Lord Lionheart

Been in LA for 18 years however having recently lost my job and not having $1M for a decent house in California I am exploring some different options.
It seems you can get a decent house in the Tampa area for $250K?? but I don't know the area. I would appreciate any input from any expats in Tampa or St. Petersberg such as;

Good areas, area to stay away from, job market, weather( i.e humidity), likes, dislikes, general comments etc. etc.

Thanks

anotherlimey

Isn't that where Ray lives?

Celsius

I think you're out of your mind to want to move to FL!




Celsius

Lord Lionheart

I'm considering many options including staying put and the UK. Mind you, your detailed and insightful input into FL has helped me a great deal. Alan Whicker had better watch out

AmerLisa

Enough said! :scared:

TouristTrap

Sorry, Tampa is full. You'll have to try somewhere else....

Not a Brit, but a sort-of S.African expat, whose lived here for nearly a decade.

I'll comment on Tampa, not St. Pete (you'd not get an unbiased view of the place from me, can't stand it )

PROS.

1. Medium-sized city, with very little crime. No areas are out of bounds even at night.

2. Close to the Gulf (about 40 mins or so depending on where you live), with the most beautiful cleanest beaches and warm water imagineable. Fishing, water/jet skiing, scuba diving, bbq'ing, etc..loads of little islands off the coast that you can explore too. Pretty awesome.

3. Traffic is not bad at all, (unless you live in New Tampa, then you're stuck on the highway from hell). Takes about 30 mins to drive anywhere in the city you might want to go to.

4. Drivers are considerate, but watch out for the blue-haired dears during snowbird season (November to April). People will not blow their horns at you, and if they do, you know they're not Tampa residents, only visitors or new arrivals.

5. Symphony, theater, mega movie complexes, Performing Arts Center, and Tampa is a stop for most band tours.

6. If you're into sports, we have the mighty bucs of course, as well as spring training for the Yankees, and the Lightening for Hockey. If you can't live w/out baseball then don't come here...we suck big time.

7. Humidity is bad from May to November. Everyone lives inside in the AC, but good thing is you'll be able to afford a home with a pool, so can hang out there. November to May is paradise. Shorts-t-shirts for the most part.

9. Many places to bike around here. Many trails, state/county parks, canoeing, kayaking down the Hillsborough River, etc. Loads of outdoor activities.

10. Close to Mouseland and Shuttleland so you can go there and come back the same day if you want.

11. Not far from Miami if you want the big city vibe now and then.

12. Got two high-end malls as well as a few other regular ones.


CONS

1. Job market is small. More service-oriented. Wages are low, and the cost-of-living is pretty high. You pay more for groceries here than you do in most other states.

2. Very transient state. Most people are from somewhere else, and move away frequently, mostly due to the low wages.

3. School system is terrible. We regularly come bottom of the barrel in the SATS, which leads to problems within the service industry.

4. Speaking of service, there is none in FL. You learn to grin and bear it. Tradespeople, etc..forget it, no service.

5. This is bushland. At all levels. You learn not to voice an opinion if you want to keep your social contacts.

6. No real urban planning went into the city. Hodge podge abounds. Excepting for New Tampa which is where you might want to live, depending on what job you're looking for.

7. Like the rest of Florida, the place is flat as a pancake. If you can't live w/out hills/mountains, then you're looking in the wrong place.


Can't think of any major cons.

Ray

Cos we all carry guns .. you will hate it ... I am 40 miles north of Tampa
a bit more rural .. but easy acess to tampa .
up your price a bit on the property though ...

Much more relaxed place than CA though .

emmals

why?.....there are some absalutley amazing places in Florida....some which don't even sell mouse ears....it's a big place

Lord Lionheart

How much would I need to up the price on property? Any specific areas or zip codes that I should target in on?

emmals

Tampa is quite touristy so the prices of properties are a little steeper....if you go further up....New Port Richie....or Port Charlotte the prices are a little cheaper....it's still on the gulf coast and beautiful

Lord Lionheart

Thanks for your help. karma sent. Transient? I live in LA! Everyone is from everywhere else here.......... and 99% of them are 'aspiring' actors and actresses

Ray

what do you want ..type of house etc ..town, rural. pool etc..

Lord Lionheart

3 bed 2 bath, pool would be nice. Not too fussy. Me and a mate are thinking about flying out to Tampa at the start of Sept to check it out.

Ray

How many sq ft ..age of property

Lord Lionheart

1500 sq. feet, Not fussy on age.........