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nene39, wow I LOVE your posts! I love it here too, our neighborhood is so quiet, no traffic.
We have been here for about 3 and 1/2 months now, and are still loving it.
Its not Orlando, but thats why we moved here. I wouldnt want to live in Orlando for anything.
Palm Coast in the perfect location...we are close to the ocean, we are within reasonable driving distance to major cities like Orlando, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona.
I look forward to living and probably retiring here!
My husband and I have decided to relocate our family out of NJ and after hearing nothing but good things about Palm Coast, we headed down there to take a look-see for ourselves. 6 days and 2500 miles later (yes, 2500 miles), we LOVED it and decided PC was a nice place to raise our family and plan to move there this summer. Now, after reading all the threads about Palm Coast, it has made me wonder whether I was driving around with a blindfold around my eyes the whole time or maybe I'm just insane. Living in northern NJ, PC is a different world to one extent yet a bit like taking a piece of "home" with you. First, most of the PC residents we met are from the NY/NJ/CT/MA area but WITHOUT the NY/NJ/CT/MA attitudes. Whether we were at the Winn Dixie, CVS or Dunkin Donuts, the people were extremely friendly, including the neighbors standing in front of their homes as we drove by, waving and asking if they can in any way help us. Second, the town was extremely clean and well maintained, as there wasn't any paper cups being flung out a car window, nor were the streets dug up and re-paved to the extent that you feel like you're riding down a roller coaster with your vehicle. Third, as we have 2 children ages 11 and 5, we drove by the public schools as well as followed some of the school buses as they dropped off the children. Immediately, we noticed the children were properly led out of school and into the buses, and they were dressed appropriately for school, meaning no pants half way down their bottoms with boxers hanging out for the world to see. I'm not saying that this "style" is not appropriate in any way, but I believe there is a time and place for it. There should be some level of respect towards these teachers, and I personally believe that this fashion style shows no respect at all, jmo. Also, as I mentioned we drove 2500 miles, we drove up and down, left and right, through all possible sections (R, W, P, U, B, F, C, L). Yes there were plenty of empty homes, but it seemed to me to be "over-built" and houses were sitting empty because of this surplus. What we also noticed was each section tendered to different age groups, i.e. R and B had plenty of children while not many were noticed in the F section. And yes, during the hours that schools let out, Belle Terre Parkway did become backed-up a bit. However, until you experience traveling 8 miles in 1 hour and 40 miles on any given day (yes, that is true), or getting stuck on the Cross Bronx Expressway on a Friday afternoon, I'll take the BTP back up any time. Yes there is limited shopping, however PC is located right in the middle of St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. Is it so hard to travel 20 minutes to get to a mall? A lot of people are already complaining about the "traffic" as it is now, could you image if there was a huge mall in PC?? What would people have to say about the traffic then?? I've also read about no "night-life". Based on what we saw, I would say that is a correct statement about PC. But again, you are not far from it. I would think that it just depends on what you want. I believe that most people from the NE region want to get away from all of these points listed above, and I believed Palm Coast was just that place. Please let me know what I am missing because I just don't understand all these negative threads.
P.S. About the "gang" shooting, isn't that the 2 boys from Orlando who stole a vehicle in Bunnell, and were caught by authorities in PC after the boys pulled a gun on authorities??? Or was this another "gang" incident?
And now since you've been there a few months, how's things going? Did you enjoy all the water? The construction traffic on 100? How about the recent aquiring of a public golf course that's going to take millions to get back in shape? What are your feelings on school uniforms? What about the new housing that still being built? Does PC need it's own Police force?
Compared to NJ anywhere in Florida is paradise. I moved to Palm Coast 2 years ago from Miami. I am planning on moving back to Miami this summer. PC is OK but there are a few things I do not like.
1. The beaches are horrible. Yucky sand, constant rough surf, desolate.
2. The job market sucks. Good luck getting $8 an hour.
3. There is nothing to do. Zilch. The local theatre is a DUMP. You have to go to Daytona for any action.
4. There is a lot of shoddy construction. Apparently during the recent boom, zoning went on vacation.
The new town center is a 20 year program, Red Wing, but it's moving on real fast. You really should try and visit Palm Coast instead of looking at aerial maps...LOL!!!
