A Delray Beach couple is suing national homebuilder Pulte Home Company after the “lake view” they paid a $165,000 premium for dried up and disappeared.
Eric and Debra Seidel purchased a home at the Enclave at Sherwood Park on Zelda Lane in January 2024, paying over $1.1 million for a property backing up to a designated lakeside wetland zone to the west. Pulte allegedly promised the lot would have a lake view at all times.
After closing, however, the wetland behind the home eroded and dried out completely. The couple sent formal defect notices to Pulte in June and October 2025. The builder never resolved the issue, according to the lawsuit.
Filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, the complaint names Pulte and community management firm Castle Management as co-defendants, alleging Castle failed to properly maintain the retention pond and surrounding wetland areas. The Seidels argue they would have paid significantly less — or walked away entirely — had they known the lake would vanish.
The seven-count complaint includes fraud in the inducement, negligent misrepresentation, breach of express warranty, violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, unjust enrichment, violations of the Florida Building Code, and negligence. The couple is seeking compensatory and consequential damages plus attorney’s fees.
Neither Pulte nor Castle Management has yet responded in court records.
Harlan Kilstein the publisher of this website is a resident of Delray. He has lived in Palm Beach County since 1997, In that time he has explored everything for surfing on private beaches in Delray to walks up and down Atlantic Avenue.
He is known to drop everything at a moment's notice to fish in Delray Lakes, bird watch, goes horseback riding or play pinball at the Delray Pin Ball Museum.
You can find him either sipping a coffee on Atlantic Avenue or drinking a flight of whiskey at Warren's.
One thing is certain, he knows Delray Beach.
