if Tampa is so bad... (Jacksonville, Miami: crime, new home, job market)

[tjax1000]

I'm a Florida native who will be moving back into the state after being gone for a couple of years. I've lived in both the Leesburg and Jacksonville areas. Now that I'm married and we have a child, my goals for the future are a little different. We're looking for a low stress place to live that is good for families, where we can ideally enjoy natural beauty like beaches. Also, it should be an area with a solid job market for software engineers.

The Tampa/St. Pete area has come to mind, but I'm amazed at how bad this area sounds based on the comments in this forum. I lived in Florida for 30 yrs but never really ventured into Tampa other than for the weekend trip type of thing. I had no idea the crime was so bad in certain areas but I guess statistics don't lie.

I'm very curious- for those who know of Tampa and dislike it for all its negatives- where would you *prefer* to live in FL if you had your choice? (in FL, people, plese don't answer "up north, out of state!") I posted my requirements above. As far as I know, the biggest job markets in the state for software guys is Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and South FL.

Thanks ahead of time.

[katleigh]

IMO, the crime here is no different than any other large city.

While I don't love living here, I do like it here. If I had my choice (I don't due to job reasons) I would move back to Orlando. I preferred living there.

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by tjax1000

I'm a Florida native who will be moving back into the state after being gone for a couple of years. I've lived in both the Leesburg and Jacksonville areas. Now that I'm married and we have a child, my goals for the future are a little different. We're looking for a low stress place to live that is good for families, where we can ideally enjoy natural beauty like beaches. Also, it should be an area with a solid job market for software engineers.

The Tampa/St. Pete area has come to mind, but I'm amazed at how bad this area sounds based on the comments in this forum. I lived in Florida for 30 yrs but never really ventured into Tampa other than for the weekend trip type of thing. I had no idea the crime was so bad in certain areas but I guess statistics don't lie.

I'm very curious- for those who know of Tampa and dislike it for all its negatives- where would you *prefer* to live in FL if you had your choice? (in FL, people, plese don't answer "up north, out of state!") I posted my requirements above. As far as I know, the biggest job markets in the state for software guys is Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and South FL.

Thanks ahead of time.

I'm not sure I would make a serious commitment on where to live based on a dozen or so posters to a forum, when there are more than 1 million people that live in the entire Bay area(360k in Tampa alone), but it does help to get some opinions.
Ive lived in Florida now for 20 years(18 of them in Tampa), 2 years in South Florida-Fort Lauderdale. I have family and freinds in Orlando, and travel the entire state for work. For ME I can't think of a better place I would want to live than Tampa, but that's my opinion..i'm very much into the Gulf side of the state, and need to be near a large body of water, and a city that has everything from most major sports, to all major concerts, and lots of outdoor activities...so for me Orlando wouldnt fit(I would miss gogin to football/hockey games, and its too far from the beaches); I grew up in Long Island, NY, so alothough South Florida was fun, I felt like I was at home in NY(not bad, I just didnt want to live it)...Tampa is a little more laid back, and to me not as spread out as the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area. There is a very rich history in Tampa unlike most cities in Florida. Jax to me was a little to southern and more like Georgia, and VERY spreadout, my brothers In Laws havwe a nice beach house on Jax beach so I go there a few times for pleasure.

As far as software engineers, I would think you could fund great opportunities all over the big cities in Flroida for that, I have a few friends in that field here in Tampa, that do VERY well, most work for a health care company.

[tjax1000]

Originally Posted by tampaguy03

Ive lived in Florida now for 20 years(18 of them in Tampa), 2 years in South Florida-Fort Lauderdale. I have family and freinds in Orlando, and travel the entire state for work. For ME I can't think of a better place I would want to

Thanks. I'm curious, how would you compare living in the Tampa area to other major cities in the state?

Personally, Orlando has very little appeal to me- I've spent a fair amount of time there and it just doesn't seem like a good fit. I suppose I've just really grown to love living in coastal areas.

Jacksonville has some okay spots but in general the beaches are dirty and it feels like the worlds largest sprawl of strip malls and poorly constructed, cookie-cutter neighborhoods.

