Your choices in Hillsborough and Pinellas County are limited only by your own imagination and your expectations. Are you looking for a get-away for yourself, spouse and children or does "family" mean out of town relatives when they come for a visit. Size, age, condition and many other factors come into play along with maintenance costs, insurance and tax's, all of which will be higher than for your personal home. Who will complete normal maintenance and repairs and how will this affect your current lifestyle if you choose to do it yourself.

Since you appear to live in the Tampa area, drive through neighborhoods that fit what you are looking for in a second home or research them directly by zip code or city on Realtor.com or even here on Trulia. This will give you a basic picture of what prices are and whether those area's fit your financial situation. Today and for the near future, qualified buyers are in the drivers seat and deals are out there for those who have patience, knowledge and know what they are looking for in a home. Good luck in your search, I wish you the best.

Steven J. Pahl
Keller Williams Tampa Properties

813-319-6423

Your Home is My Business

Hey Missy,

It's a great time to invest in a second home! A great way to build family memories.

I sell second homes and investment properties on Long Beach Island in NJ - however I believe that you should absolutely "love" the area in which you purchase. How you feel when you are there; the people living & visiting; the beaches; the sand; the shops & restaurants; and lastly...how long it takes you to get there and the ease of the route in which you take should all be considered.

Good luck & enjoy!
Susan Henry

Dear Missy,

Copngratulations on being in a financial position to take advantage of the lower prices in Tampa Bay.

I'd recommend going with a single family home for a few reasons: 1) more favorable financing options 2) less restrictions on renting it out while you're not using it 3) lower monthly maintenance costs

My area of expertise (for the past 9 years) is at the border of Pinellas and Hillsborough in NW Tampa, Upper Tampa Bay. The advantage of this area is you are a quick commute to the beaches, Busch Gardens, USF, Downtown Tampa and the world class International Mall.

Hope this helps.

Alma
Alma Rose Kee, P.A.
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc.
813.244.9898 http://www.SoldOnTampa.com

Hi Missy,

Please check, I already made the researching for you, hope some of these properties will meet your expectations

Properties in Hillsborough - http://www.finestexpert.com/Search/Search?searchType=search&…

Properties in Pinellas -http://www.finestexpert.com/Search/Search?searchType=search&…

Missy,
Just remember if you are going to get a mortgage they require at least 20% down on a second home in Florida. Although lenders are willing to lend up to 90% there are no PMI companies currently allowing this.

Good Luck
Melissa Antenucci
Ameritrust Mortgage
561-417-9221

Hi Missy. You picked a great time to buy a second home in the Tampa Bay area. If you love the beach, Clearwater/St. Petersburg is where you want to be. (visit website floridasbeach.com). Great values can be found under $150,000 in single family homes as well as condos, townhomes and villas. For example - I have a listing for an adorable single family home in Gem Village, Seminole, for $135,000. It is move-in ready and is 10 minutes from beautiful Madeira Beach. Please feel free to visit my website, http://www.darlaschroeder.com for information on this home and other great investment opportunities. Call me any time on my cell at 727-541-3743.

Darla Schroeder, Realtor, GRI, e-PRO
Century 21 Real Estate Champions
4350 Duhme Rd
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
darla.schroeder@century21.com

Dear Missy,
Please write down your ideas and dreams about this vacation home including what you would like to do while here. That will narrow down the location. Then we can proceed with what you can get for that $150,000
I have some great tools and thought on getting this job done. Call me.
Talk soon,
Brigtitte Lukas-Szabady
Broker-Associate
ASP-Accredited Staging Professional
IAHSP-International Association of Home Stagting Professionals
Pinellas Chapter President
Realty Executives-Suncoast
727-409-7237

Missy,

My suggestion is to make a list of (1) what you want this home to feature in terms of beds/baths/square feet,etc; (2) what type of community ammenities you would prefer such as gated, pool, clubhouse, golf,etc; and (3) what are the major attractions that you want to have in close proximity such as beach, theater, sports,etc. Once you do that, go through the list and prioritize them. That will narrow down the area in which you will find that perfect home for your family. As stated by others, you can find many properties in your price range today. I would love to assist you in the process. You can start your seach on my website below.

Toni Wasp, Realtor
Prudential Tropical Realty
813-389-5078

Missy,

I'ts an easy commute between the two counties using one of the 4 bridges. You would have to determine what you are looking for first.... your ideal home. I would probably suggest a condo or townhouse with pool complex and other amenities for your family. While you are absent from the property it will still be maintained rather than a single family house.

If you wanted to be closer to the beaches, I would suggest Clearwater or St. Petersburg. Tampa Bay has some great deals if you prefer living downtown.

The more information you give regarding your preferences enables us to meet your criteria.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Phil

Phil Fowler Realtor, e-PRO, TRC, ILHM
Keller Williams Realty
813-401-8078
Phil@PhilFowler.com

If you are looking for a vacation home the first step is to decide how close you want to be to the attractions and beaches that surround the Tampa Bay area. You should look at what kind of drive time you want from beaches, Orlando, airport, etc. From there we could help you pick the areas that would be most suitable. Let us know if you would like further assitance in locating a suitable area for you.

Missy,

There are hundreds of properties in great communities in the TampaBay area that are for sale and would make great second, if not, first homes and that are under$150,000. You can even get some with a pool in this price range. Let us know if we can help.

Bill Szydlowski
The Szydlowski Team
Future Home Realty
813-323-4443

Missy,
I would suggest buying lake front property either here in Waco on Lake Waco, or about 40 minutes away on Lake Whitney. There are also some great properties here in Waco on the Brazos river, but they will be more than $150.
If you like, you can go to my web site http://www.WacoShacks.com and search properties. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Ann Cordes, Keller Williams Realty Waco
Cell: 254-227-0522