Moving to St. Pete in June (Miami, St. Petersburg: rent, condos, crime)

[toddncst8]

Hello all.

My fiance and I have just accepted jobs down in St. Petersburg. We are quite excited but anxious as well. We currently live in St. Louis, MO so we aren't too worried about not "liking" St. Pete. She is from Boston and I am from NC so getting back to the East coast will be nice.

Anyhow, I'd like to get a run down on places to live. We have a few months of temporary living through our company so we'll have a bit of time down there to get a lay of the land. So the rundown: I am 31, she is 26 and we are pretty active people (running, golfing, biking, going out) and we have a big dog. She will be working in Largo and I will be in St. Pete.

So that said, I have read lots about Old NE and that sounds like a good possibility if we find the right deal, but what about the other areas? What about Shore Acres? What about South (old SE, Maximo, Gulfport)? Should we consider the Gulf Side, either on the beach or areas like Jungle? Or should we be considering like Bay Pines area or somewhere up in Largo with me commuting down to St. Pete?

I know I'm all over the place, but any input helps. She's already in a bit of panic mode as we are getting married next week and then moving 3-4 weeks after that :-)

Thanks for the info!

-Todd

[Cndlf]

Shore Acres - I don't know this area, but I do know it tends to flood so you should be aware of that. The people who live there say they are used to it and don't mind.

Old NE and Old SE - you will be near downtown but also may have more transients passing through your neighborhood, which could mean trouble at times. It's a trade-off. Of course, the old houses are beautiful.

Gulfport - Most of the people I've talked to who live there seem to like it. It varies widely between the neighborhoods - some areas may have even have some drug activity - so you will need to check out the particular area in Gulfport and talk to the neighbors. If you are near the Art Village, it's very walkable and pleasant. I think Gulfport recently opened a dog park.

Bay Pines - My neighbors moved to a house there and love it. They like being near the water.

Beaches - Depends on what you like. I find the atmosphere a bit commercial on the beaches, but it would be nice to be able to walk on the beach whenever you felt like it.

Jungle - I live just east of there. It's sort of suburbia and midway between the city and the beaches. You will probably have a bigger yard than in some areas if you like that (I do). There is a nice dog park in the Jungle. You might want to stay away from Azalea - they have found contaminated ground water there recently from the Raytheon plant.

I don't know Largo that well so can't comment on the neighborhoods there too much. The part near Indian Rocks seems really nice.

Cindy

[sharingflorida]

St. Pete is awesome - so many things to do - so many awesome beaches. I'd recommend Pinellas Park, which is about in the middle of Largo and St. Pete.
How could you not like seeing this most every night?

St. Pete Beach Sunset. April 2008

Originally Posted by toddncst8

Hello all.

My fiance and I have just accepted jobs down in St. Petersburg. We are quite excited but anxious as well. We currently live in St. Louis, MO so we aren't too worried about not "liking" St. Pete. She is from Boston and I am from NC so getting back to the East coast will be nice.

Anyhow, I'd like to get a run down on places to live. We have a few months of temporary living through our company so we'll have a bit of time down there to get a lay of the land. So the rundown: I am 31, she is 26 and we are pretty active people (running, golfing, biking, going out) and we have a big dog. She will be working in Largo and I will be in St. Pete.

So that said, I have read lots about Old NE and that sounds like a good possibility if we find the right deal, but what about the other areas? What about Shore Acres? What about South (old SE, Maximo, Gulfport)? Should we consider the Gulf Side, either on the beach or areas like Jungle? Or should we be considering like Bay Pines area or somewhere up in Largo with me commuting down to St. Pete?

I know I'm all over the place, but any input helps. She's already in a bit of panic mode as we are getting married next week and then moving 3-4 weeks after that :-)

Thanks for the info!

-Todd

[toddncst8]

Thanks Cindy. Thats a good run down of the different areas and helps a lot!

Sharing, I have never heard of Pinellas Park area. I will definitely have to look into it as well. Great Pic. Trust me, my fiance and I are definitely looking for a change of scenery and can't wait until next month...Other than the whole packing up and moving part :-)

[Floridaherbgirl]

I grew up on Eden Isle and it is still a wonderful place but you have to have some money if there are any houses there to buy. There is an apt complex that they are turning into condos that would be wonderful if it actually works out. We live in N Florida now. We have two kids and the gang problems were too severe and stressful to put my kids in. Crime has soared in the 20 years which is very saddening. Also, not sure where you stand on this issue but alot of gays have moved from Miami to the St. Pete area to renovate some old parts. Just a little info if you are for or against it. As far as living in NE, you won't have transients unless you literally live in downtown St. Pete. Take Beach to the water and continue around Coffee Pot Blvd and meander...alot of good stuff. If you can't afford to buy right away, rent and plan, it'll be worth the wait. The challenge will be when you have kids but maybe by then they will get stricter and be fixed by then! :-)