

I live in NJ and would like to consider retiring in Delaware. I don't know anyone there and I'm looking for suggestions of Active Adult Communities. The more active; the better. Either new construction or resale. I've gone online, but it's not the same as getting a rec from someone who actually lives there or knows the area. Thanks so much!

Re: Retirement in Delaware

SahmIam — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 16:00:20 GMT

I can't suggest any actual communities (though I can find out the name of the three that family and friends are living in - 2 in the same and 1 in a community close by the other) but I can tell you what all 3 sets have told us, my In-Laws (who were seriously looking there) and other "older" friends of my In-Laws who are looking:

Don't do it.

DH and I thought it would be a good location as many of his co-workers commute from Delaware to MD either daily or stay the week in MD and go home on the weekends but then they started telling him that THEY were choosing not to retire there and would be looking elsewhere. It didn't make sense because tax-wise, it's a great choice. It's close enough to the things we enjoy about MD, DC, PA, etc and we're close enough to everything major so, why not?

The lack of doctors is why. I'm sure there are those who will say that's BS and for them, it may be fine. Every person we spoke with has told us the same thing. In fact, those 3 sets of retirees now travel back to MD for ALL doctor appointments because they couldn't sign on as new patients with any doctor in the area and further out in the state. If you haven't done your research on this specific topic, I would suggest doing so. If you would like me to get the names of the communities, just ask and I will. They are gorgeous, I'll tell you that!

Re: Retirement in Delaware

Elbelle — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 16:12:55 GMT

Thank you for such a quick reply! I love how I can count on the people on these boards! I think your answer was a very good point. I will certainly check out the healthcare aspect. That being said, I would still appreciate the names of those communities so at least I will have a starting point, even if it is a negative one.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

wishmoon — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 16:18:24 GMT

My sister and her family moved from MD to Delaware to live and still go to hospitals in MD when sick or just seeing a specialist.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

BAYC — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 16:22:46 GMT

I moved from N E PA and live in Sussex County near the beaches and I HATE it and regret the move. As far as “communities” the homes are extremely close, restrictions out the wazoo on what you CANNOT do with your own home and yard. They say “low taxes” but instead the “fee” you to death and the cost of utilities are much higher than the Pocono region of PA, so anything you would save in taxes would only go to HOA fees, other ridiculous fees and your utilities not to mention the lack of any good grocery stores, no variety. If you like sitting in traffic and paying more then have at it but if not, I strongly suggest looking at other Southern states. Wish I could afford to move back to PA. I also agree about medical care, anyone that I know that needs better care they all either go to Hopkins or a Philadelphia hospitals and doctors.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

Hooty — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:24:26 GMT

OMG, we lived in Dover, DE where my DH was stationed at Dover AFB, for 3 yrs, and I hated every minute of it! The locals "are not" very welcoming, they do not like "outsiders"!!! This was back in the 90's, but I doubt anything has really changed. I will say, Rehobeth Beach is a very nice beach, and Christiana Mall which was a 45 min. ride was a great mall. We went to Salisbury, MD a lot to do our shopping!

Re: Retirement in Delaware

sunshine45 — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:30:18 GMT

we have a beach home in sussex county and i LOVE it here, especially in the off season.

the area sure has grown since i was a small child. lots of things to do, to see, to experience. no sales tax and more reasonable property taxes here in delaware compared to my home in maryland. it has one of the lowest property tax rates in the entire country. roads are very well maintained. i am NOT in a retirement community. there are lots of choices for living......condos, carriage homes, townhomes, beach homes, single family homes. delmarva power is generally cheaper than my bge at home. medical facilites are not that far away. have used them a few times for emergencies and "small problems" like earaches or infections.

tanger outlets in rehoboth beach are fantastic for all types of shopping.

wonderful award winning fine dining restaurants and chefs, every day restaurants, and of course the usual fast food places. there are also lots of golf courses in the general area.

i live in the baltimore area and it takes me anywhere from 2.5 hours to 3 hours to get down here if there is no traffic.

i am actually at the delmarva beaches this weekend. i try to come down often in the off season. i am thinking of eventually making delaware my home base. just not sure i want to give up or downsize my baltimore home though.

i highly recommend delaware.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

CelticCrafter — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:31:06 GMT

Glad I saw this. Delaware was on our short list for retiring but after reading this I don't think so anymore.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

sunshine45 — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:41:43 GMT

@CelticCrafter wrote:
Glad I saw this. Delaware was on our short list for retiring but after reading this I don't think so anymore.

