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I was reading through the forum, and I saw a mention about the Land O Lakes area. I'm curious about it, so I thought I'd start a new thread. Can anybody offer some insights on the following...
1) Atmosphere: What is the overall feel of LOL? Young and wild? Family-oriented? Rural, urban, somewhere in between?
2) Housing: 3500 sqft homes in the low $200's, what's the catch?
3) Schools: How are they? Would private schools be necessary? If so, any resources on LOL private schools?
4) Distance: It seems to be quite a drive from any city destinations, yeah? Does anybody that lives there find the drive downtown to be prohibitive? What about to the beach?
5) Activities: What things are there to do in LOL?
I was reading through the forum, and I saw a mention about the Land O Lakes area. I'm curious about it, so I thought I'd start a new thread. Can anybody offer some insights on the following...
1) Atmosphere: What is the overall feel of LOL? Young and wild? Family-oriented? Rural, urban, somewhere in between? Definitely NOT "young & wild" unless you call drug dealers, or teens stealing that. BIG Sprawled suburb. Depleted of any style or character. Built mostly on former pastures literally. Some parts off SR-54 might look like family oriented because families live there, but there is no community sense were families actually KNOW each other.
2) Housing: 3500 sqft homes in the low $200's, what's the catch? Short sales, foreclosures, or deserted neighborhood, no amenities to make it more expensive.
3) Schools: How are they? Would private schools be necessary? If so, any resources on LOL private schools? I don't know of any private ones, check greatschools.net
4) Distance: It seems to be quite a drive from any city destinations, yeah? Does anybody that lives there find the drive downtown to be prohibitive? What about to the beach? It is FAR from attractions, and the beaches. What you save on a house, you pay on gas to get anywhere.
5) Activities: What things are there to do in LOL? Nothing! Aside from strip mall plaza shopping, and chain dining..
6) Any other thoughts? There are a bunch of areas prone to sink holes. Sink Hole insurance can dwarf all your "savings"
LoL is in a fairly rural area overall, but like everything else around the Tampa area, it is growing.
There is a lot of businesses to suit everyone's needs there. County jail is in LoL. I'd go with "family oriented".
Homes are super cheap right now, compared to the boom prices. More back to pre boom, little lower due to the economy. Many good deals can be had. Lots of subdivisions to choose from.
I use U.S. 41 often on my travels it and its me right through LoL. It is fairly close to down town Tampa. 41 takes you dead on to downtown. Its about 20 miles between the two downtowns.
I wouldnt think there is much "to do" in LoL. The area is abundant with lakes, of course, so there is good fishing locally. Most of your "to do"'s would be down the road in Tampa.
In my opinion, if you want to be not too close to Tampa and yet not too far away, away from congestion and close to open spaces, woodlands, lakes, and the proximity to other places,
LoL could be a good place to reside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xtreme
Hello everyone!
I was reading through the forum, and I saw a mention about the Land O Lakes area. I'm curious about it, so I thought I'd start a new thread. Can anybody offer some insights on the following...
1) Atmosphere: What is the overall feel of LOL? Young and wild? Family-oriented? Rural, urban, somewhere in between?
2) Housing: 3500 sqft homes in the low $200's, what's the catch?
3) Schools: How are they? Would private schools be necessary? If so, any resources on LOL private schools?
4) Distance: It seems to be quite a drive from any city destinations, yeah? Does anybody that lives there find the drive downtown to be prohibitive? What about to the beach?
5) Activities: What things are there to do in LOL?
As a 10 plus year resident of Land O' Lakes and father whose son goes to Land O' Lakes High School and originally from New York City I have found Land O' Lakes to be a great area to live. It is a quiet town and we have a great family friendly community with many activities including a very large recreation center and library on Collier Parkway close to where I reside. Depending on what types of things you enjoy, Land O' Lakes proper is limited in its resources but has very easy interstate access and is accessible to Downtown Tampa in 30 minutes or so and up to 40 minutes in rush hour. The Pinellas beaches are 35-50 minutes away. Now as a longtime reader of Citi Data I felt the need to finally sign up today so as to respond to the constant and immediate negative invalid verbiage associated to any Land O' Lakes thread by the poster Algia. As a business owner (and former Manhattan resident I might add Algia ) I travel throughout the Tampa Bay region daily and know each individual area intimately, am very pleased with my choice in Land O' Lakes despite the misrepresented opinions posted here "Some parts off SR-54 might look like family oriented because families live there, but there is no community sense were families actually KNOW each other." Definitely NOT "young & wild" unless you call drug dealers, or teens stealing that. BIG Sprawled suburb. Depleted of any style or character."