This is why I am hoping some of the people dissatisfied with Tampa will ring in. I'm curious if it is the entire state that they dislike, or if there is some great area that I've missed thus far.

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by tjax1000

Thanks. I'm curious, how would you compare living in the Tampa area to other major cities in the state?

Personally, Orlando has very little appeal to me- I've spent a fair amount of time there and it just doesn't seem like a good fit. I suppose I've just really grown to love living in coastal areas.

Jacksonville has some okay spots but in general the beaches are dirty and it feels like the worlds largest sprawl of strip malls and poorly constructed, cookie-cutter neighborhoods.

This is why I am hoping some of the people dissatisfied with Tampa will ring in. I'm curious if it is the entire state that they dislike, or if there is some great area that I've missed thus far.

I live in South Tampa area now, and whats nice is a dont have to travel far(a few blocks to a few miles) for EVERYTHING I need. The only time I get on an Interstate is to catch a USF Basketball game, go off road biking up the Wilderness Park in North Tampa, or see my relatives in Brandon and Sun City areas, and get to the beautiful Gulf beaches. I like having all major concerts, festivals, sports, dining and nightlife practically in my backyard, and being surrounded by water(South Tampa sits on a Peninsula), lots of independant restaurants and retail, and older historic homes and neighborhoods, LOTS of mature old oak trees line most of the streets.

Every Florida city will have its good and bad points, I love visiting Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, but just dont want to LIVE there...Tampa just feels more comfortable to me. It seems smaller and more compact than the other florida cities I mentioned. Again a very rich history, and blue collar grit with a white collar presence.

[TampaKaren]

I think you should look into possible employment at TechData and housing around Palm Harbor. My USD.02

[Wilshire81182]

I like Tampa. I live in Orlando and think Tampa feels more urban than here. It is also close to beaches that I think are the most beautiful in the state. The biggest problem about Tampa I think is that there are large expanses of town that are just rundown and dumpy. There are a few specific areas you would want to look into for a home and throw out the rest. The nicest areas are in South Tampa/Hyde Park, West Chase, Carrolwood, parts of Brandon, Clearwater, anywhere along the Gulf coast if you can afford it, or further down in Sarasota. The worst areas are around Largo and most of central Tampa between YBOR city and USF.

[Sunnydee]

Hi! I've been researching cities in Florida for three years now trying to find my new hometown. Here's my view. I don't find most of the Orlando area appealing, but the Lake Mary area was very nice because it was a safe, clean, nice place to raise a family. If you want the beach, I'd go with Tampa/St. Pete or Jacksonville. Jacksonville is quite spread out and gets a bit cooler than the Tampa area, but for one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, it's nice. I personally think the Tampa/St. Pete area beaches are nicer and there are a lot of areas that are perfect for someone who wants to raise a family. I must warn you that Florida schools are not the best. Good luck on your search and don't let the negative posters deter you.

[glastron_79]

We are currently househunting...in Tampa.

What I dislike most is that there either expensive neighborhoods that my husband and I can't touch or dumpy neighborhoods that I wouldn't live in if a house was "given" to me. The in-between areas are mixed with McMansions and shacks all in a row. Or, subdivs that might have been very nice middle income neighborhoods at one time, but are now declining big time.

[mikewu9900]

some people here in Tampa have no personality, character. i make jokes and they have this blank stare in there eyes. not really family oriented, and i thought people would be nice ( southern hosp. ) but not at all, ignorant. they never stop to let anyone cross the street, wouldn't even let there own mothers cross. the first week i was here, i stopped to let someone cross and got rear ended. the guy who hit me said " WHAT DID YOU STOP FOR?????" i saw 2 people on bicycles get run over here, one was a hit and run. so pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way. idk

as far as the area ( land/weather/things to do ) i love that part of it. the crime? only the weak and scared get robbed so im not worried about that.

considering im very friendly and outgoing, i guess ultimately what im getting at here is i don't have even one friend from Tampa. all my friends here in Tampa are from other parts of the country. whats up with that>?>>