@CelticCrafter

i dont think you can judge an entire state on a few responses, negative or positive. you may want to spend a long weekend in the areas you are looking at to see how you like it. for me, there are TONS of positives to delaware.......another one being you can do lots of weekend trips easily to major cities.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

kaydee50 — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 17:51:26 GMT

@sunshine45

I agree that a few responses one way or the other shouldn't sway someone from checking the area out in person. However, you are a part time resident and IMO the availability of good hospitals and doctors nearby would be very high on my "musts" list.

I'm finding this discussion very interesting since some relatives are seriously considering moving there and I'm passing along the gist of these comments.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

Elbelle — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 18:34:55 GMT

I've been looking online, and it seems as though Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE is very highly rated. There seem to be a lot of adult communities being built in the Wilmington area, so I'm thinking that might have better access to healthcare. In addition, if you live in the northern part of the state you can go to the Philly hospitals. Even living in NJ, we are accustomed to doing that. For major surgery or cancer care, many of my neighbors will go to NYC or Philly. And I live in central NJ.

So do we have any "yeas" or "nays" for the Wilminton area?

Re: Retirement in Delaware

sunshine45 — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 18:53:26 GMT

@kaydee50 wrote:
@sunshine45
I agree that a few responses one way or the other shouldn't sway someone from checking the area out in person. However, you are a part time resident and IMO the availability of good hospitals and doctors nearby would be very high on my "musts" list.

I'm finding this discussion very interesting since some relatives are seriously considering moving there and I'm passing along the gist of these comments.

@kaydee50

i agree, but you cannot paint all of delaware as being a "poor" healthcare state. it really depends on the area you are living in and how populated it is. in general, the ocean areas are not highly populated. just because i am a "part time resident" doesnt mean i dont know what is going on.

my mom was with me one week and she was having heart pains. she was rushed to beebe medical center where they took very good care of her. if there had been a major problem she would have been sent from there to a hospital that specializes in cardiac care.

but, of course, everyone has to decide on many factors, including the status of their health.

believe it or not, delaware ranks #16 on a list of best states for affordable healthcare and access to healthcare.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/health-care/healthcare-access

the overall national healthcare ranking is #25.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/delaware

Re: Retirement in Delaware

SahmIam — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 19:30:29 GMT

I want to jump back into this because I want to make something clear:

Delaware has many wonderful things about it. Sunshine and others are absolutely correct that you need to make your decision not on what one person says but after doing research and listing your priorities about the area you want to live.

In MY situation as well as family members and close friends, ALL of us are looking at it from a medical perspective first. We are NOT looking at it from the beaches, the shopping, the availability of houses (which there are a LOT to choose from) but from the ability of finding doctors locally who we/they plan on seeing weekly/monthly/yearly from the time they move in until death. Yes, it's common to drive out of state to see a specialist or have a specific procedure performed; who wouldn't go to the best and then travel where they are? I'm talking Primary Care, Cardiologist, GYN, etc....your regular check up doctor. There is a serious issue with this and retirees and most don't find out until they've moved there and are stuck. You want to drive to another state to see your dentist, to have your yearly checkup? You want to drive an hour plus away in your 80's and 90's ? Heck, I wouldn't do it NOW and I"M in my early 50's. This is what I'm talking about. The quality isn't the issue. it's the availability of the doctors and why it's getting worse.