There is a new medical cardio center at the town center and specialty medical facilities right across at Pinnacles Drive, across Flagler Hospital.
There are plans underway for a multiplex cinema, the new Cobblestone Village Shopping Center has just opened up with bargains galore at Belk's dept. store, and you can't beat the shopping at Beall's by the Publix supermarket, even people from out of town goes there, for how can you beat a standard 70% off the regular price, plus another 40% off on certain days. I understand we have the only one of these Beall's in Central Florida, even out of state ladies buys from there, and it's not garbage brands, either. I have bought some Evan Picone's, Sag Harbor, Caribbean Joe's etc.,
Your Palm Coast of a long time ago is gone, Red Wing, and we're loving it here....
nene39, wow I LOVE your posts! I love it here too, our neighborhood is so quiet, no traffic.
We have been here for about 3 and 1/2 months now, and are still loving it.
Its not Orlando, but thats why we moved here. I wouldnt want to live in Orlando for anything.
Palm Coast in the perfect location...we are close to the ocean, we are within reasonable driving distance to major cities like Orlando, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona.
I look forward to living and probably retiring here!
Jen
That is wonderful, Jen, enjoy Palm Coast in good health!
Josie
I have been in Palm Coast for 4 years (this time) and lived here in the early 90's also. Palm Coast is a great place to live, yes, shopping has been limited and restaraunts are coming slowly however, Palm Coast hit a huge boom in 04-05 and the city was unprepared for the amount of homes and families rushing to PC to get in on the action! As I said I lived here in the 90's when Palm Coast had 1 light and no shopping except for the Old Wal-Mart (where Staples is now) I hated it here then! nothing to do, no where to go....it is much better now.
With the new Shopping centers coming I personally feel it is EXACTLY what we need.
I for one love PC it is still a very safe place to raise your children, schools are excellent. Remember no place is perfect! There is always going to be some crime, however, I lived in other towns and cities and this by far beats those places hands down! I don't know of any other place that has never had crime, drug addicts, break-ins. No one is exempt from crime.
Yes, I'm a damn Yankee from the weird state of NJ (Ocean County) & I plan on moving to Palm Coast (PC) eventually as I took the early out retirement from the Federal Government (US Navy - DOD) as a Mechanical Engineer with nearly 30 years of Federal Service. I'm only 49 years old but have had it with not only NJ - but the whole entire polluted, congested, cold NE quadrant of the USA. If you are considering doing any kind of move you should do what I did & make a Pros & Cons list as it will help shed light on things to help you better make a more positive & definitive decision. FYI, I have been all over the great Sunshine state of FL & when I found Palm Coast I instinctively felt comfortable & right away knew where my future home would be. The following is my current Pros & Cons list that I want to share with you but to do your own you need to tailor it to your own lifestyle, situation, etc. GOOD LUCK!!
The following are some of the cons & pros of moving to FL:
CONS:
Will be leaving family & friends.
I hate to leave my dad who is 90 (but then again he can't wait for me to move there to use as his own vacation retreat - FOR FREE).
Will be leaving behind friends (a bunch of backstabbers anyway).
NJ is one of the best states for treasure hunting (I'm a metal detectorist).
Will no longer be where there are 4 seasons (Who cares, I hate 6 months out of the year in NJ anyway).
Will be leaving my home state which I know well.
Will no longer have the type of woods where I can roam around in.
By leaving I will have to meet new people & make new friends (but this could be a good thing).
I will be all alone in FL (but girls in NJ suck. Hopefully girls in FL are better).
There is the fear & threat of tornados, hurricanes, tidal waves, etc.
