The Schell Brothers family of companies – which also includes Echelon Custom Homes, Echelon Interiors, Zero Energy, and Renew-Energy Smart Renovations – walked away with 30 awards, representing nearly one-half of the 65 prizes handed out to builders during the evening.   The scope of honors presented to Schell Brothers spoke volumes about the company, a small homebuilder in Sussex County Delaware, as the gracious group received recognition in nearly every category.  Seven awards went to the Schell Brothers/Echelon in-house marketing team, including best image campaign and best websites for both a production and custom builder.  Echelon Interiors walked away with three honors for model merchandising in new Delaware homes, ranging from condominiums to single family residences.  Several individual team members were recognized for outstanding performance in categories that included selections coordination, sales, and project management for Delaware new construction.  The grand finale of the evening was the announcement of the outstanding residential communities in Delaware, grouped by price range.  Schell Brothers took home three grand finale awards for Breakwater in Lewes, Independence in Millsboro, and Heritage Creek in Milton.  Independence received honors as the best active adult community in Delaware.

When asked to comment on receiving the unprecedented number of awards, Chris Schell, owner of Schell Brothers, was quick to give credit where it was due, “I couldn’t be more proud of our company than I am right now,” Schell said.  “This night really shed light on how far we’ve come as a company and how much we have accomplished together.  It’s been an awesome journey and this is just the beginning.  If we can achieve this kind of success in the worst real estate market in history . . . just think what we can do during the recovery.  This team is capable of extraordinary things.”

Schell Brothers is located at 55 Cascade Lane, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Twin brothers Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for home building excellence and responsible land use in Coastal Delaware. For more information about Delaware homes for sale by Schell Brothers, please visit www.schellbrothers.com or call 302-226-1994.

Amid the expected attendees at the event were three star-struck representatives from Schell Brothers, a small homebuilder in Sussex County, Delaware.  One of the three, Christina Wagamon, summed it up best, “This night is bigger than life – it’s like the Academy Awards for homebuilders.”  During the evening, Schell Brothers emerged as the beloved underdog, with the MC playing victory music as the women were called to the stage to accept their first award.  In a room full of Industry Goliaths, Schell Brothers surprised all by winning not one, but two National Gold Awards: Best “On the Boards” Single Family Detached Home for The Milton model at Heritage Creek in Milton, and Best Interior Merchandising for The Mariner model at The Retreat at Love Creek in Lewes.  In addition to the two coveted gold awards, Schell Brothers walked away with three National Silver Awards including Best Custom Home and two Best in American Living Awards.  According to Wagamon, it’s extremely rare for any company from Delaware to win a single National award, so for one small Delaware homebuilder to win seven in one year is a classic Cinderella story.

The story of how Schell Brothers shared the room at such a big event with homebuilding giants and waltzed away with some of the highest accolades started quite simply and has remained true to its original purpose.  When asked why he left a lucrative career on Wall Street to start Schell Brothers, Chris Schell responds “Sometime in my sophomore year in college I realized that many people sacrifice happiness in an effort to achieve monetary wealth.  I promised myself I would never do that.  One night I realized I was doing exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t . . . the next morning, I made a clean break and decided to pursue a life of happiness doing what I love, building homes.”   As a result, Schell Brothers was born.  When asked how Schell Brothers has managed to remain profitable during the housing downturn, Schell remarked, “Ironically, I think we remained profitable by not focusing on profit but instead on customer happiness . . . while every other builder was reducing the quality and appearance of their homes to cut costs, we stayed focused on maximizing customer happiness . . . everything else just sort of fell into place.”

Upon winning the national awards, Schell was quick to give credit where it was due, “I am not surprised that the Milton plan won a national award; Rebecca Fluharty is a master of design, and Joni’s merchandising magic is unmatched.  The whole team is so deserving of these awards.”

Schell Brothers is located at 55 Cascade Lane, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Twin brothers Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for home building excellence and responsible land use in Coastal Delaware. For more information about Delaware homes for sale by Schell Brothers, please visit www.schellbrothers.com or call 302-226-1994.

Rebecca Fluharty and Joni Hitchens with the GOLD!

Delaware New Home Builder Schell Brothers wins National GOLDS!

