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Frequent Contributor
Posts: 133
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@software wrote:

I'm curious why you chose Delaware anyway.

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

 

 


Yes.  The proximaty to my family, and the lower cost of living (lower taxes and lower cost of houses). 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

We have vacationed at the Delaware beaches several times and love the feeling of the area, we are strongly considering retiring somewhere between Lewes and Ocean View, I am not a person that would consider North Carolina or g-d forbid Florida for retirement.

I want to move out of the high priced greater NYC area for an easier quieter life

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,243
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I have a co-worker who owns a home in Bethany Beach and loves her time there. She recently stayed there while recovering from surgery and was pleased with her physical therapy. Of course, she doesn't live there but has owned the home for many years, so she knows her neighbors.

 

Generally speaking, I think we vacation at lovely places and wish we could live there -- but there are no jobs!  Then we think we could retire there but when the time comes, realize there is no or minimal healthcare. I know my aunt and uncle loved vacationing in the mountains but had to stop because they were afraid something would happen.  It's a real dilemma.

 

I have heard the ideal is to rent for 6 months before deciding to move. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,139
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

@Elbelle The development were the 2 couples live is called Bay Crossing located in Lewes, Delaware.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,487
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

My thought is to rent a place for a period of time. If you are considering a move to Delaware, rent during the height of the tourist season and then again during the off-season. You will get a good feel as to whether or not you like the traffic, touristy areas, etc.

 

Also, you might want to check to see if the area you are looking has sewers vs. septic - if this is of importance to you.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

My husbands aunt and uncle left WV and moved to Wilmington, DE in the mid 1950’s.   About 6 years ago they had this wild haired idea to move to PA, and bought a country place in East Springfield.   

 

Last winter was apparently horrible for that area of PA, so as soon as the deep snow finally melted, they moved back to Wilmington and say they will never move again.  They are both in their 80’s, and are apparently happy with the medical care available.   They do not travel out of their immediate area to any doctors.     

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Occasional Contributor
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎02-13-2011

VERY high HOA fees in Bay Crossing. Also, it is very difficult getting out onto Route One and dangerous turning left from Route One into Bay Crossing. I know this 55+ Community well. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,139
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

@BAYC wrote:

VERY high HOA fees in Bay Crossing. Also, it is very difficult getting out onto Route One and dangerous turning left from Route One into Bay Crossing. I know this 55+ Community well. 


What is expensive or high to one person may not be to another. It also depends on what you get for those fees. In both instances, the homes are gorgeous and the pictures of the grounds they've shown us are as well. You don't get those kind of amenities for $50, $100 a month, let me tell ya. Not in that area, not in my area.

 

Traffic stinks everywhere there, especially in the summer. You would think they would address it, you know?

Regular Contributor
Posts: 174
Registered: ‎03-05-2018

I live in New Castle County Delaware, we are entirely separate from Sussex County near the ocean beaches.  Kent County has beach communities along Delaware bay and much less population.  I have a friend who lives in Spring Mill >50 yr old community in Middletown DE and she loves it.  Very active community. She also moved from NJ to DE about 15-20 yrs ago when she retired.  She much prefers it here.  I would come down and look around first and then compare the taxes (no sales tax in DE) and much lower property taxes ( I used to live in NJ) and whatever else interests you.  Come and experience for yourself

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,218
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Retirement in Delaware

[ Edited ]

@Elbelle wrote:

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?


@Elbelle

 

Hi... We live in North Wilmington in an unincorporated area called Talleyville which is just a couple of miles from the PA border. We, along with nearby  places in PA like Chadds Ford, West Chester (where QVC is located), etc., are all about the same distance from Philadelphia. Absolutely love it! We are transplants from suburban Washington, DC. My husband will not be retiring for about five more years but we intend to stay in this area. We bought a single family home but there are 55 plus communities nearby which we may look into later. One in particular that I have heard good things about is called Courtyards at Brandywine which is just across the PA line very close to our current home.

 

What we are so pleased with are the many wonderful amenities here in Talleyville, Delaware which has tax-free shopping, low property taxes, reasonable home prices, tons of shopping, and many cultural and historical attractions in the beautiful Brandywine Valley where Talleyville is located. There are lots of restaurants, numerous medical and dental choices, gorgeous parks, and reasonable traffic. Living in the Washington, DC area made us want to be close to another major city and Philadelphia is wonderful! We take the nearby commuter train in often to sightsee, visit reataurants, etc. There is also a nearby AMTRAK station in downtown Wilmington that is named for close-by resident, former VP Biden. We can easily catch trains there to go to DC or NYC, etc. Speaking of Biden ... have seen him several times in a restaurant and hardware store near our home! 

 

We live very close to Route 202 which has every store and restaurant you could ever want! There is a mall ... Concord ... about a mile away that has Macy's, Boscov's  etc. There are also lots of strip malls along 202 with everything from Best Buy to ULTA to Kohl's to Target to Trader Joe's to Petsmart to Lowe's to Barnes and Noble to Regal Movie theaters, etc.

 

We visited the Delaware beaches almost every summer when we lived in suburban Washington, DC. Always stayed at Sea Colony in Bethany Beach but would also go to Rehoboth, Lewes, etc. Now living in Delaware we are able to visit the beaches much more often ...  can easily go and come in one day which is wonderful! Love it!!

 

This Brandywine Valley area is where the DuPont family first settled in the late 1700s. One of our very favorite places is the Hagley Museum here in Wilmington where the first DuPont home is located. It is called the prettiest mile walk in DE .... breathtaking!! There is also the nearby Winterthur Museum and also the Nemours which has been called the American Versailles! Just over the line in PA is another DuPont attraction called Longwood Gardens. 

 

Bottom line ... I highly recommend North Wilmington!!! A wonderful suburb of Philly but with the advantages of DE (no sales tax, low property taxes, and reasonable housing costs!) And we are close enough to the beaches so we can visit often. We love it here!!

 

Good luck in your search!Woman Happy