Retiring to Sussex County

[movn2del]

Originally Posted by rossc

My definition of waterfront is when I can look out the window and see water and see my boat tied up at the dock in the back yard. The real estate agents seem to have a different definition. You'll see many communities advertised as waterfront because they are "only" a 15 minute drive to the coast.

It amazes me that realtors are pawning properties off as waterfront because they are a short drive from the coast. I'm with you. Waterfront means I can see water out of my window! Right now I live a block from the water and my property is not waterfront, nor is it advertised as such.

Originally Posted by karmel

EVeryone's replies were so helpful. You can read an article in a magazine that claims that Rehoboth is a wonderful place to retire, just to find out that there are many drawbacks as well. It is very important to me to have a lot of interesting things available. Guess I need to explore a bit more. Thanks for your advice.

I agree with other posters here. It depends on what YOU are looking for that will decide what the pros and cons are of an area. What I find a plus, you may find as a minus. My only suggestion to someone looking to relocate is to really know what you want and the find out what the area you are looking at truly has to offer, or not.

Originally Posted by rdlr

Oncesir....
I'm so sorry you hate it here, but it's a fact! Delaware is not for everybody! Only natives know where to buy real estate and which areas to avoid, and a real estate agent may soft peddle that information. I'm very proud of our State, and believe every state has it's pros and cons. About the chickens.......you said "anywhere on the shore"....???? Not so. Evidently, you've experienced "Sussex County Snow" and may have inhaled some (it's a tongue in cheek local joke). You're lucky, though. Delaware used to be the "Chicken Capital" but now, I think, Arkansas stole that title from us, and also one of the southern states claims the same. Perhaps, soon, you can get out of the miserable place in which you live. I genuinely wish you the best!

I agree, DE is not for everybody. You have to know what the area is like, by visiting, and what you want. If a hasty decision is made, you might risk being unhappy. We put a lot of research in before deciding to move at all. Then we did more research to decide where to move. Then we did more and more and more research. I believe we know more about DE than NY. Both hubby and I were born and raised in NY. DE, Kent County, reminds me of what Long Island, NY was like in the mid-late 1960's. My In-Laws visited with hubby last week. My Father-In-Law said the same thing. Even if some people feel DE is 25 years behind, I grew up fine on Long Island and want that for my children. I believe they will have it in DE. The education my children get now compared to what they will get in DE doesn't justify paying $4000/year more in taxes. That is approximately how much more I pay for school taxes than I will be paying when we move to DE. Curriculum is curriculum no matter where you go. The teachers give it and the children either learn it or they don't. DE may offer less for extra curricular activities within the schools but if you know where to look, there is plenty to keep them busy. Nothing like responsibility and community service for children to learn morals and respect. Well, that's my opinion. As it is said, everybody has one. Including me.

[fido44]

Been living her for 20 to many years and I feel like I died. Delaware is NOWHERE and has nothing to offer. The locals are friendly enough.....but soooooo backward and ignorant. WOULD NOT MOVE HERE!, even if Delaware was giving away a house on the beach.

[Honeycrisp]

A lot of ppl feel differently. Personally, I think DE is a nice state to retire to. That said, we're going elsewhere but it was a tossup. I have been less than thrilled w/ where I live now but I wouldnt badmouth it and I know others feel completely the opposite which is fine, different strokes for different folks. Everyone's got their own opinions and what's right for one person may not be right for the next.
PS Would def. take a free house (esp. near the water), LOL!

[doctorjef]

fido posted Delaware-bashing posts on every vaguely relevant thread in the last day or two, so that tells you something about the opinion offered. It seems to me that Sussex County is one thing in the beach communities and another west of Rt 1. It is very different in any event from northern New Castle County, which is culturally and geographically continuous with Southeast PA/Philly (but more genteel IMO).