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| Sunshine & Rain - 3/19/2013
Winters in Tampa are wonderfully mild and sunny. Daily thunderstorms in the summer become part of the rhythm of life, though the sweltering heat takes some adjustment.[read more...]
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| business - 1/29/2013
hello Im living in san diego right now looking to move to tampa because its around water and the price of living is very cheap, im a small business owner.. can anyone tell me is tampa small business friendly...
thank...[read more...]
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| Moving to Florida? - 1/21/2013
I plan on moving to Tampa florida hopefully soon. But i a little confussed on where in Tampa i should move too. Is it more expensive to live in the City or live on the outside of the city? Is there a diffrence. I would really love to live in the city so I could be close to my work and everything else in the city. Any suggestions?[read more...]
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| Searching for my next home - in Tampa? - 12/30/2012
I recently moved to South Florida after living in PA all my life. We lived in Collegeville, about 30 miles outside of Philly. It's a small town with beautiful communities. We owned our home, which regrettably we sold and headed to florida in search of more laid back living. Did we get a rude awakening. Since we've been here, I found work and promptly lost my job, something I never experienced before. My husband found work right away but works 10 times harder than he every did, for less money. We thought we were moving to paradise, but I think we left paradise behind!
I absolutely hate the Gold Coast. I could never afford a home here and it's too overly commercial. We drive around looking for a neighborhood I might like to live in, but only miss PA more. Originally, we wanted to move to the Tampa area but people said work would be hard to find. I think I would like the west coast better than the east. The east is too overly developed already. Miami was so over the top that I couldn't wait to get out of there. Its a nice place to visit or vacation in but I wouldn't want to live there. I guess I'm a quiet country girl at heart.
Can anyone tell me about living in Tampa and jobs? I really think I would like the west better but at this point, I'd like to hear from folks living in the area before making any moves. I've already screwed up once and I don't want to keep hopping all over florida finding a place to live. I'd appreciate any locals sharing their experience and thoughts with me. - Thanks![read more...]
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| relocating to FL - 12/22/2011
I am currently living in Colorado and am looking to move back to Florida this summer. I lived in Naples for a while and am really interested in Tampa and the surrounding area. I will be working on a Doctorate at USF and would like to be someplace not too far from the beach yet not too expensive. Ive heard good things about Brandon.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks.[read more...]
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| Going Downhill? - 10/17/2011
Many who live in or visited Tampa often over many years feel that crime is going up while overall quality of live has gone down in many areas of Tampa. Services have been cut due to budget problems. St Petersburg may be a slightly better bet, but the same thing is happening there. It may be just the fact that this recession has hit the whole state of Florida harder than most other states. Unemployment is higher. Budget cuts have been brutal. Looks like another 2 billion+$ will have to be cut in 2012.
If looking at Tampa as a place to move to, make sure you check out St Pete and a little farther south and see Sarasota. Busch Gardens in Tampa is the best theme park in FL in my opinion. FLAmoveGuide[read more...]
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| Tampa has gone down hill since the recession - 9/24/2011
Like many Florida Cities, the housing crash has taken it's toll. With about 40% of homes with mortgages being underwater, there are more foreclosures in FL than just about any other state. Grass and weeds growing to the roof, broken windows,etc. these homes turn a neighborhood ugly quick because it takes the banks over a year to take them back. St Pete is not much better. Look a little farther south to Sarasota and Venice, FL. Even Englewood or Punta Gorda. Low home prices but lower crime too. [read more...]
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| Tampa is like a bad child, sometimes its ugly and - 5/24/2011
I have been in Tampa for 8 years. When I moved here I had only planned to be here no more than two years, obviously that changed. There are days when I cant wait to get out of here but then Tampa will show me her nice side and I think, wow what a beautiful place to live.
The good:
The airport is the best in this country, I travel for work and TPA always impresses me and makes me feel proud.
