In part one of our blog on Tips for Picking a Great Real Estate Agent, we looked at Experience, Education, Market Knowledge, and Honesty and Integrity. In part two we will look at Work Ethic, Resources and Attention to Detail.

Work Ethic: Real estate is a 7 day a week job. Sometimes it involves very early hours and very late nights to meet the needs of buyers, sellers, rental property owners and renters. It is just a fact of life that sometimes people are only available early in the morning, late at night and weekends. Bear this in mind because you will want to work with a real estate agent who is able and willing to meet with you on any day, at virtually any time to get you the property that is best for you. So before you agree to work with any one specific agent, think about the following questions:

• How quickly will the real estate agent be at returning your phones calls, emails, or text messages?
• How willing is the agent to schedule viewings or inspections around your personal schedule?
• Is the agent going to be flexible? If your plans change, or if for some reason your time becomes more limited and you are not as able to view properties, will the agent still be willing to work with you?
• Does the agent understand the importance of this for you and will they treat it with that level of attention, as opposed to just being another sale, or another rental agreement?
• Is the agent overwhelmed with other clients and not going to be able to give you the attention you are going to require?
• Is the agent willing to put clauses into the contract that will allow you to cancel if you are unhappy with the performance of the agent or with the service they have been providing.

While it is true these issues may be difficult or uncomfortable for you to discuss with the real estate agent, for you they are critical in making sure that you receive the type of service you are going to need in order to complete a successful transaction real estate.

Resources: A great real estate agent should be able to provide you with a wealth of resources for your real estate transaction. These will include things such as; local contacts, access to school reports, and specific information about the local neighborhood. You should feel free to ask your agent any of this information as it relates to your real estate purchase or rental.

Attention to Detail: Real estate is an exacting business. In your excitement about finding your new place you want your agent to be well versed in all of the details surrounding the purchase, sale or rental of real estate. Your agent is there to make sure that all of the “t’s” are crossed and the “i’s” are dotted. He or she should be able to “read the fine print” of which you may not be aware. No detail is too small to be of importance.

Please contact us at www.mannandsons.com for all of your Rehoboth Beach real estate or Lewes real estate needs.

Once you are ready to either rent or buy a piece of property you will most likely need to work with a real estate agent. Like in any industry there are great real estate agents and not so great agents. Here are some tips on what to look for to find a great real estate agent for Rehoboth Beach real estate and Lewes real estate.

Experience: You’ve heard the phrase when it comes to real estate, “Location, location, location”? Well when it comes to real estate agents the phrase becomes, “Experience, experience, experience”. A real estate agent with experience will make your search for your new home or rental property much easier for the simple reason that he or she has done it so many times in the past. This gives you, as the buyer or renter, a real advantage.

So, as you begin contacting real estate agents some of the questions you will want answers to are:

• The length of time they have worked in real estate?
• Are they holding a current license for being a professional real estate agent?
• What kind of sales volume did they, or their firm, have in the past year or two?
• How large their current client list is?
• What kinds of training or special courses have they or their team successfully completed?

Skill Set: Another thing to consider is the skill set of the real estate agent. Some things to ask about are:

• The agent’s knowledge administrative details which are part of all real estate contracts.
• Their knowledge of such things as such as rental agreements, deeds, property valuations, and home inspections
• Does your agent keep up to date with the changes in real estate law and technology?

Knowledge of the Local Market: Most likely you are looking for either a new home, or a rental property in a certain area or neighborhood. Critical for you in this endeavor is a real estate agent who is knowledgeable in those areas. For example, if you are looking for homes for sale in Rehoboth Beach or homes for sale in Lewes, you want an agent that knows those specific areas. Because of this knowledge, a great real estate agent will have first-hand knowledge all of the local schools, parks, beaches, etc., which in turn will give you better insight into the area you have chosen to live or visit.

Honesty and Integrity: These two qualities are critical components when selecting your real estate agent – but they are hard to discern without meeting the agent in person. So be sure that when you meet with your list of potential real estate agents you pay attention not only to their experience and skill levels, but also to the way they make you feel and their personality. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the agent, both on a skill level and on a personal level. For example, when interviewing the agent, if he or she seems evasive to you when answering your questions, this could be a warning sign.

Following these tips could go a long distance when finding the right real estate agent for you.

Buying a new Rehoboth Beach home

Foundation and Structural Elements – Ugly paint and bad draperies can be changed very easily and with minimal cost, but when it comes to foundation or structural problems, it may be best to just walk away.  Look for evidence of cracks or bulges in the foundation wall. If there has been renovation in the home, ask an inspector to check if any load bearing walls were modified or removed.  

