Thoughts on life in Gulfport for older kids (Tampa, St. Petersburg: low income, real estate)

[turningoverleaves]

Hey y'all!
I received some great advice about areas to look in my home search from you already, but things are getting a little complicated. I just got home from visiting yesterday and loved it! I had it narrowed down to Seminole for the schools, proximity to the beach, short(ish) commute to Stetson, etc. But, today I was offered a house on the Stetson campus in Gulfport for next to nothing. The issue? My kids, 11 and 15 years old, would like to make neighborhood friends. I am aware that the cheaper rent will have to go toward private school, but I'd like to know that they will have people their age living around us to hang out with.
Does anyone have any knowledge about this area of Gulfport? I drove around the campus area, but it was during the school day and there were no kids around. I'd rather pay more and (sigh) drive more, than for my kids to be lonely in their own neighborhood.
Thank you for any help!

[dothetwist]

Kudos to you for thinking of your kids first.

I live in Gulfport's waterfront district so not much help to your q. re: Stetson area.

We golf at Pasadena Yacht and CC and there are certainly kids of all ages there as we see them at the pool, tennis courts, and around the housing area. PYCC is almost directly across from Stetson Law.

If you are commuting to Stetson Law, perhaps ask someone on the faculty or who works there, in your age bracket and see what they know about kids in that area???

Good luck!

[turningoverleaves]

That is great to know! I wasn't there long enough to get a really good feel for the area. We are out in the country right now after years of moving around with the Navy and they really want some friends to shoot hoops and go to the pool with, for a change. Thank you!

I will be calling the school on Monday to get some ideas about kids in this area.

Does anyone know about the Fundamental programs around here? Is it strictly lottery-based, or test-based, or both? I will be way late in the game by the time we move, but if it is test based, we may have a shot. I just don't know how it works.

[JohnGiovanni]

I am no expert but I been to Gulfport before and I had a feeling that it was one of those places that probably would not be good for school kids. Let alone young adults my age. It struck me as a Dunedin/Ozona kind of area just sandwiched between bad neighborhoods or the dreaded South Side. Or I saw how it was cheap for a reason.. Kinda cast out, isolated, not many places to go to from there. I visited because a middle aged man told me how " I need to get out more" when I told him I went to Gateway or Treasure Island, Downtown so I saw Gulfport and found it wouldn't be a place I'd want to live. Seems like its gays and retirees mostly.

[Roscoe Conkling]

Originally Posted by JohnGiovanni

I am no expert but I been to Gulfport .... and found it wouldn't be a place I'd want to live. Seems like its gays and retirees mostly.

Does the fact that it's gays or retirees bother you or both?

Having made a considerable amount of money out of real estate over the years I've always followed the rule that where there's a large gay community property prices will go nowhere but up. I've never been proved wrong.

[JohnGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Roscoe Conkling

Does the fact that it's gays or retirees bother you or both?

Having made a considerable amount of money out of real estate over the years I've always followed the rule that where there's a large gay community property prices will go nowhere but up. I've never been proved wrong.

I know this.. but why do you want properties to go way up?? Its as if you stand up for this kind of a world.


I'll tell you what I support. I support not ghettos or very low income housing, but I support something called the middle of the road, everyone lives good but not extravagant. Every neighborhood is nice, just not rich to where theres a heavy underclass. I like middle of the road America, like how the 80s were.. everyone had a fair shake. Everything is too uneven now due to really high and really low prices leaving some people to live in lousy conditions.

[Roscoe Conkling]

Originally Posted by JohnGiovanni

I know this.. but why do you want properties to go way up?? Its as if you stand up for this kind of a world.


I'll tell you what I support. I support not ghettos or very low income housing, but I support something called the middle of the road, everyone lives good but not extravagant. Every neighborhood is nice, just not rich to where theres a heavy underclass. I like middle of the road America, like how the 80s were.. everyone had a fair shake. Everything is too uneven now due to really high and really low prices leaving some people to live in lousy conditions.

Yet you don't like an area because it is full of gays and old people ?
Welcome to 2016 dude.

[turningoverleaves]

LOL, well we don't mind gays or retirees! We do mind areas completely devoid of children between the ages of 5 and 18 because the schools are so terrible and their parents move to the suburbs. Gulfport, around Stetson, seemed really nice, with quiet streets and neat little houses. And a cool downtown area, too. If it was just me, I'd move in a second. I have to find a balance between the kids' education, living in a great area that we all would enjoy, and expense. I haven't read much on the forums about the quality of life in the area. All opinions are appreciated!

[GoodBeer]

I am no expert but I been to Gulfport .... and found it wouldn't be a place I'd want to live. Seems like its gays and retirees mostly.

I'll tell you what I support. I support not ghettos or very low income housing, but I support something called the middle of the road, everyone lives good but not extravagant. Every neighborhood is nice, just not rich to where theres a heavy underclass. I like middle of the road America, like how the 80s were.. everyone had a fair shake. Everything is too uneven now due to really high and really low prices leaving some people to live in lousy conditions.

Unfortunately, this pipe dream is less of a reality as it was in the 80's, and it was an illusion back then. Tampa Bay, while still somewhat conservative in some parts, is becoming more and more progressive. St. Petersburg is especially LGBT friendly and I'm afraid your bigoted perspective on certain demographics will leave you ostracized and unhappy. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, don't assume that everyone else is obligated to share it. This is a mistake a great deal of visitors/potential implants of this area make. Perhaps you should consider somewhere else.

[GoodBeer]

Originally Posted by turningoverleaves

LOL, well we don't mind gays or retirees! We do mind areas completely devoid of children between the ages of 5 and 18 because the schools are so terrible and their parents move to the suburbs. Gulfport, around Stetson, seemed really nice, with quiet streets and neat little houses. And a cool downtown area, too. If it was just me, I'd move in a second. I have to find a balance between the kids' education, living in a great area that we all would enjoy, and expense. I haven't read much on the forums about the quality of life in the area. All opinions are appreciated!

Gulfport/Stetson area is pretty nice, but it is mere blocks away from the not-so-nice parts of South St. Petersburg. If you choose public schools your kids will be socializing with other kids from these areas. There is alot of crime, juvenile delinquency, and drugs/gangs in the bad parts of St. Pete, and unfortunately, this gets brought into the schools as well. Boga Ciega HS and Gibbs HS are local High Schools that serve the Southern part of St. Petersburg. If you elect private schools, it will most likely be a better environment for the kids. My perspective is based on statistics and personal experience dealing with education, crime, and delinquency in various parts of the county. It is certainly not a race issue, but you will find that in St. Petersburg, it seems that everything is a race issue, even for those with whom race is not an issue. It's an unfortunate reality of this area. That being said, if you were considering Seminole at some point, it's a totally different area with different communities and different schools. Seminole Middle/High Schools both have good ratings. Seminole, while presenting it's own set of issues like any community, maintains a higher standard of quality when it comes to academic and social offerings. Most of Seminole is also very safe. Drive both areas, check out the neighborhoods and areas surrounding the schools. Also keep in mind that traffic is crazy here, no matter what part of the county you live in. However, it can get a little thicker in St. Pete than Seminole.
Another thing to consider, if you are looking at any area to consider living, drive around at night to get a feel if you would be safe and comfortable living there. There are some areas here that appear nice during the day but are different at night. I would seriously factor this into your equation when looking for a place to live.