The downtown area and Riverwalk. The downtown has made a HUGE step forward since I have moved here. We now have 3 new beautiful museums. One of the most successful convention centers in the country. The Riverwalk, although still under construction is simply awesome and theres a new waterfront park that attracts so many good events and people.
Ybor city: Yes Ybor city has seen some dark days but its coming back and there is simply no place like it in the US. Travel magazine named 7th Ave one of the best streets in the country and for good reason. You may not find a Starbucks and Crate and Barrel but you will surely find it interesting.
The beaches: White sand beaches are a short drive away. Need I say more?
The bad:
Tampa is not a flashy city and the people here are mostly working class. The bad thing about this is its hard to find a good neighborhood thats not overun with shabby looking houses, at least within the downtown core. I live in South Tampa which anyone will tell you is the "place to live". I get so irritated because it seems my neighbors dont give a sh*t about keeping their homes up. Its this way all over the city and I really hate it.
The tax structure here is also irritating. Florida caters to the elderly and so you may be paying $6000 per year in taxes while your neighbor who has passed the house down through the family pays $600 per year. Thats my situation and its just not right.
The heat. Its just too stinking hot to even be outside for nearly 7 months out of the year. May through November is miserable in my opinion.
Overall, I like Tampa and if I never leave I will be OK. I think its got enough good to outweigh the bad.[read more...]
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| Advice please on Richmond Place in New tampa, - 2/14/2011
Good day every one, we are about to purchase property New Tampa in Hillsborough County. The condo area is called: Richmond place. Will appreciate any info please about Richmond Place itself (appropriacy for permenat stay)and new tampa regarding raising a family. Thanks,e mail mbekhazi@ducab.com[read more...]
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| A good place to retire! - 11/7/2010
I moved here with my wife in 2005 after I retired! We rented in the Temple Terrace area for 7 months while a house we bought was being built! We didn't buy a 3,000, or 5,000 sq foot house for hundreds of thousands of dollars, We bought a $100,000 house, 1300 sq. ft.,3/2/2, 35 minutes north of Tampa in a newer neighborhood!
Our first year here was a little tough getting used to, it is hot in the summer, but I loved watching the blizzards up north on TV! And as you get older, the heat feels better then the cold!
We paid $3,000. a year that first year on homeowners tax, and insurance, still less then what we paid in Ct.! Today with the bad economy, we pay $1,400. a year because everything has gone down. Its tough on people who work, but great for retirees! Our house is worth $75,000. today, but we're not selling, so its all paper, and the lower net worth of our house makes our bills lower!
The lower prices make it good for the new people who want to come here to retire, there are some great deals!
Retiring here is good, but I wouldn't come here to work, the good paying jobs are few, and far apart! If you live on a budget, this is a very cheap place to live, but again, not if your younger, and still working!
I would say to those unhappy here on the Gulf coast of Florida, that life is so short to be unhappy about where you live, move to where you'll be happy, I did, and someday, if I choose, I'll move again! You'll get nowhere just complaining on a site like this!
To those looking for a place to retire, I've driven across the country 3 times in my life, been in every one of the lower 48 states, for me, this is the best area to retire! The housing is cheap, much cheaper then up north, living expences are less then up north, and you've got so much to do from all the sports-pro & college, theater, museums, beaches, boating, fishing, casinos, cruises, Disney, Bush Gardens, and others!!! Or you can do just nothing, and enjoy the weather while your friends and relatives are shoveling snow!!
The mistake I saw down here over the last 5 years is people living-buying over their means, I could have bought a house 3 times bigger, and 3 times more expensive, but we chose to buy only what we needed! There were lots of stories of people living in 3,000-5,000 sq ft. houses with almost no furniture in their houses, cause they couldn't afford it! The more house you buy, the more you'll pay in taxes, insurance, and electricity, so buy what you need, and can afford!
Is there anything better then seeing palm trees in peoples yards dressed up in Christmas lights?!!![read more...]
