St. Petersburg re-location? (Tampa, Clearwater, Gulfport: apartment complex, crime, house)

[Gatoraide]

Hi everyone! I am pursuing St. Petersburg, Tampa as a possible place for relocation. I am currently in Indianpolis. I few questions regarding the area if I could get some locals to answer them for me, it will really help my desicion.

1. How is the job market in the call center, customer service, general office (such as data processing, receptionist, etc.) areas with a non-degree applicant but with significant experience.

2. What is the average price of an apartment complex in the area.

3. How far is a commute from St. Petersburg to Tampa (Vice Versa).

4. What is the concentration of hispanic population in the area. ( I have already seen the statics, I wanting more of feel of the concentration, such as heavy, medium, light, none in site.)

5. Overall, how are the people in the area. ( Nice, Rude, etc)

6. How do locals respond to interacial gay couples?

7. What is the weather like?

8. What is the traffic like?

9. What is the crime like.

10. People who have relocated to the area from a similar area as myself, what is your overall opinion of the area.

I appreciate your help!

[Jammie]

I'm don't live in the area, but there is one question that I can answer for you firsthand. The people are very nice in the St. Pete area. You can walk up to anyone and have a nice conversation. They are very considerate and happy people in that area.

[Gatoraide]

Please everyone, I need your input.

[stpeteguy]

Originally Posted by Gatoraide

Hi everyone! I am pursuing St. Petersburg, Tampa as a possible place for relocation. I am currently in Indianpolis. I few questions regarding the area if I could get some locals to answer them for me, it will really help my desicion.

1. How is the job market in the call center, customer service, general office (such as data processing, receptionist, etc.) areas with a non-degree applicant but with significant experience.

2. What is the average price of an apartment complex in the area.

3. How far is a commute from St. Petersburg to Tampa (Vice Versa).

4. What is the concentration of hispanic population in the area. ( I have already seen the statics, I wanting more of feel of the concentration, such as heavy, medium, light, none in site.)

5. Overall, how are the people in the area. ( Nice, Rude, etc)

6. How do locals respond to interacial gay couples?

7. What is the weather like?

8. What is the traffic like?

9. What is the crime like.

10. People who have relocated to the area from a similar area as myself, what is your overall opinion of the area.

I appreciate your help!

OK, from the top.

1. Job market is tight for everyone. Pay will likely be less than your used to. I mean that in comparison to what everything else will cost you. I've known a few people who did telemarketing and office work and they made about $10/hr.

2. A one bedroom apartment will run you $700-$800 minimum. You might get one a little cheaper, if you want to live in a rougher part of town.

3. Depends on traffic, somedays 20 minutes, somedays an hour and twenty minutes.

4. Very heavy as far as hispanic concentration

5. Compared to where, if you compare people from the rural south, you'll think the natives here are rude, if you compare them from new yorkers, you'll think they are nice, just depends on your perspective. Overall, i'd say the friendliness is about average. One thing to note, is that most folks aren't from here, so most people want to meet other people.

6. Depends on your company. Moderator cut: rude

7. We have three seasons. Really Hot, Hot and Warm. About 8 months out of the years, it's really hot.

8. The population outgrew the roads many years ago, so traffic is a nightmare. You will not want to live too far from your job, or you'll be in traffic all the time.

9.Crime depends on your location. South Saint Petersburg is the hood. Avoid it like the plague and you should be fine. I'm not sure about Tampa areas.

10. I'm not from Indy, but many here are from Ohio for some reason. I think the gloomy weather drives em away from up there.

Hope this helps.

[NeedAChangeFromFL]

I have lived here my entire life...here's my opinion.

1. Job market is tight everywhere in FL right now...with no degree you really aren't looking at making a whole lot of money. This is what A LOT of people here struggle with....the cost of living here keeps rising and people with no degrees, etc are feeling the strain.


2. Apartments are expensive here, as is house rent. You will be very hard pressed to find a one bedroom for under $800 in a nice neighborhood.


3. It depends on where you are coming from/going to. Average is about 45 minutes unless you live very close to the interstate or the bridge. If there is an accident going into Tampa (TIA exit area is infamous for accidents) the traffic WILL back up across the bridge and you will sit there until it is cleared...no going back.


4. Very heavy hispanic concentration in a lot of areas.

5. This is much debated. I personally find people here to be very rude and unwelcoming. To each his own.


6. I can't really recall any gay hate crimes or anything to that extent...I don't think Tampa is gay unfriendly. I know we have some gay bars, etc. I personally have no problem with gay people.

7. Extremely hot, very hot, and hot. Seriously. We do not have 4 seasons...not even 3. I would say we have two equal to a summer and spring.


