![]() ![]() “They cost less than other types of communities,” Strusowski added. “There will be four phases and 229 homes in total.” “The attraction of the 55-plus communities is that people are at that stage of life when they want maintenance-free living and a turn-key operation where they can just lock the door and leave on vacation without worrying,” said Jason Giles, senior vice president and managing broker for realtor Patterson Schwartz. “We have the first phase of the site work completed, and have just started on the second phase,” said Rich Julian, president of Benchmark Builders, a local company which was early into 55-plus community development. The site is still under construction, with earth being moved and the skeletons of housing rising above the flatlands. Typical of these is Traditions at Whitehall, located between the canal and where Route 301 sweeps across from Route 1 before turning south. Middletown’s attractions are obvious – it’s in the country, prices are more affordable than elsewhere in the state and it’s still only 30 minutes from Interstate 95 and Delaware’s largest hospital. Starting prices per single or duplex range between $370,000 and $737,000 per unit. |DBT PHOTO BY ERIC CROSSANįive of these communities – a third of all – are under construction in the Middletown area, which has emerged as Delaware’s 55-plus epicenter. Route 301, is a growing 55-plus community that bills itself as a town unto itself, with a new medical office and firework shows on Fourth of July. Traditions at Whitehall, located between the C&D Canal and U.S. “There are approximately 15 55-plus communities now being built in Delaware,” said Fox & Roachreal estate agent and vice president, Jerry Strusowki, who said that demand is exceeding supply and that he sends out letters to established residents seeing if they are interested in selling to one of his clients. ![]() They are a development within developments that isn’t going away anytime soon. It attracts a slightly younger, more-active crowd of retirees looking primarily to downsize and to simplify their lives but who are not yet interested in on-site medical and care facilities. While retirement communities are hardly a new thing in Delaware, builders and buyers alike seem to be especially drawn to the 55-plus concept, where most residents must be at least that age. Route 301 is now a limited-access highway that has been nicknamed the “Middletown Autobahn.” And the fastest growing crop is not corn nor beans, but housing developments, especially 55-plus communities. Now, just over 20 years later, Middletown has almost quadrupled in size to 23,000 residents. And the most-exciting happening each spring was seeing whether the local farmers were going to plant soybeans or corn. Route 301 meandered through its western edges like a cow ambling across a meadow. In 2000, this northernmost town south of the C&D Canal had a population of slightly over 6,000 people. If a local Rip Van Winkle woke up today in Middletown, he might find that, while he was snoozing, his farm had been turned into a residential community with a clubhouse and a pickleball court. ![]() The age-restricted communities are growing in popularity in Delaware. ![]() If you are shopping for a home, you have ready access to the largest inventory of homes.Rich Julian, president of Benchmark Builders, poses at the entrance to its 55-plus community, Traditions at Whitehall, near Middletown. If you are selling a house, our coordinated marketing program and large market share enables us to show your house to more prospective buyers quickly. Patterson-Schwartz offers you substantial value, whether you are buying or selling a home. Each Patterson-Schwartz sales associate draws on the company's collective experience to provide you with the highest level of quality service. We have developed the tools necessary to stay apprised of current market trends and can alter our strategies to suit the situation, no matter how quickly conditions change. We have been through many market cycles and know how to work in all conditions. When you buy or sell your home with Patterson-Schwartz, you benefit from the expertise we have gained over more than 50 years. We offer a full range of services including residential home sales, purchase and rental relocation services and property management. We are Delaware's largest independent REALTOR® with nine offices and over 450 full-time Sales Associates. Patterson-Schwartz sales associates offer you exceptional knowledge of market conditions and a commitment to represent you honestly and professionally. Since our founding in 1961, we have been committed to providing superior guidance and service to our customers. Patterson-Schwartz is the area's leading real estate company. ![]()
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