Opinions on Thonotosassa? (Tampa, Brandon, Plant City: for sale, renting, crime)

[blockzilla]

Don't hear this area mentioned much, but any opinions? My office is on the west end of Brandon at the 301 / SR-60 intersection, and my fiance works at Moffitt on the USF Campus.

We're looking for a 3+bed, 2+bath ~2000 sqft with a max price of ~500K. Commute times are important to us both, and we'd like a family friendly area as we plan to have children soon.

The possiblities I've heard of so far are Brandon, New Tampa, and South Tampa, though we probably couldn't get anything in South Tampa for 500K. Haven't heard anyone speak of Thonotosassa so I'm looking for info on that as well, i.e. community and commute-time info.
Thanks!

[zoie2003]

This is drug haven. Have been around here most of my life. I live in Riverview. 2 miles from I75. Summerfield Golf Course. We have 1821 sq ft, all mahogany crown molding base boards, tile , new carpet. Asking $240,000, renting $1350. You should find good deals now a days

[t-town]

I think you should look in Temple Terrace, which is just west of Thonotosassa. But only look on the east side of 56th st. There are really nice homes around the golf course. You could definately get a good one with a 500k budget. Brandon's only 15 min away by use of I75 or US301, and USF is only 10 min away no lie! It's a very convenient location.

[cool_roz]

I have lived in Thonotosassa for 7 years and I have never seen anyone sell drugs. It is a very quiet, charming neighborhood. Yes, it country but you makes you feel as of your far away from city life but within minutes from the interstate. My son is always outside playing with friends and I never have to worried about crime, drugs or anything. In fact crime is not even an issue here. We have new homes and older homes with lots of land. In fact I also know a home for sale in the area that you might be interest in.

[mcb11902]

I've lived in Thonotosassa since 1993; there are relatively few problems out there. It's quiet. And I've never seen any drugs being sold either and I was married to a cop; I notice things that don't look right. My next door neighbors are cows, literally. We don't even get any kids on Halloween because there are only hit 4 houses in a half a mile in the area I where I live.

[Mozart271]

I live in Temple Terrace, and you can get a nice home in that price range here east of 56th St. Also, check out a nice little subdivision called "Toulon" which is just east of TT in Thonotosassa at Joe Ebert Rd and Williams Rd. Less than a mile east of 301, and halfway in between yours and your husband's workplaces. The homes are new, are exactly in your price range and are very nice--there is a small lake in the center of the neighborhood. The houses are all of a similar Mediterranean style, which may or may not be a drawback for you.

Good luck!

[viterbi00]

I remember cow pastures, plenty of open space and two lane roads throughout.

[rheadabovewater]

My sister has lived in Thonotosassa for ten years, in one of the duplexes on Goldenrod Road.

I don't like the look of the area; it's low-income and it looks that way. It seems like there is a mix of duplexes that are run down, older houses (nice ones) on really big lots, and a few mobile homes on large lots.

I honestly don't feel safe there. I'm in California and I like to walk every morning, but I don't like walking in that area. My sister has a very large dog with a loud bark, and I'm wondering if that's why she's never had a problem. A lot depends on who rents the duplexes - most poor people are good people, but some of them are druggies and ex-cons.

I'm seriously considering a move to Tampa to be around my relatives and would like to share a house with my sister, but I wouldn't live in Thonotosassa.

[m00sej00se]

I grew up in Thonotosassa and my mother and siblings still live there. Never had any trouble or trick or treaters either. It's beautiful and the people who live there moved there because of this reason and are willing to fight to keep it beautiful. If you want peace, quiet, and friendly people then it's great. Of course if you live in a duplex in a rural area you're probably not going to like the looks! If you call it a drug haven then you're probably around the drugs. I live in Ybor now and can't go outside without being asked for handouts. Same goes with any town in any city in America. There are some very nice areas in Thonotosassa and 500k should get you the home you're looking for, easy. Possibly even custom. There is a small neighborhood on the corner of Knights Griffin/Fort King HWY and a cookie cutter development off of CR579/Joe Ebert Rd. Temple Terrace has some charming neighborhoods as well and more central to Brandon/USF. Of course it has its bad areas as well but it's all relative. New Tampa is urban sprawl garbage to house the masses. Stay away from that. There are good reasons New Tampa has big, cheap houses. Brandon is pretty much the same but a little older and with chains and a mall. Has a little more character. South Tampa is awesome but you're right. If you're looking for 2000 sq ft, $500k might not be enough. You would have to drive on 275 though. One more thing. Like the poster said above, Thonotosassa isn't really a neighborhood kind of town but houses with big lots. Growing up there as a kid, with nature everywhere, was amazing.

[Nav]

Thonotosassa has both ends of the spectrum...you have the run down trailers housing transients as well as multimillion dollar estates along the lake. I would stay more in the area of the lake. The western edge abuts temple terrace and there is a definite drop in property values as the quality of residents declines. Its not necessarily ghetto, but there are a lot of blue collar construction worker types living between the two. With the economy down, a lot are out of work and simply "hang out".

Another option you might want to try is the western side of Plant City, north of I-4. From there, you can get to USF in 20 minutes via traffic free back roads. If you jump on I-4, you can get to 60/301 in about 15 min even in traffic. You each will also have 2 ways in. You can go I-4 to I-75 to 60 then to 301 or you can cut straight down to 60 then go across. To USF, you can go the interstates to Fowler, or go the back roads to 301 then to Fowler. Close proximity to the interstate also means quick commutes into town. Additionally, you can get more bang for your buck in Plant city, as it really hasn't been developed beyond capacity.

Nav :Cool: