Considering a move to Tampa (Brandon, Palm Harbor: foreclosure, to rent, chapel)

[puflab]

I now live in Delaware, but am considering a move to Tampa. My geographic criteria are:
1. Must be within 25 miles of Tampa airport.
2. No further than 10 miles from a nice beach.
3. Within 5 miles of some type of shopping mall.
4. Decent schools (3 kids - high school and middle school)
5. Not in the city of Tampa itself.
6. Would prefer a community with pool(s) and activity areas (want FUN)
7. Want a younger community population (comprises of folks in 30's and 40's)
8. Newer home (no more than 5 years old)
I've looked briefly in Wesley Chapel and Parrish, but wanted more info on Riverview and Apollo beach as well as suggestions on other areas. Thanks!

[mquintana]

Originally Posted by puflab

I now live in Delaware, but am considering a move to Tampa. My geographic criteria are:
1. Must be within 25 miles of Tampa airport. Anywhere in the TB area will do for this...
2. No further than 10 miles from a nice beach. You might run into an issue here, the nicer beaches are not within 10 miles of the TB area.
3. Within 5 miles of some type of shopping mall. You can get this in any area in TB area
4. Decent schools (3 kids - high school and middle school) Go here to see the schools and ratings http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/
5. Not in the city of Tampa itself. Brandon, New Tampa
6. Would prefer a community with pool(s) and activity areas (want FUN) Not sure, other's can help with this...
7. Want a younger community population (comprises of folks in 30's and 40's) I think New Tampa can offer this for you
8. Newer home (no more than 5 years old) Def. New Tampa, but Brandon too.
I've looked briefly in Wesley Chapel and Parrish, but wanted more info on Riverview and Apollo beach as well as suggestions on other areas. Thanks!

I heard Apollo Bch is nice, I haven't been there before so I cannot elaborate. Riverview I can tell you about. you can get many new homes, they have had a surplus of new communites pop up. It's kind of out in the country, not within 5 miles of the Brandon Mall, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to move out to Riverview, it's not built up enough yet for the things you are looking for-however-the schools are good.

[mandy_tampa]

Originally Posted by puflab

I now live in Delaware, but am considering a move to Tampa. My geographic criteria are:
1. Must be within 25 miles of Tampa airport. North Pinellas County
2. No further than 10 miles from a nice beach. again :-) NORTH PINELLAS COUNTY (and best part most of N P County is not in a flood or evac zone if you stay in Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Countryside (just a few areas within these are in a flood or evac zone)
3. Within 5 miles of some type of shopping mall. North Pinellas County
4. Decent schools (3 kids - high school and middle school) top rated public schools again :-) North Pinellas County
5. Not in the city of Tampa itself.
6. Would prefer a community with pool(s) and activity areas (want FUN)
7. Want a younger community population (comprises of folks in 30's and 40's)
8. Newer home (no more than 5 years old) now that I just now read wont happen in North Pinellas County, why do you want newer? What price range are you looking in?
I've looked briefly in Wesley Chapel and Parrish, but wanted more info on Riverview and Apollo beach as well as suggestions on other areas. Thanks!

be careful there with flood zones, evac zones and school ratings :-((( that pertains to Appollo Beach area

[mandy_tampa]

Originally Posted by mquintana

I heard Apollo Bch is nice, I haven't been there before so I cannot elaborate. Riverview I can tell you about. you can get many new homes, they have had a surplus of new communites pop up. It's kind of out in the country, not within 5 miles of the Brandon Mall, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to move out to Riverview, it's not built up enough yet for the things you are looking for-however-the schools are good.

would disagree with that just sold a home over there in RIverview and most of the schools we were looking up school ratings for my clients were not very satisfactory!

Plus CDD fee's many new homes there have big junks of CDD fees and almost every 3'rd home is in PRE-Foreclosure so if you think about looking at any of these i suggest you have lots of PATIENCE they can take up to 120 days

[mquintana]

I do have to speak highly of Riverview High (A rating school), my sister-in-law graduated from there not too long ago and there were many graduates with a GPA of 5.0, 6.0, & 7.0 and higher. Randall Middle, A rating, Symmes Elementary has an A rating as well as Riverview Elem., Boyette Springs Elem. These are just a few but for the most part the schools are decent out there.
Yes, there are CDD fees because of all the housing communites out in Riverview. They all charge to live in a nice gated comm.

Originally Posted by mandy_tampa

would disagree with that just sold a home over there in RIverview and most of the schools we were looking up school ratings for my clients were not very satisfactory!

Plus CDD fee's many new homes there have big junks of CDD fees and almost every 3'rd home is in PRE-Foreclosure so if you think about looking at any of these i suggest you have lots of PATIENCE they can take up to 120 days

[TampaKaren]

I would suggest you also look at the Westchase area. It meets all the criteria on your wish list and more. Here's a link to the community's official site --> Westchase.net the official web site of the Westchase Community Association, and to the Westchase Golf Club --> Tampa Golf Courses - Tampa, FL - Westchase Golf Club Official Home Page.

[Keeper]

I think Westchase would be a better choice.. not far from Airport, shopping and 10 mins to the bay or 20 mins to the gulf

Take it from someone who knows, a lot of homes in foreclosure will hurt you if investor's come in and buy them up to rent them out.

[mandy_tampa]

Originally Posted by Keeper

Take it from someone who knows, a lot of homes in foreclosure will hurt you if investor's come in and buy them up to rent them out.

ditto that I couldnt agree more with you on that one!

[mandy_tampa]

Now let's say you found a home go to the school locator website! There you will put in the property address and it will tell you which schools you'd be zoned for!
https://choice.sdhc.k12.fl.us/locator/Default.asp

then go to this website to check on a particular school! It will give you a link where you can get the school report card and see it's rating!
School Information

Hope this helps!

[mandy_tampa]

Originally Posted by mquintana

I do have to speak highly of Riverview High (A rating school),

if you read my post that pertained to Appollo Beach I didnt say Riverview had bad schools!