Need help finding a nice family are in the Tampa Bay Area - We are from Michigan (Orlando: short sale)

[lilacmama]

We are moving from Michigan to Florida Spring 2012. I have vacationed in Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Sarasota and really liked it but realisticly we can't afford it there. We are looking for a nice area to raise our elementry age children, close to shopping, dining and activities.

Here is someinfo. All ideas are greatly appreciated!

Employment will be in the Riverview Area for one of us. Searching for a job for the other person now.

Housing under 200K and low to zero association fees. Looking to rent for a few months until we find a house to purchase.

Schools are a concern

What is an acceptable commute time? 1hour or less. Prefer 30-40 min max

What else is important to you? Family oriented, good schools, pool ?, we have two dogs, nice scenery, well kept trees and yards, shopping, low crime rates.

Do you have the A/C on all the time in the house in this area? I understand it is ungodly hot for the summer but any time of the year you open the windows?

Suggest living near lakes or no?


Thanks!
Lilacmama from cold Michigan

[lilacmama]

Also any suggestions on Logistic / Warehouse jobs in the area let me know. My husband works for a company that supplies General Motors with parts and salary is around 50K here.

Thanks!
Lilacmama

[Bgotti]

First of all, where in Michigan are you moving from? I am originally from Farmington Hills area. Good deal. Anyhow, Bradenton is probably the most affordable of the three cities that you mentioned, but even so you won't find any housing under $200 K around there. With that being said, you mentioned working in Riverview. Before my wife and I chose Apollo Beach, that is where we first looked. You can build a new home in Riverview for under $200 K btw. I will say that the builders for those homes offer bare minimum features/amenities. The school system in Florida is no comparison to the school system up North so I may suggest seeking a private or Charter school. As far as an acceptable commute to travel for work goes, I personally wouldn't drive more than 35-40 min. w/ the gas prices, etc. Right now, you're going to need the A/C on, but it will be more constant in the mos. of June and August. Living near a lake has it's pros and cons, but I can tell you that there is no guarantee that they don't have gators or Water Mocassins inhabiting them. If you're like me and you love the water, fishing and boating then...

[Kevin from Tampa]

Fishhawk Ranch

Don't move here without a job

[StEt0417]

Originally Posted by lilacmama

We are moving from Michigan to Florida Spring 2012. I have vacationed in Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Sarasota and really liked it but realisticly we can't afford it there. We are looking for a nice area to raise our elementry age children, close to shopping, dining and activities.

Here is someinfo. All ideas are greatly appreciated!

Employment will be in the Riverview Area for one of us. Searching for a job for the other person now.

Housing under 200K and low to zero association fees. Looking to rent for a few months until we find a house to purchase.

Schools are a concern

What is an acceptable commute time? 1hour or less. Prefer 30-40 min max

What else is important to you? Family oriented, good schools, pool ?, we have two dogs, nice scenery, well kept trees and yards, shopping, low crime rates.

Do you have the A/C on all the time in the house in this area? I understand it is ungodly hot for the summer but any time of the year you open the windows?

Suggest living near lakes or no?


Thanks!
Lilacmama from cold Michigan

Did you look into lakewood ranch in bradenton? Im sure you can find something there under 200g. Theres lost to rent there for 1300 and under as well.

[Noodlenoggin]

We moved here from Michigan this spring. We rent a house in Fishhawk Ranch. The schools are the best in Hillsborough County -- we have a girl in elementary and a boy in middle school. The schools by Riverview are a mixed bag. Summerfield Elementary is good, but Eisenhower middle school is not. Fishhawk is about 12 miles from Riverview and a straight shot...but traffic is unreasonably slow. Just....slow. I work in Tampa and it's an hour drive to go 22 miles.

You can buy a house in Fishhawk starting about $160k, and heading up to a half-million. People are mostly friendly, and there are walking trails, pools, gyms, Friday concerts, etc.

I moved here in April, and it was nice -- like Michigan June. The heat faded in through May and June, and the humidity came in late June. Miserably hot and humid through July, August, September. Now that it's October, we're seing low 80's during the day, 60's at night and low humidity...and I'm expecting to see that through April.

If you're used to Detroit, Tampa will feel smaller, more accessible and a heckuva lot safer. Even the "ghetto" here doesn't feel as bad as pretty much anywhere in Detroit. If I remember right, Lansing is rated as more dangerous than Tampa.

Longer-term residents will surely correct me where I'm wrong.

[lilacmama32]

Originally Posted by Noodlenoggin

We moved here from Michigan this spring. We rent a house in Fishhawk Ranch. The schools are the best in Hillsborough County -- we have a girl in elementary and a boy in middle school. The schools by Riverview are a mixed bag. Summerfield Elementary is good, but Eisenhower middle school is not. Fishhawk is about 12 miles from Riverview and a straight shot...but traffic is unreasonably slow. Just....slow. I work in Tampa and it's an hour drive to go 22 miles.

You can buy a house in Fishhawk starting about $160k, and heading up to a half-million. People are mostly friendly, and there are walking trails, pools, gyms, Friday concerts, etc.

I moved here in April, and it was nice -- like Michigan June. The heat faded in through May and June, and the humidity came in late June. Miserably hot and humid through July, August, September. Now that it's October, we're seing low 80's during the day, 60's at night and low humidity...and I'm expecting to see that through April.

If you're used to Detroit, Tampa will feel smaller, more accessible and a heckuva lot safer. Even the "ghetto" here doesn't feel as bad as pretty much anywhere in Detroit. If I remember right, Lansing is rated as more dangerous than Tampa.

Longer-term residents will surely correct me where I'm wrong.

Thank you for responding! No I am not use to Detroit. Actually I would never live in Detroit or Flint based on crime. Lansing has little crime compared to big cities I think. I work downtown and feel fairly safe as it's all business folks during the day. I live 14 miles from Lansing in a very safe town.

I have never heard of Fish Hawk. I will look it up today. Everyone says the schools in FL aren't as good so when a parent tells me they find one they like, I check it out. We still have 5-7 months before we have to move so the more information the better.

I hope you are enjoying your new place.

[Stewabby]

I think the best school system near Riverview is Fishhawk Ranch. You can get a short sale there for about $200,000 but there will be association fees. Riverview has some really nice family areas but the schools are only so-so. It really depends on where your husband gets a job because the commute times can be huge depending on where you're working.

[rosegramma]

Originally Posted by lilacmama

Also any suggestions on Logistic / Warehouse jobs in the area let me know. My husband works for a company that supplies General Motors with parts and salary is around 50K here.

Thanks!
Lilacmama

Tampa area is a common 'hub' for many companies, so that work experience should be useful, but the unemployment rate is very high here, so be prepared to be awhile without a job. The $50K figure is probaably way high for FL. Salaries are quite low here, especially with the high unemployment. $32 -$38K may be more likely, even for mid-management. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but better to be prepared for reality.

At least he won't have to shovel snow!

My daughter just closed on a house in Orlando area that sold for $485K in '05. They paid $215K. My neice paid $107K for a newer 4BD/3BTH that had previously sold for $320K in Springhill (north of Tampa), so there are many great housing deals around. Most nicer areas are going to have HOA fees, though.