Blenheim Homes begins marketing final phase of Bay Crossing

Located on Route 1 near Midway Par Three and the Freeman Highway entrance to Lewes, Bay Crossing is a community of commercial and condominium complexes near the highway and single-family homes nestled behind them and up against state-protected open space.

A Newark firm that also developed Pilottown Park and The Reserve at Pilottown in Lewes, Blenheim parceled out previous sections of Bay Crossing to Schell Brothers – for the condominiums – and Pulte Homes for the first phase of the 55-plus, single-family section.

This last phase of Bay Crossing – according to Dane Baiche, who is marketing the project through Prudential Gallo’s Lee Ann Wilkinson Group – includes 88 home and lot packages. The community also includes a clubhouse with fitness center, game room, library and craft room and an outdoor recreation area with swimming pool, tennis court, bocce court and paved walking trail.

Baiche said three model homes open for potential buyers emphasize demand for high-quality smaller homes. They range in size from 2,000 to 2,400 square feet and in price from $379,000 to $419,000. Many add-ons - such as sunrooms and cathedral ceilings - are also available, which can take the homes up to sizes as large as 4,000 square feet.

“We’re also looking at the possibility of adding a smaller model in the 1,600-square-foot range because of demand we’re seeing in the area,” said Baiche. “It will be designed to appeal to people looking for a lower price point - in the $350,000 range. The people looking at us aren’t interested in larger homes. We allow no children under 19, and the owners need less space.”

He said many people are looking at the models, mostly out-of-towners from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. “Most of them are from Maryland. They’re fleeing equally as high taxes as people are paying in New Jersey. They want to plant themselves here permanently but for now they can’t sell their homes where they live. They like Delaware. They say they feel their blood pressure drop 20 points when they cross the border,” said Baiche. “They can live here comfortably and have a nice town - Lewes – to be part of.”

Baiche said all of the Blenheim homes have basements, which adds storage, and all are designed to be energy efficient, including on-demand water heaters.

The homes include many high-end features such as hardwood floors and carpeting and granite counters in the kitchen. They are also designed to allow lots of natural light into the open-plan interiors.

“I’m optimistic,” said Baiche. “We sold three units last summer but for the past three months people have been sitting on their wallets. They think there’s more to come. I think we’re within five points of bottom. Mortgage rates are down at 5 percent and lower. If we get any kind of recovery in the stock market, I think things will turn around and the floodgates will open. I think people will put their money in real estate. It always has value and there’s lots of pent-up demand.”

Learn more at: www.blenheimhomes.com