ideas..information about St Pete Beach (Tampa, St. Pete Beach: insurance, mortgage, hotels)

[CaritoD]

If anyone has any info in this matter as well, Im interested. I am 37 y/o female with a 14 y/o teen. Looking for information about St Pete beach since there's a possibility that I can relocate there (from DC).

Here it is:
-My daughter is interested in cheerleading programs (she has been in gymnastics for almost 10 years)
-I am looking for good schools as well (ratings 8,9,10 public)... she doesn't want to attend a private school but if we have to I guess we got not choice. She would be entering 8th grade.
-Teen activities
-I was told by my BF that we can move to zip code 33706, and Im wondering if this area is good for teens, close to malls, things to do.

[Lauren629]

The best gymnastics in that area is Tampa Bay Turners

[VanHalen5150]

Not many families live in St. Pete beach, you are probably going to be zoned in to Gibbs High School, which is ghetto as hell.

Not close to malls or things to do for kids (except the beach itself).

How exactly did you come to the conclusion that you should or could move to st. pete beach?? How did you arrive at that destination? Mortgage is going to be through the roof too...

[MAniacTHW]

From St. Pete Beach, you'd actually be going to one of these schools: Moderator cut: links removed, competitor site


I still don't understand why some people feel the need to give information without knowing what they're talking about or looking it up.

[CaritoD]

I been looking up already and Im confused since I never been there. My fiancé lives in that area so we thinking to move there with him.
I look schools and all seem to be rated 3-4 for such a good neighborhoods. Im worry that I end up moving there and my daughter be stuck in a bad school.

Lauren.. what about cheerleading? any good cheer programs for 14 years old? competitive?

I know the mortgage is high in that area (specially if is close to the beach), but that's not a problem at this moment.

[spbbound]

I live on SPB and have a family. On our street of about 50 homes, there are six kids between infant and middle school age and several high schoolers. There isn't as high a density as other places, but that's to be expected in a city that consists of small clusters of homes and has a year round resident population <10,000.

The high school zoning is Boca Ciega. I went there in the 90's and it was not particularly good at the time, but the place has been completely remodeled recently, so at least it looks like a modern facility right now. I can't speak to the teaching quality as we have a long time before I have to worry about high school. There are private schools, Shorecrest, Canterbury, Admiral Farraghut, etc. but sounds like you don't want to go that route. I believe there may be one or two magnet options.

Regarding things for kids to do, unfortunately there is not much for kids to do here, and to get from home to almost anything, unless you're living up off of Blind Pass Rd, it's going to involve traversing busy Gulf Blvd. That's probably not too much of a concern for a 14 year old, but probably wouldn't let a 12 or younger kid go off riding their bike around the area. The SPB rec center does have some kids activities, but there simply isn't much. The rest of the beach is mostly restaurants, bars and hotels, so plenty of potential for a teen to get into trouble; I know I would have loved living here at age 14 lol. I anticipate lots of back and forth taking my kid to things further inland when she's older, but it sure is awesome living here, so I'm willing to take that trade off.

A friend's 13 year old is on a team at TBT that Lauren mentioned; it's pretty grueling training but the place is very good. I think she's a "level 8".

If you're planning to purchase a pre-existing home, you're going to end up learning all about the flood insurance nightmare down here. Basically if the home is not built to the required FEMA elevation, insurance is going to be insane; i.e. $9k+/yr for even a small home. My home is built to proper elevation so flood is only $300/yr. Homes on the sand are V zone, which have more restrictions (knock down walls, height measured to lowest infrastructure) and higher elevation requirements, homes on the intracoastal side are A zone which are a little easier (height measured to top of first livable floor). Generally, the required elevation is in the 10 to 12 foot range in most SPB neighborhoods, but there is a strong possibility it will go up a foot in the next year, so you also probably don't want to buy something that only just meets the current requirement.

[CaritoD]

thank you!!!