Need info on Spring Hill, Fl. (Tampa, Hernando: for sale by owner, real estate market, foreclosed)

[Songbird42]

I was not referring to Bluestone builder James DeMaria up and leaving, but he did make a ton of money in Hermando Cty. And I'm sure he'll make more before he meets his maker. I was referring to "other" businesses up and leaving. Don't be so defensive,

[glastron_79]

Originally Posted by kristimc25

My husband operates a few mortgage branches.

He was there again today and is impressed with how fast the area is growing; however, there are issues with homeowner's insurance, so it is important to research the area thoroughly. There are ancient underground caves that run through several miles of the city, which has resulted in various sinkholes. There is a sinkhole database that pinpoints all known issues to date. If you would like to have it, let me know. Of course, it is all relative.
kristi

Hi kristimc25, would you mind sharing the sinkhole database with me, please? Thanks much.

[House4Sale]

I can't understand this sinkhole issue. I was there a year and did not see one incident of sinkhole(s).

[Mike Peterson]

Originally Posted by glastron_79

Hi kristimc25, would you mind sharing the sinkhole database with me, please? Thanks much.

I have the database in an excel file I can email to you but trying to decifer it the way they it is laid out is another story.

As far as the ancient underground caves the other poster mentioned, I believe what she is referring to is up off of US98 where they found them and at this time they are not allowing that area to be developed.

The sinkholes in the Spring Hill area are caused by voids in the limerock underground which wash out when there is heavy rain following times of drought. The sinkholes don't always show up right away but that is one of the causes.

Sinkholes can happen anywhere and Hernando County does have a high incidence of them compared to other areas but it is not as if every other house has one. There are 221 sinkholes noted in the report, I am sure not every sinkhole is on the report but some of these sinkholes were also not under homes.

[Blue717]

If the originial poster is still interested, this is my view of Spring Hill... about coming here... dont! We have sink holes everywhere, so far 7 homes in my neighborhood have them. Me included. Insurance companies have changed the policies so they are not really covered anymore. Schools here are awful. I couldnt care less about the rating of a school, I care about how my children or grandchild is treated. The school on County Line will not let you walk on the property with your child. Even in kindergarten you have to drop them off and let them walk thru the length of the school property themselves. You can not walk to pick up your child, even if you live nearby. You have to wait in a line of car, that they say will take you about an hour to pick up your child. After hearing all this, my daughter placed my grandson in Catholic school, she is much happier with it, but it is pretty pricey! When I first moved here, I brought my then high school student to school. My daughter was afraid in school, for her own reasons, and didnt go to the classes but hid in the bathroom for 2 days. On the 3rd day she told me what she was doing, and I too, enrolled her in Private school. After a month of her not being in classes (at the public school) the office called me and asked why my child was not in classes for 2 weeks. I told them it was alot longer than 2 weeks and the woman hung up the phone. So much for no child left behind! (School Motto) Medical care here sucks! I have had too may instances of mistakes made in my families care. Insurance and taxes are going thru the roof. Be very careful on picking service people, a great many of them are out to rip you off. Not all are like that but more than I ever had encountered before.
But if you insist come on down... I think theres about 4000 houses for sale here.

[Songbird42]

I can't dispute much of what you have said, the educational system here is the pits......case in point, my daughter now 36 went to Hernando HS in her junior year, she had enough credits from NJ that technically she could have graduated, but they put her in study halls for 7 periods, they didn't have a clue what to do with her, in her senior year she went to Springstead HS with a work study course, she did her schoolwork, went to work and came home
she had a couple of friends, but stayed away from those that partied hard
and was invisable in the halls of Springstead HS, to this date, mention her name and no one remembers her. She worked for a local drug store, and in 1989 decided that hanging in the K Mart shopping center sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck drinking beer wasn't a good life. She left SH and returns every 5 yrs. Her life is in NJ with her family, she is a district manager with 20 yrs with that same drug company.....


A 4 yr old Magnet HS claims they don't recruit from other HS's, BS to that
also, nearly every girl that was or is on the basketball team was recruited.
Grades where they were failing, suddenly become D's or C's so that they are able to play. These kids have learned as long as I can play a sport, I will pass. Good thing to teach our future generations.

Spring Hill started out as a retiree community, this was not suppose to be a place for young families or groups of children, good or bad though, because of economic pressures, younger families came to Fl to try to better themselves and find the American dream, that we all dream of. Unfortunately,
SH grew too fast, builders saw the $$$ and people bought more home than they could afford, throw in low paying jobs or no jobs and what have you got
empty homes, dropouts, depressed people, and desperate people do what they do to survive......true, living in SH is not like living in NY, but still there
are areas that have some heavy drug problems going on. Drugs are also a problem in SH........some will poo poo my statements, but according to kids around the area its not a big deal to be able to get drugs of any kind, just put the word out and in 20 mins. you'll have what you need.
Another thing kids complain about is that there is nothing to do here, movies
bowling, the Y (expensive). Most of the teens want a place that they can go hang out, drink pepsi or cokes, listen to music, gossip and not be told they need to go home. Kids hang out at Taco Bell, its open till 3AM
and Dunkin Donuts, they leave one and go to the other. Brooksville has a youth center.........and I think that SH could use one also.

For anyone wanting to come to Fl and Spring Hill, come visit, ride the streets
ask for crime figures/ask for school numbers/talk to the locals, then draw your own conclusions. Fl/Spring Hill is not for everyone, many come and many go back..........buyer beware!

[DaveB]

We've been in Spring Hill for three years. I can't comment on the schools because my kids are all out of school. When we first decided to buy in Florida we travelled a lot of towns, cities and neighborhoods along the gulf coast to find there are far more similarities than differences.

We liked Spring Hill because:

- it's middle class and middle aged. It's the other end of the spectrum from elitist, snobby and elderly Naples.
- the people are very friendly
- it has beautiful neighborhoods - and dumpy ones, but so do all the other towns.
- lots of shopping and amenities.
- I had heard about sinkholes and after some investigation wasn't concerned. Yes, you should check out the sinkhole data but so you should in every other town. After three years I have not seen one or know anyone who has.
- Crime: the data is not as favorable as some but better than most
- Taxes: certainly not cheap but not outragious either. In fact they actually went down this year.
- Insurance: I didn't have a problem getting insurance and the price seemed fair. The deductible on the "hurricane" part of the policy would be a bit of a hit but not a deal breaker.
- tons of golf choices ( but that's another similarity I guess)
- far enough from Tampa/St Pete to get more house for the money but close enough to do the things we want, when we want. I'm 40 minutes to the airport and an hour from Tropicana Field to watch those lovable Devil Rays.

After three years I would still make the decision to come to Spring Hill.

Hey, but that's me! Your mileage may vary.

[Mike Peterson]

Dave, understand that some people complaining here would complain anywhere they live.

I know Spring Hill and Hernando County is not all peaches and cream but I have been very happy here, my kids are doing great in school, I am very happy with the schools and crime is not a problem.

Some of the people that complain have actually compared Spring Hill to Hunts Point in The Bronx. I don't know if you know The Bronx at all but I would feel safer in Iraq than in Hunts Point.

[Edd Earl]

Way to go Mike! Can't agree with you more.

I migrated from Michigan in '85, found Hernando County and love it! I won't go back!!
...E

[Blue717]

NOt just complaining these are things tha all happened to me in Florida. Guess Florida is just not for me. I think the schools, medical care and some service people are just terrible. I've never had the problems anywhere that I have encountered here in just 5 years. But thats my opinion.