Tampa Palms, is there a catch? (Safety Harbor: homes, gated, live in)

[housingcrashsurvivor]

34695 (Safety Harbor)
9,774 total housing units per city data
208 foreclosures per realtytrac
= 0.0212 distressed properties

33617 (Temple Terrace)**
28,578 units
667 foreclosures
= 0.023 distressed

33647 (Tampa Palms)
31,187 units
830 foreclosures
= 0.0266 distressed

34683 (Palm Harbor)
17,381 units
527 foreclosures
= 0.030 distressed

33624 (Carrollwood)**
21,397 units
725 foreclosures
= 0.034 distressed

**not in scope of OP's search. I just wanted to see where they ranked by this criteria.

As to traffic, I can only speak to Tampa Palms to say there's a huge difference already in that area of Bruce B Downs where I travel, which is only vicinity I-75 home improvement stores and a pretty good pan-Asian restaurant. A year or two ago was a complete pain. Now not a problem. I don't know how far along is the work in either direction, however.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by Red3311

Yes, traffic is a major issue in the northern USF/New Tampa area as Bruce B Downs is the only way to get out of the area. They are doing contrsution and will be for at least another 5-10 years in the area. If they do ever complete all of the contruction projects, traffic may flow smoothly but will always be an issue during rush hour. Unfotunately, that is just the way they built up the area that causes this. Alot of Tampa is like this due to the sprawl.

I work in New Tampa and concur about the traffic situation. For 4 or 5 years now, I've put up with the BBD construction on my commute to NT from South Tampa. While the 1st phase is done, I just read phase 2 will start in 2014 - the stretch from Tampa Palms down to 30th St/Bearss. So there's another 5 mile mess awaiting.

And yes, the finished portion of BBD may be 14 lanes wide (ok, that is an exageration, but not much), but it did not link New Tampa more closelhy to the rest of Tampa. To get to 275 southbound, you have to take BBD all the way to Bearss. Very bumber to bumber and long. I can't belive the traffic planners didn't connect New Tampa Blvd to 275 just south of the 75/275 split. As the crow flies, it's barely 2 miles. That would've given traffic destined to downtown, South Tampa, Westshore, etc and quick way out of New Tampa.

[Shorty458]

Originally Posted by miz77

After looking in the Palm Harbor/Safety Harbour area, we are still exploring other areas in Tampa Bay. When looking at the real estate in Tampa Palms, it seems you can purchase a really nice house for around $300k (and less). Is there some reason I should know as to why the houses are so cheap? It seems too good to be true!

Is Tampa Palms a safe, good area for families and are the schools decent?

Thanks!!

My husband and I currently live in Tampa Palms. We do live in an apartment complex w/ no kids, but the area is very safe. I grew up in a town in Massachusetts kind of similar to Tampa Palms and I like the town feeling Tampa Palms has w/in a city. It's quiet where I live and I hear tree frogs every night which I love! The commute time though can be very unpredictable. I live about 20-25mins away from work w/ no traffic (about 13 miles) and one time about 2 months ago it took me 75 minutes to get home. The problem w/ Tampa Palms is there is only one main street - Bruce B Downs. They are going to be doing the 2nd phase of the expansion next year.

We are actually moving to a new complex in February in Wesley Chapel. It's further away from work, but I won't have to deal w/ the traffic on BBD anymore w/ how I would need to get to work.

WC is another nice area to look into.

[wenmiz777]

thanks everyone! Definitely tough decisions! Wesley Chapel is sounding pretty good (other than traffic and no Whole Foods and distance from the beach) and I have been to Wiregrass Mall which was very nice. Torn though because the location of Oldsmar/Safety Harbor area is probably more ideal in terms of what we are looking for, but not looking affordable for us.

[Shorty458]

Originally Posted by wenmiz777

thanks everyone! Definitely tough decisions! Wesley Chapel is sounding pretty good (other than traffic and no Whole Foods and distance from the beach) and I have been to Wiregrass Mall which was very nice. Torn though because the location of Oldsmar/Safety Harbor area is probably more ideal in terms of what we are looking for, but not looking affordable for us.

Wiregrass is a nice mall! It does suck there are no Whole Foods close by. Closest one is in Carrollwood and it is going to be about a 30 min drive from our new apartment. A Trader Joes or Whole Foods would do extremely well in the WC/TP area.

Have you tried looking at foreclosed houses in the Oldsmar area? Sometimes they will be cheaper. You'll have to fix them up. Or even going to foreclosure auctions? If you go to the clerk site for the appropriate county, you can find foreclosure auctions.

[bentlebee]

I dont think it will take long before a whole foods or fresh market will be opened in Wesley Chapel. At the fresh market in Carrollwood they will always ask for yout zipcode when you pay and that is probably to do aomw research where their customers are coming from...

[Student66]

Traffic is bad in New Tampa. Improvements have been made to alleviate some congestion, but, it is still really bad. I do not see, unless they install some major mass transportation, the traffic getting any better. The entire TB area is really bad for traffic. Lots of accidents everyday...

[WhiteWineInTheSun]

Originally Posted by Shorty458

Wiregrass is a nice mall! It does suck there are no Whole Foods close by. Closest one is in Carrollwood and it is going to be about a 30 min drive from our new apartment. A Trader Joes or Whole Foods would do extremely well in the WC/TP area.

Have you tried looking at foreclosed houses in the Oldsmar area? Sometimes they will be cheaper. You'll have to fix them up. Or even going to foreclosure auctions? If you go to the clerk site for the appropriate county, you can find foreclosure auctions.

Offshoot of your comment, Trader Joes is coming to South Tampa. IIRC, Henderson and Dale Mabry.

Several of my coworkers live in Tampa Palms, I'm there a few times a year. Really nice community, they're all at the pool frequently and will rent out the community room for parties.

[mrviking]

Originally Posted by Student66

Traffic is bad in New Tampa. Improvements have been made to alleviate some congestion, but, it is still really bad. I do not see, unless they install some major mass transportation, the traffic getting any better. The entire TB area is really bad for traffic. Lots of accidents everyday...

traffic is only bad the hours of 4 am- midnight!

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by WhiteWineInTheSun

Offshoot of your comment, Trader Joes is coming to South Tampa. IIRC, Henderson and Dale Mabry.

Trader Joe's is also coming to St Petersburg, at the corner of 4th Street and 28th Avenue North.
Trader Joe’s opening St. Pete store in 2014