riverview vs. brandon vs carrollwood (Lutz, Valrico: for sale, house insurance, chapel)

[rnohio]

okay, i know same ole', same ole, where do i move. sorry. these are the three areas i've closed in on: riverview,brandon, carrollwood. was considering weasley chapel , but is too far from downtown tampa. my most important wants in an area:
#1 good schools
#2 affordable ( can spend 200K - 250K on 4bed/2bath house)
#3 safe area (of course )
#4 would like area with young families, i'm 30, husband 32 with 3 kids 9,7, 2 yrs.

close proximity to beaches , not an issue. i like to diversity and would like my children to be exposed/ learn about different cultures, backgrounds ,etc. so that would be a plus.
i'm definately not limited to these 3 areas, i'm sure i haven't researched them all, so i'm open to suggestions. thanks for your time.

[rnohio]

oh yeah, i forgot......... 2 of my children have mild/ high functioning autism, so special ed is a concern. also resources such as facilities for speech, occupational therapy would be important. i'm a nurse, but would be willing to drive 30 min to work . thanks

[TampaKaren]

I would suggest the difference in the three communities is age of the home and that might drive your decision. Of the three, I think Brandon and Carrollwood have been built up since the late 80's with Riverview having newer construction and they're still building. So, if you want a newer home, look at Riverview. If you want older homes with mature neighborhoods, look at Carrollwood & Brandon. Then decide on which area geographically will be better for your commute. That's my 2 cents.

Does this help?

[rnohio]

yes thank you, that definately helps. i do want newer house. i've read that house insurance is cheaper if the home is newer. don't know if that is accurate or not. my major concerns are schools and safety of the area. so if brandon and riverview both have good schools and safe areas, then both would be okay. i've seen some newer homes for sale in brandon for 200-250k. thanks for your input. it's always appreciated. rachel

[annesg]

I live in the Carrollwood area and love it--I think it's better planned, prettier (more green--more trees) than Brandon/Riverview--I lived in Valrico/Brandon for 3 years too. I think both are very kid-friendly, family-friendly places and there are good schools to be found in both. I think you'll pay less in Brandon/Riverview--at least that was the case when I moved over to Carrollwood. If you're willing to go to Lutz (good schools, family-oriented area), there are plenty of houses in the $200-250 range in Calusa Trace, Heritage Harbor, even Villarosa.