Best Interior merchandised by Echelon Interiors

Best “On the Boards” Single Family Detached Home designed by Rebecca Fluharty

Schell Brothers’ five Nationals Awards span a variety of categories ranging from home design to model merchandising, with two of the honors recognizing the achievements of the company’s prestigious affiliate known as Echelon Custom Homes.  Awards were presented to Schell Brothers/Echelon Custom Homes in the following categories:

• Best “On the Boards” Single Family Detached Home for The Milton model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek, designed by Rebecca Fluharty
• Best Product Design for a Custom Home:  Robinson Residence by Echelon Custom Homes  Home design by David W. Dutton (GMB Architects & Engineers)
• Best Interior Merchandising for a Model Priced Under $500,000:  Schell Brothers/Echelon Interiors for The Mariner model at the Retreat at Love Creek, merchandised by Echelon Interiors
• Best Website for a Builder:  Echelon Custom Homes, developed by Ivana Biela, Jeremy Bell and Mike Brown
• Best Clubhouse:  Independence Hall by Schell Brothers at Independence, Pat Mulligan, Project Manager

The 2009 Best in American Living Awards are recognized as the pinnacle of achievement in residential design.  Schell Brothers received Best in American Living Awards in the following two categories:

• Gold Award:  Best Single-Family Detached Home 1,801 to 2,400 sq. ft. for the Madison model by Schell Brothers at Heritage Creek, designed by Chris Schell
• Silver Award:  Interior Design in Best Community Facility 151 Units and over, Merchandised by Echelon Interiors

Schell Brothers is a Delaware home builder committed to providing new homes with energy efficiency, craftsmanship and curb appeal in communities that have lasting beauty and value.  In addition to building attractive communities, Chris and Preston Schell have set the standard for responsible land use and historical preservation in Coastal Delaware.  For more information about Delaware new homes for sale by Schell Brothers, please visit their website or call 302-226-1994.

Gold Award: Best Single-Family Detached Home @ Heritage Creek

Best Interior merchandised by Echelon Interiors

Best Clubhouse: Independence Hall Active Adult Community Delaware

Best “On the Boards” Single Family Detached Home designed by Rebecca Fluharty

Best Product Design for a Custom Home: Robinson Residence by Echelon Custom Homes

Best Website for a Builder: Echelon Custom Homes

Schell Brothers is pleased to announce the location of their new office. On Friday, November 16 the corporate headquarters will reside in the community of the Villas at Bay Crossing, 34634 Bay Crossing Boulevard in Lewes. With continued strong growth and 47+ employees, Schell Brothers was simply running out of room. Just minutes up the road from its prior building, Schell Brothers is excited with its new office and all of the space flexibility the company needs to keep pace with its growth. For more information contact the team at 302-644-8214 or www.schellbrothers.com

June 6, 2006

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware featured as one of the best places to retire by AARP – The Magazine

from AARP – The Magazine
Dream Towns
By Sarah Mahoney, July & August 2006

Summer living, all year long
REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE
Sonja and Hoyte Decker

Two years before they planned to retire, Sonja and Hoyte Decker settled on the Delaware coast as their retirement destination. Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland, near where Hoyte worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the two had been spending weekends and vacations on the sandy beaches of the Maryland and Delaware shores for years. But they liked friendly little Rehoboth Beach best of all. Just three hours from friends and their daughter in Washington, D.C., it was also reasonably close to Hoyte’s two children from a previous marriage.

But finding their retirement house was challenging: Rehoboth Beach itself is only about one square mile, with fewer than 1,500 full-time residents. Housing costs—as in many beach communities—were sky-high. “Houses were just too expensive, even in the late 1990s,” says Hoyte, 65, “or else they were just small cottages, or they weren’t winterized. We decided against buying an existing home. We had retired without a mortgage—that had always been our goal. And we wanted to keep it that way,” he says.

Instead, when Hoyte retired in August 1998, the couple decided to build their own retirement home. They didn’t waste any time, either. By September they had purchased a lot. By December they had contracted with a builder. And by Memorial Day 1999 they moved in. It’s been one long beach season ever since.

The Deckers aren’t the only retirees flocking to the area. With a median age of 57, and 38 percent of the population over 65, Rehoboth and the surrounding communities are a retiree’s haven. That trend shows no sign of slowing: Delaware expects its 65-plus population to increase 75 percent in the next 25 years.

