Brandon vs Land O Lakes vs Lakeland vs Plant City (Tampa: crime, home)

[MJ7]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

Do they have PE in their team?

They are a Geophysical Company, all with PGs. They do not have a PE and they do not do Engineering, although most of their work is done for Civil/Geotechnical Engineering Firms.

PG = Professional Geologists, they have a very great group of PGs there at the senior level. They are a small firm that is committed to their work and they work very hard...I use to work there.

[Kaybri73]

I just moved to Land O Lakes from NC a few weeks ago. So far so good. It is conveniently located and close to Wesley Chapel if you like that area. I am a city girl originally from the Baltimore area, my husband is from a small town in MS. We met in NC, lol, due to the military and here we are now settling down in the Tampa area. Land O Lakes is working out well for us because he gets his small town feel and I have everything within a short drive that I like. Good luck with your move

[nyguy4u]

I'll be honest - I don't need to pinpoint my area to the Land O' Lakes/Wesley Chapel area. It's just what a few people recommended to me in the past. My work would be all around the Tampa area - I travel for a production company.

My wife and I are in our late 30's - so we aren't party animals. Just looking for a nice area, low crime, shopping nearby, no more than a half hr from Tampa, and GREAT schools. Schools are a MAJOR priority. We'd LIKE to have at least a quarter acre. Right now I have over 2 acres in NY - and I know those large lots aren't common in FL in my price range (up to $250k). Stepping down to a quarter acre lot from 2 acres is a huge sacrifice for me lol.

With that said, should I still pinpoint my area to the Land O' Lakes area? Or perhaps move my search to the St. Petersburg area? Any pros and cons from switching to that area? Not familiar with that side of Tampa.

[craigtnelson]

I think if anything you will find far less space in crowded St. Pete than Land O Lakes which is still relatively wide open and undeveloped on the whole.

[Kaybri73]

It really depends on where you will be working. Westchase is always on option to. I have not ventured there yet but from what I have researched and read on here it is nice. I would seriously recommend renting for a bit until you get to know the area so you dont get stuck in a house and realize the area isnt what you had hoped for. We plan on buying next yr unless we switch school districts in which case we will wait 2 yrs until my daughter graduates. She is in one of the better rated HS's and I dont want to buy a house based off school districts when she is my youngest and about in college.

[mrviking]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

I just explained why I think the commute from Brandon/Valrico is worse compare to commute from Wesley Chapel/Land O lakes. You asked, I answered
The problem with Brandon/Valrico area is the limited routes people can take, and anyone who doesn't need to go to downtown is facing I-75 traffic no matter what.
I don't need you to agree with me, really.
I just explained why communiting from Wesley Chapel and Land O lakes is way easier... because WC/LOL offers more routes.

There are lots of roads to take to Tampa from the Brandon area. We can start with Hillsborough takes you to tampa as well as I4, Mlk and Broadway are quick routes into Tampa. Take 301 up to Sligh or Bullard Parkway to Bush Blvd. Those also are great roads to 56st to fletcher to usf. HWY 60 gets you to down town very easy as well as causeway. Lots of roads from the Brandon area will take you too tampa. I try to avoid I4 to 275. I find Most of these roads much easier when you need to fight rush hour.
The Beauty of the Brandon area are the large number of roads that run north and south, east and west. Where you can go up a few streets or over a few streets to avoid back ups and accidents. You can't say that in new tampa, WC and LOL, sorry.

[nyguy4u]

Ok let's take the Land O' Lakes/Wesley Chapel/Brandon area out of the equation, if we could. What would be the next desirable area outside of Tampa, let's say 45 mins out? I currently commute 45 mins now - so I really don't mind a 45 min commute to work if it means being in a nicer area. Any suggestions?

[Kaybri73]

I would recommend checking into the Westchase area also.

[Leaving4Ca]

Originally Posted by MJ7

Plant City has a sinkhole issue, due to farming practices...Lakeland is farther than Tampa compared to Land O Lakes and Brandon. Brandon's drive is horrible (way too much traffic going south). I would suggest Land O Lakes, a friend of mine just moved out there, it's not that far from Tampa, to the north and you can take the Sun Coast Express Way, or back roads, not too many people out that way. It is way more secluded compared to the others, and they have brand new housing complexes available. It's about a 10-15 minute drive north of Tampa.

MJ7, then I am thinking that Lakeland probably has its share of sinkholes too and potential problems with that?

We are trying to schedule a trip back to Fla. this fall to look at some more areas... and Land O Lakes/Westchase/Citrus Park will be in the mix. We did like Lakeland, but it IS a pretty good drive to Tampa... even for us... we pretty much live in the car in Metro DC.

I understand the taxes in Pasco County are also better than Hillsborough...?

[lilacmama]

Originally Posted by nyguy4u

Ok let's take the Land O' Lakes/Wesley Chapel/Brandon area out of the equation, if we could. What would be the next desirable area outside of Tampa, let's say 45 mins out? I currently commute 45 mins now - so I really don't mind a 45 min commute to work if it means being in a nicer area. Any suggestions?

I live in Apollo Beach and we like it. It takes me 15 minutes to get to work near Brandon (Riverview address) and my husband drives to Tampa and with rush hour he can make it home in 25-30 min. There are a few nice neighborhoods here (Mira Bay, Harbour Isle, Waterset) but watch the CDD fees. We rent and even though we like our neighborhood, the schools aren't the best. We send our kids to a school outside our district and we are debating on staying here and continue driving them or move to a nice public school like Fishhawk. Problem with Fishhawk is the traffic.

I do not know anything about LOL, WC but I do know everyday on the news, traffic coming from the north of Tampa is almost always backed up and the I-4 275 interchange. I have never sat in traffic heading into work via I-75, US-41 or 301 coming from the South unless it's waiting for a bus to pick up kids.

Good luck. I moved here a year ago and I am still wondering where we will end up when we buy.