Coastal Delaware Real Estate

Merritt & Shawn

Deep Delaware roots. Construction expertise. Personal guidance from Rehoboth Beach to the coast.

Meet Merritt & Shawn

Two perspectives.
One coastal standard.

Coastal expertise is more than knowing the map. It is understanding how a home was built, how a neighborhood lives, and what will still matter years after closing.

Our story

A husband + wife team · Coastal Delaware

Merritt

+ Shawn

A Delaware life.
A builder's eye.

Local roots · Investor's perspective
Construction fluency · Broker's strategy

11thGeneration Delawarean2017Top-selling since
Merritt Cooch and Shawn McDonnell together on Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Beach · Delaware

Deep roots · Clear perspective · Personal guidance

Merritt Cooch, REALTOR® at Jack Lingo REALTOR®

11th-generation Delawarean

Local roots. Modern perspective.

REALTOR® · Investor · Delaware native

Merritt
Cooch

An 11th-generation Delaware native, Merritt combines a lifetime of local context with hands-on experience in Rehoboth Beach property management and real-estate investing. She helps clients understand not only where to buy, but how a property can perform and live over time.

11th-generation DelawareanZillow Premier AgentFaces of Delaware 2025
Meet Merritt

Associate Broker · Construction perspective

Shawn
McDonnell

Shawn built his coastal knowledge from the foundation up, restoring historic homes with his father across Delaware. That construction perspective informs every showing, pricing conversation, inspection, and negotiation—giving clients practical clarity before consequential decisions.

Top-selling since 2017Resort & Second Home SpecialistHistoric restoration
Meet Shawn
Shawn McDonnell, Associate Broker at Jack Lingo REALTOR®

Builder's eye · Broker's strategy

Construction fluency. Clear counsel.

Lewes Beach on the Delaware coast

December 2024 · Faces of Delaware

Delaware Today

Merritt Cooch and Shawn McDonnell

Pictured · Merritt & Shawn

Local perspective.Statewide recognition.

In the press · 2025

Recognized by Delaware Today for a new generation of local perspective, market fluency, and personal representation.

Feature 01Delaware Today · 2025

“The Face of theNext Generationof Delaware BeachReal Estate.”

“A proud 11th-generation Delawarean, Merritt approaches real estate with a fresh perspective.”

Excerpt · Delaware Today partner feature

Read the feature

Latest from @merrittandshawn

Life at the coast.

New listings, local places, renovations, and the everyday moments that make Coastal Delaware home. This view updates automatically whenever Merritt and Shawn share on Instagram.

Live from InstagramLatest six posts

Proof in the work

Local depth.
Measurable results.

Luxury is not a price point. It is the standard of preparation, perspective, and care brought to every decision before the keys change hands.

40 Beach Avenue, a documented Merritt and Shawn sale

Documented performance · 2023—2026

Merritt & Shawn

40 Beach Avenue · Rehoboth Beach · $4.5M sale

$60M+

Sold since 2023

Verified across documented closed sides

70+

Homes closed since 2023

11th

Generation Delawarean

2017

A top-selling Delaware REALTOR® since

Construction fluency · Market strategy · Calm negotiation

Merritt & Shawn | Coastal Delaware Real Estate

With The Carrie Lingo Team at Jack Lingo REALTOR®

Cinematic property marketing

Every home deserves
a point of view.

Merritt & Shawn use cinematic storytelling to make setting, craftsmanship, and coastal lifestyle impossible to miss.

04Films04Settings01Standard

Deep roots. Builder's eye. A campaign built to move.

The Carrie Lingo Team · Jack Lingo REALTOR® · trusted at the Delaware beaches since 1974

View the film archive

The Delaware beaches

Six towns.
One coast.

From historic Lewes to the quiet resorts, every town has its own rhythm. Explore the places Merritt and Shawn know by block, season, and shoreline.

Find the place that feels like yours.

What clients are saying

Merritt was our lead agent and an absolute pro — she toured us through numerous homes across Sussex County and brought real investor insight to each option. When we landed on the right place, she zeroed in on the key details, structured a compelling offer, and moved quickly — helping us win a very favorable deal.

Google review

Jack Lingo Lewes

Read More
Merritt Cooch and Shawn McDonnell at Rehoboth Beach

Local knowledge · Personal counsel

Community & philanthropy

Rooted here.
Giving back here.

The coast is not a market Merritt and Shawn visit. It is the community they protect, serve, and call home.

Fort Miles Historical Area at Cape Henlopen State Park

Fort Miles · Cape Henlopen

Merritt · Historic preservation

Protecting the stories that made Delaware.

Merritt serves on the Fort Miles Museum and Cooch's Bridge historic preservation boards, helping safeguard the places and history that shape the First State.

Shawn · Animal welfare

A coast that cares for every kind of neighbor.

Shawn volunteers with local animal welfare efforts and hopes to establish a Southern Delaware sanctuary, inspired by his four rescue dogs—Winnie, Hunny, Buca, and Bear.

Yellow Labrador Retriever representing Shawn's local animal welfare work

Winnie · Hunny · Buca · Bear

Buy or sell at the Delaware beaches

Ready to make
your move?

Whether you are buying your place at the beach or selling a home you love, Merritt and Shawn bring local context, direct guidance, and a clear point of view to the next move.

Lewes Beach at the Delaware coast

Lewes · Rehoboth · The Delaware Beaches

Merritt Cooch and Shawn McDonnell

Merritt & ShawnCoastal Delaware Real Estate

Delaware TodayTop Real Estate Agents2026
Delaware TodayFaces of Delaware2025
NARResort & Second HomeSpecialist
ZillowPremierAgent
Top-Selling Realtors®State of DelawareSince 2017
Jack Lingo Realtor®Trusted at the BeachesSince 1974