Electrical and Plumbing – Many people like to do their own home remodeling, but if you are looking at a home that has been remodeled, make sure the correct building permits and inspections were completed.  If the wiring or plumbing is not up to code, make sure it is fixed before you close on the home.

Musty Smells – A musty smell can only mean that there is water getting somewhere it isn’t supposed to be.  If there is water getting into the basement, or coming through the foundation, it will only be a matter of time before the structure cracks or buckles. 

Insects – When you are looking at a home, look around for evidence of bug infestations or other varmints living in the home.  If a home is for sale, the owner has probably done their best to clean up, but be vigilant in looking for signs of any unwanted guests. 

When you are ready to look for a new home, contact us and our experienced team of REALTORS® will help you find a home that suits your family's needs.

Question: What is the most expensive private residence ever built in the United States?

Answer: When it was built, Hearst Ranch in San Simeon, California cost over $30 million, which in today’s dollars is about $277,883,320.

Question: The world’s largest residential palace belongs to whom?

Answer: The Sultan of Brunei. The Istana Nurul Iman palace has 2,152,782 square feet, 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and a 110-car garage.

Question: The United States Government paid $7.2 million for what piece of land?

Answer: The state of Alaska. In 1867 the United States bought Alaska from Russia.

Question: Where is the most expensive piece of property (per foot) ever recorded?

Answer: In central Tokyo, Japan. The Mediya Building was quoted at $248,000 per square foot.

Question: Where in America is the house that is considered to be the first with running water?

Answer: In Newport, RI. The John Heady house was built with an underground pipe from a nearby spring.

Question: Who is the world's largest landowner?

Answer: The United States Government, with a total of 728.8 million acres of land.

Question: What are the three most common toxins for which homes are tested?

Answer: Lead, asbestos, and mold. The toxins are tested by specialized inspectors as a regular part of real estate contracts.

Question: What is the location of the building with the largest windows in the world?

Answer: Paris, France. The Palace of Industry and Technology has three matching windows, each 715 feet high and 164 feet wide.

Question: In America where can you find the most expensive retail space for rent anywhere in the world?

Answer: New York City, NY. On Fifth Avenue some retail space rents at the rate of $580 per square foot.

Question: What famous American building is modeled after the palace of the Duke of Leinster in Ireland?

Answer: The White House in Washington, D.C.

Question: What amenity do forty eight percent of all homes in the new housing market have?

Answer: Forty eight percent of all newly-constructed homes now have 2 1/2 baths or more, up from 1985 when only 29% had more than 2 baths.

Question: Where in the United States will you find the largest concentration of million-dollar homes?

Answer: California. Some forty one percent of million dollar homes are located in California.

Question: Where is the world's tallest apartment block?

Answer: Chicago, IL. The 100-story John Hancock Center is 1,127 feet high and floors 44 through 92 are residential.

Question: What seventy-room mansion is known as a "Gilded Age cottage" and was built as a summer home?

Answer: The "Breakers" Mansion in Newport, RI.

Question: What hotel must be totally rebuilt every year?

Answer: The Ice Hotel in Sweden. Because it melts to the ground in May, it has to be rebuilt every year.

Question: Where is the largest castle in the world?

Answer: Prague, Czech Republic. The Prague Castle has a total surface area of eighteen acres.

Now you're prepared for Trivial Pursuit Real Estate Edition (no release date available). However, the professionals at Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS® are prepared to help you pursue a new home in Coastal Delaware. Give us a call!

Amenities: Make sure you know ahead of time which amenities you just can’t do without. Beach rentals can come with a myriad of different options, (e.g., full kitchens, outdoor showers, access to swimming pools or private beaches, etc.), and sometimes even things like watercraft, (e.g., sailboats, jet skis, etc.). If there is something that you simply must have, make sure ahead of time that the beach rental you are interested in has your “non-negotiable” amenities.

Do Your Homework: Usually, you are renting a beach property without ever seeing it in person ahead of time. So it is incumbent on you to do your “due diligence” before signing a contract. You know the old saying that “if something looks too good to be true, then it probably is”? It applies here as well. Make sure to avail yourself of resources like on-line vacation rental review and reporting sites like Flip Key (from Trip advisor), and Vacation Rentals Watchdog to make sure that the beach property is truly what it purports to be.

Tips for Military Personnel: Something many people don’t realize is that there are beach rental options for those people in active military duty, retired military, and civilians who work for the Department of Defense. If any of these apply to you, or a member of your vacation party, then you could have the opportunity to access United States military resorts in some pretty exotic locations (like Hawaii). The amount you have to pay depends on the pay rate of the eligible person in your party, but most of the times, even the highest rates are substantially less than what you would be charged at a typical beach or resort type hotel.