In the end, every person has to do the research for themselves. The more I talk to friends living in Delaware, the more I can see the positives but what's important to me isn't offered/is almost impossible to find. Also, there is only one county I would live in and that's New Castle. Delaware only has 3 and each are unique; you have to research that as well and see which would fit your needs the best.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

Kalli — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 19:40:58 GMT

Issues with medical care would be at the very top of my list. No matter where retirees choose to live, if you don’t have easy access to quality healthcare within a reasonable distance it’s not realistic to consider living in that location.

As a recent retiree, I find my peers and I are more hyper aware of the passage of time and its effect on our health, than any other age group.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

loisp — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 20:17:37 GMT

My husband and I retired and moved from NJ to southern Delaware. Splurged on a brand new house thinking this would be the last home we would buy. Within a couple of months, I knew I could not live in this state. My suggestion is to rent a place for a few months before you purchase anything. Off season vs vacation season is different. Summer is very beach oriented--lots of visitors--crazy traffic. Shopping year round is very limited unless you want to deal with vacationers going to the outlets. For example, the nearest Target was 40 miles away. Finding a decent hair stylist was a problem. Forget finding doctors. Restaurants are generally overpriced with mediocre food. So within a year of our move from NJ to Delaware we moved to Tennessee--where we are very happy. Very little cultural activities in Delaware. I joined the historical society, paid the dues and never heard from them even though I reached out to them numerous times. My development had activities which my husband and I attended. We found that people were friendly at an event and beyond that no further contact. Same with neighbors--everyone said hello and waved and nothing beyond that. My opinion only--do not consider Delaware.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

Hooty — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 20:26:15 GMT

@loisp, Nothing like living in the South, being a southerner is maybe why DE was not for me either!

As far as Newark/Christiana/Wilmington, you might as well be living in Philadelphia, you are only minutes away!

We Air Force wives had a special name for it Dela-Where???

Re: Retirement in Delaware

software — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 01:55:37 GMT

I'm curious why you chose Delaware anyway.

Is it because you would still be close to family in NJ?

Re: Retirement in Delaware

maestra — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 01:55:44 GMT

I lived in Newark, DE for 4 miserable years and sang a hallelulah chorus when I left that 'wide spot in the road' for good.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

viva923 — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 01:56:40 GMT

I am a 30 year transplant to Delaware.

live in mid state. Southern New Castle county and Kent county are 2 best areas to live in now. Sussex is south Delaware. Rehoboth beach is lower Delaware. I will warn you roads are very congested here. Many transplanted that have moved her. Cost of living is lower than NJ but still very high. Average house runs about 350,000.00 Taxes, as far as I am told, retirees are not taxed as heavily as NJ. We do pay a fair share of taxes for seniors.

there is little in mass transit. I do mean little.!!!! If you don’t own a car you do need transportation for doctor appointments and dental and anything else.

You should come and just pick a town and stay for a couple days and explore.

Re: Retirement in Delaware

BAYC — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 03:40:25 GMT

I also agree that the people are not friendly at all, actually quite snobby, especially in Historic Lewes area. No variety in restaurants, most are owned by SoDel so they feature the same overpriced seafood. As far as variety you have seafood and craft brewery pubs and that is about it. High utilities, taxes include a library tax so we can pay for big new library historic Lewes just built, yes we have a Library tax included in our school taxes and you pay school taxes for every school in your county. So other than no sales tax they get you on high prices for groceries and fees for everything. Need to drive 45 minutes to Dover or more to Christiana Mall for shopping. Sussex County only has Tanger Outlets and in the Rehoboth Lewes are there isn’t even a Super WalMart because the town councils don’t want it to compete with the few grocery stores they do have. We have a very small WalMart. They also won’t allow chain restaurants so agin SoDel has the lock on restaurants, county Council must get kickbacks from SoDel and the Ryan and Schell home builders because every new home are cookie cutter homes and they all vote NO to anyone that wants to build a shopping center, probably because they get money from Tanger to not have competition and also from the home builders as that is the only thing they approve. Also as one poster commented their is zero cultural attractions. Boardwalk and beaches and housing developments and not much else.