Atlanta to Tampa move (Dec) (Clearwater, Apollo Beach: real estate, lease, condos)

[DT97]

I wanted to thank everyone here who has posted such helpful info in the forum.
I've read the other similar thread "Atlanta or Tampa" and found some useful nuggets of advice.
My situation is a bit diff from the OP in that thread so I thought I'd start my own thread with
my specs on what I'm looking for.

Description:

- 36/m single (soon to be 37)
- Into fitness but not a fanatic
- Home based business so commute to/from work is not an issue
- 90% of all driving is either church, gym or grocery store
- My lease here expires Dec 3 so I plan to visit and look at properties in the late Oct- early Nov time frame.
- My Absolute top end budget would be $240,000 but would prefer something in the 200 range.

Looking for:

- purchase of condo or possibly townhouse
- prefer to live in trendy/hip/cool part of town and so far I like down town & soho/hyde park but still open to other areas
- St Pete is an open possibility
- Close Proximity to gym/ fitness clubs and grocery stores
- Christian Church

Questions:

1) What is the general consensus of Sky Point condos? I like everything I've seen of them so far, assoc. fee is a bit pricy but it comes w/ the territory.

2) Any suggestions for a property or neighborhood or part of town that includes condos or a town home based on what I'm looking for above?

3) Are there many fitness minded single women? I know this may seem an unusual question but it's extraordinarily difficult to find a woman like this who is single & has her life in order.

4) Are there many Asian women? In Atlanta there is a significant Vietnamese community spread out in diff areas of town and I was curious if there was (Vietnamese or otherwise) down there.

5) What are 1 or 2 good, pretty, accessible beaches in Tampa ( not including St.P or Clearwater)

Thanks guys and if you need any info or have more questions for me feel free to ask.

[ApolloBeachRetiree]

I don't think I can help - married, retired, etc. - but we are moving to Apollo Beach early next year and I'll be interested in how your plans work out.

Before I went down for my house-hunting trip in late March, I did a lot of research on the internet and chose 3-4 communities that seemed to meet my criteria. I also interviewed several real estate agents and picked the one who most closely understood my criteria and committed to helping me. Now that our deal is under contract, I am very pleased with my choice of where to live and my agent.

The better organized you are before your trip, the more pleased you will be with wherever you decide to live.

Good luck to you and stay in touch.

[DT97]

That's very true. I've been researching the area for the last year and am clear on what I want to do but won't know for certain until I visit ( in Nov) and look at some properties.