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Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive December 2004: Anyone live in or are familiar with the area--Tampa Florida
We currently live in South Florida. My hubby is considering a transfer to the Tampa area. Any information on the area would be greatly appreciated!
Yvonne,
I grew up in Tampa and now live across the bay in Pinellas County. It is a wonderful area. I prefer Pinellas county over Hillsborough county (that would be the Tampa area).
Basically I want to know if it is a boating community? We have a boat and where we live it is OK to store in our side yard but a few towns here do not allow boats in yard/ driveway. I want to be assured we will be moving to a boat friendly area. A few other concerns have been answered (homeschooling and art classes) so I guess I want to know if it is a good place to raise children.
Boats are pretty much a given in FL. However, you need to make sure your specific neighborhood allows certain things. All deed restricted communities have different rules. Also, each city has different codes, such as where you can store a boat. In some places you must store your boat other than on your home property. But there are marinas just about everywhere. Water is everywhere and many neighborhoods have cannals or water front. Many have lake front. Mind you waterfront property is probably not going to cost you $250k but a ton more. Area makes a HUGE difference on house prices. Where I am, which is not on the water but may 5 min drive to the Gulf, has had a huge jump in costs. Our medium-small 2 bdrm/2 bth/2car was purchased around $70k 10 years ago. Today, you are looking at around $200K. My mother moved from Brandon (no water near it but very close to Tampa) and was LUCKY to get $155k for a very large 3bd/2bth/2car house with ALL new kitchen appliances, remodeling, new floors, new roof and new paint. She moved here to a nice 3/2/1 getting an outrageously good deal at $165k. That was last year and her house is worth more today. Most of the homes we looked at were around $180k and all needing lots of work. All these houses are older homes around 30 yrs old. To get new and on the water you will be paying for it. Other areas like Brandon, which was all farm area, the houses are WAY LESS! Great deals there, but no water. Well, there may be a river or two or lakes. It is all a matter of how much land is available. The outskirts of the Tampa area are much cheaper, and tons of new homes going up. You are a heck of a lot closer to Orlando at that point and not close to water, except for the many many lakes. "Tampa" is huge. The "Tampa Bay Area" actually covers several large and smaller cities: Tampa, Brandon, Valrico, Seffner, Plant City, New Tampa, Lutz, Land O Lakes, St. Pete, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Pinellas Park, Country Side, Sarasota, Bradenton and lots others. There are not breaks between all the cities, you just drive on a road and there's the next city. "Tampa Bay Area" includes many cities within Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties. All of them with different price ranges. For $400K you could get a really nice home in any of these areas.
Thanks Dana! I guess I better make a trip there to decide if it is worth moving there. We really want waterfront so we can drop the boat and go. I do know I will not live anywhere that I have to store our boat (too much hassle). I guess there is a lot to think about. I do not know what town the dealership is in so will need to figure out the logistics first. I did not realize that Tampa was so big.
I cannot believe I missed this post!!!!! I live in Tampa. I always see boats everywhere. I do know that in my sub-division, there is a deed restriction to having a boat in your drive way.
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