Best Approach? (Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater: rent, insurance, neighborhood)

[03bluecoupe]

Originally Posted by macrodome2

Yo, yo, yo, what's with the Jersey dig?

Ever been to Joisey?

[macrodome2]

Lived there 25 years, still have house up there.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by macrodome2

Yo, yo, yo, what's with the Jersey dig?

Hey--I am a graduate of the Chris Christie school of Charm (Los Angeles campus), so I am not bad mouthing brusk and rude. That would be the kettle calling the pot black.

[03bluecoupe]

Originally Posted by macrodome2

Lived there 25 years, still have house up there.

Was just funnin' ya.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by 03bluecoupe

Ever been to Joisey?

A few years back, hubby was driving on I-95 in Fort Lauderdale and noticed a big billboard for someone running for Congress…. for a seat representing Joisey. What does that tell you?

[03bluecoupe]

Was just making a wise crack - didn't mean anything. Sorry folks.

[marcopolo]

Originally Posted by GM fitter

We won't be ready to move for at least 2 years. How would you go about starting research, besides the internet?

So a few years ago, we were you--looking at FLA real estate listings and community information and raps and google street view during our evenings in the frozen wasteland of the north.

Our internet research led us to a certain community in Florida, our needs and wants helped define kind of properties to consider, the online real estate listings led us to a realtor (we figured the one with the most listings in neighborhoods of interest probably was an expert.)

But the first attempt was a bust. The vibe of the first town did not fit.

We restarted the search, picked two towns near each other in a different area of interest after considering and looking at half a dozen. Booked several showings ahead of our trip with an agent in each town. BINGO! On Monday the first town was a big hit, on Tuesday the second town not so much, on Wednesday we were back in the first town, looking again at prime prospects--and making an offer.

Question yourself at every step, make sure you are getting what you want. Our deal was being close to the big water, so then we made ourselves consider what the same budget would get us a few miles inland. Then rethink the choice. In our case, the water won out. And when you get on location, if your gut says it isn't right, it isn't right.

One of the glories of Florida is that it is literally everything: urban, rural, beach town, small town, riverfront, new gated suburbia, old suburbia, fishing village, horseyville, art colony, four seasons piney woods, tropical. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by marcopolo

One of the glories of Florida is that it is literally everything: urban, rural, beach town, small town, riverfront, new gated suburbia, old suburbia, fishing village, horseyville, art colony, four seasons piney woods, tropical.

So true.

[loves2read]

I would suggest learning to read MLS photos--when you are likely to be doing a good deal of on-line searching. MLS photos can tell you a lot about homes if you know how/what to look for...and any listing that omits certain photos you would expect, well, that says something too.

If you spend time with MLS listings you can see how standard some house plans are in certain neighborhoods. Which ones have sidewalks -- which some people really want--which allow rear fences and many don't. You can tell about traffic flow and furniture layout, kitchen storage, orientation to the light/wind, and other factors that might make +/- impression even before you see the house itself.
Just familiarizing yourself with major streets and names of subdivisions/areas helps avoid confusion when you are viewing 8-12-15 homes in a day...
and try to have idea of what your minimal preferences are--

we knew we wanted a house on city water/sewer, in an HOA vs non-HOA, and not close to any water feature like canal, pond/lake, with a rear fence...and with certain minimal sq ft/room plan and price points--
and just those general guidelines put many homes/neighborhoods outside our parameters...
strangely enough, although we bought a home next door to our daughter by choice--it also captured those features...so we didn't have to trade something on our list just for proximity...

[Yakatone]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

Clearwater is the sinkhole capital of Florida. Yikes.

It's not... not by a long shot. Pinellas is ranked 5th in Florida, and it's WELL behind Hernando and Pasco counties in probability.