My in-laws live at 5810 Seminole Trail Road - "Bay Pines" neighborhood. It is great - right next to a small private Christian school "Keswick Christian" and on a walking trail. They are downsizing. Here is their link:
http://www.trulia.com/property/1085022915-5810-Seminole-Trl-…

I have lived in Tampa/Land O' Lakes for 37 years. My grandchildren have excelled in the Pasco County school system. They have been in private school and public. The schools in Pasco have wonderful opportunities not available in other counties. We are at the Preserve at Lake Thomas (no flood insurance required and no CDDs); HOA dues is $78 a month and includes trash pickup. This is a custom home community with homes 1 mil+. We have a 2-story with the requirements you have listed, 3000 sq ft. Originally listed for $575,000; now listed at $399,000.00. This is a gated community (not a subdivision with cookie cutter homes) and some wonderful young families. Thanks. Jennie 813 784-2295

Wow thankyou for taking the trouble to reply with such information. My husbands job is relocating him back to the United Kingdom so we will be returning this October. We took our time looking and getting used to Florida lifestyle and so didnt end up buying so I am glad I am not in a position to have to sell.

We will miss the Florida sunshine though!!

Best Wishes Fiona

Fiona, what is your lifestyle. Do you prefer being closer to the beach or downtown. Do you want to be near I-275 closer to the Frankland Bridge or Gandy Bridge going to Tampa or the Skyway Bridge heading to Bradenton and Sarasota? Do you want to be in a specific school district or near a private school? Is there a church that you would like to live close to? Answers to these questions can pinpoint a neighborhood that may be of interest to you.

I have served the residents of Pinellas County for over 20 years and feel qualified to respond to this question. I lived on the water most of those years and feel that Waterfront is the BEST place to invest. There is only so much Waterfront available. Of course this requires Flood Insurance. My next suggestion would be Allendale. This older established area has homes like you describe. High and Dry and a very good investment. I will be glad to forward homes in this area to you.

I would be glad to put my expertise to work for you.

We have our home for sale by owner in the Old NE neighborhood of St. Petersburg. Our home is an 8 minute drive to Shorecrest. We are flood zone C (No flood insurance required). Asking price $559,000
http://446-15thave-ne.com/

Hi Fiona,
Have you looked in Old NE, allendale, Cresent lake/heights? Most of these areas have homes with guest apartments that would be ideal for your live/work situation. Check out the city of St. Petes website regarding all the neighborhoods. http://www.stpete.org/neighborhoods/index.asp

As for schools.. I have a 5 year old - just started Kindergarten last week at Shorecrest. I did the full search of all the schools and so far I have been really impressed!

Best of luck. Let me know if I can help.

After entering your criteria into the MLS I came up with 9 properties from St Petersburg to Madeira Beach and Seminole that fit and I would be happy to send them to you for your review. I use ListingBook.com which allows my out-of-state clients to do their own search as well as receive updates on any changes in the homes that fit their specific criteria. I hope this information has been helpful.

I have worked as an Exclusive Buyer Agent in this area since 2001 and would like ot help you find your new home. The neighborhoods I would recommend visiting are:

Edgemoor Estates
Tanglewood
Barcley
Catalina Gardens
Placido Bayou
Bay Shore
Eagle Crest Estates
Lake Pasadena
Allendale

These neighborhoods would be closest to Shorecrest but we can always branch out a little and get a few more for your consideration.

If you need a map of the area, some addtional information or would like me to email you some properties in these neighborhoods, please feel free to contact me. I am available 7 days a week and also work evenings.

I would say take a look in the belleair/belleair bluffs area of st petersburg. Im a Brt and live in Belleair bluffs and the community is above and beyond. For the money I would look here because the values are holding well in your price range and you can get alot of house for the money. Shopping, beaches, dining, banks, recreation all in your backyard. Belleair bluffs is a hard community to match for the money. Good luck!

