Help needed- possible moving to Tampa area (Brandon, Riverview: real estate, employment)

[Rhugs]

Looks like I have a job offer in Tampa, the office is located over by the Florida State Fairgrounds in what looks to be East Tampa? Kind of by I-4 and 75.
I have 2 small kids, one in kindergarten and a 4 year old. My top priority is schools, second is not a crazy commute. Ideally we'd love to be closer to the beach than farther but really need to find the best schools.
Housing budget is $350-450k, ideally not $450k. We are coming from 2400 sq. ft and a neighborhood with lots of young kids, playing outside with the others is the norm, safe area. Would love to find something similar, really looking for a friendly neighborhood.
Any help, tips would be great. Thanks!!

[Stewabby]

Check out Fishhawk Ranch. It is an eastern suburb and has what you are looking for.

[tampamynewhome]

Fishhawk ranch, south tampa, new tampa.

[JasonAnc]

Fishhawk is very far out. Going to the beach from there is an hour or more from what I hear.

My most recent employment was in the casino area, and my boss lives in Fishhawk. He was constantly complaining about how the commute was worse than he thought it would be (his family owned the place, and they had relocated from a spot closer towards Brandon, to a spot just north of the casino). He had issues with being late at times, until he started leaving at 630, to get to work by 7-7:10. (he used to try and get there at 8, but sometimes it was taking 45+ mins)

I commuted from the Westshore area via MLK or Hillsborough, and there had to be a real problem for it to take over 30 minutes. (namely the oddball late train coming through during rush hour when they're not supposed to)



Nearest work with good schools, the best bet is parts of New Tampa.

Nearer the beach, but not too murderous a drive to work, still with good schools, would be parts of Carrollwood.

If you have the ability to go with private schools, then you want to go with something nearer to South Tampa, where most of those schools are clustered. Some of the public schools down there are good too, but not all. I know from when I dated someone that the reverse commute from S Tampa across downtown to the casino area isn't too bad, and it can take as little as 20 minutes on light traffic days, but expect maybe 30 or so depending where you are exactly.

And for whatever reason, the morning commute to the casino area always seems better than the afternoon commute out.

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by JasonAnc

Fishhawk is very far out. Going to the beach from there is an hour or more from what I hear.

My most recent employment was in the casino area, and my boss lives in Fishhawk. He was constantly complaining about how the commute was worse than he thought it would be (his family owned the place, and they had relocated from a spot closer towards Brandon, to a spot just north of the casino). He had issues with being late at times, until he started leaving at 630, to get to work by 7-7:10. (he used to try and get there at 8, but sometimes it was taking 45+ mins)

I commuted from the Westshore area via MLK or Hillsborough, and there had to be a real problem for it to take over 30 minutes. (namely the oddball late train coming through during rush hour when they're not supposed to)



Nearest work with good schools, the best bet is parts of New Tampa.

Nearer the beach, but not too murderous a drive to work, still with good schools, would be parts of Carrollwood.

If you have the ability to go with private schools, then you want to go with something nearer to South Tampa, where most of those schools are clustered. Some of the public schools down there are good too, but not all. I know from when I dated someone that the reverse commute from S Tampa across downtown to the casino area isn't too bad, and it can take as little as 20 minutes on light traffic days, but expect maybe 30 or so depending where you are exactly.

And for whatever reason, the morning commute to the casino area always seems better than the afternoon commute out.

I think you are off, if you are talking about South Tampa in real estate terms, between Kennedy and Euclid it has the best school districts from K-12, south of Euclid except for ballast point is a different story, you would call that the Mac dill area or SOG not South Tampa as in 33629, 33606, 33609.
Edit: I just read my comment realized it sounds a bit snobby, the point is South Tampa has an excellent school district, and your information is a bit dated, from south Tampa you would take the crosstown to the i4 connector and it would take 20 minutes or less. I would say 450k for a 4 bedroom would be tight.

