Thanks to Twitter and Schell Brothers (@SchellBrothers) we learned this week that Delaware is officially the best place to retire. Kiplinger’s Magazine researched the total tax burden — income taxes, property taxes and sales taxes — for a typical retired couple in each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. And the results are clear: Delaware retirees pay far less in taxes than retirees living anywhere else in the country.

Retirees who live on a fixed income need to choose their place of retirement wisely. With taxes sometimes taking a big chunk of the household budget, retirees should look for areas that offer low taxes overall, and a state with no income tax (like Florida or Texas) isn’t always the answer.

Kiplinger’s factored in the finances, expenses and incomes of a hypothetical couple with each state’s average home price and compared the “retirement tax bite” state by state. Living in Delaware, the average retired couple enjoys zero income tax, zero sales tax and relatively low property taxes. According to Kiplinger’s a couple in Delaware can expect to pay about $543 a year in taxes.

Taxes in the runner up state, Alaska, are nearly double that at $1,032 and in Pennsylvania, the country’s least tax friendly place for retirees, couples can expect to pay about $7,391 in taxes. For all the results and details, check out the original article here.

You can read the whole blog here.

We’ve been saying it for a long time, and finally it’s catching on! Delaware IS the best place to retire in the US! Read more about why Delaware is for you over at Delaware4U.

Recent media reports about a national housing slowdown and possible real estate bubble obviously haven’t effected Schell Brothers’ workload. We are actually growing in size and have recently hired our 50th employee. June was a big hiring month for us with seven new employees starting.

We love this time of the year as we can accomplish so much more with longer days and warmer temperatures. Each of our communities is alive with activity:

Breakwater hosted a Bar-B-Q last Saturday to show off the completed pool area. The whale slide in the kiddie pool was a popular place to be for the under-five set. The event was well attended by home owners and potential buyers. The party gave everyone a chance to get to know their new neighbors. If you are in the Lewes, feel free to stop by for a visit. The models are open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. The Provence model received some special attention a few weeks ago. The architect, nationally renowned Donald A Gardner, sent their Marketing Director and a professional photographer for a photo shoot. The pictures came out very well. We were excited about the attention we have received on these models.

Heritage Creek also has models that are open to the public. The community’s Grand Opening is scheduled for the first weekend in August to coincide with Milton’s 200th Anniversary celebration. Please come by for a tour!

Independence started construction a few weeks ago and already the skeletons of four houses have risen from the foundation. The community is very popular for those looking to live in a 55 and older beach community. The clubhouse is scheduled to start construction in August.

The pre-construction phase has started for The Vineyards at Nassau Valley. The team hosted a record number of guests at the Pre-Release Party recently held at The Vineyards. The guests participated in a Wine and Cheese Tasting while listening to a local youth Steel Band.

Stay tuned for more updates.