Venetian Isles, Snell Isle & Downtown St. Pete. Zip Codes 33702.33703,33704,33701 are my favoties for aesthetic purposes... lots of waterfront!!! check out some great homes for sale in these areas at http://www.jamiesellsstpete.com

thanks!! Jamie

Dear Fiona,
My husband and I are selling a home on Terra Ceia Island on the Gulf Coast. It is located south of St. Petersburg and in fact, as you go south over the Skyway Bridge, at the top, look to your right and you will see a body of land...that is Terra Ceia Island. Twenty minutes from St. Pete and thirty from Tampa and Sarasota. Our home is a two story Key West style, two bedroom, two bathroom with a four-car garage under the main living area with ten foot ceilings. It is on a canal lot surrounded by 298' of water and is only three houses from the open bay. No bridges to contend with. Terra Ceia has a definite casual lifestyle, with neighbors riding golf carts, bicycles, jogging or roller blading. The name Terra Ceia translates to "Land Heavenly" and it truly is! Our asking price is $399,000 with homes around us selling for million plus. Please look at our site on http://www.zillow.com, key in 34250 zip code and look for our address 1115 Bayshore Drive. If you have any questions, contact our email address. Good luck in your search for your Florida home. Kathy Riley, ekriley@mounet.com

Hi Fiona---all the information on my house is available at -- http://-www.1306kingswaylane.epropertiysite.com.
Please feel free to contact me direct for a viewing. Asking price is $547,740.
Larry

Hello Fiona. I'm actually considering selling my house in the Old Northeast neighborhood which is approximately 10 minutes (max) from Shorecrest. It's a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath single family home on a double lot. The other lot has a beautiful pebble tech pool surrounded by a privacy fence enclosing the lush landscaping. This home was built in 1921 and has been completely remodeled with updated electric and plumbing. Our kitchen has new cabinets, granite countertops, stainless appliances. Floors are hardwood or stone tile. All bathrooms have been remodeled and are pristine. This home is not in a flood zone. If you would like to see photos, please feel free to email me directly and discuss a viewing if you are interested. I'm on Trulia myself looking to downsize so I haven't actually listed this house for sale. Let me know if you're interested.

Hi Larry How much are you asking and what is the MLS number cant see your email.

Cheers
Fiona

Hello Fiona,

Have you thought of the Emerald Coast near Destin & Eglin Air Force Base area? There is a new international airport going in in Panama City Beach, FL. The town of Freeport is a lovely area with new developments centered around golf & tennis. This area has top notch schools and the tax rates are low. If you look in the right areas you can find something far enough away from beaches and bayous that flood insurance is not required. Look at properties in South Walton County, Florida (approx. 4 hours north west of St. Pete).
If I can help you look around or find something to your specifications, please contact me. I think you'll love our area.
Susan spydr1031@aol.com

I am selling my home in Eastlake/TarponSprings area---gated community of families with children and retired execs and professionals. Highest rated elemaentary school and good private schools in area. Gated community, 4 bedroom, 3bath, 3car garage, 10 years old in move in condition. Retired air force next door and families with young children across the street. Probably the nicest, most desirable community in the area. Priced well within your price range. I am leaving 5/17 for 7 weeks so if interested reply SAP. Have a good one!

Davista, Old Pasadena, Jungle areas all may work but are hit and miss on the flood insurance issue.

Sincerely;

John E. Desautels
727-343-2488
Broker Of Record Real Estate Sales & Financing., L.L.C.

Dear Fiona,
I do agree that that an area you should definitely look into is the Crescent Lake neighborhood in Pinellas County. I have been a resident here for 12 years , and it is a very friendly, family oriented place to live. We have a beautiful lake here , spanning over a mile around , with tropical palms, plants and birds. The area is so conveniently located , it offers you a very close city drive as well as just a short drive to the beach.
Right now there are a few homes in the area for sale that I would be happy to show you via e-mail. They are within walking distance to the lake I've mentioned and are in a safe, non-flooding zone. There is one special home that has currently become available that features a wonderful cottage and mother in law apt. in addition to the main house ! It has been entirely redone , and features a chef's kitchen , as well as many more amenities. Gorgeous hard wood flooring , fireplace, crown moulding and an English style garden with mature shade trees are just a few of its' special attributes.
If this is a place you would like to know more about, or if the other area homes would be of interest to you , please don't hesitate to contact me . Having lived in the neighborhood, I could hopefully address whatever questions you might have , and certainly welcome your family to our piece of paradise in Florida!