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| Update on Tampa Area - August 2010 - 8/23/2010
In the Tampa Bay area the housing market is one of the worst in the country. You do have the beaches, sports and nearby attractions. There is no income tax, but they dollar you to death. Example: Duplicate Title for your car last year was $25, this year $85. Be ready to shell out a boat load for new tags now-at lease $300 per vehicle.
Schools here are horrible. I wouldn't put my kid in a FL school if my life depended on it. Crime is totally out of control, with armed robberies on the increase. The only jobs available are low income service jobs or public sector such as schools, government. Traffic is a nightmare and the weather is very hot and humid for 9 months out of the year. (not to mention hurricanes). Oh, and if you purchase a home, your homeowners insurance will cost you $2-3K per year and your property taxes will cost $6K on a $300K home.
Tampa is a nice place to vacation - not to live![read more...]
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| Colorado Springs VS Tampa, Hmmm....I have lived in - 7/26/2010
I am a contractor, so I have lived in several cities. Chicago, Tampa, Tallahassee, Colorado Springs, Pensacola, and I am now choosing to move back to Tampa. Yes, Tampa has traffic, and some crime, but ALL metropolitan areas have that, its the price one pays for having options and things to do. Chicago dwarfs Tampa, just like NY does, and I do not want to live in a major metro area, but I am also sick of "small towns" that try to pretend they are cities, such as Tallahasse, Pensacola and Colorado Springs. If you think work is lacking in Tampa, do you expect for it to be better in smaller towns? If you want culture, options, and things to do, then Tampa or Chicago are great places to be, if you want small town country, then you dont want Tampa, it depends on what you are looking for. I choose to move back to Tampa because it was a happy medium for me. Try going to a concert, or play, or festival worth attending in either Colorado Springs or Pensacola, its impossibile. I personally found small town "clicks" to be harder to find friends in then city areas, but perhaps that is just me. Colorado Springs is an interesting town, I left there because I could not stand the damn infiltration of Californians, but if liberal "progressive" ideas is your bag then the Springs is a great place. Common sense will tell you that if you live in a metropolitan area, then you should do some research before moving into any neighborhood....if its full of crime, minorities, etc,...then dont move there, people on here that seem to feel all of Tampa is crime and ethnic, apparently dont know how to choose a good place to live in metropolitan areas. Tampa is an excellent choice if you want a metropolitan area, but nothing as big as NY or Chicago, and you like having all the culture (although a bit watered down from what Northerners are accustomed to)but also like beaches, and options not available elsewhere like Disney 2 hours away. Finding work right now is difficult anywhere, I have unemployed friends that live in NY and Chicago....housing is reasonable for the type of area it is, you pay a little more for entertainment options, sure you can rent a house cheaper in say Pensacola, but you also have nothing else to do there but fishing and cow tipping. Its all a matter of what you want. [read more...]
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| Globally Warming - 7/3/2010
Whatever's happening to earth's climate, Tampa's is just getting hotter. The liquid heat days of summer now start in April and continue until mid November. If you're not on a boat or in the water, you might as well be. It's a real consideration if you're thinking of making Tampa your home. [read more...]
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| weather - 1/30/2010
HOT![read more...]
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| Tampa Vs. Colorado Springs - 12/31/2009
I lived in Tampa for almost thirty years, but yearned for a big change. So I moved to Colorado Springs ten years ago and I am happy I made that move.
I have multiple issues with Tampa. These issues were reinforced when I recently revisited the area after several years' absence. By comparison with Colorado, and Colorado Springs in particular, Tampa is buggy, overcrowded, and crime-ridden. The summers are long, hot, very humid, and quite uncomfortable. Did I mention the hurricanes? The tourists and senior citizens pull traffic stunts I've never seen in Colorado, such as coming to a full stop on a busy interstate highway for no apparent reason. Tampa has no mountains! On balance, the people are more aggressive and rude in Tampa, probably because of the more congested living conditions. At this point in my life, I would not want to move back to Tampa.
