Tampa and surrounding areas- Pros/Cons for cities and Preschools (Brandon: sales, crime)

[SusieComp]

My husband is expecting an offer for a job in Tampa next week and it will be a quick transition. Don't want to find myself in Tampa in a few weeks not knowing which way to turn.

Im looking for Pros/Cons for living in the cities listed below for a young family. Schools are important but not just rank- overall reputation, crime rate, I like newer or very well kept areas with a good variety of shopping, restaurants and grocery stores but also a lot of parks and other places for the kids to release energy to be nearby. Places with a good overall variety of things to do that are nearby, active churches and not to bad of a congested commute into Tampa (my husband does medical sales and will be traveling all over so you will see a huge range in the areas we are looking at)

We are looking at 4-5 bedrooms, would like to stay in the $300-400s range but can go into $500s if the area is just that exceptional.

Ive been trying to look up preschools for my 4 and 1 year old to help narrow down the areas of town we would want to live but am finding most are full day. I want half day options for 2-3 days per week. Our current city has a very large base of Moms that stay at home with their children until Kindergarten and only send their children to school a few mornings a week. Is there an area in or around Tampa that trends that way as well?

Some areas we have started looking into include (Pros and cons for schools, crime rate, family friendly, variety of places to shop/eat/play, and commute to Tampa are all factors):

Lithia (Fish Hawk)
Palm Harbor
Oldsmar
Westchase
Riverview
Land O'lakes
Wesley Chapel
Lutz
New Tampa
Valrico
Odessa
Safety Harbor

Any other areas I should consider (pros and cons for any new suggestions, please)?

[Pragmaticus]

Of course, I am biased but here are my take

Safety Harbor
Palm Harbor
Oldsmar
Westchase
Part of Odessa if you want house with some land but still centrally located

These areas check most of your criteria.

The rest of your list are just out in the field and pasture lands, if you ask me or are not centrally located. Especially along HWY 54, which some people seem to be passionate about here, is just some cow land , no character at all just highway and big houses, no thank you.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by SusieComp

Schools are important but not just rank- overall reputation, crime rate, I like newer or very well kept areas with a good variety of shopping, restaurants and grocery stores but also a lot of parks and other places for the kids to release energy to be nearby. Places with a good overall variety of things to do that are nearby, active churches and not to bad of a congested commute into Tampa (my husband does medical sales and will be traveling all over so you will see a huge range in the areas we are looking at)

We are looking at 4-5 bedrooms, would like to stay in the $300-400s range but can go into $500s if the area is just that exceptional.

I agree with the above and would move East Lake/Oldsmar to the top of your list. It has everything you list as criteria in spades and is centrally located for your husband's commute into either half of the immediate metro area (Hillsborough County or Pinellas County).

[dystopian]

Originally Posted by MeInDenudinFL

Of course, I am biased but here are my take

Safety Harbor
Palm Harbor
Oldsmar
Westchase
Part of Odessa if you want house with some land but still centrally located

These areas check most of your criteria.

The rest of your list are just out in the field and pasture lands, if you ask me or are not centrally located. Especially along HWY 54, which some people seem to be passionate about here, is just some cow land , no character at all just highway and big houses, no thank you.

Always somebody feels the need to put down others place of residence to help prop there own.

A while back I did a little experiment and started voicing why I think Pinellas County is a poor choice but wow, everyone was getting their panties in a bind. If you like run down weathered look of poorly upkept streets, businesses and homes and buying someone elses 30-40 year old home, err problem, then knock yourself out.

Best thing Pinellas County can do is start in the highly over-rated Pubic Harbor and start plowing/bulldozing straight down to Fort Desoto and start anew. Place is a dump. Drive up and down any road and you feel like your watching an episode of Cops! Some guy riding down the street on his bike at 3am, no shirt balancing a huge TV on the handle bars he just "acquired".

