Anyone have any info on Palm Harbor? (St. Petersburg, Clearwater: for sale, real estate market)

[Jill & Sean]

We have been looking into moving to florida for the past couple of years. We love the west coast. I have heard that the high school in Palm Harbor is good, but would like to hear from people who know the area. We will be making a trip there soon to look around. School and any area info you can give us would be appreciated. Thank you for any responses or advice. Rent first, then buy? Homeowners insurance is expensive I know. Is it any cheaper to buy a townhome as far as insurance goes? Again, thanks for any input. Jill & Sean-We looked into carolinas, but really like florida

[cariad]

We have just moved to Palm Harbor so most of what I can tell you are impressions not certain facts.
My children are older so I don't pay much attention, but families I know seem to be satisfied with the district.
We are renting-there is so much for sale and so many areas that offer different attractions that we got overwhelmed about where to buy-plus prices are still dropping.
This will give us time to decide where we definitely want to be. I think St. Pete, Safety Harbor, Dunedin and Palm Harbor all offer great possibilities and it just depends on where you work and preferences.
The good about Palm Harbor....They are reviving a small, downtown area in the historic district, Lake Tarpon, great county parks with nature trails, etc. Lots of restaraunts, shopping and the greatest is the closeness to Honeymoon Island. Best $80 we spent since we got here was a yearly family pass to the Fl. state parks-I consider honeymoon island our back yard-less than 10 minutes away, we go over there 3, 4, sometimes 5 times a week. There are lots of little uncrowded spots with swings or benches right at the beach. We hike the nature trails, ride bikes and the kids kyack.
The only not so positive so far is Rt 19, which we try to avoid as much as possible. Where are all those people going???????

[Jill & Sean]

Thank you for your response. I am leaning more towards renting myself, as with insurance and prices of homes-I am hesitant to buy now. I think it would also give us time to see if we like the area too. Thank you and anything else you can think of (never been to honeymoon island, but will now when we visit to look at homes) please feel free!!

[FedUpInFtMyers]

Originally Posted by cariad

We have just moved to Palm Harbor so most of what I can tell you are impressions not certain facts.
My children are older so I don't pay much attention, but families I know seem to be satisfied with the district.
We are renting-there is so much for sale and so many areas that offer different attractions that we got overwhelmed about where to buy-plus prices are still dropping.
This will give us time to decide where we definitely want to be. I think St. Pete, Safety Harbor, Dunedin and Palm Harbor all offer great possibilities and it just depends on where you work and preferences.
The good about Palm Harbor....They are reviving a small, downtown area in the historic district, Lake Tarpon, great county parks with nature trails, etc. Lots of restaraunts, shopping and the greatest is the closeness to Honeymoon Island. Best $80 we spent since we got here was a yearly family pass to the Fl. state parks-I consider honeymoon island our back yard-less than 10 minutes away, we go over there 3, 4, sometimes 5 times a week. There are lots of little uncrowded spots with swings or benches right at the beach. We hike the nature trails, ride bikes and the kids kyack.
The only not so positive so far is Rt 19, which we try to avoid as much as possible. Where are all those people going???????

I couldn't agree more. I lived in St. Petersburg and know all these areas very well. The areas you mention were so wonderful that I made the mistake of thinking everywhere in FL was like the above areas and moved to Ft. Myers! UGHHHHH. I have been gone for nearly four years (homeowner here and slow real estate market) and still drive up to St. Petersburg and surrounding areas for all of my favorites things . . . and to regain my sanity. I am coming back ASAP and recommend these areas to anyone looking for a place to live in FL. Route or US 19 bottlenecks as it gets into North Pinellas; therefore, it just becomes more congested. It is a nightmare, and that is why I always tell people that it is not such a good idea to live in St. Pete or somewhere near there and commute to Clearwater everyday for work. Most of those people are going to or from work, or on weekends, that is just how people get in and out of Clearwater or nearby areas. We avoided it at all costs while living there, too! If it was leisure time, and we wanted to go into North Pinellas, we took the long BUT BEAUTIFULLY SCENIC route - Gulf Boulevard. This road will take you through several beach towns and take you as far north as Clearwater and beyond. A Gulf Boulevard drive is a must. You can look up The Hurricane restaurant and go north from there - but not before getting some Pass A Grille sand in your shoes! (my favorite beach, sorry!) You could have dinner there and then walk the beach to watch the sunset, or if being on the beach for sunset is not your thing, call them to make a reservation, ask them what time sunset is, and tell them you want to be seated so that you can see the sunset during dinner, and they will reserve a table for you. It is AWESOME.

Renting for all the reasons you stated is a wonderful idea. Plus, even though you may find that you wish to stay in the area, you may fall in love with another nearby city. Renting will provide you with the ability to reside in whatever city you prefer. Please feel free to PM me with any additional questions or concerns. Good luck!

[cariad]

Originally Posted by FedUpInFtMyers

. A Gulf Boulevard drive is a must. You can look up The Hurricane restaurant and go north from there - but not before getting some Pass A Grille sand in your shoes! (my favorite beach, sorry!) You could have dinner there and then walk the beach to watch the sunset, or if being on the beach for sunset is not your thing, call them to make a reservation, ask them what time sunset is, and tell them you want to be seated so that you can see the sunset during dinner, and they will reserve a table for you. It is AWESOME.

Pass A Grille is also my favorite and we would be renting there today(no way we could afford to buy there) but needed to be closer to clearwater for family reasons. You can rent a decent, small 2 bedroom bungalow there, one block off the beach for under $1,000 a month.