In the words of our friends and customers...

Chris,

As you know, we just moved in to our new home at Heritage Creek and we are extremely pleased with the result.  Your team has been with us every step of the way, listened to our suggestions, and everyone was incredibly responsive to any questions or issues that arose.  We were impressed with everyone’s thoughtfulness, the design, overall quality and the attention to detail. I doubt that we would have had a better experience or better value with any other organization or builder.  Your ad slogan “experience the difference” is truly on the mark.  

Both Judy and I would like to express our appreciation to everyone who worked with us including Erika, Joyce, Mark, Jerry, and Pat with special thanks to Melissa O’Neil and Pat Mulligan. We also want to thank everyone involved with the surprise house warming gift.  Our dog, Dudley, can now enjoy his fenced in back yard.  We let him loose on the first day and it was the first time we saw him run around since his crippling injury 1 year ago.  A special moment!

I didn’t have everyone’s email address so please pass this email on especially to anyone I may have missed.  Encourage everyone to keep up the good work.  Times will get better and I really believe that Heritage Creek is distinctive concept that will succeed.

Sincerely,
Neil and Judy Sands

One thing that struck us was how passionate Chris Schell’s vision is of Heritage Creek. It was neat to talk to him. We felt like he was not just a builder but a member of our community. That impressed us, and of course the construction and the reputation of Schell Brothers.

Mel and Sherri Bwint

We have spent the past two years looking at various developments throughout the Southern Delaware coastal region and kept coming back to Heritage Creek in Milton, each time with more compelling reasons that the total package was the right choice:

• the historic charm of the town of Milton
• the thinking that went into the design of the community site plan
• the ‘Miltonian’ inspired architecture of the model homes
• the quality of the materials, engineering, and construction of the homes
• the reputation of the builder and their commitment to the region
• most importantly, the entire staff at Schell Brothers, who were knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate about getting things right!

The entire purchase experience has exceeded our expectations and the attention we have received throughout the process has been simply amazing! We highly recommend that anyone looking to build a new home in this region owes it to themselves to at least take a look at what Heritage Creek has to offer before they decide on their new home purchase.

Tom,

We want to thank you for a job well done. From the land clearing right up to the last issues, you have always been involved, kept us constantly informed through emails or phone calls, and gave us peace of mind throughout this process.

Schell Brothers should be proud of the excellent work as a project manager that you have done on this house.

Thanks again for making this a great experience.

Ron and Vera Sitze

Dear Chris,

Christina and I want to thank you again for the fabulous work the entire Schell Brothers crew did on our new home. We wanted you to know how much we appreciated the superb craftsmanship and professionalism of the entire Schell Brothers crew. They never disappointed us; on the contrary, they made the whole process enjoyable for Christina and I!

We want to especially thank Tom Krause and Matt Seiler for impeccable attention to detail, the way they always made us feel as though our house was their top priority, their accessibility to immediately address any questions or concerns we might have, successfully completing the house on schedule, and for their honesty and integrity. Tom and Matt are truly committed as you are to building a quality product. We feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such fine people. This home is our “dream home” but it is also the biggest financial investment we will probably ever make, so the fact that we could trust the Schell Brothers crew unconditionally throughout the entire process was paramount.

Please feel free to share this letter with your future clients, or to provide our name and phone number for reference. We would not hesitate to recommend Schell Brothers (and in fact, we already have!). Thank you again for everything.

Sincerely,
Mike and Christina Connors

Chris,

We can finally see the light through the tunnel and will be moving into our new, wonderful home at Independence sometime during the week of June 15!

Both Liz and I met you briefly last August during the official opening of the clubhouse but haven’t spoken to you since. This is by no means a complaint but rather a compliment. Over the past 20 months we have been planning on moving to Independence and with each step we’ve taken and with each different person from your organization that we’ve met, we’ve encountered nothing but great feelings, honesty, warmth, and a sense of pride and knowledge with courtesy and accommodation that surpassed everything. Maybe now you can understand why you are to be complimented! Without those types of attributes coming from the top down, we the clients probably would never be writing you this testimonial in email form. But, without things going to your head, Schell Brothers would not be the institution it is today without the personnel in your organization “hearing” from you about how a business should be run. As the old adage goes, “the recipes that you create yourself are the ones that are the best.” Both Liz and I feel that your organization is one great recipe.

We would be remiss if we didn’t personally mention the names of your work force who have consistently and equally impressed us with their knowledge and expertise, sense of humor, pride in what they’re doing, diligence, and most of all their unwavering service to their customers! It was as if nothing was ever impossible for these people because they believed in what they were doing and worked hard to achieve it for the two of us.

