Delaware vs Georgia - the good, the bad, and the ugly? (Wilmington: transplants, sales)

[franklinb]

Let me start by saying that I live in Middletown Delaware -- very safe - good schools but

everything to do is either up to Newark/Wilmington or down to Dover (but I try to stay out of the Dover area)

it's mostly horrible down there

But although Delaware has low property taxes and no sales tax

is very safe, mostly friendly people and much more friendly than Jersey

the everything is a drive is really annoying and I don't think that will be solved anytime soon

whereas I heard many good suburbs of Atlanta have tons of stuff to do

much more economic opportunities and equally as safe -

Anyone from Georgia moved to Delaware and if so, why? or anyone here in Delaware thinking about leaving

and if so, why... same reasons I said or something else

[DelawareLiz]

We're leaving and moving south in five years or less--looks like Florida but I still like the coastal Carolinas (the areas not as touristy). COL has gone up here at the beach (affects natives like us more than people from up north), traffic is ridiculous about nine months out of the year (all summer and Fri-Sun the other months), and the infrastructure cannot handle all these people. Crime has gone up too and there are too many junkies--not where I live but in other areas we must travel to for shopping, dining, car dealerships, etc.

Will be moving somewhere not as hectic with less traffic.....I'd like to find a place that was like Ocean View about ten--fifteen years ago.

Also agree with your statement: the everything is a drive is really annoying and I don't think that will be solved anytime soon.

[rdlr]

Tennessee has been calling us for 25 years! We probably will not move at this stage of our lives, but when we visit TN we could kick ourselves for not leaving Delaware when we could. Our reasons for wanting to leave are the same as Liz's ..... too much traffic, too many people, and many of them are quite rude. We loved it when we had access to the beaches on an almost daily basis, but it's so touristy and crowded now, that it's like we have NO beaches at all. We haven't been on the beach at Rehoboth, Lewes, or Dewey, in more than 25 years and we're about 35 miles away. The people we know who bought properties in the beach areas have moved back to Kent County. It used to be "the place to live", but it became a nightmare according to our friends.

[DelawareLiz]

I hear you, rdlr!! We don't go to the beaches either--just the boardwalk during the off season. And rude people....yep. In my neighborhood they are known as weekenders/summer people. Wow, they buy some run down dump and then think they own the whole county and act really obnoxious. Booze, blow, parties, loud enough talking to wake the dead (all I hear is them yelling "Hey babe!" all day) and cars in and out all hours of the night. Of course, I am just talking about a select few in my neighborhood (not my wonderful Mennonite weekenders!), but the annoying ones are REALLY annoying. Thankfully, it's MUCH more peaceful now since it's too cool for them to come down and get drunk and go drive on the beach.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by thiesdrive

Wow! so, beachliz would you say the DE beach dream is about shot for people who come over from other states to retire, or is it just concentrated in certain parts of lower slower DE, over-development etc ... ? Or ... are places like Milton , parts of Lewes and places west of Milton some still viable,have space? I been to Berlin MD and loved it too , more expensive but doesn't seem as built up.

I'm another native, not beachliz, but.....
The beach dream is shot for me, a Delaware native. I never go down there unless I must, for work.....except when I had to meet our grown kids down there for breakfast last week. They agree......not fun for us anymore. One or ours bought a new home in Milton, not near as congested, and he likes it there. But in his line of work....he can get around pretty easily.
HOWEVER, Transplants LOVE the beach area.

[DelawareLiz]

LOVE Berlin--the actual town where all the quaint shops are. There are some ROUGH areas (sect. 8) off the northbound side of 113, but in town is very nice. There are also some pleasant, quiet sections east of town headed towards Assateague (a few miles after you go by the sketchy areas).

The beach area is the worst in over-development, but I'm seeing a lot of traffic and building in Millsboro as well. It's still not on the level of my area or Rehoboth/Lewes though. Milton seems to be much less developed, but who knows in 10-15 years. That's what happened to my area. It was not bad at all when we moved here in 2002, but now it's houses on top of houses and all you hear is beep beep and roaring from the housing development going on. Traffic is also beyond stupid from May--September and still scary on weekends into January.


I do see some open space west of Milton when we headed to Millsboro from there a couple weeks ago. Still some open areas and less development.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by thiesdrive

Interesting, went to see Jethro Tull in Baltimore last night ,and Ian Anderson was saying how we humans seem to screw up everything, over development etc ... He was right! With that said, was out in Deep Creek Lake MD, Mchenry great looking area; you do get some snow in the winter though.

He was right! Screwed up "they" did down in our beach areas, and they're still not done!
Wow! Jethro Tull John Lodge is in MD tonight. Our son's band played at Deep Creek Lake, MD before. But, I'll shut up.....hard to do when I think about music.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by rdlr

He was right! Screwed up "they" did down in our beach areas, and they're still not done!
Wow! Jethro Tull John Lodge is in MD tonight. Our son's band played at Deep Creek Lake, MD before. But, I'll shut up.....hard to do when I think about music.

Your son's band! People who are younger than we are playing music. That's one of the good things in life.

[nuts2uiam]

As one of "those people" who invaded this beautiful area, believe it or not I too understand your frustration. The Long Island, N.Y., I grew up in, is as far removed today from that, as this area is from what you long for. While we always will be more congested than you, my complaint is the same in terms of rude people, and overdevelopment. The major difference is what we are escaping in addition to that, and that is high taxes. Currently the taxes on my former home (a 1450 square foot Cape Cod located 25 miles from NYC) sits at $10,300 and creeping higher every year, mostly due to school taxes which are almost $6500. My home here is 2450 square feet and my taxes are $1482. True, in NY my taxes include garbage pick-up and sewer but, that costs me a little under $600 for both. That is an $8000 difference.

In NY, I have access to highways and expressways that can get me from here to there fairly quickly especially in off hours. Most of the roadways here, are more like our ancillary roads, but guess what, I am retired and have time, so it doesn't bother me. That said, I called on a pot hole that was pretty deep. The very next day, it was repaired. I know our legislators by name and have been called back by them. A rarity in NY. You have to keep it on balance and nothing ever stays the same.

So if RDLR and Beach LIZ want to close the immigration gate to DE, I really do understand, but I am glad I am here and you can't kick me out now!!!

[franklinb]

I know that Rehoboth Beach is so overcrowded that the last time I was there I last 5 minutes and I mean that literally

Did the whole setup the chair, good book and more and more people kept piling on until it just wasn't restful

I'll never do that again

All of Pennsylvania comes down for the beach that on top of our own population and spill over from MD

and your left with a small state with no room