[Sunnydee]

Commuting in the Tampa Bay area is a pain. I'd live close to where you work to reduce your commute time if at all possible.

Fishhawk Ranch sounds like it might be a good fit for you. It has very good schools, nice amenities, is safe, and the people I know who live there really like it. The only complaints I hear from residents is that it has higher fees, to pay for the amenities, and it's a longer commute to get to things, which gets old.

There are some nice neighborhoods in Riverview which might work for you. Although nothing over here is close to a beach. The beaches are about an hour away, unless you go to Apollo Beach, which I like, but it is a small beach.

[JasonAnc]

Originally Posted by DUNNDFRNT

I think you are off, if you are talking about South Tampa in real estate terms, between Kennedy and Euclid it has the best school districts from K-12, south of Euclid except for ballast point is a different story, you would call that the Mac dill area or SOG not South Tampa as in 33629, 33606, 33609.
Edit: I just read my comment realized it sounds a bit snobby, the point is South Tampa has an excellent school district,

I didn't say S Tampa schools sucked, I said some were good but not all. Just like even at the good schools, there are some good teachers, but not all.

and your information is a bit dated, from south Tampa you would take the crosstown to the i4 connector and it would take 20 minutes or less.

How so exactly? I just did that commute less than a year ago, with the I-4 Connector up and running. There are a variety of ways to get out to the casino area in a reasonable amount of time. One of my favs was going north on Willow/N Boulevard to Columbus and out to 50th. The lights always seemed green, and there isn't much traffic on that route. Saved $5 a day in tolls using the Selmon and didn't have to deal with the construction along it.

At his budget, he isn't exactly going to be living off of Swann or Morrison. He would almost certainly be farther south, (which is where I lived myself for several years btw, on the bay near Euclid and Westshore)... which means he ain't getting to the casino in 20 minutes during rush hour. It's gonna be more like 30 minutes. Exactly like I said.

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by JasonAnc

I didn't say S Tampa schools sucked, I said some were good but not all. Just like even at the good schools, there are some good teachers, but not all.


How so exactly? I just did that commute less than a year ago, with the I-4 Connector up and running. There are a variety of ways to get out to the casino area in a reasonable amount of time. One of my favs was going north on Willow/N Boulevard to Columbus and out to 50th. The lights always seemed green, and there isn't much traffic on that route. Saved $5 a day in tolls using the Selmon and didn't have to deal with the construction along it.

At his budget, he isn't exactly going to be living off of Swann or Morrison. He would almost certainly be farther south, (which is where I lived myself for several years btw, on the bay near Euclid and Westshore)... which means he ain't getting to the casino in 20 minutes during rush hour. It's gonna be more like 30 minutes. Exactly like I said.

You dont need to live on Swann just north of Euclid. My point was South Tampa is not generally referred to areas to the south, when people say look at south tampa typically they mean South of Kennedy North of Euclid. It would take at least 10 probably 15 less if you cut across Euclid to the Crosstown and up the I-4 connector, even if you take crosstown and get off at willow, the light at Kennedy and cutting across the UT buildings sucks, the security guards often stop traffic as the kids are crossing into their parking garage. I realize this is a silly argument but I do think its closer to 20 than 30,

[JasonAnc]

Willow doesn't cut across UT. You're thinking of Boulevard. Willow bypasses UT to the west, and replaces several of Boulevard's lights with stop signs instead.

I agree. Don't take Boulevard unless you want to be stuck with UT's stuff (which is increasingly expanding across Boulevard to the west). Gotta go up one of the roads just west of the tracks.

[MAniacTHW]

If the job is by I4 and I75, then Fishhawk is definitely not the place you want to be living. Unfortunately, the area isn't a very desirable area to live in to begin with. My vote would be to check out Seminole Heights. Florida and Hillsborough area. Decent, up and coming area, and right down the road on Hillsborough.