Moving to Tampa from the UK (Clearwater, Dunedin: real estate market, apartment complex, rentals)

[Jane_UK]

Hi there, I've been doing quite a bit of research (helped very much by this website!) as I'm moving to Tampa in September and have been trying to figure out where to live and have narrowed it down to South Tampa - south of Kennedy/Hyde Park/SoHo/Davis Island/Harbour Island. The Post properties look quite good but I'm not sure what it's like living on those apartment complex type places as we don't really have anything similar here in the UK. My budget is about $1500 per month for a 2 bed place so it looks like I should be able to get somewhere nice. I'm also not quite sure what the deal with realtors is - do I have to have one to find me somewhere (do I pay them??!) or can I go direct to apartment complexes? I'm looking for somewhere that's a nice neighbourhood perhaps with cafes/restaurants/bars in walking distance but I understand it's not quite like that living in the States so can compromise to get the right place!

Any other useful things that every expat should know would be gratefully received!

[CrowGirl]

It sounds like you've picked the right place for what you're looking for, and you should be able to find a 2BR in that price range. With an actual apartment complex you can work directly with the apartment complex. Having said that, there are not as many large complexes with their own offices in the South Tampa area as there are in other parts of the city. You may want to try contacting some property management companies in the South Tampa area. There are a lot of private owners of condos that are renting them out right now since the real estate market is so bad. You may be able to find something with a little more character going through a private owner.

I used a realtor when I moved to Tampa and found a rental. She was paid by the property manager handling the unit I ended up renting. The problem with using a realtor for rentals is that a lot of places won't work with them because they don't like paying the fees. For me it was a necessity because I was moving on just a couple of weeks' notice, had pets and didn't know the area. It was helpful to have someone who knew the area and could look into pet policies and line up a marathon of showings in the one day I had to look at places.

Good luck - I am sure you will find something suitable.

[Jane_UK]

Thanks CrowGirl. All the research will hopefully pay off and I can find somewhere nice pretty quickly! Do you know if there are any international grocery shops anywhere in the areas I mentioned? I'm through and through a tea drinker and wondered if I need to get a regular shipment sent over!

[mikexit]

Jane have sent u a PM

[tampaboricua]

Other than living in downtown Tampa (where the density is highest), you have picked the spot with the closest resemblance to European living. There are many parts of SoHo (South Howard Avenue)/ Hyde Park area that will allow you to walk to many different cafe's and shops from your apartment. Regarding international stores, the best bet I can think of would be the Publix Greenwise market. It is easy to walk to or drive to and it contains many international groceries, and the store is almost all organic. Another area that you could look at is Ybor City. While it is not the safest area of Tampa, it has the greatest density of walkable areas with many shops, restaurants and clubs within a one mile radius.

[parasol]

Originally Posted by Jane_UK

Thanks CrowGirl. All the research will hopefully pay off and I can find somewhere nice pretty quickly! Do you know if there are any international grocery shops anywhere in the areas I mentioned? I'm through and through a tea drinker and wondered if I need to get a regular shipment sent over!

Do you drink PG Tips? I know Publix does stock that.

[Jane_UK]

Excellent! I'm going through a Yorkshire Tea phase at the moment, but beggars can't be choosers and PG Tips would be perfect!

[oconnorcm3]

We're moving to the Clearwater/Tampa area, from Dublin, Ireland, in October of this year. We're concerned about picking the best school for our son so are looking at schools and then areas to rent in that school district. My husband grew up in the area (Dunedin) so he has a good idea of where we'll end up living. When we first arrive in Florida we'll rent a temporary place for at least one month, giving us time to look around at a specific place to rent long term. I have found some listed on Craigslist (short term/vacation rentals) and others I have found with google.

Jane, I would recommend that you consider finding a temporary place for the first month, giving you time to look around and pick the best location. Instead of visiting a complex once, and deciding to sign a one-year rental agreement, you could take more time. The temporary long-term places (fully furnished, kitchenette) run about $2,000. and up per month. I"m guessing that you'll be buying a car, too and will need to get an American driver's license and set up a bank account. You'll need a bank account to enable you to get electricity turned on, telephone, cable, Internet, water, etc. You might be able to set up a bank account now, long distance, so that you'll be up and running upon arrival. It would probably mean transferring money from your current UK account to your new FL account.

Ahh, so much to think of! I'm right there with you.

[Jane_UK]

Ahh! Someone else who shares my pain! It does seem like a mine field of stuff to sort out - the bank account and having that done so I can get things hooked up but no address yet to link the account to! Will research getting the bank account sorted while I'm here as that will save me a whole load of hassle once I'm there. I'm also looking to buy a car and will also be getting a US driving licence as I understand that will make a bit of difference on the cost of insurance.

Good luck with your planning!

[Jane_UK]

Any advice on US bank accounts? I'd prefer one that has internet banking so I can transfer money easily back to my UK account if I need to pay for big repairs on my house while it's rented out.