Let's move Mom up the road.
Sell the condo at Fleming Circle, buy 11 Kensington in the Yacht & Country Club outright, and stop the ~$10,000 a year in condo fees — mortgage-free, next to good friends.
11 Kensington Rd
The Two Homes
Nearly the same square footage. A very different way to live — and to spend.
Tap to enlarge
20274 Fleming Cir #89
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 · The condo
49 photos
11 Kensington Rd
Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country Club · 19971
Why This Is The Right Move
It's not just a nicer house. It changes the math on Mom's monthly life and protects what the property is worth long-term.
Own it free and clear
Roll the Fleming sale straight into Kensington and aim for no mortgage. We bought the condo for $425K; it's worth roughly double now — close to a 100% return we can put to work.
~$100K back in Mom's pocket
Kensington's HOA is about $200 a year — versus the ~$10,000 a year in condo fees Mom pays now. Over ten years that's roughly $100K that stops leaving her account.
Eyes on Mom
The house backs right up to the Gallaghers — close friends of ours. With Mom solo in the house, having people we trust on the other side of the fence is worth a lot.
Land that holds value
Our agent — who lives in the Country Club — sees strong long-term value in RBYCC single-family homes, and a condo whose price is "capping." Owning the land is the safer long bet.
What Our Agent Found at Kensington
Notes from our agent's visit and the seller's disclosure — the good, the to-do, and the offer strategy.
"If you just go into it knowing what it is — it's a great property. The bedrooms are a nice size, two decent living spaces, the screened porch is great. It's well-maintained inside, just a little dated."
The Numbers
The whole plan in four steps. Figures are working estimates from Zillow and the agent — to be finalized with the lender and attorney.
Sell Fleming Circle
Bought at $425K. Zestimate ~$848,500 (range $781K–$925K). Roughly double what we paid.
Buy 11 Kensington
Listed at $949K; agent's read is $875K–$900K. Offer written contingent on the Fleming sale.
We need to bring
To close on Kensington and own it free and clear. Here's how that $180K comes together:
What Mom stops paying
That's money that stays with Mom instead of disappearing into condo dues that keep climbing.
Who owns Fleming now
Ownership of the new home
With just the DePalmas' $100K in (and the $80K gap unfilled), here's where the new home's ownership lands. Drag the sliders to model what Katie and Bianca put in — and watch the split move.
Delta shown vs. today's Fleming split. Assumes Fleming nets ~$840K rolled into the new home, the current 49% is split evenly between Katie & Bianca, and each person's ownership tracks their total contribution (rolled-in equity + new cash). Illustrative only — the final split gets papered with the attorney.
The Ask
There's an $80K gap to close the deal. You two have a real choice here — and neither answer is wrong.
Come in on the new house
- Cover the gap together (split it however works for you two)
- Hold — or grow — your stake in a property with long-term upside
- Help Mom land mortgage-free, next to friends
- Use the calculator above to see exactly how your share moves
Sit this one out
- The DePalmas cover the full $180K to get it done
- Ownership of the new house adjusts to reflect contributions
- Mom still gets the house and the savings — no pressure on you
Whatever you choose, the goal is the same: a better, safer setup for Mom. Let's talk it through before we go back to the agent — the final equity split gets papered with the attorney so it's clean and fair to everyone.
Next Steps
Kensington's been on the market about three weeks — if we want it, we move soon.
You two weigh in
Read this, sleep on it, and tell me whether you want in on the $80K — and if so, how you'd like to split it.
Agent walks Mom's place
He can be at Fleming on a half-day's notice. We'll need a real declutter and a little staging — Mom's been kicking the can on that first-floor paint, so let's get it moving.
Write the offer on Kensington
Target $875K–$900K, contingent on selling Fleming. Agent thinks we can be a little aggressive.
Close & move Mom up the road
List Fleming, close both, and get Mom settled behind the Gallaghers — mortgage-free.