USF/Bruce B Downs area (Tampa, Brandon: apartments, to rent, houses)

[GiovanniTheGreat]

I have had major struggles through my time in Hillsborough county keeping and securing descent housing. I have been holding out and not hurrying. I live in a transient house, on a fixed income monthly but want to leave where I am possibly for the USF/Bruce B Downs area. Its the only area I can think of in Tampa city limits along with Seminole Heights that would suit me. I like the newer appearance, the food choices, it just doesn't seem as grungy and dirty and old to me like a lot of Tampa does. I know suitcase city is lousy though but more east of that seems like a good pocket. I am looking between dirt cheap to what I currently pay at $480 a month houseshares. See I don't believe in wasting all my money on rent but people willingly do it so therefore I have to take my time and look. I am currently in a craphole east of Tampa and just simply want to get to a better area.. is that simply hard to do? It shouldn't be. I used to tell myself how I wouldn't move as far up as Fowler and Bruce B Downs area but I will now. Its worth it to avoid the scummy elements of Tampa to me. The city just looks too shady not for nothing but if I say too much here, I will get banned probably but its enough to drive you to drink. I know house shares do exist but depending on cost, they get competitive or scooped up right away and if they don't, something is wrong.

Is there anywhere in FL or near the area somewhere that I should secure something in a better pocket of the area? I look and it just seems hopeless for the most part and throughout Tampa it really seems like people do not keep their homes clean. I took more an interest at times than the actual home owner or so I found. I get the impression throughout Tampa people don't care or they want to keep the rents low on purpose so they don't do anything to fix up their homes or keep it clean. A lot of slobs here it seems and people seem happy with it being that way. No wonder Tampa hasn't progressed or fixed itself. I am not saying Be Portland but I am saying be something better than it is anyhow. This city has a lot to do, its just a shame the people who live here want to keep part of it back in the stone age. Pinellas however in my experience has a more pushy homeless population. In Tampa they kinda keep their head down at all times.

So yea for real I want input, what do I do at this point? I seen all the crappy pockets one could ever see in this area and I need something new. Its very easy to be stuck in bad parts of town around here.

And on another side note, I looked in Brandon and Valrico since that's the side of Tampa I live on, just more northeast and they seem hard to get over there. Its highly competitive and people charge too much and maybe USF area is better with more openings.. I used to rule it out but now I am not so maybe I can see it clearer.. I used to look in Brandon/Valrico mostly but nothing there really or they get taken quick.

[gulfer]

Maybe I just haven't spent as much time as you in the very lower levels of property value, but you don't describe the Tampa that I know or knew. If you want to pay that much for a place, that is what you are going to find. I've heard of being able to rent a room for the $480 price that you pay, but I do not even know of any apartments I could recommend.

Plenty of apartments North of USF off BBDowns, but I don't think you can get one for that price unless you split it with someone.

What I do feel your missing is that while you may only want to pay $480 for a place, some people can barely afford that. So when you say slobs, people don't care, etc... it is because you are the extreme lower end of income.

Also, why would someone spend 10K, 20K or even more to rent out their place for 500 bucks? They don't do anything because if they did, they would have to charge more. And you're not getting 800-1000 bucks for a place when everything surrounding you is 500 or 600. It is that way just about every place I have been.