Help Needed - Rental Options (Jacksonville, Miami: apartments, chapel, townhouse)

[SJ_Wanderer]

Hello All,

Did some search here but could not decide anything. I have a potential job offer in Tampa and I am looking for suggestions to choose a good residential area.

Office location - Highland Manor Drive (Google map tells - this is near E M.L.K. Jr Blvd and N Falkenburg Rd intersection)

I am living in Charlotte, NC and never visited Tampa before. So any information about this location will be of great help.
I usually prefer to live near office so that I can escape from traffic.
Here are some details that may help you to help me!
Only Rental for the time being
Family - Couple in early 30's and the only son is 5.
Open to Apartments or Town homes
Highest Priority - Good residential area and safe neighborhood, Schools
Budget - Up to 1200 per month (1500 if absolutely necessary)
Mode of transportation - Personal Car
Commute to Office - Preferably 30 minutes or less
No Pets

With the kind of budget I have, mostly I will end-up in a 2BHK apartment which I usually hate; but I can compromise if it is a good community. I found some apartments nearby (less than 5 miles and in $1000 range) but reviews are not great. Visiting the location in person in not a option right now but will do that before grabbing the opportunity.

Thanks in advance!

[EngGirl]

Originally Posted by SJ_Wanderer

Hello All,

Did some search here but could not decide anything. I have a potential job offer in Tampa and I am looking for suggestions to choose a good residential area.

Office location - Highland Manor Drive (Google map tells - this is near E M.L.K. Jr Blvd and N Falkenburg Rd intersection)

I am living in Charlotte, NC and never visited Tampa before. So any information about this location will be of great help.
I usually prefer to live near office so that I can escape from traffic.
Here are some details that may help you to help me!
Only Rental for the time being
Family - Couple in early 30's and the only son is 5.
Open to Apartments or Town homes
Highest Priority - Good residential area and safe neighborhood, Schools
Budget - Up to 1200 per month (1500 if absolutely necessary)
Mode of transportation - Personal Car
Commute to Office - Preferably 30 minutes or less
No Pets

With the kind of budget I have, mostly I will end-up in a 2BHK apartment which I usually hate; but I can compromise if it is a good community. I found some apartments nearby (less than 5 miles and in $1000 range) but reviews are not great. Visiting the location in person in not a option right now but will do that before grabbing the opportunity.

Thanks in advance!

the area where your office will be is not the area you want to live in. There are few townhouse communities and apartments out there, but schools are just horrible. Look into New Tampa area. You should make it within 30 minutes from there and it's much nicer place. Something on SR 56 in Wesley Chapel (close to I-75) might be great as well since you will have direct access to I-75 and still be at your office under 30 minutes. Check out Bay at Cypress Creek community (townhomes). Great location and within your budget (around 1300 with included water if I recall correctly)

[livedeverywhere123]

Would second the New Tampa advice, schools are not great, but that's part of living in Tampa unless you go to South Tampa or Lutz, which just aren't options for you if you want a commute of under an hour. New Tampa isn't bad, very new, cookie cutter type of area, lots of shopping and food, but far from everything else. Not sure of your situation or career field, but unless it's an amazing opportunity or you can't stand Charlotte, probably would do better to stay in Charlotte or wait for another opportunity.

[SJ_Wanderer]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

the area where your office will be is not the area you want to live in.

Sad to hear that.

Originally Posted by EngGirl

There are few townhouse communities and apartments out there

Any insight about those communities/apartments? I am ready for a compromise to an apartment if the community is good and safe.

Originally Posted by EngGirl

schools are just horrible.

Is this something I can resolve by choosing a private school?

Originally Posted by EngGirl

Look into New Tampa area. You should make it within 30 minutes from there and it's much nicer place.Check out Bay at Cypress Creek community (townhomes). Great location and within your budget (around 1300 with included water if I recall correctly)

Thanks for the pointer. Will definitely check this out.

