[JuneBug1019]

We are a Coast Guard Family and just received orders to New Smyrna Beach. We are currently in Alaska and will not be able to make a trip out to scope aut the area and find a rental home. Also, we may not have a lot of extra time once we get there to find a place and were planning to secure something before we leave here.

With that in mind, we've been doing some research and talking to local realtors and Coastie families that already live in the area. We have gotten a different story and opinion from every single person we've talked to!!!!!! Please help us narrow down where to live!

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
1. Safe, clean neighborhood where kids can play outside safely (w/supervision) and maybe ride bikes on sidewalks or on quiet street
2. Nice sized yard and not right next to neighbors' houses
3. I prefer not to be directly next to water for fear of kids slipping out of house and drowning (or risk of gators???), but don't mind being within walking distance of water - unless we'll be forced to evacuate 10 times a year !
4. Don't know if golf courses there are still using tons of toxic chemicals to keep grass green, etc, that would be something I would want to avoid if it's a problem there
5. I would love to be in a community that is friendly and open, where neighbors still speak to each other.

Other than that, we are very flexible about where we live, whether in New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange or Edgewater - we would like to stay close to DH's work location. I would LOVE some locals' opinions. We have no idea where to focus our search! THANKS THANKS THANKS!

[JuneBug1019]

bumping this - I need HELP!

[sunrico90]

Do we have members that can provide an answers to the questions?

Thank you

[JuneBug1019]

BUMP-ing this again...where are the Volusia Cty folks???

[SensibleDeb]

Hi There!
Here is one more opinion to add to the realtors and other coasties. If you don't want to evacuate much then pick a home on the West side of the River. We have lived in the area for over 20 years and only evacuated once during the 2004 season; never had to before or since and the damage to the area west of the river was minimal.

In Edgewater, there is a community called Florida Shores. The cost is reasonable, the neighborhood elementary schools are safe, the people are friendly, two grocery stores are in the community and there are no homeowner association fees. The median family income there is less than 30,000. It is a small town with a small town feel. It is 10 minutes to New Smyrna if that. New Smyrna and Edgewater borders are right on top of each other, so that you pass from one to the other without knowing unless you notice the signs. Local restaurants are pretty good, the Dustins BBQ is one of the best on the planet. If the kids are old enough for Middle and High School, then they will go to the ones in New Smyrna even if you live in Edgewater, a 10 minute drive from Florida Shores; there are buses too. The new high school was just built about a year ago. My kids went to public school here and are in college with academic scholarships, if that tells you anything about the school system.

In New Smyrna Beach, there is a brand new community West of Interstate 95, about 15 minutes drive from the coast called Venetian Bay. It is very nice, a little more upscale with homeowner fees. It does have a golf course. The closer you get to the water in New Smyrna, the homes are either older or very upscale; wealthy and poor right next to each other. I don't prefer it myself, but others may have a different take. It is a realtively safe city, I just prefer the neighborhoods south in Edgewater or north in Port Orange. New Smyrna has a Walmart, K-mart and Home Depot as well as grocery stores and a 12 screen movie theatre. Restaurants vary from local fish haunts to chains like Shells or Outback Steakhouse. The beach approach to use is the 27th Ave approach; from there you go left to actually drive on the beach or right to walk on a beach without traffic. The beach is very family oriented.

In Port Orange, there is a lot of growth. The city is outgrowing itself fast and the traffic is horrific in my opinion. The schools are considered by some to be better. According to builders in the area, Port Orange is the most difficult to deal with concerning really ridiculous codes on what you can and cannot do as opposed to anywhere else in Volusia County. However, homeowners seem happy. There are more retail shopping and restaurants here, but the drive from New Smyrna is 10 minutes and from Edgewater it is 20 minutes. Not far to drive if you ask me.
Welcome to our area!

[JuneBug1019]

Thank you Deb! I appreciate you taking the time to give us so much great info!
Jennifer

[Xrac]

If anyone ever needs info on NSB shoot me an email danm(at)ucnsb.net been here for over 15 years, live and work here.

[itsmeitsme]

If you want ur kids to grow up to be thugs and pill poppers, move to Florida Shores or anywhere else in Edgewater. And where do you think the kids get their pills? Home. Not a month went by w/o my kid asking if a friend could move in cause the parents kicked 'em out. NSB has 2 sides - beachside and mainland. Alot of beachside residents rarely cross the bridge and driving to Daytona is considered too far. Pt Orange's h/s has been rated very well, while NSB/Edgewater's has not. There are new homes by Taylor Rd in Pt Orange. Some places west of 95 in Daytona are new. You should google earth the area. I live in NSB on lots of acres w/a canal in back. NSB mainland has alot of areas built along Turnbull Bay and it's tributaries. And Volusia Co. has a few dozen golf courses.

[itsmeitsme]

PLUS
there are alot of good deals on homes here. there were alot of speculators/house flippers that got caught on the wrong side of the housing slump. lots of foreclosures and short sales.

(in no way am i celebrating that)

[pgee323]

I don't really know that it's constructive to be telling people about families private and personal issues when someone is simply asking about the community. I have lived between Oak Hill and New Smyrna Beach since I was born (in 88') and really resent that you would send out the message that everyone's children in this town are druggies.
That is so far from the truth. I don't care where you go in this country, you will find families and you will find drugs...it doesn't mean that if you move here your kids will end up in rehab.
I personally have lived in several homes in Florida Shores (as the economy has changed so have my homes) and have never had or seen any incidences that would make me ward off anyone.