We can’t say enough about Lisa, Dave, Jordan, Beth, Erika, Gillie, Tom, Matt, Tina, and Jill! These 10 individuals are absolutely amazing! They have made purchasing this house a most pleasurable and unforgettable event in our lives. They all seem to espouse that if you take care of the “little” things, you’ll never have to worry about the “big” things. Liz and I have never had to worry about any “big” things because of these 10 people. It’s as if each of these people has adopted the motto that life is an occasion and they rise to meet that occasion everyday. In our lifetime, Liz and I can’t remember a process that we’ve been through that has given us more pleasure – and a sense of gratitude that we’ve gone through this journey with all of you. There has never been a time over the past 18 months when we have not been impressed with your organization - and the real reason is the 10 people mentioned above!

We have often heard about your early Friday morning beach meetings from these 10 people and how they have been motivated to do their best by the words that you impart to them. We’d like you to remember one thing to relay to them from us on your next beach encounter - and that is that in life one doesn’t necessarily remember days but one does remember moments. Your organization has given us countless moments that Liz and I will cherish and never forget as we move into our new home this coming June. Many thanks for your leadership - but special thanks really go to your crew who listen carefully to what you say at those early Friday mornings on the beach!

Bob and Liz Scannell

To Whom It May Concern,

My wife and I have been interested in your Independence community for quite awhile. Recently, we had the pleasure of meeting and working with Jamie Hudson. We were very impressed with her knowledge and expertise in the field. We would have been part of the Independence community a long time ago if we had met her then. She is a great asset to your team and displays the qualities that make your company shine above the rest.

Very Truly Yours,

Tom & Susan

Chris,

Good morning. Well, we finally settled on January 19, 2009, and it went very well. As you can well appreciate, the experience of building a home, and especially a retirement home, is very exciting, but at the same time it can be an overwhelming experience.

A retirement home in many ways represents the culmination of many years of hard work and sacrifices. It is a place where we can look towards fulfilling our dreams of finding joy and comfort in our later years. To build such a home takes time and patience and a willingness of all involved in the process to make this dream come true.

Phyllis and I would like to thank the entire "Indy" team for making this experience a special one for the both of us. From the first time we came to the Independence Community and were welcomed by Lisa Ruppert, Dave Smith and Jordan Gorsch in the sales office, we knew this was a special place. After seeing the models and community center we gained an appreciation for the vision that you and the Schell Brothers had for building not just a retirement community but a special place in Delaware that we knew we can be a part of in the years ahead.

The support we received from the "Indy" team in building our house was amazing. We cannot thank Lisa enough for helping us choose the right model for us, and her unyielding patience in helping us design the upgrades and changes to meet our personal preferences, and to Erika Fields in taking the time to get to know us and help us choose the right colors and interior choices for the house. And without doubt to Tom Krauss, the Project Manager and Matt Seiler, the Project Superintendent for working closely with us throughout the construction process. And certainly we cannot forget Tina Mulligan and her wonderful smile and enthusiasm in making us feel welcome and part of the community from the moment we signed our contract.

We had a vision for our retirement home, and through Lisa and Tom and the rest of the "Indy Team" listening to us and willing to work with us, our vision was fulfilled. We are truly delighted with the quality of the home and the care and detail that went into designing and building it.

We look forward in the days and years ahead to being a part of Independence and the special community that you are creating.

Sincerely,
Martin and Phyllis Bloom

Just wanted to say thank you for the service you provided for my unit at The Tides. It was over and above your job for customer service. Thank you for a job well done.

Pete George

Chris and Preston Schell,

My wife and I have been residing in our new Twinhome here in Breakwater since August of 2007. I just wanted to take a few moments to let you know how very pleased we are with the construction of our home and with the Community of Breakwater overall. We looked at many other builders and communities prior to making the decision to buy one of your homes. Our decision was based on the value offered both in the quality of construction and location of the Community. I had been in the construction business in my early years of employment and was most impressed with the basic construction and standard features offered that many builders charge extra for. The Energy Star Rating was also a determining factor especially in today’s energy conscious environment. We have had some minor issues just after settlement, as is the case in all new construction, but all issues have been resolved and we presently are looking forward to many years of retirement in our wonderful home. The design is perfect for our needs and affords us privacy on the first level while providing a comfortable living area on the second level for our friends and family when visiting. The amenities in Breakwater are wonderful and we enjoy both the fitness center and pool area with our children and grandchildren.

