According to relocation.co, the Tampa/St Petersburgh area still remains in the top 5 for people relocating. I, myself, am a native New Yorker who relocated 15 years ago. Because I was very interested in a graduate program at NYU and I still have so many family and friends there, I revisited the idea of moving back recently. I spent 10 fun-filled days with family and more friends than I've seen since high school (thanks to Facebook). These are the big comparisons that my husband and I walked away with:
1. The climate. The Tampa climate is fantastic! Our average year-round temp in Tampa is 72.3. In the Spring and Fall, our daytime temps usually hover around 75-80 degrees, and evenings are a comfortable 65 or so. In the winter, we still enjoy daytime 70's most days, and lows in the 50's in the evenings. We also get maybe 20 days worth of what we call cold with daytime low temps in the 50's, and nighttime lows in the 30's-40's. It's just enough for a nice change, and a chance to break out some cute boots and jackets. People who shy away from the heat are quick to point out that the summers are hot, and I wouldn't argue that, but consider the fact that because of the Gulf breezes, we don't get temperatures over 100 degrees like they do during NY summers. Of course, we all have central air down here, so between air conditioning, pools and beaches, I'd take our summer heat over Northern winters hands down!!
2. Sunshine. I list this separately from climate because of its importance. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a phenomenon that many Northerners deal with each year. The sun provides us with endorphins (our body's happy chemicals that makes us feel good). Tampa has an average of 246 sunny days per year, and we get longer daylight as well. In the winter in NY, sunset is around 4:50PM, as compared to ours at 6:00. That's an extra 1 hr and 10 minutes to each day. Don't forget either that we waste no time heating up cars, scraping windshields or shoveling walks, so we've got significantly more time to enjoy on our outdoor lanais.
3. Traffic. Like anywhere, there are some places with worse traffic and some places with better traffic, but overall, there is no comparison with places like NY & NJ where the traffic sucks up over 10-20% of your day. People rarely even honk here- it's a little annoying at first if you grew up like I did, but you soon learn to relax like the people around you and find your ride home so much more pleasant, as well as significantly shorter.
4. Housing: Tampa has always had more affordable housing than where I grew up, but with the current mortgage fallout, the opportunities here for gorgeous, newer homes are fantastic! Follow the link to the left for Tampa foreclosures and steals to get an idea of what's available here or contact me and I'll construct a search just for you. There are many options here, including city living which is more in line with the grids we're used to from the Northeast and older cities, but the set-up in the well-planned suburbs is unique and I absolutely love it! Our homes in the suburbs are built within communities. This cuts down on neighborhood traffic tremendously because you can't drive through neighborhoods to avoid main roads. Our children are much safer and have the luxury of riding bikes in front of the house, spending time in our private neighborhood parks and pools, or just running around with friends. A close second to this all-important atmosphere for our kids is the CONVENIENCE that we enjoy. Many neighborhoods are built around conservation and the effect is gorgeous and quiet; however, a quick drive out to the main roads and you've got every store, gas station, restaurant, bar, etc. that you can imagine! Better yet, they are all squeaky clean and new! Your groceries get bagged and then brought out to your car by employees who REFUSE TIPS!
Since most of our homes were built more recently than those in the Northeast, they also make more sense than many of the style homes that I grew up around. Many homes commonly have 2.5 or more bathrooms, attached garages, and the all-important laundry room. Until my recent trip, I'd forgotten how many people suffer with one bathroom! It's too horrible to consider!
5. Taxes. We pay NO state income tax! Yes, you read that correctly...NONE!! That, alone, accounts for a big expense in most other cities. Though many Floridians are balking at recent hikes in property taxes, they are still significantly lower than the property taxes in other major cities. You can preview some of the current taxes within the listings that I've supplied links for. Our state sales tax is also only 7%, and our business friendly tax laws are ranked in the top 3 of the country!
6. Schools. Though Florida was trailing much of the nation a little over a decade ago, our schools, especially those in Tampa, are now enjoying top scores. We are also home to The Florida Bright Futures scholarship that offers 100% tuition and fees to a Florida university for all qualifying students who graduate from a Fl high school with a 3.5 or better weighted GPA, and 75% for students with a 3.0 GPA!
We came to the conclusion that we'll be staying right here enjoying a much more pleasant lifestyle: one that affords us the time and luxury of enjoying more leisure time and a climate that allows us to spend much more time enjoying the outdoors and a healthier lifestyle. Consider joining us! Our market has begun to turn around last quarter when we experienced an increase in sales- how could it not when so many houses are finally so affordable? There's no doubt that our homes will once again increase in equity for all the reasons I mentioned above, not least of which, that we still lead the country in relocations. If you buy now, you'll definitely be far ahead of the game. In fact, you might even consider buying now and renting until you can get down here. This is as good as it gets for investing, so you could purchase a home at these low prices, rent it for a profit, claim your mortgage interest against your taxes, and then live very comfortably when you're ready to move down. Tampa enjoys property tax caps for homeowners, so the sooner you buy, the lower your taxes.
Buy a Beach Property to Enjoy Yourself and for Short-term Rental!
Another great idea? Buy a vacation home- either alone, or with family and friends! Even beach properties here are available at low prices! You could purchase a vacation home, have it make you money as a short-term rental, use it a few weeks each year, and claim it as a second home on your taxes! Within a few years, it will increase in equity and if you choose, you could sell for a significant profit!
I am very knowledgeable about the real estate market, local communities and resources, and I'm honest to a fault! I make sure that all of my clients have full and honest information about all of the many facets of their real estate sale. And if you tell me that your limit is $300K, but I can find you a house for $200K, I'll proudly do it! I'd sooner have your referrals and repeat business than a larger comission check.
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