However, anyone reading this post, or others on this web site, should keep in mind that the desirability of a place is strongly related to one's personal preferences and living situation. For example, Tampa IS a great place to live if you can't stand cold temperatures. In Colorado, on two occasions, black ice caused my car to slide off the road. In Tampa, the only time I remember seeing ice was in my refrigerator, or in my drink! And if you want tropical ambience, a smaller tax bite, easy access to beaches and waterways, and a lower cost of living than most other parts of the country, Tampa also shines.
Good luck making your relocation decision.[read more...]
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| pros - 11/16/2009
I agree that the weather is great. I was raised in wisconsin and we have weather that sucks! I don't mind roasting half of the year, it sure beats getting frosbite, plus I'm from the Carribean so I love the heat. I think the people that live in Tampa now should try moving to our Northern states for a whole year and I guarantee that you will change your outlook. I don't think everyone that lives in New York is automatically in love with Fl either, that's a stereotype. NY is a great city, with many opportunities. Of course if youre a negative complainer then nothing will ever make you happy. After all we all can't be satisfied with what we have, we also have 49 other states that can accomodate everyone's style of living. I know Florida accomodates mine[read more...]
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| Great area for golfers - 10/20/2009
A great mix of public, semi-private, and private golf courses are available at good rates year round.[read more...]
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| public transit - 10/3/2009
I took your test and public transportation listed Tampa at a "B"...I am leaving Tampa because the public transit is an "F". Why is your rating so high?[read more...]
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| Living on Vacation - 9/2/2009
"....we live on vacation". This is a comment you hear frequently in our neck of the woods. Temple Terrace is a quaint little town surrounded by large Spanish moss trees, a great golf course and the Hillsborough River. We are centrally located; some call us little Tampa, only 20 minutes from the beach, 5 min from Busch Gardens, and about 45 min from Disney (give or take an hour for traffic). We are a melting pot of heritage, so nothing is lacking. I admit, it’s hard to find good Chicago pizza (my home town), but pressed Cubans, seafood, and café con leche’ more than help make up for it. We have 5 wineries within driving distance (for you winos out there) all with pretty good wine. The University of South Florida is only 10 min away, so we enjoy that home college town feel. We have mild winters, scorching summers and quite a bit of rain (that’s how everything stays green year round). Coming from up North, it took a minute to adjust to the laid back beachy life style of South Florida. Folks here have a completely different mindset then those up North. Play time, is playtime, and work…..well, is another form of playtime. So if you find yourself in need of a change and are tired of shoveling snow, then the Tampa Area maybe the spot for you. Come check us out……you may not leave.[read more...]
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| Tampa - 8/21/2009
I agree with what most everyone says is wrong about Tampa. The biggest problem here is the economy. In opinion, the economy is linked with the overall poor status of our schools (individual schools can be great).
There are almost no modern service or valued added manufacturing businesses in Tampa. The largest industry is call centers, with tourism, contract manufacturing (low margin), and real estate next in line. To make matters worse, these low intellectual valued added businesses are cyclical. The shallow economy depresses wages and discourages highly educated people from settling in the area. Sadly, I see nothing that changes this phenomenon.
If you really want to understand Tampa and how it fits with the modern economy, study Minneapolis/ St. Paul, a metro area roughly the size of Tampa/St. Pete. Despite high taxes and frigid weather, Minneapolis is home to hundreds of corporate headquarters in retail, advertising, money management, tv production, drugs, medical devices, medical service companies, chemical and packaging companies. Why? Minnesota has some of the best public school systems in the US, no doubt helped by the relative lack of urban ghettos and rednecks.
The bottom line is the following: if you are ambitious, this is a tough place to move. Forbes ranked us the worst MSA in the US for young professionals. A high priced MBA is of dubious value when the only jobs are running call centers.
If you are not ambitious, like warm weather and can put up with crime, you can carve out a niche here. If you are talented and have a good job, you might enjoy being a big fish in a small pond. Never forget, that your escape velocity might be quite high, however.[read more...]
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