HWY54 is not what the above close minded person is stating, check it out yourself plus you will be buying on the front end of its Tampa metro expansion. The crowd here must be afraid to drive 10 minutes, from HWY54 to Tampa Int'l is 20 minutes, who calls that in the middle of nowhere?

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by dystopian

Always somebody feels the need to put down others place of residenbo help prop there own.

A while back I did a little experiment and started voicing why I think Pinellas County is a poor choice but wow, everyone was getting their panties in a bind. If you like run down weathered look of poorly upkept streets, businesses and homes and buying someone elses 30-40 year old home, err problem, then knock yourself out.

Best thing Pinellas County can do is start in the highly over-rated Pubic Harbor and start plowing/bulldozing straight down to Fort Desoto and start anew. Place is a dump. Drive up and down any road and you feel like your watching an episode of Cops! Some guy riding down the street on his bike at 3am, no shirt balancing a huge TV on the handle bars he just "acquired".

HWY54 is not what the above close minded person is stating, check it out yourself plus you will be buying on the front end of its Tampa metro expansion. The crowd here must be afraid to drive 10 minutes, from HWY54 to Tampa Int'l is 20 minutes, who calls that in the middle of nowhere?

20 minutes is that at 3 am as well, because at most times of the day you would be lucky to get to waters in 20 minutes, I suppose you think traffic is going to get better with all that expansion. The reality is it will take most people 10 minutes to just get out of your subdivision and to a main road. I am sure the area is nice most new things are, like anything else is a trade off, but certainly close to everything is not among it's positives.

[dystopian]

Originally Posted by DUNNDFRNT

20 minutes is that at 3 am as well, because at most times of the day you would be lucky to get to waters in 20 minutes, I suppose you think traffic is going to get better with all that expansion. The reality is it will take most people 10 minutes to just get out of your subdivision and to a main road. I am sure the area is nice most new things are, like anything else is a trade off, but certainly close to everything is not among it's positives.

I drive it everyday M-F at around 630am. The only reason why it slows down during the meat of the day is due to construction widening Veterans.

[overit2]

Personally, those other areas (though some land sounds nice) are too far from the beaches...when I move there I intend to be with in a 20-45 min drive tops...Living in those areas would be quite a hike. Too far from the areas I like (Downtown Dunedin, etc)

[Stewabby]

In terms of preschools I know some Montessori schools do part time. We're planning on putting our three year old in Tue/Thurs morning classes.

The Brandon and Riverview Montessori Schools: Announcements

[rnedd]

kyle19125 is right about the Palm Harbor East Lake/Oldsmar area and you should also check out Westchase.

Everyone will have their own opinion of different areas but what one person thinks is wonderful might not be at all what you like and what another person feels is awful may be perfectly fine for you.

Make sure you have someone here that knows about these areas and can take you to the areas you are interested in during a one to two day period so you can get a feel for them. Then eliminate ones you don't like or that don't have what you want and then focus on looking at what's available in the areas that do meet your needs and wants.

Sincerely,
Ron

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by dystopian

Always somebody feels the need to put down others place of residence to help prop there own.

A while back I did a little experiment and started voicing why I think Pinellas County is a poor choice but wow, everyone was getting their panties in a bind. If you like run down weathered look of poorly upkept streets, businesses and homes and buying someone elses 30-40 year old home, err problem, then knock yourself out.

Best thing Pinellas County can do is start in the highly over-rated Pubic Harbor and start plowing/bulldozing straight down to Fort Desoto and start anew. Place is a dump. Drive up and down any road and you feel like your watching an episode of Cops! Some guy riding down the street on his bike at 3am, no shirt balancing a huge TV on the handle bars he just "acquired".

HWY54 is not what the above close minded person is stating, check it out yourself plus you will be buying on the front end of its Tampa metro expansion. The crowd here must be afraid to drive 10 minutes, from HWY54 to Tampa Int'l is 20 minutes, who calls that in the middle of nowhere?

Clearly you have some unresolved issues but for those that might read and think otherwise, take with a grain of salt.