Single girl thinking of moving to Tampa, FL area (Jacksonville: apartments, rentals) - Tampa Bay - Florida -Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater - City-Data Forum

Caramelboo · 10-22-2006, 12:47 PM

Hello. I currently live in GA and am thinking of moving to the Tampa, FL area sometime in the early part of next year. I am thinking of coming out to visit the area, but I wanted to know your opinion of it. Is it a nice area for a single girl, such as things to do, great job market (I'm a graphic artist), great place to settle down and have a family, low housing/rentals, safety? Or should I choose another area close to Tampa? I especially love the beach, but heard that you have to drive a ways from Tampa to get to one. Anyway, any ideas or suggestions for me? Thanks a lot!

BigJimSlade · 10-22-2006, 07:21 PM

Hey boo,

Well, I believe that being single in Tampa is not fun. People are sorta snooty here, and no one ever says hello to or is polite to anyone else unless they have to be.

The job market is pretty good, but most people living on their own can't afford a house. Many people who own homes now are finding that their wages have not kept up with taxes and insurance.

As for safety, watch out for sexual predators. They think Tampa is the place to be after playing with some kid. 300 within 5 miles of my house, and I live in a decent area with most homes in the 1500-2500sqft range. Of course you have your other crime, lots of cars being broken into or stolen, but I don't know how bad it is compared with other places. I just know it happens alot.

As for family, the schools are not the greatest in most parts of Florida, but there are always some good ones if you look carefully.

From Tampa, without traffic, it would probably take 30 minutes to get to Clearwater Beach. If you go when everyone else is heading out, it could take more than 90 minutes.

I make Tampa sound really bad, but that is only because I have lived in Florida for 28 years and watched it go downhill. If you come from an area that sounds similar, maybe you won't mind so much. I have friends whose entire life revolves around sailing, sunbathing and drinking in bars in St. Pete. They are perfectly happy with the Tampa area.

Fletch10 · 10-22-2006, 07:55 PM

Sounds like you might want to consider living near one of the universities like the University of South Florida, University of Tampa, or USF St. Pete.

Downtown St. Pete is a thriving area and would be a good place for singles. So is Ybor City and south Tampa (near MacDill AFB).

Otherwise, Pasco County is mostly married sububanites or retirees. Same with most of Pinellas County. You aren't really likely to find a whole lot of single people in the beach communities as it is mostly retirees and married yuppies.

Pinellas County is getting quite expensive. So around USF Tampa would be a better bet for you.

alexander59 · 10-22-2006, 08:11 PM

I live in Tampa and have two daughters one is 26 and the other is forty, they love me a lot but its like pulling teeth to get them to come to Tampa, they hate it . They are both single and very attractive and one is college educated.Both daughters were born here and both daughters want to leave which we are going to do very shortly, we have some ties here that have to be taken care of first. I would not recommend [sic]Florida to a young male or female, please do lots of research, my daughters live in Melbourne and Palm beach, so we know Florida pretty well.

SunnyDog · 10-23-2006, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caramelboo

Hello. I currently live in GA and am thinking of moving to the Tampa, FL area sometime in the early part of next year. I am thinking of coming out to visit the area, but I wanted to know your opinion of it. Is it a nice area for a single girl, such as things to do, great job market (I'm a graphic artist), great place to settle down and have a family, low housing/rentals, safety? Or should I choose another area close to Tampa? I especially love the beach, but heard that you have to drive a ways from Tampa to get to one. Anyway, any ideas or suggestions for me? Thanks a lot!

I know a 28 yr old single girl that moved to Tampa from Miami about 2 years ago. She's an elementary teacher and loves it there, has an apartment on the water (shares with roommates). She loves the beaches, boating with friends, attending the Bucs games, and drinking in the bars. She waited tables at Hooters and modeled p/t to pay her way through college, lucky kids she teaches.