I know the housing industry is suffering right now, but I feel strongly that it will recover within the year and that you will be enjoying increased sales based on the value and way of life you provide in the Community. We have recommended Breakwater to our friends who are contemplating retirement in this area and would also be willing to share our experience with any prospective buyer you may have. We are just finishing up our painting and decorating and would like to show you how beautiful our home is becoming. Please feel free to stop by anytime.

Best Regards,
Ray and Pat Scott

Dear Tom and Family,

Thank you so much for all of the extraordinary work you have done on our new house in Independence. Tom, your work ethic is beyond anything Bob and I have ever seen. Add to that your good nature and enthusiasm for your work—you are an incredible man! Please enjoy this token of our deep appreciation for your efforts to make our “dream home” a wonderful reality! Have a wonderful vacation and we are praying that your nephews team is successful.

Our best regards,
Janice and Bob Cohen

Jim and I have never regretted choosing Independence for our home. As a matter of fact, we were so sure that Indy was for us that we lost a $1,000 deposit that we put on a 55+ community north of Millsboro. We were the first to move into our home, the Harrison, last December. Buying from an artist's rendering and a printed floor plan was risky, but it all turned out fine when we got a first look at our home being built.

The Schell Brothers and the entire Indy team continue to work to make this a premier place to live for the 55 plus group. Our neighbors are great; we share information and participate in many of the activities offered to us. Some of us are retired and others still work. We love to dance, play cards, shoot a game of pool, swim, and use the work-out equipment. The residents of Indy are a generous and community-minded group too. I am a volunteer for Delaware Hospice, and when I asked my neighbors to donate towards this wonderful cause, and purchase a fully decorated holiday tree as part of Hospice's Festival of Trees fundraiser, they all stepped up, and when the numbers were tallied, I had more than enough for the donation. The excess dollars were used to purchase poinsettia plants for the patients' rooms.

Ann V. Athas

We have visited new urban communities in our travels and fell in love with the concept. We wished it was available to us in Sussex County Delaware, where we chose to retire. Thank you to Schell Brothers for being the forerunners of the complete Urban Community in Sussex County. We are really looking forward to a lifestyle that will afford us...

Beautiful surroundings, quality construction and products, the convenience of a quality food store, a REAL department store, interior design services, art galleries, gift shops, fine dining, or just a morning cup of coffee on our balcony or in the friendly coffee shop downstairs.

How charming it will be to watch Ice skaters in the winter (our own little Rockefeller) or enjoying the soothing warmth of the outdoor fireplaces around town. Later, we can join friends in the clubhouse for a glass of our own local winery produced vintage wines. (A little bit of Tuscany right in our own back yard)

We will enjoy shopping in a Norman Rockwell village, beautiful walks around town, sea breezes, the pool and a short ride to the beach. A hotel we can offer to out of town friends and family reunions. We look forward to a life where we can play, dine, exercise, shop and even have our own piece of the wine cellar without ever starting our car.

The Vineyards at Nassau Valley is a four season’s retreat we look forward to calling home.

Ralph and JoAnn Bernard

Dear Chris,

By way of introduction, my wife Sara and I are owners of a condo in Windswept. The purpose of writing you, and your organization, is to let you know how pleased we are with the service rendered by the customer service department during the first year of our ownership. While our contacts have been primarily limited to Greg and Joyce, we feel it’s safe to assume that you and the rest of your organization are equally efficient and cordial. Our thanks to you and your service group.

Best regards,
Mark and Sara Connor

It was never our intention to have our retirement home built. We were looking for existing homes in Delaware so that we would not have to “deal with a builder.” However, once we discovered the Heritage Creek neighborhood, Schell Brothers, and their home designs, our decision was finalized. During the contract, selections and construction phase we discovered:

• Homes are designed for optimum comfort
• Quality of materials is superior to those used by other builders (Be sure to examine the Standard Specifications)
• A wide variety of amenities and upgrades
• Many standard features which other builders consider upgrades as extra charges
• Quality of construction was evident at each inspection of completed work
• A staff of professionals who are willing to work cooperatively with each buyer

When our nearly completed home was destroyed by an arson fire, our confidence in Schell Brothers was reinforced because of their willingness to work with us, their support, and their dedication to an acceptable resolution. We never had to “deal with this” on our own. As we await the completion of our home (yes, we are having the home rebuilt by Schell Brothers), we see the details of the features that provide pleasurable aesthetics to this unique neighborhood.

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald

As you know, my wife Beckie and I recently purchased a lot and built a home at Breakwater. I want to relate to you our experience during the construction phase of the project.