I have a home for sale in the New Tampa Area. (The 7 oaks development). The house has never been lived in and currently i lease it back to the building. He is using it as a show home. The house won the Tampa parade of homes for best design. I have it listed for 699,000 but i would consider an offer of 650,000. You can see the home by going to Avalonbuildingcorp.com Its the antigua model. if you want more info drop me a line.................Martin ps I'm from the UK (Birmingham) welcome back to good weather

Welcome back! I have a 4bedroom, 3 bath home with office in a gated community---1/2 retired execs and profesionals, balance are similar with families. Next door is retired air force, families across the street have young chidren. The highest ranked elementary is here and several private and magnet public schools in the area. 35 minutes to Tampa airport, little over an hour to Disney and 15 minutes to the beaches . Home is nine years old, 3 car garage, good sized lot on golf course with a peaceful large pond between our home and the fairway. Country Club membership is optional. Wide streets in the community and lots of land is preserve. About 400 homes from $300,00 to $2 million. Large lanai faces south. We have happily entertained from 4 couples to 60 plus. Reply will get you pictures, etal,

Thanks for all your replys. I am back early from the UK so I am back pounding the streets looking again as of today. I definetly want the coast and somewhat commutable to an international airport (within an hour). BTW it was lovelly to come back to the sunshine after the chilly cloudy weather in England.

if you want central florida look into oviedo thesanctuary is gorgeous a rated schools family and children firendly community access to malls stores movies homes are gorgeous new neighborhood home priced from 300-800k from 2000 sq ft to 6200 i have a 6bed 5bath 4 cargarage home pool spa selling for 669k gorgeous if interested look into craigslist in oviedo estate homes for sale my number is 4075424302 thanks good luck and your also close to cocoa beach about 25 min drive

Hi Fiona,

Northeast St Pete has a lot of amazing waterfront homes some in deed restricted communities and others not. Please also see my website http://www.jamiesellsstpete.com I am currently sending you homes for sale in this neighborhood. 33704 isnt the most popular zip code in Pinellas County for not being fabulous!!!!! I hope you are my neighbor soon. As always I am here to answer any questions you may have. (727) 656-8886

Thanks!

Fiona,

You should be able to find what you want...no problem...in our current market. I would also advise you to investigate evacuation zones/flood zones/fema insurance zones while looking. Or, minimally, keep those factors in mind.

When we were looking to buy in '04, our agent...understandably at the time...kept telling me that flood zones didn't matter. Then, starting in August (after the house was purchased and we were well settled) St. Petersburg experienced 3 hurricanes. I was ever so happy that I didn't live in Shore Acres...for example. (Those poor people.)

Also...even if you live in a non-flood zone...you should consider the construction of your prospective home. Fifty or sixty year old homes are quite appealing...or they certainly were to me. However, wood frame homes don't stand up to (even moderate) winds especially well. Might want to consider something a bit more robust.

One last thing, termites are (or can be) a problem here. Moreover, there are 2 kinds to worry about...one will plow through your home in short order. The other will take years to inflict any appreciable damage.

Good luck. I love Britain BTW...specifically Scotland, where we spent two unconscionably happy years.

Cassandra

Located less than 90 minutes north of St. Petersburg on the west coast of Florida is Citrus County. A small, quaint, safe community that offers great benefits to it's residents, including excellent schools. Natural spring fed lakes, rolling hills, historical downtown area, golfing, horseback riding, the Gulf of Mexico, and lush forest parks are all but a few of Citrus County's beautiful features. Why settle for less, when you can have it all. Do yourself and your family a favor and visit Citrus County. You'll exerience a unique ambiance that is reiminscent of Old Florida and years passed. Relax and enjoy! Visit my web site and get acquainted.

