Family moving to Tampa (Brandon, Riverview: for sale, apartment, foreclosures)

[sandraj2]

Hi, my husband just got accepted to a Phd program at USF so we will be moving to the Tampa area with our daughter. I'm a massage therapist who will be the sole provider while he's in school. Any advice on affordable and safe areas to rent or buy? We've mostly been looking to buy between $100-150,000 in Seminole, Riverview, Carrolwood areas. What are some others? I've read to stay away from USF area but we need to be somewhat close to school. Any good spas to work at? Any input would be great.

[jessiesma]

is your safest choice and has the best schools of the area you mention.
There are spas all over Tampa. Lots fo docs are going the medispa route. google "therapeutic spas in Tampa"

Originally Posted by sandraj2

Hi, my husband just got accepted to a Phd program at USF so we will be moving to the Tampa area with our daughter. I'm a massage therapist who will be the sole provider while he's in school. Any advice on affordable and safe areas to rent or buy? We've mostly been looking to buy between $100-150,000 in Seminole, Riverview, Carrolwood areas. What are some others? I've read to stay away from USF area but we need to be somewhat close to school. Any good spas to work at? Any input would be great.

[jessiesma]

Sandraj2, the market hasn't hit bottom yet and you aren't at your maximum earning potential until hubby graduates and is working. You can rent a very nice apartment or town home for around 1000-1200 in Carrollwood until he's settled. The only advantage to your buying now would be if you could open your own massage practice in your home. If you buy simply to live there, in a couple of years when your hubby is out of school and has to relocate for his work, you will sell at a loss.
BTW, most Chiropractors here employ massage therapists or let them have space in their clinics. Chiro is very BIG her as are other alternative therapies. You will do well.

Originally Posted by FORGET FLORIDA

you many regret your decision. in florida, you
have NO rights...period...unless you are a wealthy
media person like Rush Limbaugh et al.
If you buy make sure you do NOT buy in any place
that has a homeowners association. it will be
an expensive horror.

[sandraj2]

the phd program will take 5+ years, you don't think the market will pick up by then?

[jessiesma]

5 years? maybe but if you buy now, you will see your property value decline further and then only MAYBE will it recover to today's prices. Wait at least a year. You'll have a better feel for the area and the best way to make a great deal is being here not from afar and coming in on a house hunting trip with only a few days to decide. I'm sure in that time you will NOT miss out on any bargains.
Also 5 years is a long time. A lot can happen in life and if you did need to sell for whatever reason in that time, you may not recoup even what you put in. Only if you have a BIG down payment and are willing to risk a loss for the sake of having a private home now, would I say buy if you must. Honestly, your budget won't get much right now. 100K-150K is nothing in this area. You might get a small condo. You can however rent a nice if small home for what you can afford. You are both going to be very busy over the next few years, he getting his degree and you establishing yourself in your profession. As you get established 3+ years, and start thinking about a family, that's the time to start PLANNING a home purchase. You may be thinking you're starting to build equity so your heart is in the right place but the timing is wrong.

Originally Posted by sandraj2

the phd program will take 5+ years, you don't think the market will pick up by then?

[Camisis]

Originally Posted by FORGET FLORIDA

you many regret your decision. in florida, you
have NO rights...period...unless you are a wealthy
media person like Rush Limbaugh et al.
If you buy make sure you do NOT buy in any place
that has a homeowners association. it will be
an expensive horror.

I am not a huge fan of Florida, but I don't like it when people make generalizations like this without backing it up. What are you talking about when you say that we have no rights? I don't understand.

Also, I am buying in a neighborhood with a HOA and it's only going to cost $64 a month with no CDD fees, which is pretty fair, I think.

There are certainly some negatives to living in Florida but it really just depends on what you're comparing it to and what matters to you. You have to give examples to support statements like that so people know what you're talking about.

[Camisis]

Originally Posted by sandraj2

the phd program will take 5+ years, you don't think the market will pick up by then?

I think it might pick up in the next few years but there's really no way to know. Experts keep speculating that things will hit rock bottom later this year and then get better, but who knows. This is also an election year, which is always kind of screwy. Who knows what the economy will be like a year from now, it could go either way.

But Jessiesma is correct, you would be hardpressed to get much with that budget. It depends on what you're looking for. I'm buying over in Riverview and there were definitely houses in affordable price ranges but I don't even know if they went that low. If this were Georgia, you could definitely get something, but it's not. I say wait it out a bit. Rent, get to know the area. My advice is the same as Jessiesma, make sure you both want to stay here a while. Maybe he won't want to continue his program here, maybe he will transfer or quit, maybe your business would be better over in St. Pete, but you bought way over in Brandon or something. I know renting sucks, man how I know! But for a newcomer, it really is the best idea, at least for a little while to kind of flush out the unknowns.

[jessiesma]

think the big problem is with HOA's is the fees per se. The real problem is who gets onto the board and who gets listened to. a friend of mine complained for years but finally after her husband retired, he got on the board and now some of their concerns get addressed. If you don't have time to get involved, don't complain because as with any sort of group, there are the "ins" and the "outs." If you have a great board it's fine but if not your life can be hell.

Originally Posted by Camisis

I am not a huge fan of Florida, but I don't like it when people make generalizations like this without backing it up. What are you talking about when you say that we have no rights? I don't understand.

Also, I am buying in a neighborhood with a HOA and it's only going to cost $64 a month with no CDD fees, which is pretty fair, I think.

There are certainly some negatives to living in Florida but it really just depends on what you're comparing it to and what matters to you. You have to give examples to support statements like that so people know what you're talking about.

[sandraj2]

Originally Posted by jessiesma

5 years? maybe but if you buy now, you will see your property value decline further and then only MAYBE will it recover to today's prices. Wait at least a year. You'll have a better feel for the area and the best way to make a great deal is being here not from afar and coming in on a house hunting trip with only a few days to decide. I'm sure in that time you will NOT miss out on any bargains.
Also 5 years is a long time. A lot can happen in life and if you did need to sell for whatever reason in that time, you may not recoup even what you put in. Only if you have a BIG down payment and are willing to risk a loss for the sake of having a private home now, would I say buy if you must. Honestly, your budget won't get much right now. 100K-150K is nothing in this area. You might get a small condo. You can however rent a nice if small home for what you can afford. You are both going to be very busy over the next few years, he getting his degree and you establishing yourself in your profession. As you get established 3+ years, and start thinking about a family, that's the time to start PLANNING a home purchase. You may be thinking you're starting to build equity so your heart is in the right place but the timing is wrong.

yes, I know what you're saying, it is a gamble. I guess what we see are lots of foreclosures and prices going way down and we think maybe we could make a small profit but we know anything we can get would be small. Plus, we have my father-in-law (who is a broker) pressuring us to buy saying it's such a great market for buyers right now. We have found quite a few in the Riverview area that look nice, not sure how far that is from USF, though. We will be down in a month to look for sale and rental properties. We're definitely keeping our options open. Lots to think about....thanks for the advice.

[spainbrit]

My HOA fees are $10 a year in Seminole, we live in a really nice neighborhood and you can probably rent a decent home here for around $1200 max for 3 of you, maybe even less. Great schools, near the beach, not in flood zones in many parts and very safe.
I drive all over here in my job and personal errands and there are tons of homes for rent, with signs outside, not all are on the MLS though, you need to go and look. Because so many are trying to sell and renting to cover costs, they don't like to advertise either, so you need to have eyes here. I know a massage therapist who does very well splitting her time between a couple of jobs within companies, a doctor surgery and a health spa.
There is definitely work for you here with so many elderly and infirm (and us stressed out professionals! )