Where should we buy our beach home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - or would it be better to save our money and just do rentals? I like the idea of hosting and having a “compound” for my children when they are adults with their own children, but maybe the long-term commitment is not worth it?

We're also on the fence. I grew up with a big family beach house but depending on how many kids you have and where they end up as adults your house may not be what they want as adults. Not everyone (or every spouse) wants to travel with extended family and stay in a house. They may not live close enough for it to be convenient. They may want their own space, etc etc. Point is, get it if you'd enjoy it but don't count on the family compound concept working out long term.

So, to clarify, if someone were to tell me “This house meets your requirements and my crystal ball tells me it will definitely be around in 40 years” I would buy in a heartbeat! My uncertainty is not around whether I want to have a compound or not. It is around where to locate it so it sticks around for a long time. Or if there are no places within 3-4 hour drive like that, then save my money for rentals instead of buying a soon-to-be-extinct home.

I have a house 2.5 miles back from the beach in Bethany. In Bethany Meadows, and it's just outside the flood plain. I love the neighborhood, but the houses are far more modest than what you are talking about. However, there is a lot of construction with bigger homes just to the west of me. You can check the flood plain for Delaware here. https://floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.gov/

The new construction is out of control. I was shocked at how many new homes they built this year in Ocean View, Millville, and beyond. When we were in Bethany over spring break and saw all the millions of new homes, our immediate thought was that traffic heading into/out of Bethany will be a nightmare all day/everyday. All those people west of Bethany will pour into town and the state park beaches.

I’d only buy within walking distance of a private/gated beach at this point.

[Anonymous]

Look at Bayside in Selbyville. There are large homes, pools, gym, golf club. High end amenities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at Bayside in Selbyville. There are large homes, pools, gym, golf club. High end amenities.

You’ll be limited to the state park beaches because there’s no real parking in nearby Fenwick (and no restroom access).

[Anonymous]

Broadkill, if you can find a property

[Anonymous]

You need to try places first, to see what you like. We bought our beach house after vacationing in the town for many years. Because my kids grew up going there they still love to spend time there.

You also don’t need to buy the perfect house on day 1. We’ve upgraded our beach house once already, and may again.

[Anonymous]

Bethany us old white MAGA and it’s growing all NY NJ

We just sold I’m out those people are insane.

Houses covered with MAGA tarps and signs ruined beautiful neighborhoods

Ocean View where Millville by the Sea is crappy homes built by crappy builders no

Good lock dealing with the MAGA hoas

OP Rehoboth isn’t much better however it is better

[Anonymous]

We own in OCNJ and love it. It's 3 hours flat from our NW DC home with zero traffic. 3.5 hours on a more typical drive and if we stop once for something like gas. It is primarily a destination for Philly and NY families but we have 3 good sets of DC friends who own within 5 blocks of us.
We bought the house when our kids were about 4, 7, 8 and now they're teens. They went there with us as kids and now as older teens one is spending the entire summer there and the other two are coming and going with us.

There are no gated communities or pools on the island but almost every house is walking distance to the beach. I personally can't imagine having a "beach house" that requires that I drive and park to get to the beach, especially if I was paying $2 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Broadkill, if you can find a property

Please no. Have you been there when the horseshoe crabs die? Nasty, nasty, nasty. There are hundreds of thousands of dead horseshoe crabs dying on the beach.

Biting flies and insects are bad here also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We own in OCNJ and love it. It's 3 hours flat from our NW DC home with zero traffic. 3.5 hours on a more typical drive and if we stop once for something like gas. It is primarily a destination for Philly and NY families but we have 3 good sets of DC friends who own within 5 blocks of us.
We bought the house when our kids were about 4, 7, 8 and now they're teens. They went there with us as kids and now as older teens one is spending the entire summer there and the other two are coming and going with us.

There are no gated communities or pools on the island but almost every house is walking distance to the beach. I personally can't imagine having a "beach house" that requires that I drive and park to get to the beach, especially if I was paying $2 million.

Is this the same creative math that gets one from Aldie to DC in 30 minutes or less? Because right now my GPS is showing 7 hours from NW to OCNJ.

[Anonymous]

Avalon, NJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avalon, NJ

Did you click the walk bus icon?

Just put in my two addresses and GPS showed 3 hours, 16 minutes from door to door.

The route is entirely blue except a few blips of yellow (indicating congestion) around Wilmington.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Cape May County and yea it’s only a three and a half hour drive from DC to OCNJ. So that poster is not exaggerating.

Avalon is a little further south and on a summer Saturday traffic is awful but still you’re there in under 4. And if you own you have the flexibility to avoid Saturday mornings.

I think OCNJ is a good option. It’s a nice town and $2 million gets you far. Avalon is a lot fancier and $2 million is more like a starting point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Cape May County and yea it’s only a three and a half hour drive from DC to OCNJ. So that poster is not exaggerating.

Avalon is a little further south and on a summer Saturday traffic is awful but still you’re there in under 4. And if you own you have the flexibility to avoid Saturday mornings.

I think OCNJ is a good option. It’s a nice town and $2 million gets you far. Avalon is a lot fancier and $2 million is more like a starting point.

Is the beach at OCNJ nicer than Bethany/Rehoboth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again - or would it be better to save our money and just do rentals? I like the idea of hosting and having a “compound” for my children when they are adults with their own children, but maybe the long-term commitment is not worth it?

We're also on the fence. I grew up with a big family beach house but depending on how many kids you have and where they end up as adults your house may not be what they want as adults. Not everyone (or every spouse) wants to travel with extended family and stay in a house. They may not live close enough for it to be convenient. They may want their own space, etc etc. Point is, get it if you'd enjoy it but don't count on the family compound concept working out long term.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avalon, NJ

Did you click the walk bus icon?

Just put in my two addresses and GPS showed 3 hours, 16 minutes from door to door.

The route is entirely blue except a few blips of yellow (indicating congestion) around Wilmington.

Nope, hate to tell you, but when you leave early Saturday am it’s actually quicker to get to Avalon than it is to Rehoboth. Rehoboth is only 100 miles, but the traffic once you get there is awful. I know DC people love to hate on Nj, but Avalon is a lot nicer than any of the MD/DE beach towns.