Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach are next-door neighbors on the Delaware coast, attracting tens of thousands of vacationers and day-trippers.
But in the past few decades, the number of year-round residents has swelled dramatically while the luxurious homes for sale are dramatic as well.
What's attracting potential buyers?
“These are pretty unique communities with the beaches, right next to state parks, fabulous restaurants, great shopping and amusem*nts, the boardwalk,” said Allison Bateman with Jack Lingo Realtor.
A Realtor and Rehoboth resident for 46 years, Bateman said homebuyers from other states are also attracted by the relatively low property taxes.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve told a client what the taxes are on a property and they say, ‘Is that per month?’ And I tell them, ‘No, that’s per year’ and their jaw drops,” she said.
Like so many residents and visitors, Bateman enjoys outdoor activities at the beaches.
“Many days, I don’t get in a car,” she said. “I can walk or bike where I need to go.”
Trails and pedestrian paths connect the towns with state parks to the north and south.
“I think one of the prettiest bike rides in the country is the trail going through Cape Henlopen State Park from Rehoboth to Lewes,” Bateman said. “You go through marshes and up on a raised boardwalk where you can see to the ocean. It’s pretty spectacular.”
Rehoboth and Dewey feature a variety of restaurants, from fast food to fine dining, many with sensational views of the water.
While the towns have great bars and night spots with live music, Rehoboth has more of a family-friendly reputation with shops, boutiques, games and kiddie rides. Dewey is known as more of a hot spot for the college crowd and young adults.
Dewey also has geography that’s tough to beat with the beach on the east side and the bay just a few blocks away on the west for boating and Jet Skis.
If you’re thinking about buying a beach home or just daydreaming, here are the top five listings by price for homes for sale on Realtor.com in Rehoboth and Dewey without pending or contingent offers as of Feb. 27:
$4,499,999 – 75 Anchor Road, Rehoboth Beach
3,400 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 0.34-acre lot, listed by Allison Bateman with Jack Lingo Realtor.
Features include:
- canal front home in North Shores, a community with a private beach, pool and tennis courts,
- privacy, sustainability and energy efficiency,
- open floor plan with indoor and outdoor living spaces,
- kitchen with large island, open to dining area with views of the water,
- bedrooms and baths on both floors,
- most furniture included,
- covered parking and lots of secure storage,
- private bulkhead with dock for boats and a floating dock for launching canoes and kayaks.
$5,249,000 – 149 East Side Drive, Rehoboth Beach
4,930 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, 0.47-acre lot, listed by Dave McCarthy & Associates.
This home features:
- panoramic views of the bay from waterfront lot Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club,
- expansive great room with a sleek gas fireplace, hardwood floors, and large windows with unrestricted views of the bay and wildlife,
- entertainment and game room with oak wet bar,
- kitchen with stainless steel appliances, two refrigerators, granite countertops, center island with seating,
- dining room next to screened-in porch,
- grand spiral staircase,
- primary bedroom suite with sitting room, gas fireplace, two walk-in closets with custom organizers, spacious bathroom with steam shower and separate soaking bathtub, private washer and dryer and balcony with water views,
- heated gunite pool with expansive deck, outdoor wet bar with seating surrounding a gas firepit with unobstructed views of the bay,
- large private dock with boat lift and Jet Ski ramp,
- oversized two-car garage with lots of storage.
More beach news:20 years ago, parking in Rehoboth cost 25 cents an hour. Starting this year, it's $4
$5,800,000 – 104 W. Buckingham Drive, Rehoboth Beach
7,010 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, 0.78-acre lot, listed by Bryce Lingo & Shaun Tull Team with Jack Lingo Realtor.
Features include:
- waterfront custom home in Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club,
- glass entry leading to expansive great room with floor-to-ceiling windows, water views, white oak floors and dual-sided fireplace with marble surround,
- casual game room with gas fireplace and wet bar on the opposite side of the first level, great for entertaining,
- glass elevator,
- floating walnut staircase,
- gourmet kitchen with an oversized island, quartz and marble waterfall counters, stainless steel appliances, walk-in pantry, gas cooktop with pot-filler and custom hood housing a 65-inch TV,
- dining area and living room next to kitchen with wood-burning fireplace,
- primary bedroom suite with gas fireplace, wet bar with beverage center, private balcony overlooking the water, two walk-in closets, spa-like dual baths with marble floors, towel warming racks, rainfall shower and soaking tub,
- backyard with outdoor kitchen, dining space, living area with fireplace and TV, patio with multiple fire pits, open decks for sunbathing, outdoor shower and pool,
- private dock with power lifts for boat and Jet Skis.
$6,200,000 – 1 Stockley St., Rehoboth Beach
3,400 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, 0.28-acre lot, listed by Bryce Lingo & Shaun Tull Team with Jack Lingo Realtor.
This property features:
- oceanfront corner lot on southern end of the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk,
- historic home dating back to the 1890s with original wood-burning fireplace, pine floors, paneling and exposed beams, but renovated with all the modern conveniences,
- cedar siding and cedar shingles,
- wrap-around sunroom with tile floor,
- gourmet kitchen with shaker-style cabinets, granite counters, and high-end appliances including a five-burner gas cooktop, Bosch dishwasher, Thermador wall ovens with warming drawer, SubZero refrigerator and Whirlpool ice maker,
- formal dining room with seating for eight or more,
- family room with a wood-burning fireplace,
- four bedrooms with en-suite baths,
- oceanfront sundeck.
More luxury homes in Delaware:See inside the top homes for sale in Hockessin ranging from $650K to nearly $1 million
$6,950,000 – 15 Hazlett St., Dewey Beach
7,750 square feet, 11 bedrooms, 7 full bathrooms and 2 half-baths, 0.22-acre lot, listed by Bob Walsh, Bay Coast Realty.
This professionally-decorated home in a community with private, guarded beaches and private security was featured in Coastal Style magazine in December 2022 and includes:
- ocean and bay views with over 4,000 square feet of porches, decks and patios,
- open floor plan for entertaining,
- two full Thermador kitchens on the main level and third level,
- main-level kitchen with two large islands, walk-in pantry and dining area with total seating for 29 people,
- main-level living area open to kitchen and dining, with large gas fireplace, custom crown molding and trim, coffered ceilings, ship lap and tile floors,
- third-level kitchen with 8-by-12-foot island with seating for 15 and living area for sports parties with 85-inch TV,
- two primary bedrooms, each with en-suite bathrooms, one with a steam room,
- elevator,
- three full-size laundry rooms, one on each level,
- heated pool and hot tub,
- rec room/workout room with 60-inch TV and coffee bar that leads to the pool area,
- two-car garage and parking for 12 cars.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business stories. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.
