Delaware’s Tale of 2 Luxuries: Coastal Beach Homes vs. Old Money Estates

True luxury doesn't always announce itself.While the San Francisco, Miami, and New York City luxury markets declare their status with record-setting deals and eye-watering price tags, Delaware keeps its luxury close the chest. The small state is not generally part of the national luxury conservation, but it should be.In June 2016, the statewide median listing price was $279,900. By June 2026, it had reached $499,450, a gain of roughly 78% over the decade. This outpaces the national gain of 66% over the same period, according to the latest Realtor.com® Luxury Housing Report."The market also held its [COVID-19] pandemic-era gains rather than giving them back," writes Realtor.com senior economist Anthony Smith in the report.Delaware's statewide median stood at $325,000 in February 2020, and climbed through the pandemic surge to a peak near $507,800 in May 2024. It has since settled only to $499,450, a mere 2% shave off its all-time high.Delaware is "a market that absorbed the run-up and kept it," writes Smith.The state, with only roughly 1 million residents, has two faces of luxury: the coastal region with its famous beaches, and historic Chateau Country, where former President Joe Bi...