It is a suburb and a community despite what Algia posts as facts. I am curious to know where these drug dealers congregate and all of the teens stealing and would love to see the links ... Attraction wise I do not know what she is talking about that are so far away? Busch Gardens? -20 minutes ... The Aquarium? 25-30 minutes.. The beaches? 35-50 minutes to Pinellas beaches as stated above... That being said, from the area that she states that she lives in Lutz is 10 minutes from where I live so apparently all of the atrocities in Land O' Lakes stop immediately once you follow the rainbow to Algias rental house in Lutz. It has access to the Suncoast toll road but is tucked away far from the interstate and you have to wrestle through local roads and Dale Mabry before you get close to traveling with any fluidity... Everyone has an area that they enjoy where others may not prefer said areas and that is ok. That being said it is important that we state facts and not baseless opinions and sterotypes. Good luck in your search for a home.
I personally don't consider taking 30-40 trips "short". But that is obviously a matter of perception, others who are used to take commutes of 50+ minutes might think 30-40 minutes should be good. I don't.
Collier Parkway is the country line between Hillsborough and Pasco and a very nice area. NOT part of Land O Lakes, but part of Lutz, and on Bruce B down New Tampa, and north of there Wesley Chapel.
I drive twice a week, sometimes more, on SR-54, and one of my kids pediatricians is up on 41 in Land O Lakes, i am very sorry for you if you haven't gotten that way yet, but I cannot call that area "nice/family friendly"! There are several trailer parks, and run down dilapidated businesses for more than 5 miles until you get to Connerton, and when you get there, there's nothing but you, large homes, and cows. I could post pictures if you'd like. IF someone is "looking" for that, fantastic for them, I don't, I like to stay close to civilization, and nowhere did I say Lutz was free of crime, we have the Carrollwood paper telling us weekly where the crimes happened.
I travel for work too, and for kids appts all over the bay too...it is a matter of perception, the OP is more than welcome to visit, and he could agree with either one of us, as is his choice, but in no way am I going to paint Land O Lakes as the "best place to live" around Tampa. That would be ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NY-TAMPA
As a 10 plus year resident of Land O' Lakes and father whose son goes to Land O' Lakes High School and originally from New York City I have found Land O' Lakes to be a great area to live. It is a quiet town and we have a great family friendly community with many activities including a very large recreation center and library on Collier Parkway close to where I reside. Depending on what types of things you enjoy, Land O' Lakes proper is limited in its resources but has very easy interstate access and is accessible to Downtown Tampa in 30 minutes or so and up to 40 minutes in rush hour. The Pinellas beaches are 35-50 minutes away. Now as a longtime reader of Citi Data I felt the need to finally sign up today so as to respond to the constant and immediate negative invalid verbiage associated to any Land O' Lakes thread by the poster Algia. As a business owner (and former Manhattan resident I might add Algia ) I travel throughout the Tampa Bay region daily and know each individual area intimately, am very pleased with my choice in Land O' Lakes despite the misrepresented opinions posted here "Some parts off SR-54 might look like family oriented because families live there, but there is no community sense were families actually KNOW each other." Definitely NOT "young & wild" unless you call drug dealers, or teens stealing that. BIG Sprawled suburb. Depleted of any style or character."
It is a suburb and a community despite what Algia posts as facts. I am curious to know where these drug dealers congregate and all of the teens stealing and would love to see the links ... Attraction wise I do not know what she is talking about that are so far away? Busch Gardens? -20 minutes ... The Aquarium? 25-30 minutes.. The beaches? 35-50 minutes to Pinellas beaches as stated above... That being said, from the area that she states that she lives in Lutz is 10 minutes from where I live so apparently all of the atrocities in Land O' Lakes stop immediately once you follow the rainbow to Algias rental house in Lutz. It has access to the Suncoast toll road but is tucked away far from the interstate and you have to wrestle through local roads and Dale Mabry before you get close to traveling with any fluidity... Everyone has an area that they enjoy where others may not prefer said areas and that is ok. That being said it is important that we state facts and not baseless opinions and sterotypes. Good luck in your search for a home.
LoL is in a fairly rural area overall, but like everything else around the Tampa area, it is growing.
There is a lot of businesses to suit everyone's needs there. County jail is in LoL. I'd go with "family oriented".
Homes are super cheap right now, compared to the boom prices. More back to pre boom, little lower due to the economy. Many good deals can be had. Lots of subdivisions to choose from.
I use U.S. 41 often on my travels it and its me right through LoL. It is fairly close to down town Tampa. 41 takes you dead on to downtown. Its about 20 miles between the two downtowns.
I wouldnt think there is much "to do" in LoL. The area is abundant with lakes, of course, so there is good fishing locally. Most of your "to do"'s would be down the road in Tampa.
