Where to live near Tampa VA (Wesley Chapel, Hampton: real estate, apartment complex, to rent)

[zmeflyby]

Hey guys,

I am relocating to Tampa for a job at the VA. So where are some nice/safe areas around the area?


thanks

[Tampa Homes]

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel come to mind.

[tonyff67]

There are no nice areas around the Tampa VA. You could go a little north, into bowels of suburbia. AKA New Tampa. It's pretty, quiet and reasonable safe, but BORING!!!!!. Lots of traffic too. Good news is, it's cheap, since suburbia took a much harder hit from the real estate crash than the urban areas.

[zmeflyby]

lol

i would take safe and boring over fun and dangerous.

[zmeflyby]

where exactly is new tampa?

[annaegel]

From the VA, you take Bruce B. Downs Blvd up about 5 miles or so. That brings you to Tampa Palms, the first housing community in New Tampa. If you follow Bruce B. Downs up, you will be in the heart of New Tampa with many housing communities. It is pretty mundane, but aren't all suburban communities? We do have a movie theatre, restaurants, coffee houses like Starbucks, few bars, stores, etc. I live in Tampa Palms and avoid a lot of the traffic from people getting onto I-75. I work at USF, which is right across the street from the VA. It takes me 15 minutes with communiting traffic to get to work. I have a co-worker who lives in Wesley Chapel. She says it takes her 30 minutes. However, she has sat on I-75 and has taken over an hour to get to work.

Are you looking to rent or buy? House or apartment/condo?

[zmeflyby]

I will be renting an apartment for sure.

[annaegel]

Tampa Palms has some nice apartments throughout. Do you have a price range? Vista Grande is an upscale apartment complex. You could get a nice 1 bedroom for around $1,000. They do have a unit for $886. The Hamptons at Tampa Palms is another nice place for a little cheaper. A little further up Bruce B. Downs Blvd are some nice apartments like Richmond Place. The one bad thing about that place is that it is right next to Bruce B. Downs, which is going through some major construction for the last few years. They are widening the road from 4 lanes to 8 lanes. Hopefully, that section will be complete in the next year or so. They have already started construction in my section. Do your homework on which place you want to rent. The apartments can be lousy. I would stay away from any apartments on Cross Creek. Getting onto Bruce B. Downs in the morning is a nightmare. It could take you an hour to get to the VA. Hopefully after all the construction is done, commuting time will be less, but that may take a few years for all the construction to be completed.

[zmeflyby]

Thanks that was really helpful. Yea, so I would rather pay 1000 dollars then live in a dump worrying every day about getting my stuff stolen.