PROS:
Will have a master bedroom with 2 walk-in closets, tub, shower stall, 2 different vanities (his & hers) & sliding doors; family room with front entrance mud room & glass sliding doors; living room with built-in wall shelves & sliding doors; large spacious open plan kitchen with island (electric stove, microwave, garbage disposal system, double sink, side-by-side refrigerator); laundry room with washer, dryer, counter & shelves; formal dining room; breakfast nook; large L-shaped partially covered patio with entrance to bathroom (or a screened-in lanai); driveway with parking for 6; 11 ft ceilings; fancy half-moon windows; many architectural features & upgrades; backyard reservation; quiet neighborhood; nice neighbors; no or less crime; best part of Palm Coast area (E section); 3 miles from the new Town Square; 8 miles from ocean; close access to I-95, RT 100 & RT 1 & more.
Will be living in a new, larger home with more amenities for practically the same amount as what I pay now.
Will have 4 bedrooms instead of 2 (Master, Guest, Office & storage).
Will have a full bathroom near the Master bedroom with walk-in closets, tub, shower stall, 2-sink vanity, cabinets & more.
Will have 3 bathrooms instead of 1.
Will have a family room, living room, formal dining room, breakfast nook, large patio, driveway with parking for 6, 11 ft ceilings, many architectural features & upgrades & more.
Will have a 3-car garage where I can park my car & use as storage.
Will have all new appliances (stove, refrig, microwave, dishwasher) w/ a Laundry room with new washer & dryer.
Will have more of a maintenance free yard with no more leaves or branches to contend with, no more cleaning cutters, bagging leaves, etc.
Will no longer have to pay rent for storage ($1245.48 saved per year.)
Will be living in nicer warmer weather resulting in being able to do more.
Will be away from road salt, no more freezing weather, ice, snow, blizzards, etc.
Will be in a new, more cheerful & positive environment (less stress & worries).
It will be a good way to get rid of the clutter.
I will be living near an airport, nice shopping centers, etc.
I will only be 8 miles from the beach (Flagler Bch - Atlantic Ocean).
I’ll live more normally in a new home & will be better organized.
Will have a pro office resulting in conducting a better eBay business.
Will be living where there is more freedom & fewer laws than NJ.
My pension money will go further because of all the tangible cost savings.
Will no longer have high heating bills.
There are a lot of wilderness areas to the south & north of Palm Beach to explore.
At the end of each year I have the option to move again to keep the cost of rent down & to avoid rent increases. (Yes, you can beat the rent system in FL).
With the nicer weather I can enjoy the out of doors more by metal detecting (MD’ing) the beaches, bike riding, walking, girl watching & more.
I can get a tan all year round & wear t-shirts & shorts & can wash my car.
Can have real plants in the home with outside tropical palm trees, flowers, vegetable garden & more all year around.
Will be in a home better constructed with better quality materials like granite, marble, slate tile, stucco, etc.
Can have people visit & stay with me as long as they want & they will have their own quest room w/ adjoining bathroom & easy access to kitchen.
I can finally buy all new furniture & stuff & interior decorate the house the way I want.
I've lived in Palm Coat for over 10 years- and I am from the same area as you in NJ- and I currently live in the neighborhood you are moving to...
Let me calm come of your cons......
Quote:
Originally Posted by AYankeeButARebelAtHeart
CONS:
Will be leaving family & friends.
I hate to leave my dad who is 90 (but then again he can't wait for me to move there to use as his own vacation retreat - FOR FREE).
Get dad to visit for the winter- he will love it here!
Will be leaving behind friends (a bunch of backstabbers anyway). LOL- I think you're being a brat
NJ is one of the best states for treasure hunting (I'm a metal detectorist). Two hours south of Palm Coast is the Treasure Coast- Indian River/Vero Beach/Stuart area. This is a very popular treasure hunting area. Google it.
Will no longer be where there are 4 seasons (Who cares, I hate 6 months out of the year in NJ anyway).
We do have 3 seasons in this part of Florida. Our famous, soupy summers, a nice fall & spring, and a few pretty cold days every winter (less than 15) Our leaves even change color around the holidays
Will be leaving my home state which I know well.
You will learn to know this area very well. It's alot like your beach towns here.
Will no longer have the type of woods where I can roam around in.
Sure you can. Graham Swamp, Tomoka Park, Princess Place, the new Lehigh Trail plenty of woods and you can roam.