In my opinion, if you want to be not too close to Tampa and yet not too far away, away from congestion and close to open spaces, woodlands, lakes, and the proximity to other places,
LoL could be a good place to reside.
You will never get a response that even closely resembles your points. Some posters just like to rant, rave and post inaccurate information. Thank you for an "on the spot" review of the situation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NY-TAMPA
As a 10 plus year resident of Land O' Lakes and father whose son goes to Land O' Lakes High School and originally from New York City I have found Land O' Lakes to be a great area to live. It is a quiet town and we have a great family friendly community with many activities including a very large recreation center and library on Collier Parkway close to where I reside. Depending on what types of things you enjoy, Land O' Lakes proper is limited in its resources but has very easy interstate access and is accessible to Downtown Tampa in 30 minutes or so and up to 40 minutes in rush hour. The Pinellas beaches are 35-50 minutes away. Now as a longtime reader of Citi Data I felt the need to finally sign up today so as to respond to the constant and immediate negative invalid verbiage associated to any Land O' Lakes thread by the poster Algia. As a business owner (and former Manhattan resident I might add Algia ) I travel throughout the Tampa Bay region daily and know each individual area intimately, am very pleased with my choice in Land O' Lakes despite the misrepresented opinions posted here "Some parts off SR-54 might look like family oriented because families live there, but there is no community sense were families actually KNOW each other." Definitely NOT "young & wild" unless you call drug dealers, or teens stealing that. BIG Sprawled suburb. Depleted of any style or character."
It is a suburb and a community despite what Algia posts as facts. I am curious to know where these drug dealers congregate and all of the teens stealing and would love to see the links ... Attraction wise I do not know what she is talking about that are so far away? Busch Gardens? -20 minutes ... The Aquarium? 25-30 minutes.. The beaches? 35-50 minutes to Pinellas beaches as stated above... That being said, from the area that she states that she lives in Lutz is 10 minutes from where I live so apparently all of the atrocities in Land O' Lakes stop immediately once you follow the rainbow to Algias rental house in Lutz. It has access to the Suncoast toll road but is tucked away far from the interstate and you have to wrestle through local roads and Dale Mabry before you get close to traveling with any fluidity... Everyone has an area that they enjoy where others may not prefer said areas and that is ok. That being said it is important that we state facts and not baseless opinions and sterotypes. Good luck in your search for a home.
Spring Hillian, I have made my point and will simply state facts rather than ridiculous information and compare the trailer parks in Lutz to the ones that exist in Land O' Lakes, or everywhere throughout Tampa Bay or anywhere else for that matter. I have a track record throughout the community that I stand by and need not embellish or insinuate things I never stated with quotations to dramatize simplistic scenerios.
That's how I like to operate. Factual answers to real questions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NY-TAMPA
Spring Hillian, I have made my point and will simply state facts rather than ridiculous information and compare the trailer parks in Lutz to the ones that exist in Land O' Lakes, or everywhere throughout Tampa Bay or anywhere else. I have a track record throughout the community that I stand by and need not embellish or insinuate things I never stated with quotations to dramatize simplistic scenerios.
I also live in Land O Lakes. I looked all over the place to find something that I wanted, and chose here for many of the reasons that have been stated. I don't even comment on Algia's posts anymore. We look at life differently and I think her European view of things gets lost in translation. So I take the high road and ignore her.
ECHO what was said about a Rural Feel. That it has. Some beautiful subdivisions and also some beautiful areas where homes are 'out in the open'. You can't drive up HWY 41, 54, or 56 and see the entire area. Some of it older, many parts of it are brand new. The Eastern side (close to Veterans Expressway or Suncoast HWY) continues to grow and has a lot more room.
My daughter goes to Sun Lake High School and love it there. She has made many great friends. My neighbors kids go to Land O Lakes High School and they love it there.
Home prices are cheaper here because of the room to build. The same model home in Concord Station is not priced the same in Live Oak in New Tampa. Most of Wesley Chapel is newer (off Bruce B Downs) but pretty much blends in with Land O Lakes. Up off 54, not 56, you don't even notice when you change cities.
Drugs. I am sure they are around here, but I don't see them and I am all over the place at all times. You don't have drug dealers on the corner, it is rare to see a homeless person, etc... What I do see more of is groups of kids getting together with the cars, music, and generally having a good time.
I like it here, so have nothing negative to say about it at all. I looked for a long time in many different states before deciding on this area. It may not be everyones place, so highly recommend taking a look, spend sometime and form your own opinion.
One Slight Negative: HWY 54 and the main cross roads (HWY 41, Collier, 54/56 [where they separate] and I-75) get very busy during rush hours. But I lived in San Diego, Norfolk, Seattle, and in Japan and it doesn't compare. This traffic moves!!
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