I want to buy a house in Rehoboth. What should I know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought in downtown RB twenty years ago. It’s been a great investment and has appreciated much more than our house here. I agree with all the comments made upstream.

For $2M, you will have a range of options in South Rehoboth, particularly the Country Club Estates neighborhood. As you drive into RB on Rehoboth Ave and see the big yellow Lingo building, hang a right and go down Scarborough. The neighborhood starts back there on the other side of Scarborough. I don’t see anything on the market there right now, surprisingly, but there are a few other places for sale in your range. The one on Philadelphia is tiny but adorable and would appreciate the most because of location.

I strongly recommend buying an older house if you want value. The new ones being put up are just slapped together and they all appear to have problems, even those built by “the best” builders. A lot of times people can’t see potential, when a simple coat of paint and some other changes will go a long way.

Will you reside there full time or rent it? We rent ours in the summer. Don’t believe what the realtors tell you that you will make - it is always less.

I’ll check back if you have any other questions. Happy house hunting!

+1 to all of this.

The listing for the Philadelphia one says "With the potential to expand the footprint, this already fantastic property could be further enhanced to suit your needs."

It sounds like you could do an addition? If so, then adding a first floor master suite off the back would really increase the value and make it a 4/3. Looking at pictures 32-34, it appears there's space?

You'll also make more renting a beach house on VRBO than using a rental company. I'm also a homeowner in Downtown Rehoboth Beach and glad to answer any questions abut RB.

[Anonymous]

What is the appeal of Delaware beaches? I'll never understand the draw of that hellscape.

[Anonymous]

Me too, but these last two hurricanes have really made me rethink. There are A LOT of houses in rehoboth that are street level. Bethany floods as does OC. I think that RB has just been lucky, and I am not ready to lose a $2m investment.

If you still plan to go ahead, I think being near town is the best. I'd want to be able to walk to town. I prefer the South end, but the North is nice too. I don't like the pines. Doesn't seem beachy to me at all and the actual sand part of the beach gets to be just a sliver in Rehoboth at high tide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the appeal of Delaware beaches? I'll never understand the draw of that hellscape.

Close, nice restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at ocean View unless you want to walk to the beach.

I've never understood about being in a beach town adjacent. Traffic is terrible in Rehoboth, like you cannot drive to Lewes a few miles away for dinner on a weekend without it taking 45 minutes. Walkability is key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's trashy.

Compared to what? The Hamptons? Yes, it is certainly lower class than that. Ocean City and Myrtle Beach though...Rehoboth is much classier.

What to know about buying in RB? That is not the Mecca it used to be. Visitors are trashier, traffic is terrible, beaches are over crowded, restaurants are repetitive. Smart money knows that fenwick and north OC have more appeal now.

You think OP hasn’t been recently? She wants to buys house there so I would assume she’s been and likes it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at ocean View unless you want to walk to the beach.

I've never understood about being in a beach town adjacent. Traffic is terrible in Rehoboth, like you cannot drive to Lewes a few miles away for dinner on a weekend without it taking 45 minutes. Walkability is key.

In the summer this is true. In the off season you can get there in 15 mins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me too, but these last two hurricanes have really made me rethink. There are A LOT of houses in rehoboth that are street level. Bethany floods as does OC. I think that RB has just been lucky, and I am not ready to lose a $2m investment.

If you still plan to go ahead, I think being near town is the best. I'd want to be able to walk to town. I prefer the South end, but the North is nice too. I don't like the pines. Doesn't seem beachy to me at all and the actual sand part of the beach gets to be just a sliver in Rehoboth at high tide.

Large parts of Rehoboth are 10+ feet above seal level and on 100 year maps are still ok. Pay attention to flood maps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me too, but these last two hurricanes have really made me rethink. There are A LOT of houses in rehoboth that are street level. Bethany floods as does OC. I think that RB has just been lucky, and I am not ready to lose a $2m investment.

If you still plan to go ahead, I think being near town is the best. I'd want to be able to walk to town. I prefer the South end, but the North is nice too. I don't like the pines. Doesn't seem beachy to me at all and the actual sand part of the beach gets to be just a sliver in Rehoboth at high tide.

Large parts of Rehoboth are 10+ feet above seal level and on 100 year maps are still ok. Pay attention to flood maps

This. Most of Rehoboth has never flooded. We own in Rehoboth Heights, which is one of the highest points in town. Even the beach block homes have never flooded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at ocean View unless you want to walk to the beach.

I've never understood about being in a beach town adjacent. Traffic is terrible in Rehoboth, like you cannot drive to Lewes a few miles away for dinner on a weekend without it taking 45 minutes. Walkability is key.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the appeal of Delaware beaches? I'll never understand the draw of that hellscape.

Close, nice restaurants.

Not a very encouraging answer.!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's trashy.

Compared to what? The Hamptons? Yes, it is certainly lower class than that. Ocean City and Myrtle Beach though...Rehoboth is much classier.

That's like comparing fast food chains. They are all trashy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at ocean View unless you want to walk to the beach.

I've never understood about being in a beach town adjacent. Traffic is terrible in Rehoboth, like you cannot drive to Lewes a few miles away for dinner on a weekend without it taking 45 minutes. Walkability is key.

In the summer this is true. In the off season you can get there in 15 mins.

Isn't that the point of having a place at the beach? So you can go to the beach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me too, but these last two hurricanes have really made me rethink. There are A LOT of houses in rehoboth that are street level. Bethany floods as does OC. I think that RB has just been lucky, and I am not ready to lose a $2m investment.

If you still plan to go ahead, I think being near town is the best. I'd want to be able to walk to town. I prefer the South end, but the North is nice too. I don't like the pines. Doesn't seem beachy to me at all and the actual sand part of the beach gets to be just a sliver in Rehoboth at high tide.

Large parts of Rehoboth are 10+ feet above seal level and on 100 year maps are still ok. Pay attention to flood maps

This. Most of Rehoboth has never flooded. We own in Rehoboth Heights, which is one of the highest points in town. Even the beach block homes have never flooded.

Never say never. Honestly, what's stopping it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at ocean View unless you want to walk to the beach.

Nope Ocean View is full of MAGA idiots

Plus Bethany is way too small.

I just sold a house right over the line Ocean View Bethany those people are stupid nuts

OP I have a home in Rehoboth we love it. About a block from the beach.


The PP has great info.