Just a clarification on Nathan's post. An acre is 43,560 sq. ft...so 1/4 acre would be 10,890 sq. ft.

Thanks Jamie,
I have sent you a message via your website with my email and phone. I am in the UK until 28th April so emal is best at the moment.
Fiona

I love where I live in Northeast St Petersburg, and now you can get amazing waterfront homes in deed restricted communities for 500k - 600k when a few years ago the same homes would have sold for around $900,000. If you dont want flood insurance the Woodlawn /Cresent Lake area is amazingly beautiful and most dont require flood insurance. I have a home for sale (actually 2 homes because it is a 3/2 half with an inlaw suite ) beautiful pool, at 1136 26th Avenue North St Pete 33704 ! You can see pictures and the such on my websites http://www.jamiesellsstpete.com and http://www.727sold.net ... it is listed for sale for $325,000 which is over $100,000 less than the sellers were asking just a few months ago. The last appraisal before the prices decreased was around $500,000 !

You may want to seriously consider the Ocala/Gainesville area. Both Marion County (Ocala) and Alachua County (Gainesville) have a great deal to offer. Both are consistently highly recommended for both retirement and family living. Great schools up here (including private schools), and great real estate values compared to coastal areas. Ocala area is the "Horse Capital of the World" and Gainesville is home to the prestigious University of Florida and is a top medical center and cultural center.
Just an alternative to consider (we moved up here from the Tampa area 10 yrs ago and vastly prefer it to the Tampa/St. Pete area for a wide variety of reasons)

The northern areas of Pinellas County enjoy the highest ratings for public schools, should that end up being necessary for your family. Lovely homes in safe communities in the Countryside area of Clearwater and Palm Harbor are readily available in your price range. Several neighborhoods with larger lots come to mind. As the highest elevation in Pinellas County, the Countryside area nearly assures you that flood insurance will not likely be necessary.

We are holding workshops monthly as long as we have interested buyers, Fiona--in May we do not yet have a location selected, but it will likely be either Tampa or St. Pete, so please visit my blog for updates or call the Workshop Hotline at 877-362-4713 X 8 for updated schedules. Thank you for asking!

Thankyou I will check the link out and all the locations suggested. As we work from home our location can be flexible. My husbands cousin's (my 'cousin in law') kids go to Shorecrest and live in St Petersburg so he is initially interested in that area, but I am open to suggestions, as I would rather have the right home and neighhourhood and school. I am trying to balance enjoying the things Florida has to offer (sunshine, outdoor lifestyle etc) with the needs of a young family. Also I should point out private school is a wish but it isnt 100% sure thing so would also be interested if there are any great public school areas.

One more time
http://www.14518fenney.com

Let me try that link again:
http:ww.14518fenney.com

Fiona

I am sure you selected St. Petersburg for a reason. However, If you have the luxury of choosing any Florida location. Be sure to take a look at North Florida. Jacksonville and the surrounding areas offer some great family locations. The average age in the Jacksonville area is 35. Homewoners insurance is lower in North Fl and according the the US weather service Jacksonville has less than 1% chance of hurricanes.

I just spoke with someone near the St Pete Area this AM who is moving back to jacksonville because his area is not as Family friendly for his little ones and the social climate is geared towards older residients.

We have some pretty awsome private schools. In one of our areas in Northwest St. Johns county the public schools rank among the top 12% of school districts in the nation.

Here is a link to the property web site to one of my listings that is 3200+ sf with 5 Br & 3 baths for $429K. http://www.14518fenney.com. The owner just changed to counter tops to granite and the applicances to stainless steel this week.

