I need recommendations for good areas (Tampa, Lutz: apartment, to rent, condo)

[Joyfulheart]

Good day ladies and gentlemen,

Apologies for starting one of these threads. I am a single mom trying to relocate to Tampa and would appreciate some guidance. I will be working from home so the important factors for me are:

Good to great elementary schools (I have a second grader)
Pre-K for my 4 year old.
I would also like to live not too far from the St. Joseph Children's hospital or All Children's hospital (if those are good areas).

We will be moving from Fairfax, VA where they have good to excellent schools. I am hoping to find something comparable.

Also if someone can chime in on how the school selection process works too.

Thanks to everyone that offers an opinion/advice.

[gulfer]

Price range would be needed to provide an accurate area.

I don't know what you consider safe. Me personally, I don't like the city living so I wouldn't live South of Waters or even Linebaugh, but others on here will differ.

I have a hard time answering the schools question. Kids excel or have problems just about everywhere. Poor performers or future dropouts can really effect the school ratings. You have A rated schools in Trinity, you have great schools here in Land O Lakes and Wesley Chapel, etc... You also read where there were issues about gangs, drugs, poor administrations, poor teachers, teachers mis conduct, and all of that at some of these as well.

I can tell you my daughter goes to Sun Lake High School in Land O Lakes. She is an honor student and will be off to college next year. She has had minor issues with some of the students there, but overall has nice friends and is a good kid in honors courses. What I really like about it is the elementary, middle and High School are all within a mile. These kids have the same friends every year through graduation. It is a nice thing!!!

I wouldn't live by those hospitals. But that is me.

Trinity, Land O Lakes, Northern Lutz, Odessa, Wesley Chapel or New Tampa (33647) are places I personally would consider. But that is not close to the hospital.

[mquintana]

I prefer South Tampa. Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, even Westshore. The general areas of St. Joe's are not awesome. If you are referring to All Children's, that is in St. Pete which is across the Bay.
Hyde Park/Palma Ceia and it's surrounding neighborhoods offer A rated schools and yet close to everything. I also like Westshore because it's almost like a central location.
My daughter is currently zoned to an A rated school but because she's extremely smart, we by-passed that and went Magnet. I am driving all over Tampa now due to this but i prefer my child to be in a Magnet school over a traditional school.

[Joyfulheart]

Hi Gulfer,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I currently rent a 2 bed condo for $1300. I would like to rent a house (if possible), for the same amount or less.

I don't necessarily have to live very close to the hospital so that's fine. I will check out the areas you mentioned.

I appreciate your feedback.

Originally Posted by gulfer

Price range would be needed to provide an accurate area.

I don't know what you consider safe. Me personally, I don't like the city living so I wouldn't live South of Waters or even Linebaugh, but others on here will differ.

I have a hard time answering the schools question. Kids excel or have problems just about everywhere. Poor performers or future dropouts can really effect the school ratings. You have A rated schools in Trinity, you have great schools here in Land O Lakes and Wesley Chapel, etc... You also read where there were issues about gangs, drugs, poor administrations, poor teachers, teachers mis conduct, and all of that at some of these as well.

I can tell you my daughter goes to Sun Lake High School in Land O Lakes. She is an honor student and will be off to college next year. She has had minor issues with some of the students there, but overall has nice friends and is a good kid in honors courses. What I really like about it is the elementary, middle and High School are all within a mile. These kids have the same friends every year through graduation. It is a nice thing!!!

I wouldn't live by those hospitals. But that is me.

Trinity, Land O Lakes, Northern Lutz, Odessa, Wesley Chapel or New Tampa (33647) are places I personally would consider. But that is not close to the hospital.

[Joyfulheart]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I have a question. Do you have to attend the schools that are zoned to your residence?

If that's the case, then I guess it is important to choose a good area. I usually use Greatschools.org to find out school ratings.

Appreciate your feedback.

Originally Posted by mquintana

I prefer South Tampa. Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, even Westshore. The general areas of St. Joe's are not awesome. If you are referring to All Children's, that is in St. Pete which is across the Bay.
Hyde Park/Palma Ceia and it's surrounding neighborhoods offer A rated schools and yet close to everything. I also like Westshore because it's almost like a central location.
My daughter is currently zoned to an A rated school but because she's extremely smart, we by-passed that and went Magnet. I am driving all over Tampa now due to this but i prefer my child to be in a Magnet school over a traditional school.

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by Joyfulheart

Hi Gulfer,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I currently rent a 2 bed condo for $1300. I would like to rent a house (if possible), for the same amount or less.

I don't necessarily have to live very close to the hospital so that's fine. I will check out the areas you mentioned.

I appreciate your feedback.

That is a very low price range that won't warrant a good area. Rents for good areas with good schools need another 1k over that.

[mquintana]

Nope! We have choice schools here so you can sign up to attend a school in a different part of the county or city.
It may take a while to be approved so you may want to call Hills. Co. Schools about it.

I would suggest Magnet or Charter. I can honestly say that the elementary schools here aren't bad but the middle schools (regardless of the rating) is where are the trouble seems to start. This is why I put my daughter in the all girls middle magnet prep school. I just hear way too many stories of the traditional middle schools around here...

Originally Posted by Joyfulheart

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I have a question. Do you have to attend the schools that are zoned to your residence?

If that's the case, then I guess it is important to choose a good area. I usually use Greatschools.org to find out school ratings.

Appreciate your feedback.

[mquintana]

You can probably find a decent home/apartment for that price but the areas will be of question. I wouldn't doubt for a moment that you can find a home in Westshore for that price. I ended up getting a small two bedroom one bathroom for $745 and it's in a great area. I am unsure of the school zoning since I do not take my child to the zoned schools though.

Originally Posted by Joyfulheart

Hi Gulfer,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I currently rent a 2 bed condo for $1300. I would like to rent a house (if possible), for the same amount or less.

I don't necessarily have to live very close to the hospital so that's fine. I will check out the areas you mentioned.

I appreciate your feedback.

[PhotoProIP]

"Choice" is a lottery system, and not something to rely on. I wouldn't go that route, because:
1. It is a long shot to get in (their lists are quite long)
2. A school can choose NOT to be a choice school the following year, and then what?

[mquintana]

Hmmm...maybe so but I have done choice schools for almost 5 yrs and we had no issues with it. We were also put in a lottery for the magnet school and got in with no issues, but then again my daughter's GPA was outstanding so maybe that had something to do with it--but we never had issues being granted our choice in traditional schools in the past.

Originally Posted by PhotoProIP

"Choice" is a lottery system, and not something to rely on. I wouldn't go that route, because:
1. It is a long shot to get in (their lists are quite long)
2. A school can choose NOT to be a choice school the following year, and then what?