Get a Local Real Estate Agent: Enlist the services of a local (to the area in which you are vacationing) real estate agent, who business it is to handle beach rental properties. These people are professionals who can assist you in finding the perfect beach rental property for your vacation. They are tied in to the local community and may well know of some private, off the books rentals that could be available. Typically these are properties that are owned by individuals or families that only use them part of the year. When they’re not using them they often rent them out to people on vacation through these local agents. These agents know the ins and outs of the area, and the rental properties that are a great value versus those that may not be right for you and your needs.

If you are looking for some great rentals in Rehoboth Beach, contact Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS® ... our rental professionals would be happy to assist you.

First and foremost at Sports at the Beach is youth baseball! From the first signs of spring to the last signs of fall, Sports at the Beach holds youth baseball tournaments every weekend, and weeklong “Summer Classics” most weeks. Kids range from 8 to 19 years old. Travel teams come from all over the country and occasionally, the world (including Israel and Australia), to compete. On average, each team play 5 to 9 games per weekend tournament and 8-12 per weeklong. Teams can stay on site in the dorms, or opt to stay in area hotels or rentals. The competition is often intense, and makes for great baseball! Sports at the Beach also offers instructional camps and field rentals.

The facility is gorgeous and well maintained, with multiple ponds where you can fish and feed the ducks. A tram, affectionately named “The Dog Mobile,” will transport you around the park. There are several concession stands with a variety of food, and a well-stocked gift shop. A swimming pool is available to tournament members and their families.

Recently added at Sports at the Beach is All Hallow’s Farm, a unique children’s attraction. There’s so much to do, your child is sure to leave exhausted and happy! There’s a petting zoo, with your everyday farm animals to reptiles and spiders. There’s an enormous “jumping pillow” and several other inflatables. The farm also includes a playground, carnival games, and a zip line! Prices are low and party reservations are available. In the fall, All Hallow’s Farm is transformed into All Hallow’s Revenge, a walk-through experience full of thrills and chills.

Sussex County locals really luck out with kids’ entertainment year-round. And if you're looking for accomadations, we have a good inventory of Rehoboth Beach rentals...so give us a call. 

Water in the basement

If you visit a home and there is water in the basement, that may or may not be a deal breaker. It all depends on how the water got there. If the water came in through cracks in the walls or floor, then walk away. Don’t look back. If the water came in over the top of a foundation, or through window wells, then you might be able to figure out a solution that is perfectly acceptable. Water that is coming in over the tops of foundations and window wells is coming in because of poor drainage patterns on the outside of the home. A simple grading project could fix the issue. Talk with the inspector to see if this is a viable solution.

Broken appliances

A house can go on the market one day, and just as potential buyers are showing up to tour the home, the refrigerator can decide to fail. If something like this happens, be understanding of the homeowner, and don’t simply walk away. The important part of this issue is watching what the homeowner does to fix it. What they do to fix it will give you insight on how they approached repairs of other items in the home.

Upcoming maintenance

Large ticket maintenance items such as a roof in need of repair often make potential buyers walk away. If you are considering a house, but it has an upcoming major repair, negotiate the price of the home to account for that maintenance cost. Don’t let a good home get away due to normal maintenance, all homes will have that.

Good luck on your home search. If you're not already working with a REALTOR®, contact us for assistance in your search.

There are many reasons why vacation homes are a good idea. First and foremost, purchasing a vacation home gives you a permanent place to take the family that you can fix up just the way you like. If you think a weekend at the beach is fun and relaxing, a place to retreat to when you need a break from everyday life is an asset you can’t put a price on. In your own vacation home you’re free to bring pets, cook your own meals, and have guests. And those are just a few of the perks! There are so many options: a beach house in downtown Rehoboth, a condominium on Route 1, or a mobile home in one of the many fabulous communities in the area.

Also, there’s the opportunity to rent the home for extra income. You can’t spend all your time vacationing, so why not make money during those times? Mann & Sons can help you virtually pay for your home by renting it out. The Rehoboth Beach area has great rental potential! Beach homes will always be sought out by vacationers, whether weekly or monthly. Renting a vacation home is definitely the current trend, as opposed to cramming into a hotel.

Another trend is buying a vacation home with the intent to retire in it. Vacation at the beach today, live here year-round tomorrow. Finally, vacation homes are a great way to diversify your investments. Contact Mann & Sons today and be in your beach vacation home this summer!