By leaving I will have to meet new people & make new friends (but this could be a good thing).
This is a very friendly town. Join some clubs, play some sports, throw yourself out there and you will have a large group of friends who feel like family very quickly
I will be all alone in FL (but girls in NJ suck. Hopefully girls in FL are better).
I'm a girl in Florida and I'm better!!! Seriously, I don't know your age group but use the same caution you would anywhere else.
There is the fear & threat of tornados, hurricanes, tidal waves, etc.
Here's my response on that- get a storm radio- it will warn you of warnings and watches. Hurricanes we have plenty of notice and as I understand, there is ample warning for tidal waves. In 10 years though I've never seen a tidal wave warning
Thanks for sharing some info about the PC area. FYI, I'm 49 years young. Are you single too? Anyway, that was a Pros & Cons list I made over 1 year ago & I'm a lot more familiar with PC now. I'll be vacationing there again sometime in Feb or early Mar. Maybe we can meet for dinner or something while I'm there if you like. It would be nice to have someone local show me some more hidden secrets around there. Did you ever go to the European Village? That's a cool place & the food there is terrific. Did you ever go to the park & walk the boardwalk behind the Library in Flagler Beach? Also just past the Dollar Store on the right in Flagler Beach they have a Farmers Market every weekend. Also, if you go down Old Kings HWY there is a nice park called Bulow Plantation Ruins Historical Park. It's a beautiful park to both drive & walk through. Also if you continue driving south on Old Kings HWY it's a beautiful scenic drive which will eventually lead out to the ocean/beach on Highbridge Rd. Yes, there is a lot to see & do in that part of FL but one just needs to get out & about to explore more.
Anyway, last March I had a nice house all ready to move into in the E Section but backed out on the last minute & lost $3000.00 in the process. My family & everyone put me on a guilt trip so I didn't move. The next time I move I'm not telling anyone & will just do it. Now I regret not moving & stuck in NJ awhile longer. The house I was all set to move into is on Edith Pope DR. A beautiful 4 bdrm, 3 bt, 3 car garage that backs up to a Reserve. I should be living like a Hollywood movie star right now enjoying that nice relaxing atmosphere & golden ray positive sunshine. Instead, I'm in NJ in 32 degree weather with light snow falling right now.
Good luck in PC Pirate Girl & free free to keep in touch.
Are you single too?
I'm not single but I have some friends who are......
Maybe we can meet for dinner or something while I'm there if you like.
Keep me posted on when you will visit!
Did you ever go to the European Village?
YES! Really good food.
Did you ever go to the park & walk the boardwalk behind the Library in Flagler Beach?
All the time!
Also just past the Dollar Store on the right in Flagler Beach they have a Farmers Market every weekend.
I go every few weeks- they have really good bread there too.
Also, if you go down Old Kings HWY there is a nice park called Bulow Plantation Ruins Historical Park.
I love kayaking there. It's a beautiful park.
Also if you continue driving south on Old Kings HWY it's a beautiful scenic drive which will eventually lead out to the ocean/beach on Highbridge Rd.
That is what we proudly refer to as "The Loop" and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
Regarding your lost deposit- homes are very inexpensive now. It might be a good time for you to pursue your dream again!!
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I love it here too, our neighborhood is so quiet, no traffic.
Create A Pros & Cons List
Yes, I'm a damn Yankee from the weird state of NJ (Ocean County) & I plan on moving to Palm Coast (PC) eventually as I took the early out retirement from the Federal Government (US Navy - DOD) as a Mechanical Engineer with nearly 30 years of Federal Service. I'm only 49 years old but have had it with not only NJ - but the whole entire polluted, congested, cold NE quadrant of the USA. If you are considering doing any kind of move you should do what I did & make a Pros & Cons list as it will help shed light on things to help you better make a more positive & definitive decision. FYI, I have been all over the great Sunshine state of FL & when I found Palm Coast I instinctively felt comfortable & right away knew where my future home would be. The following is my current Pros & Cons list that I want to share with you but to do your own you need to tailor it to your own lifestyle, situation, etc. GOOD LUCK!! 
