Just got back from Tampa Bay area (Clearwater, Lakeland: rentals, condo)

[Leaving4Ca]

to the rat's nest called Northern Va. :/

Loved the southern part of Lakeland, a nice country friendly feeling, some nice shopping malls, grocery stores, services, etc. Hardly any traffic! (well, compared to what I am used to on a daily basis, that is)
Some nice houses at a reasonable price, too.

Loved Clearwater & Safety Harbor... but a bit crowded for my taste, and the homes, while lovely, are the same prices as the homes here in Northern Va.

The roads are all so nice in Fla! Wow.

[the awesomee]

Originally Posted by Leaving4Ca

The roads are all so nice in Fla! Wow.

The roads are pretty nice here! Ever been to the Nevada desert outside vegas, ive found there are nice roads as well out there

Heck we need huge lanes down here with all the SUV soccer moms anyway

[user8]

I miss Alexandria. Need to visit soon.

You must be out in the boonies if you think homes in NoVA are the same as Safety Harbor.

Yeah traffic, while indeed bad on main roads in rush hour, is a joke compared to up there. These folks don't know what pain is until they've been in a 3 hour gridlock on 66.

The roads are definitely way nicer here, especially after FL's version of winter.

[user8]

Originally Posted by the awesomee

The roads are pretty nice here! Ever been to the Nevada desert outside vegas, ive found there are nice roads as well out there

Heck we need huge lanes down here with all the SUV soccer moms anyway

Nicest, smoothest highways I've ever driven on (save for the Autobahn) are in Nevada.

[Leaving4Ca]

Originally Posted by user8

I miss Alexandria. Need to visit soon.

You must be out in the boonies if you think homes in NoVA are the same as Safety Harbor.

Yeah traffic, while indeed bad on main roads in rush hour, is a joke compared to up there. These folks don't know what pain is until they've been in a 3 hour gridlock on 66.

The roads are definitely way nicer here, especially after FL's version of winter.

I didn't mean "the same in all things" I was talking about prices, and I'm not in the boonies. $500K homes are not in the boonies in 2010 when we bought our current home. When I come to Fla to buy a house, I'm not spending $500 again.

Alexandria is still the same... very cute... but I'm sure there are equally cute little spots in Tampa, right? I hope.

[user8]

Originally Posted by Leaving4Ca

I didn't mean "the same in all things" I was talking about prices, and I'm not in the boonies. $500K homes are not in the boonies in 2010 when we bought our current home. When I come to Fla to buy a house, I'm not spending $500 again.

Alexandria is still the same... very cute... but I'm sure there are equally cute little spots in Tampa, right? I hope.

I know you were talking about prices, which is why I made my comment. But Alexandria is my hometown so I'm used to the prices there, Arlington, and McLean which are out of this world expensive. I have a 70 year old condo in north old town that is the size of a thimble and cost, well let's just say I could raise a huge family in a nice, new neighborhood down here for the same price.

I haven't found anything down here that is on par w/ old town's charm. Then again I wasn't expecting to find a preserved colonial-era town here. About the closest I feel to "home" in Tampa would be how the Riverwalk occasionally reminds me of walking along the Georgetown waterfront. But the whole idea of uprooting was to try something different. Aaaaaand different, Tampa Bay certainly is.

[Leaving4Ca]

Yes, the colonial part of Alexandria is very charming. Tampa would certainly be a huge change! Moving and making a change is HUGE, especially if you have not done it before. Stepping out fo the comfort zone. I've lived overseas and in several states... I am looking forward to a change from Va, I've been here too long now.

User8, you are missing all the fun here!!!! All of the wonderful hot lane construction on 495! We are having fun fun fun every day for hours sitting in traffic!

Where did you settle in Tampa Bay, and why? Please PM if you wish. Thanks!

[algia]

Originally Posted by the awesomee

Heck we need huge lanes down here with all the SUV soccer moms anyway

I hope you're joking...our roads are fine...Thanks!

You seem obsessed with "soccer moms, and their SUV's". My good guess is that you don't have kids, and have no clue what we have to carry around all the time...BUT....be my guest and try fitting a car seat in a Smart car, or a Mini Cooper, beach toys, beach chairs etc! We used to have a WV Golf GTI, and that barely fit 2 beach chairs for the two of us BEFORE we had kids!!!! Also, if beach rentals were more spread out, and cheaper, maybe we won't need big cars!!!!!

I have a stupid Pacifica and all 6 of us can't go out at the same time because there's no room left for my stroller, and beach chairs, cooler etc....

BACK to the OP.........IF you "don't look" to replicate NoVa here, then you'll like it here very much. Don't look for patches "like" the ones in Alexandria either, cause you won't find any. Florida is a LOT newer than that..."Old Time Charm" here is Florida like, and not DC/VA like...very different. You should go to Sarasota next time you visit...but the next thing to do here is to find a residence close to work, because the entire Tampa Bay is very spread out...and even though our roads are very nice, and our traffic is a joke compared to up north, you still won't want to commute more than you need to.

[user8]

Originally Posted by Leaving4Ca

Yes, the colonial part of Alexandria is very charming. Tampa would certainly be a huge change! Moving and making a change is HUGE, especially if you have not done it before. Stepping out fo the comfort zone. I've lived overseas and in several states... I am looking forward to a change from Va, I've been here too long now.

User8, you are missing all the fun here!!!! All of the wonderful hot lane construction on 495! We are having fun fun fun every day for hours sitting in traffic!

Where did you settle in Tampa Bay, and why? Please PM if you wish. Thanks!

Missing it, my ass! I left last year when they already started working on the beltway near the Route 7 exit. Nothing like driving through a construction site at 60 mph. Oh wait, that's a highway.

We live in Citrus Park because a) it's close to work and b) because it's one of the few areas of Hillsborough County that isn't run down and crime ridden. If most of Tampa was as clean, safe, and properly drained as this area it'd be a garden spot on the map. We lived in Riverside Heights last year because at the time I was working at MacDill. That was a mistake. Do yourself a favor and don't take anyone's advice about places to live down here. See them for yourself before you choose.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by user8

Missing it, my ass! I left last year when they already started working on the beltway near the Route 7 exit. Nothing like driving through a construction site at 60 mph. Oh wait, that's a highway.

We live in Citrus Park because a) it's close to work and b) because it's one of the few areas of Hillsborough County that isn't run down and crime ridden. If most of Tampa was as clean, safe, and properly drained as this area it'd be a garden spot on the map. We lived in Riverside Heights last year because at the time I was working at MacDill. That was a mistake. Do yourself a favor and don't take anyone's advice about places to live down here. See them for yourself before you choose.

Tampa is just one step up from Compton! Seriously, South Tampa is "crime ridden" and run down. As is North Tampa! Get over yourself, buddy. The "rundown" area of Tampa is east of Florida Ave. That does not make up the entirety of this city. And Citrus Park is "nicer" now because it's only about 10 years old.