Although we were very excited about our dream home, we had many concerns about undertaking a project of this expense such a great distance from where we currently reside. We put a lot of effort into selecting our home and the upgrades. The employees of Schell Brothers were very patient and spent a great amount of time with us in person, on the phone and by email in advance of, and during construction. After contemplating two start dates, we decided at the end of last year that we would break ground the beginning of this year (2009).

We learned that Jeff Anemone would be the construction superintendent of our home. His reputation was that he treats the homes he builds as though they are his own. When we met with Jeff at the preconstruction meeting, it was obvious that he took his job seriously and was concerned about the quality of the projects he managed. He told Beckie and me following the meeting not to worry because he would take care of our home. While his reputation and comment reassured us that every attempt would be made to present a quality product at the end of construction, we were still uneasy about the project. In addition, this was our first experience building a home, which added to our overall apprehension. During construction, Jeff was always available by email and phone. He took time away from his family on weekends to address concerns and demonstrated great patience answering many questions. He always took the reasonable approach to resolve issues, while never forgetting he was a Schell representative who was concerned about customer service. Little time passed before Beckie and I trusted and respected Jeff’s service and opinions. His actions spoke much louder than words.

Jeff was present during the final walk-through on June 29, 2009. It was a great feeling to have Beckie’s and my excitement match Jeff’s pride is his completed project. He was looking forward to seeing our reactions to our new home and took great pleasure in explaining many of its features. The few items that were placed on the punch list neither upset nor concerned Beckie and me: however, Jeff was extremely apologetic about the issues and assured us they would be addressed in a timely fashion.

Schell Brothers has every reason to be proud of Jeff and his professionalism. He truly did treat our home as his own and took his responsibility personally. Beckie and I tell prospective buyers at Breakwater, even our friends in Johnstown, about Jeff and how he reduced the stress of our building experience. Jeff did “take care of our home.”

Please convey our thanks to Jeff for a job well done!

Sincerely,
Andy Mollura

We were initially attracted to the  "Jackson's" beautiful Arts and Crafts exterior design, but we were equally pleased by its roomy, open floor plan.   It has just the right mix of the traditional and contemporary designs that we had hoped to find.

-Michelle & Bob Burakiewicz

We know nothing about building so we wanted a builder we could trust. Schell Bros and Echelon Custom Homes have a solid reputation in the community where they live. We thought building a home may be too stressful, but Schell Bros made it easy, even pleasant! Schell Brothers has a great team of knowledgeable and responsive people who helped us every step of the way. And the best part? We have a beautiful new home that was finished on time! Schell Bros had just what we wanted - great home - large dining room, separate recreational area for kids, customized the house a bit to meet our needs great community - nice pool and exercise room, great new neighbors great location - near town, bike trail and beach. Our happily ever after starts here...

-Tom and Susan Kelly

We are sooo pleased with the house so far! How nice to have such a good experience with building, I hear horror stories sometimes from friends on their building projects, I will surely be recommending you guys.

Dear Mr. Schell,

Judy and I are new proud #2 lot owners in Independence. Hopefully, we'll meet you at some point.

We wanted to let you know how fortunate you are to have the quality of employees on the "front lines".

Jaime, is a "gem" with Michelle helping as well. Their patient enthusiasm was refreshing and carried throughout the process.

Erika is equally talented with the unique ability to blend details with a smile and enthusiasm. Her broad knowledge made an arduous task pleasureable.

As a retired sales manager, I found it inspiring as I hope you do.

Yours truly,

Larry and Judy

“Schell offered us a wide range of base houses to customize. As we move into our retirement we have a combination of specific needs (e.g. first floor living) in combination with the personal desire to customize our home (e.g. gourmet kitchen but standard carpeting for the grandkid rooms). The Schell formula has allowed us to obtain our desired custom home at very reasonable pricing.“

Dear Josh, Mark, Jordan and Phil

We thank you so much for your thoughtful house warming present to us of the mirrors I loved! I hope Schell Bros knows what an amazing team you all are! You made this whole process all a great experience. Each of you are so professional yet at the same time friendly and eager to help. That is an awesome combination of people skills.

Again, thank you for everything, I am hanging the mirrors today (I found my laser level last night!) Please stop by anytime, we are really happy here, you all make dreams come true!

Donna, Pete, Rudder and Coco

We are proud new homeowners in Heritage Creek. Our experience from beginning to end has been professional and "family oriented". Patty kept us informed and helped us understand the process so we could have our "dream home". John Cristaldi is a true gem. He has answered all questions in a timely fashion and surprised us with a few additions in the house. We LOVE our bedroom ceiling, thanks to John. He rocks!

-Paul and Frank Costanzo