In 1878 the railroad came to Rehoboth Beach, which in turn brought many new visitors to Rehoboth Beach. The times were changing and because of this large influx of people the focus became much more on the “seaside resort” aspects of the area, as opposed to the religious leanings as had been planned by Rev Todd and his followers when the original charter had been set forth only five years earlier. In 1879 the name of the area was shortened to “The Rehoboth Beach Association” – and by 1881 the religious camp meetings that happened every summer had been completely discontinued.

At this time new managers came in and they heavily promoted the area to bring in resort hotels and entertainment venues. While this growth was taking place, the Associations directors began to see the need for a typical style government, even though there were still relatively few permanent, year round residences that had been built. So in 1891, the state of Delaware revoked the original charter that had been granted to Rev. Todd and instituted a regular municipal government which was led by a “Board of Commissioners”. In addition, the new 1891 charter gave the area an entirely new name, “Cape Henlopen City” – which was wildly unpopular right from the beginning. Because of this, in 1898 the Delaware state legislature changed the name to just “Rehoboth”. It wasn’t until 1937, that the name was changed to “The City of Rehoboth Beach” as it is still called to this day.

During the Second World War, Rehoboth Beach played a large role in keeping the shoreline of America safe. Guard towers were built along the coastline to keep an eye out for enemy ships. Civil Air Patrol flew missions searching out German submarines. There was also the Coast Guard Mounted Patrol whose job it was to patrol the beaches on horseback. There was even a warship named the U.S.S. Rehoboth in honor of the town.

Today, Rehoboth Beach likes to call itself “The Nations Summer Capital” because it is a favorite vacation spot for those living in the Washington, D.C. community and surrounding areas. It offers residents and visitors a wide variety of festivals, (e.g., the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival, the Sea Witch Festival), in addition to a year-round professional theater company called the “Clear Space Theatre Company” which offers both dramatic and musical productions at the Rehoboth Theatre of the Arts.

As one can see from its long distinguished history to its modern day festivals and events, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware offers both residents and visitors a great slice a life, just outside of our nations’ capital. Contact a real estate agent with Mann & Sons if you're considering a second or vacation home near Rehoboth Beach.

So you have found the perfect piece of Rehoboth Beach Real Estate for your next home. Congratulations! You’ve started making your moving plans and begun your packing strategy. Before you get into all of the “heavy lifting” aspects of your move, wouldn’t it be nice (and a little fun) to learn something about the history of Rehoboth Beach, when it started and how it got where it is today?

So let’s start a long, long way time ago. According to Wikipedia, “Human beings probably inhabited the area of Rehoboth Beach as long ago as 10,000 BC; little is known about them because much of the evidence of their existence has been destroyed by development. At that time, sea levels were lower, and the Atlantic Coast lay about 30 miles (48 km) farther east than it does today. At the time, the area would have resembled inland portions of southern Delaware today.” Imagine what the property value would be today if you had invested in your new home back then!

Seriously though, along around the beginning of the 1600’s, the Europeans started arriving. At that time there were many different Native American tribes dwelling in the area. Some of these were the Nanticoke, Assateagues, Sikkonese, and the Lenape tribes. As happened so often at that time these indigenous peoples were driven out of the land by the English and Dutch settlers to other areas. The Nanticoke, however still live in the same general area today, although their numbers have diminished greatly over time.

During the 1700s this area of land was under the control of England’s Duke of York who, as was common at the time, made land grants of parcels to various settlers to the New World. By the mid 1800’s those settler’s descendants were farmers, living on, and trying to make a living from, the land itself.

In 1891 Rehoboth Beach became a municipality when the Delaware General Assembly issued a charter which stated: “The purpose of said incorporation is the providing and maintaining of a permanent seaside resort, and to furnish the necessary and proper conveniences and attractions required to the success of the same.”

The formal “founding” of the city was made in 1873 by Rev. Robert W. Todd, of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church of Wilmington, Delaware. Rev. Todd, in addition to some thirty other incorporators, acquired a Charter from the state of Delaware to develop a “Christian sea-side resort.” They wanted to enable like-minded persons to take advantage of the beach atmosphere. Rev. Todd named the city the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association, as it was intended to serve as a camp site for summer religious meetings for the Methodist denomination. The name “Rehoboth” itself, meaning “broad spaces” in Hebrew, was chosen for its biblical connotation. Later that same year the new Association built its encampment grounds, in addition to several small wooden buildings called “tents”. Shortly thereafter, the very first hotel was built, along with a Post Office, and the beginnings of the original Rehoboth Boardwalk.

Tomorrow, we will examine Rehoboth Beach’s history from the 1800's to the present day. Until then, please take advantage of the helpful resources at Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS® responsive design website which is easily viewed on just about any device.