Originally Posted by livedeverywhere123

Not sure of your situation or career field, but unless it's an amazing opportunity or you can't stand Charlotte, probably would do better to stay in Charlotte or wait for another opportunity.

Thanks for the information. Career is in IT. Charlotte is good to me in every sense. I like mountains and NC gave me some options. I will miss this in FL.
Actual reason for this move is the first full time opportunity in my career. So far I worked as a vendor or a contractor and this is the first FTE opportunity. May be that is dragging me to more than one compromise now!

I really appreciate this help. I have no idea about this area or FL in general. The only places I visited in FL are Jacksonville and Miami, but that was a quick trip!

[MortonR]

Brandon has some nice apartment/townhome communities south of the mall along Gornto Lake in that range, however, the schools are not the best in this area. An alternative school-wise would be the Winthrop charter school, which is very good and close by. These are probably more affordable than anything in New Tampa, and would be an easy commute.

If you found something in New Tampa you're going to have to deal with horrible traffic. From Brandon you're talking 15 minutes.

I'm not sure where else you could find what you're looking for outside of these two areas.

RM

[SJ_Wanderer]

Originally Posted by cheesebugle

I have an idea as to who this job is for

I know; its an easy guess .

Originally Posted by cheesebugle

Trust me, if you like mountains, you're going to miss them here terribly (I certainly do).

Originally Posted by MortonR

Brandon has some nice apartment/townhome communities south of the mall along Gornto Lake in that range, however, the schools are not the best in this area. An alternative school-wise would be the Winthrop charter school, which is very good and close by.

Thanks for this suggestions. I feel I may end up with this. I will look for some apartments/townhomes mentioned above.

Note: Sorry for the delay in response; got a bit busy with work!

[EngGirl]

Private schools will be out of your way meaning you will have to commute in separate direction and come back to your office. Makes sense to find private school and then place to live near by.
I disagree about traffic timing. I would say it's exactly the same if you coming from New Tampa or Brandon using I-75. It takes me about 30 minutes in the morning to get to MLK exit from Wesley Chapel, so it will be quicker from New Tampa area. And if you live in Brandon, you might end up dealing with local traffic before you get into interstate. Just look at SR 60 - it's a nightmare really, and get ready, SR 60 will be going into long construction within a year...

Charter schools are based on lottery system, so you are not guaranteed spot. Most schools still have open enrollment for next school year now, so I advise you to apply for few since lottery most likely will be run within a month or so. After that it's wait list which is normally LONG.

There is a townhouse community on MLK just west of Falkenberg on the north side. These are relatively new and looks good, but this is the type of community where you see people jumping inside the pool in their clothes and shows... ***. That area is well known for drugs too. Even if I had my kids at private school, I wouldn't want to live in area like that one.

[SJ_Wanderer]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

There is a townhouse community on MLK just west of Falkenberg on the north side. These are relatively new and looks good, but this is the type of community where you see people jumping inside the pool in their clothes and shows... ***. That area is well known for drugs too. Even if I had my kids at private school, I wouldn't want to live in area like that one.

Thanks for the info. I am thinking about searching some options online and post here in this thread for suggestion/review.

[SJ_Wanderer]

After a long debate with myself, I decided to give it a try. I moved here and in Tampa for the last 3 weeks.

Signed a lease for a townhome in Brandon and in 2 weeks I am planning to break it! Community seems to be nice, people are friendly, 10 minutes to office and lot of positives. But I completely overlooked a rail road running behind this community . Unfortunately, there is a railroad crossing near by and trains are keep honking all night! Could not sleep for the last 2 weeks and decided to pay a penalty around 1200 and get out of the lease.

So back to square one, except I am in town to take a look at communities. Valrico seems to be an option (if I am not fooled by the look and feel of the area). Anybody knows about Copper Ridge neighborhood (33594)? I am seeing some rental options here.

[EngGirl]

That's not good Sadly railroad is easy to overlook. Good luck with the new search! Hopefully you will be able to find something