8. Horrible. The population WELL outgrew the roads a LONG time ago. Construction is happening but it is an eyesore and not doing much to help. Traffic backs up on I-275 like crazy every day.

9. Crime is pretty bad in a lot of areas, although there are some with very little crime. As another poster said, AVOID South St. Pete like the plaque. A lot of areas of Tampa are extremely questionable as well. Try checking out TBO.com is Tampa Bay Online (http://www.tbo.com/crimetracker - broken link)

10. Can't answer this one - born and raised in FL.






























quote=Gatoraide;2141460]Hi everyone! I am pursuing St. Petersburg, Tampa as a possible place for relocation. I am currently in Indianpolis. I few questions regarding the area if I could get some locals to answer them for me, it will really help my desicion.

1. How is the job market in the call center, customer service, general office (such as data processing, receptionist, etc.) areas with a non-degree applicant but with significant experience.

2. What is the average price of an apartment complex in the area.

3. How far is a commute from St. Petersburg to Tampa (Vice Versa).

4. What is the concentration of hispanic population in the area. ( I have already seen the statics, I wanting more of feel of the concentration, such as heavy, medium, light, none in site.)

5. Overall, how are the people in the area. ( Nice, Rude, etc)

6. How do locals respond to interacial gay couples?

7. What is the weather like?

8. What is the traffic like?

9. What is the crime like.

10. People who have relocated to the area from a similar area as myself, what is your overall opinion of the area.

I appreciate your help! [/quote]

[nicolepsy]

YOU WILL LOVE IT HERE! i came from ohio which is basically the same as indiana and YOU WILL love it here!

[nicolepsy]

oh, the hispanics here are not like the hispanics in the midwest. the ones in the midwest look like they just crossed the border and are migrant farmworker types. the ones here are more latin (from countries other than just mexico or guatemala) and very well established and just not at all like the typical indiana/ohio hispanics. everyone here seems to get along just fine no matter what your race.

[Keeper]

There are customer service/call center jobs in FL but the starting pay is usually $10.00 an hour unless you get into an IT call center it will be more.

Most of the hispanics are from Cuba or Puerto Rico in Tampa.

There is a large gay community in the Tampa Bay area. Interracial couple are common no matter what the sexual orientation.

[tampaguy03]

1. How is the job market in the call center, customer service, general office (such as data processing, receptionist, etc.) areas with a non-degree applicant but with significant experience.There are many of these types of jobs on the area, alot of Regional Corporate Headquaters for fortune 500 companies(Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, Citigroup, Progressive, USAA, MetLife, Raymond James, Bank of America, Home Depot...) are in the Bay area, my company starts pay around 28k without a degree, 31k with for it's data processing/customer service centers.

2. What is the average price of an apartment complex in the area.Average i'd say about $650 for one bedrooms, $850 for two bedrooms, the mroe amenities(pool, sports, location), the higher.

3. How far is a commute from St. Petersburg to Tampa (Vice Versa).From downtown St. Pete to downtown Tampa is about 30 minutes, with no traffic.

4. What is the concentration of hispanic population in the area. ( I have already seen the statics, I wanting more of feel of the concentration, such as heavy, medium, light, none in site.)I dont feel it is heavy, but there are areas of Tampa where there are higher concentrations(West Tampa, Town n Country).

5. Overall, how are the people in the area. ( Nice, Rude, etc)There are all types here, but generally I feel most people I meet are nice.

6. How do locals respond to interacial gay couples?The area seems to be pretty open to anyone, there are some gay specific areas(Gaybor District in Ybor City, Grand Central District in St. Pete, Gulfport).

7. What is the weather like?
July August and September = HOT and HUMID in the 90's; October to April = Paradise and dry with temps mostly in the upper 70's/low 80's, January and February can see daytime temps in the 60's some days.

8. What is the traffic like?
Compared to other major metropolitan areas(like Atlanta, DC, Philly, NY, Boston, Houston, Dallas, LA, Chicago, etc....its a piece of cake...but there is traffic during typical rush hours, but it is nothing like what ive seen in other cities around the country.

9. What is the crime like.
Resident for 20 years and never been a victim nor know anyone personally that has been a victim, but there is crime, just read the papers or watch the news.

10. People who have relocated to the area from a similar area as myself, what is your overall opinion of the area.
Moved here from Long Island, NY 20 years ago...wouldnt want to LIVE anyplace else.

[Angler]

Since he was specifically asking about St. Pete- there is not much of a HIspanic population in the city itself- the dominant minority ethnic groups are Asian (mainly Laotian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese) and African-American. Clearwater has a population of Mexicans, while Tampa is Cuban and Puerto Rican.