What makes Rehoboth Beach magical, of course, is the beach. “Walking along in the early morning, it’s like having the ocean to yourself,” says Sonja, 61. “There are dolphins all summer long, different kinds of birds—it’s beautiful. And it means that in the summer we have constant houseguests, which is great.”

Why the locals love it
Rehoboth Beach is a bargain
Housing in Rehoboth Beach proper is, admittedly, expensive, but the nearby communities of Long Neck and Milton are quite reasonable (and they’re still only a few miles from the beach). All Delaware residents can take advantage of the state’s super-low property taxes; plus, Delaware has no sales tax on goods, food, or entertainment. Social Security and railroad-retirement benefits are exempt from income tax, and taxpayers 60 and older can exclude up to $12,500 of investment and qualified pension income. Out-of-state government pensions also qualify for the pension and retirement exemptions.

Lifestyle perks
The Deckers love that they can walk everywhere—whether it’s on the beach, along Rehoboth’s mile-longboardwalk (circa 1873), or to the area’s little boutiques and more than 70 restaurants.

Great escapes
Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are within a three-hour drive.

Residents love
The small-town atmosphere and the constant events—from Christmas parades to the Annual Chocolate Festival. “Where else would I be able to know the mayor, the chief of police, and be able to be on the beach so much?” says Hoyte. “In Washington there were a lot of things to do, and I did a few. In Rehoboth there are not so many things to do—and we do them all.”

Average temperature in summer: 68° F

Average temperature in winter: 41° F

Number of sunny days per year: 96

Casual supper for two at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats: $30

Hot tickets: The Rehoboth Film Festival in November screens about 100 of the year’s best independent films, with a special $6 rate for seniors.

Schell Brothers’ Latest Community Promises Luxury Living Close to the Beach

Morning Star Business Report, April 2006

Ocean Atlantic Associates and Schell Brothers are developing a new resort-style community located in Lewes, Delaware on Gills Neck Road.

This new community, named Breakwater in reference to the nearby Junction and Breakwater nature trail, will feature a diverse mix of coastal-style housing comprised of townhomes starting in the $430’s, twinhomes starting in the $540’s, and newly-released custom single family homes starting in the $570’s.

In addition, the developers are planning a pool, walking trails and a state-of-the-art exercise facility for residents.

While designing this new community, the Ocean Atlantic team focused on integrating natural elements throughout the neighborhood to reflect its ideal location between the town of Lewes and the beach.

Water features will be prevalent within the community with nine ponds planned. The nearby Junction and Breakwater Trail will allow residents to follow the former Penn Central Rail Line that once transported passengers to the Atlantic coast. Currently over 3 _ miles long, the next phase of the Breakwater trail will extend the path to over 6 miles, connecting Rehoboth Beach to Lewes. In addition, the 185 total planned homes to be built at Breakwater by Schell Brothers, Breakwater’s award-winning builder, will take architectural cues from the traditional Victorian and craftsman-housing styles found throughout Lewes.

“Living at Breakwater will allow residents to become part of Lewes, one of the most scenic and historic towns in Delaware,” said Dave Burris of Jack Lingo Real Estate.

“With the 375th anniversary of Lewes this year, it’s a great time to experience both the small town charm and the natural beauty inherent to this area.” There are plenty of commemorative activities planned for the town’s 375th celebration, including a rededication ceremony at the original Zwanendael site, a Delaware Symphony Orchestra performance at the College of Marine Studies and a Tall Ships’ Festival where ships from all over the world will dock in Lewes.

For additional information on Breakwater please call (302) 645-2207 or visit www.breakwaterlewes.com. For additional information on the 375th anniversary of Lewes please call 302-645-8073 or visit http://375.historiclewes.org.

After winning nine Regal Awards, presented by the Homebuilder’s Association of Delaware in March, Schell Brothers was eager to share their thanks. The rapidly-growing, three-year-old construction company held their first annual Subcontractor Appreciation Party on Friday, April 7 at The Starboard in Dewey Beach, De.

Custom awards were presented to twenty local subcontractors for their superior service in 2005.

Honored were: