Moving to Tampa Bay area-need neighborhood narrow-down (Palm Harbor, East Lake: for sale, apartment complex)

[Keeper]

I would suggest you try and find a place that is not a long commute. You might want to check out Riverview. I wouldn't suggest Holiday as it is more of a retirement community.

Just remember what one person considers safe or a nice place another may not. Wesley Chapel is very family oriented. Land O lakes is also very nice and safe. There is also Trinity which is near Land O Lakes. There are a lot of places just be careful and don't use Craigslist to find a place.

[user8]

Originally Posted by algia

we are 6 on 39k and barely make a living here

no wonder you hate tampa so vehemently

[thethinktank]

I live in a very, very desirable part of South Tampa in a 3 bedroom house with a fenced yard for right around what you want to pay. For $1000/month, you can absolutely find a nice place to live in the Tampa Bay, and you can live above the poverty level for that expense. You just gotta dig, friend. You'll find what you're looking for.

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by user8

no wonder you hate tampa so vehemently

Agreed. I think you've discovered the crack in Tampa City Data's most annoying broken record.

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by algia

you CAN find places for $1000, but they are not all safe as you imagine.....

Complete and utter nonsense. Your experience is not universal, Algia-- from what I gathered, your experience is very, very limited and overstated. Where you live and what you experience is not indicative of the wider lifestyle in Tampa. I live in a terribly desirable, safe, hip and growing neighborhood in South Tampa. I pay that very number you mentioned above for a three bedroom house with a fenced in yard. I could leave my front door wide open, leave for a weekend and return to find nothing missing. I know my neighbors by their first names and they know me the same.

Your experience may completely suck where you are. I'm not going to question that or try to take that away from you. But other people, namely me, are having amazing experiences in this great city and wish for others to have experiences similar to my own. If your own reports of Tampa were indicative and conclusive of what Tampa is, I wouldn't want to be here either. But you clearly don't know my Tampa. I'd venture to guess that you're miles away from downtown and south Tampa. From where I sit, I'm happy to avoid where you live as well.

I tell you though, if I lived where you did, and things were as bad as you claim they are, I sure as heck would love it if I could focus your uncontrollable frustration on making my area better. Have you done that for yourself?

[kaymee310]

The towns I mentioned are the ones we were more familiar with. I said we weren't familiar with Tampa proper, which means Tampa, not the areas around it like the ones I mentioned.
Safe means a safe reputation,not a run-down or up and coming neighborhood that isn't that great now but has potential. Family friendly means a family neighborhood as opposed to one that draws a lot of singles interested in a nightlife and clubs and trendy hotspots.

[kaymee310]

Thank you. I have faith!

[Keeper]

There are plenty of areas all over Tampa Bay that fit your needs. S. Tampa is one. Homes are older but the feel of the area is great IMO. There is a small area in SoHo where there are nice restaurants and bars, but the area is mostly families.

Honestly you can find many fun things to do. My opinion is if all you do is look for the bad that is all you are going to find.

Tampa Bay performing arts Center has Broadway plays and other cultural events. There are art shows every spring all over the downtown area. There is the Renaissance festival which is a lot of fun plus the Strawberry and State Fair every year. I love to go to Ybor's Fresh Market on Saturdays. Go for Cuban coffee and toast in one of the cuban restaurants. Stroll around check out the casitas. Ride the trolley, go to the Aquarium, to the zoo.
You can find lots of things to do if you just look.

[ironsmurf]

Originally Posted by thethinktank

Complete and utter nonsense. Your experience is not universal, Algia-- from what I gathered, your experience is very, very limited and overstated. Where you live and what you experience is not indicative of the wider lifestyle in Tampa. I live in a terribly desirable, safe, hip and growing neighborhood in South Tampa. I pay that very number you mentioned above for a three bedroom house with a fenced in yard. I could leave my front door wide open, leave for a weekend and return to find nothing missing. I know my neighbors by their first names and they know me the same.

Your experience may completely suck where you are. I'm not going to question that or try to take that away from you. But other people, namely me, are having amazing experiences in this great city and wish for others to have experiences similar to my own. If your own reports of Tampa were indicative and conclusive of what Tampa is, I wouldn't want to be here either. But you clearly don't know my Tampa. I'd venture to guess that you're miles away from downtown and south Tampa. From where I sit, I'm happy to avoid where you live as well.

I tell you though, if I lived where you did, and things were as bad as you claim they are, I sure as heck would love it if I could focus your uncontrollable frustration on making my area better. Have you done that for yourself?

Well said..

[FloridaKash]

You can find homes for around $1100 in Land O Lakes and Riverview. Be careful when looking at homes to rent listed on Craigslist. If it is too good to be true it probably is. Make sure you get the landord's name and look up the info on the property at the tax collectors website. Make sure the name of the property owner and the landlord you are speaking with are the same person. This is just one step you can take from renting a foreclosed/scam landlord.