Seathorn Path, Palm Coast

Still a lot of empty lots on street, with several completed homes still for sale or rent. Prices have fallen as Palm Coast real estate market crashed after unreal growth and speculation frenzy a couple years ago, and there are a lot of great deals to be had on houses already completed by builders left holding the "spec" bag. Many sellers unable to sell in a market loaded with empty homes have turned to rental for short term cash flow, and the prices for rentals here are MUCH less than just 10 miles away in Ormond/Daytona area and you're getting a new house to rent and good value for the dollar.

Mix of older retired couples and young families, with an overall friendly vibe on the street and no "problem" houses, but is lacking the warmth found in older, established areas. Most everyone smiles and waves as you drive by, but we're been here almost a year and barely have met our neighbors despite trying to introduce ourselves to several right around us. No one is hostile, just kind of a "mind your own business" street in general.

Renters occupy about half the street and I think there is some natural fear/distrust between homeowners and renters, which is sad as not all renters are bad people!

Only a few families on the street with kids, although a recent move-in added teen children who spend a lot of time on skateboards in the street with buddies, and there are some younger kids at play on bikes as well. For the most part, everyone on the street seems aware of the kids at play and keeps an eye out for them while driving on the street.

Speaking of driving on the street - there are NO streetlights in this area and streets are DARK at night. Couple that with odd designed streets with (unmarked) grass medians on only parts of the street (usually right after a curve too) and driving at night can be trying. You must also be on the lookout for wildlife as well.

My wife has had to stop for deer crossing many mornings on her way out to work, and we have seen deer, wild pigs, armidillo, rabbits, snakes, and the usual assortment of Florida bugs around the area.

The area in general is nice and peaceful, UNLESS they happen to be building one of the new homes on one of the dozens of currently empty lots around you. In that case, expect to be treated to the constant "beep-beep-beep" of bulldozers and other construction gear from 7am-sunset for several months per house. It it is being built really close to you, further expect long days of latino spanish music from the boombox that construction workers play every darn day, and always too loud.

I actually like the area in general and for the price, the value was impossible to pass up when compared to old homes just a few miles down the road in Volusia County.

It is in an area called SEMINOLE WOODS for a good reason - you are in the woods with pine trees everywhere. There is a huge new retail complex planned for SR100 and Seminole Woods Blvd. in the future, but at the moment, it is 6 miles to any fast food or shopping. Very isolated feeling compared to more suburban/dense/populated Volusia County. Hospital is already at SR100, so that is a good thing!

One of my biggest concerns is that Palm Coast in general is NOT a small/home business friendly area, AT ALL.

Designed to be a retirement community before the real estate market morphed it's development, it still holds on to stringent old-school home association style rules that make even a simple home office (talking about just a computer, desk, phone- no walk-in customers or impact on street traffic!) occupational license an expensive fiasco involving a lot of expense, multiple inspections, and revealing your private information to neighbors via a yard sign notice! Positively stone-age home biz policy when compared to other more cyber-savy progressive communities who get the new economy where people work from home on thier computers, and all you do is pay a 40 dollar license fee and they issue you a paper, no muss and no fuss. NOT the way it's done here, so check the Palm Coast website if you are working from a home office or (God Forbid!) drive a work vehicle home at night that has signage on it.