Hi Fiona,
Are you considering different areas of Florida? Tallahassee is a wonderful town to raise a family!
We have lovely neighborhoods that will meet your needs. A few to mention are Betton, Lafayette Park, Buckhead, Chemonie Crossing, Summerbrooke. Have a look... http://www.joannaschmidtchen.com/Search_MLS_Listings/page_16…

Hi Fiona,

You mentioned that you were trying to "wrap your head around a 1/4 acre" we maybe this will help. Most homes that you see are 50ft wide by 100ft deep (most not all some are shorter and some are larger). In the rural areas you will find lots that are wider and deeper were as lots in subdivisions are different in that homes on cul-de-sacs may be pie shaped. This means that they are wider either in the front or the back like a piece of pie. By the way if you take the lot measurements and multiply them together and the number come out to less than 13,390 then the lot is under 1/4 acre. I hope that this helps.

I see that there are several Realtors from around the state answering your question. Are you looking to stay in the Tampa / St.Pete area or are you lookig to move to where ever you find the best deal? I would be honored to help you if the current agent you are working with does not work out.

Nathan Pawelkop

Hi Fiona,
You might want to consider South Sarasota/Osprey which is in a close proximity to Pine View School. Pine View is an award winning program for exceptional and motivated students in grades 2-12. This is a program and a location that deserves some attention since there are a large number of attractive communities in the area as well. The Oaks, Willowbend, Rivendale, Palmer Ranch, Venetian Golf and River etc. etc. etc.

Since good school programing is important, we suggest identifying the area with the programs that meet your specific needs prior to focusing on buying a home.

Good luck with your move,
The "Eckler Team"
Century 21 Almar & Associates
Venice, Fl 34285
ecklerteam@comcast.net
941-408-5363

Thanks I would love to attend the workshop but I am returning to the UK until the 28th April, do you have any after that?

Also I have a buyers agent already-well sort of, thats why I dont need one.

I'm curious, Fiona--why would you not want to work with a buyer's agent?

I think the neighborhood(s) you are describing are Old Northeast, Snell Isle, and Shore Acres. If you'd like some great information about purchasing a home in the current market, please attend our Homebuyers Workshop--the next is scheduled for April 23rd 7Pm in Tarpon Springs. Call 877-362-4713X8 to reserve your spot, and good luck with your home search!

Hi Fiona. I love the Old Northeast, however you are going to get more home in Northeast Park or Crescent Lake area. They are all worth a look. You should be able to get what you desire in a home in all the neighborhoods mentioned. Here is a site worth checking out about the neighborhoods. Good luck to you!

http://www.stpete.org/neighborhoods/

Hello I am still trying to get me head around the lot sizes to know my min requirements. 1/4 of an acre would be great but even slightly smaller would be ok. We just want a pool plus some lawn space to throw a ball, some of the large expensive homes we look at in gated communities (such as Placido Bayou) have only room for the pool and deck and not much else which I find funny considering the price. PS Its not back for me I am Australian but my husband is American.

Look at websiet http://www.Flipjax.com Nice home Rive st Jhon on The st jhon River you will like

Welcome back Fiona,

There are plent of areas to look into. I have been in South Tampa all of my life and would recommend it to anyone looking for well established neighborhoods. When you say larger plot sizes what do you mean. In South Tampa anything over 50X100 is large. Are you looking for 1/4 acre or larger, would a 75X100ft lot be to your liking. If you could be a little more specific it would really help in directing you to different areas of Tampa. The price range you are looking in should yeild plenty of homes to look at.
Generally Brandon area will get you larger lots (i.e. Bloomingdale subdivision has lots in the 1/4 acre range with 4br/3ba homes in the $300K range.
You can contact me using my web site below or just give more information here on the forum to see what is available.

Have a great day.

Fiona, Please take a look at http://www.FindAmeliaHomes.com . We are located in the Amelia Island/Fernandina Bch are, just 30 minutes north of Jacksonville. Just a fabulous place to live and only 20 minutes from the Jacksonville airport. You will also find additional area information at: http://www.teamwerling.com.

If you have additional questions, please email us at PaulWerling@Team.com .
Thank you,
Paul & Karen Werling
Team Werling
Prudential Chaplin Williams Realty
904-556-9402