Moving from Canada to Tampa (Temple Terrace, Citrus Park: real estate, apartment, rentals)

[canadianmama]

Hi Everyone,
My husband, 2 year old daughter, and I are moving from Canada to Tampa in January (yay! no more snow and ice for us!!). We're pretty excited and a lot of stuff has been taken care of for us in terms of relocating (jobs, visas, movers, etc.) but where we're really at a loss for is where to live.
I'll be working on W. Kennedy Blvd, close to the aiport, and we'd like to find a place that doesn't have an insane commute, but I'm okay with 30-40 mins.
My husband is going to be a stay at home dad, so we want somewhere that isn't totally isolated, has a reasonable amount of amenities nearby (grocery store, parks, transit, etc.) so he doesn't go crazy cooped up in the house!
We've been looking at rentals/purchases in the Temple Terrace area as well as Town n' Country and a little north towards Citrus Park... we've done the whole Sex Offender map thing, and it seems pretty brutal everywhere! Can anyone point me in the right direction (or away from a specific area) to look for places to live? We're not going to have a whole lot of time to get down there and find a place, so I'm trying to do a lot of the legwork online.
Thanks!

[TampaKaren]

I'd suggest you research the Westchase area, zip 33626.

[MAniacTHW]

You're talking more along the lines of Downtown Tampa... I suggest looking into South Tampa, though the homes around there can be pricey. T&C, Citrus Park, and Temple Terrace are pretty far (and in morning traffic, much further than 30 mins) and not exactly the best areas to live. South Tampa is your best bet.

[Keeper]

What is your price range for rent/buy?

The biggest problem is going to be transit. There are buses but the schedules are not like other big cities.

I agree with Westchase, Citrus Park and certain areas of TnC are OK but others are not. S. Tampa is also a good suggestion. These are areas where you can walk to mall or to parks.

[MAniacTHW]

I'll do a comparison of the areas, since I live in Carrollwood and South Tampa for a short time.

South Tampa:
Pros- Close to two different malls, VERY close to downtown, Channelside, and Ybor, Nicer houses and neighborhoods (though I believe most are newer areas), less crime (it's still there, don't get me wrong), more local businesses, more community oriented, and closer to the beaches.
Cons- A lot more expensive and the traffic is pretty bad out that way.

Carrollwood/Citrus Park:
Pros- Close to Citrus Park mall, more historic feel (Carrollwood at least), not AS crowded as ST, more parks and outdoor activities, and less expensive.
Cons- Traffic is, again, pretty bad out here also, it's also become more of a hot spot for the "gangs" (or little kids thinking they're gangstas), and everything is kind of spread out.

Those are just my experiences. I'm sure others can add to these lists.

[canadianmama]

Originally Posted by Keeper

What is your price range for rent/buy?

The biggest problem is going to be transit. There are buses but the schedules are not like other big cities.

I agree with Westchase, Citrus Park and certain areas of TnC are OK but others are not. S. Tampa is also a good suggestion. These are areas where you can walk to mall or to parks.

Renting we're looking to stay under $1500 with a 3/2... to purchase, our price range can go up to about $250000 or so (we have a decent downpayment, but with the restrictions on non-Americans qualifying for mortgages, we could face a bit of a challenge).

It's so hard to tell what places and areas are like from photos on the internet. I've found some amazing looking townhouses, and they're in gated communities, but I guess it really is hit and miss whether these places are in decent neighbourhoods.

Should I go with a real estate agent to help me find something to rent? They'd know the areas of the city better, right? I don't want to get screwed over and end up living in a ghetto for the next year...

[kamorra2]

If you narrow it down to a few specific communities tell us where they are and we'll let you know if they're nice areas. It is very hard to rent sight unseen but this is a very helpful message board and you can get a lot of good opinions and insider information from it.

[MAniacTHW]

There's a LOT of "free apartment hunters" around the area. Look into one and they should be able to help.

[canadianmama]

Originally Posted by kamorra2

If you narrow it down to a few specific communities tell us where they are and we'll let you know if they're nice areas. It is very hard to rent sight unseen but this is a very helpful message board and you can get a lot of good opinions and insider information from it.

Some of the areas:
-Pinehurst Community (Waters and Sheldon area)
-Palm River (Zip 33619)
-North East Tampa (Zip 33617, near the Hanna and 40th, close to the River)
-Huntington of Carrollwood/Hidden Oaks of Hillsborough (Zip 33614, close to Humphrey and Manhattan)
-Carrollwood Village (Zip 33624, close to Turner and Elrich)

I can get more specific (addresses, etc.) but I just plugged the addresses into Google maps and checked out the intersections.

Also, can someone point me in the direction for some zip codes for south Tampa?

Thanks again!

[MAniacTHW]

I believe S. Tampa is 33611. And the Carrollwood Village, if I remember correctly, is a newer neighborhood and in a decent area. Right down the road from Publix (local super market), Wal*Mart (if you MUST shop there :'( ), and Sweet Bay (another super market). Little Ceasers, Hungry Howies, Gus's Cafe, some Spanish restaurant I can't remember the name of for the life of me, Taco Bell/KFC, MacDonalds, Burger King, a Chinese place, another bar, and Alex's BBQ (the best BBQ place in the immediate area, if I do say so myself) are within 5 mins. About 15 mins away from Citrus Park mall, and the Citrus Park area. Esstrig Elementary, Ben Hill Middle (I highly suggest finding a different middle school) , and Gaither high are the schools covering that area. Anything else you need to know, just ask. I grew up right around the corner from there.