Relocating to Delaware and looking for a charming town :) (Wilmington: crime, houses)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm a nurse too and hubby is a soon to be retired corrections officer (yea RIKERS) and we've been looking to relocate to Delaware from Long Island. We've been looking since February and I'm rethinking the move. Everything I like in the budget I have is so far from amenities. I don't mind driving but it's not my favorite thing. I was born in NYC and I'm used to walking to shopping,post office etc.
What towns were you looking into and how far is "so far"? What other towns/states are you looking into now?
[quote=doctorjef;25222089]In general Delaware is typical of most of America in that it is designed for getting around by car. Obviously, small towns that have lost their main street groceries and post offices had these amenities at one time. Milton would surely be one example. Lewes is fortunate in retaining many in-town amenities if you can afford to live within the old town, rather than the new developments. It would be possible to live in some bits of Greenville and Montchanin and be able to walk to the post office, upscale small supermarket, dry cleaners, and several places to eat, but this involves some very limited and pricey housing stock, or else an apartment rental in a single complex (Greenville Place Apts), so it's not an option for very many people. You can't ever really do without a car in Delaware and there are only a few places where it's even theoretically possible to live and get around to many basic amenities efficiently without resorting to driving.[/
So Milton does not have a lot of amenities as some of the other towns? Lewes continues to pop up and I looked into it and it's a beautiful town. A bit on the pricier side but it is still manageable with our budget but on the higher side of it. I'm going to check into Montchanin and Greenville as well. Thank you!
Those pictures are lovely! It seems like almost every town is Delaware is beautiful. There's so much to consider. This is the only thing that makes me miss military life because THEY would tell you where you're going to go Lol. Oh, at least we have options thanks again for the pictures!
One of our offspring purchased a house near Camden, built in 1812 with an underground railroad access. The summer kitchen was well named, as it was always cool, and the original cooking kettles still hung in the fireplace. When I babysat there, about 10 years ago, I always heard babies crying after I put our little ones to bed. When I raced up the winding staircase, the crying always stopped and our little ones were fast asleep. Interesting, to say the least. A local historian explained to me why the babies cried, then stopped when I ran up the steps. ?????
You have to tell us more stories! Lol. My husband want to purchase an historic home as well. They have so much character and their all built to last. They are all gorgeous.
So Milton does not have a lot of amenities as some of the other towns? Lewes continues to pop up and I looked into it and it's a beautiful town. A bit on the pricier side but it is still manageable with our budget but on the higher side of it. I'm going to check into Montchanin and Greenville as well. Thank you!
They are almost like 2 different worlds. Of course the upstate towns don't have King's Ice Cream!!
They are almost like 2 different worlds. Of course the upstate towns don't have King's Ice Cream!!
Milton has amenities, but they're largely newer and outside of, or on the fringes of, the old town. That's not a long distance by any means! However, the business district of the old part of town was not maintained as it has been in Lewes (even though in Lewes it has been largely taken over by frou-frou businesses and restaurants). Also, within the original, old town of Lewes, there is a small but fairly adequate independent grocer's. Milton has lots of restoration potential and there are still good deals to be had on old properties that need further modernisation and TLC. This is in contrast to Lewes, where you would be hard pressed to find a really good real estate deal in the old town. Milton will continue to improve.
Greenville can't be compared to Lewes (or vice versa). Greenville is unincorporated, for one thing -- not a really town at all, unlike Lewes. Greenville is a collection of neighborhoods and a fairly compact shopping area surrounding Kennett Pike/Rt 52, just north of the City of Wilmington. We can't really walk as a practical matter to the businesses and restaurants in the commercial bit of Greenville, even though it doesn't take more than about six minutes to drive to them. Kennett Pike isn't a very pedestrian friendly route for walking, and much of the year it is either too hot or too cold to walk that distance electively; for us and for most people in the area we also live a bit far to be toting dry cleaning or groceries back home on foot. The main problem, however, is having to walk along oftentimes trafficky Rt 52 (it's a designated scenic by-way and very pleasant to drive, but just not all that great for walking).
The topography in far northern DE is entirely different from that of the majority of the state. It is hilly up here and in places heavily wooded with mixed hardwoods and looks VERY different from the coastal plain that makes up most of DE. This is piedmont - technically part of the Appalachian Piedmont - and is topographically consistent with southeastern Pennsylvania. I find it very beautiful and appealling.
What towns were you looking into and how far is "so far"? What other towns/states are you looking into now?
We've looked in Georgia (HATED IT!) I liked North Carolina (loved the Raleigh area) but hubby has quite a few friends that retired in Delaware and seem to like it. We looked at Smyrna, Camden-Wyoming and Magnolia. Hubby has pals in Rehoboth, but I'm not a beach person.
Last weekend we ventured to Sussex and looked at Plantation Lakes in Millsboro. We also looked at Ocean View and Lewes. (I was so glad to see a Tanger Outlet that is comparable to the one I frequent in Riverhead).
Most of my family live in California and NYC and there's no airport close to Sussex. I'm trying to get hubby to stay in the New Castle/Kent area. I just don't know. I thought it would be easier to find something I love but this hasn't been the case. I haven't found anything that sings to me yet but I'm still trying to find "THE ONE".
You have to tell us more stories! Lol. My husband want to purchase an historic home as well. They have so much character and their all built to last. They are all gorgeous.
I agree . I LOVE old homes and I love that you don't have to deal with HOA's. I think that's my main source of contention with hubby. He wants new construction and I want a old home with wood floors, crown molding and a WOOD burning fireplace. I need a home that has some style and most of these new homes scare me. I've seen shoddy build in MODEL homes for goodness sake!
I agree . I LOVE old homes and I love that you don't have to deal with HOA's. I think that's my main source of contention with hubby. He wants new construction and I want a old home with wood floors, crown molding and a WOOD burning fireplace. I need a home that has some style and most of these new homes scare me. I've seen shoddy build in MODEL homes for goodness sake!
Homes with character are my favorites, too. And, small towns are being revived. After all, subdivisions and homeowners associations were modeled after small towns.....only people living in those subdivisions have to pay. In Delaware (maybe elsewhere, also) most buyers want new construction. But then again, this is a transient area and most buyers are coming from other states. This society in which we live, for the most part, wants new and fresh, a built in group of friends/neighbors, and built in activities. Thus, the tract style housing and homeowners associations were born. Personally, we don't want a HOA with a set of rules to follow, and as far as their activities, we make our own fun. But, to each their own. Some people would never live where we live and need more structure.
Homes with character are my favorites, too. And, small towns are being revived. After all, subdivisions and homeowners associations were modeled after small towns.....only people living in those subdivisions have to pay. In Delaware (maybe elsewhere, also) most buyers want new construction. But then again, this is a transient area and most buyers are coming from other states. This society in which we live, for the most part, wants new and fresh, a built in group of friends/neighbors, and built in activities. Thus, the tract style housing and homeowners associations were born. Personally, we don't want a HOA with a set of rules to follow, and as far as their activities, we make our own fun. But, to each their own. Some people would never live where we live and need more structure.
rdlr, I think I need to move in your neighborhood. I'm just not into all the HOA restrictions. I can't imagine paying a fee to be told NO you can't do this and NO you can't do that. I have acquaintances battling HOA's because they rejected plans to redo their backyard or fined them for changing their landscaping. I love the neighborhood I live in now. I know my neighbors, we have block parties biannually and pot lucks monthly. it is a close knit community without the restrictions and I can walk to everything. I want the same thing in Delaware but I don't know where to look.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
thanks again for the pictures!
A local historian explained to me why the babies cried, then stopped when I ran up the steps. ?????
