Our Story
Merritt &
Shawn
Two complementary perspectives, one deeply personal approach to Coastal Delaware real estate. Merritt brings generations of local knowledge and investor experience; Shawn brings a builder's eye, market strategy, and calm negotiation.
Shawn McDonnell
Associate Broker
A Philadelphia native and Rutgers University graduate, Shawn spent his college summers working in Rehoboth Beach before moving to the beach full-time in 2009. He ran a historic home restoration company with his father — restoring homes from Old New Castle to Rehoboth Beach — and he inspects every property with a builder's eye.
Shawn joined his wife Merritt on the Carrie Lingo Team in 2017 and has been one of the top-selling REALTORS® in the State of Delaware since. He holds the NAR Resort and Second Home Property Specialist certification.
Merritt Cooch
REALTOR®
An 11th-generation Delaware native, Merritt's family history traces back to Cooch's Bridge — the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Delaware happened on her family's land. Originally from New Castle, she earned her B.S. in Health Behavior Science from the University of Delaware and built her career in Rehoboth Beach property management.
A Zillow Premier Agent and active real-estate investor, Merritt joined the Carrie Lingo Team in 2016. In its “Faces of Delaware 2025” profile, Delaware Today recognized her as “The Face of the Next Generation of Delaware Beach Real Estate,” highlighting her fresh perspective, local knowledge, network, and warm personality.
Real Coastal Experience
This is home,
not a market we visit.
Merritt and Shawn live, work, invest, renovate, and raise their family at the Delaware beaches. Their advice comes from the same decisions their clients face: where to buy, what to improve, how a property will live year-round, and what makes a coastal home hold its value.
Adelmare, Merritt's family's 1929 Rehoboth Beach house, has been part of her story for generations and was the setting for their wedding in 2015. Sharing that home with guests for more than a decade gives them practical insight into historic properties, hospitality, and the realities of owning near the beach.
Jack Lingo REALTOR®
Founded in 1974, Jack Lingo REALTOR® is the most trusted name at the Delaware beaches. As an Associate Broker and a REALTOR® on the Carrie Lingo Team, Shawn and Merritt represent the highest standards of professionalism and client service.
Office: 1240 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958