Prichard · 10-23-2006, 06:59 AM

I was young and single once, lived in St. Petersberg and worked in Tampa. From the standpoint of going out and meeting other single people, it really is not that much different than anywhere else. You can do the same thing in Orlando, Jacksonville, and Atlanta - other cities where there is no shortage of young single people.

If you want to be near the beach, I'd suggest living in the St. Pete, Clearwater area. I did that for a few years, and got my fill of the beach. Don't get me wrong, it was great living within a 5 minutes drive from the beach, since I loved Windsurfing and sailing.

There were a few reasons why I decided not to make Tampa / St. Pete my permenant residence. There were too many seedy areas around Tampa, and in the interior of St. Pete. Ybor City really turned me off, as was a filthy New Orleans wanabe strip of bars in a nasty area of town. I haven't been back in years, but from what I hear, it's about the same. Also, I found the young people in Tampa to be a little standoffish (maybe sarcastic is what I'm thinking) and not as friendly as I was used to in Orlando. Women wore a little too much makeup for me, and seemed kind of "northern" to me. This is all very subjective, and perhaps dated as well. I don't have as much perspective on what Tampa Guys are like, I guess, I just didn't notice them as much as I did the women.

pixiewytch · 10-23-2006, 07:02 AM

Other people have brought up great points. I think it all depends on what you are comparing it to. For instance, when I grew up in Lakeland (a smaller town about 45 mins. away) I thought Tampa was the place to be as a young, single girl...lots of bars, nightclubs, restaurants, quirky hangouts, etc. Tampa certainly does have those sort of things to offer but apts./housing costs a lot more than it did ten years ago. If you aren't into bar hopping, beaches, Bucs or hockey games, and that sort of thing, then I'm not sure where the allure would be to come here at all but I'm assuming that is the sort of thing you are looking for.

I live in Central Tampa, close to the interstate and it would take me at least 45 min. on any given day to get to the beach, longer if the traffic is bad. Let's just say I don't go very often.

As others mentioned there are a lot of areas in Tampa that cater to families/suburbanite lifestyles. USF area is a sort of mix of the "families" and the college kids but you really have to hop on the interstate and head to Ybor or South Tampa for any nightlife. There really isn't much of any right in the college area believe it or not.

So if you wanted to be closest to the nightlife I would suggest trying South Tampa. A lot of areas are hit and miss with safety so I'm not saying these are necessarily great places to live. You have to look and do your homework. If you wanted something a tad cheaper and drive a little bit to the nightlife you could look into the USF area or other "suburbanite" type of Tampa areas.

To help narrow down your choices I would suggest telling us what sort of lifestyle you are interested in (sports, bars, shopping, etc.) and how much money you are able to pay for housing for how much space.

NicBeatle · 10-23-2006, 07:16 PM

If you are single and want to move to Tampa, look up Post Rocky Point apartments. Totally expensive rent, but a great singles life. It's also right across the street from Bahama Breeze. If you want a more family atmosphere, New Tampa, Carollwood, and Northdale are family-like neighborhood areas.

Caramelboo · 10-23-2006, 07:19 PM

Thanks everyone, for your advice and tips. Actually, I am choosing Florida because of the love for the beach. I am not into bar hopping at all. I would rather spend time at the beach or trying outdoor activities and events. I have been to a few sports games so I would not mind that either. But the beach is what I love the most. Is Clearwater a nice city to live in? I would just like a nice area with a beach nearby, but an area that is not too expensive. After reading your posts, I am starting to get the feeling that Tampa may not be the place for me. All the advice I can get is helpful. Thanks!

NicBeatle · 10-23-2006, 07:23 PM

Rocky Point is surrounded by water...somewhat of an island. Gorgeous view. About 20 mins from the beach.

There's nothing really cheap anywhere near the beach in Clearwater although it's gorgeous. One of my friends told me it's a lot cheaper in Sarasota and the keys off of that coast (Siesta Key, Longboat Key, etc.) although she looked over a year ago.