There are so many really adorable, affordable houses in Florida

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I'm familiar with the area, for work reasons. It's pending already! It's a walkable area, historic with beautiful trees. Most people get their kids into charter/school choice. Seminole Heights is a very popular neighborhood.

I moved to Tampa three years ago. Not in Seminole Heights, but I'm very familiar.

This area is basically struggling with being a run down place for decades. Now because it's trendy and expensive people think services are up to the norm, but truth be told there really aren't any good public schools nearby. I know more than a few young professionals who got married, bought in SH and as their kids approached school age moved elsewhere. The schools have lagged waaaaay behind the premium you pay to live in that area if you have kids.

I'm trying to remember how Hyde Park handled this, because back in the 80's no one wanted to live there. Same with Ybor. Same with the warehouse district by the docks that are now high rise homes.

Tampa has a pattern. Trend setters move into a poor area, because they are poor also. Fix up a few spots. Make the area cool to be in. Then wealthy people follow and the poor trend setters move on. But the city never seems to keep up.

It went from Ybor to the warehouse docks. From Hyde Park to Tampa Heights to Seminole Heights.

I wonder where the poor trend setters are living now? Sulphur Springs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

USNWR

Maryland
#23 in Education overall
#23 Pre-K-12
#15 Higher Education

These kinds of rankings are useless. Schools vary throughout the state depending on where you live. You are going to get higher ranked schools closer to DC in places like Bethesda (some of the highest in the nation). As far as higher education goes, again it depends on where you are going to college. UMD College Park has some highly ranked degree programs, many in the top 5. Being #15 overall is good in any case.

+1. People who are disparaging FL schools are comparing the best MOCO schools to the schools in poor areas in FL. We moved to one of the best school districts in FL and our elementary is far superior to the JKLM that we left. Our HS is so much better than Jackson-Reed too. For one thing it's a lot safer, but the academics and sports are better too. The FL schools are student-focused, not teacher-focused like DCPS. It's a viewpoint that affects everything.

It’s amazing how hard people on this board work to avoid acknowledging the disastrous effects of the school Covid policies in the DMV. They keep living in the pre-Covid world, before DMV schools slid down in test scores and rankings and the Red states moved up. So far, the biggest impact is in the elementary school years, but that is going to echo for at least the next decade as the kids who started school during Covid move through the system.

FL ranks 4th in the Nation in 4th grade math scores, while DC is only saved from being last by NM and Puerto Rico. Maryland ranks below both Alabama and Mississippi, btw. FL is #3 in reading. MS is #21 in reading. Not only did they open earlier during Covid, MS has done away with social promotion in lower grades and it has been immensely successful. You won’t hear about it much, though, since it’s not a fashionable approach. DC is 5 from last place and MD is 13 from the bottom. 58% of 4th graders in MD read at a basic level. 31% are at or above proficient. MS is 63/31%. AL is 59/28%. DC is 50/26%. FL is 71/39%.

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=&sfj=NP&st=MN&year=2022R3

In DC metro diff. districts have diff scores.

You don’t think that’s true of FL?

Maybe disparity is more here and there are more kids in poorly performing schools/districts vs. in FL there might be more kids in average performing schools/districts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I can get that whole list for $650K a 15-20 minute drive from downtown DC, why would I want it in Tampa?

I found Tampa one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. It's literally a bunch of really sprawly flat suburbs without any interesting landscape features. There is water and beach area, but that's now where most families would live. We went out downtown and found it underwhelming. We visited relatives who lived there in a family friendly suburb, it was homogenous and boring looking. Not to say DC burbs are amazing feats of architecture, but at least we have hills here and more breaks in uniformity. I am from CA, so I am not digging FL nature that much

So you spent a few days walking in circles in Wesley Chapel or something and so all of Tampa Bay is 'boring' and has no hills. Ps-there are hills there. You missed some stuff.

yes, I did missed some stuff: the vibe. It didn't seem to have any. But I am sure it's must be amazing now.

I don't like FL overall for various reasons, different strokes. I do like visiting Miami, but would not be dying to go to Tampa again, these two felt like different worlds, and Tampa was just so generic, and yeah, also flat. Sorry, whatever "heights" or "hills" they have, I didn't notice much, and we did drive all over having to visit family. there were golf courses and more golf courses, and playfields , and tract homes, and more tract home subdivisions. some nicer, some very bland, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I can get that whole list for $650K a 15-20 minute drive from downtown DC, why would I want it in Tampa?

I found Tampa one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. It's literally a bunch of really sprawly flat suburbs without any interesting landscape features. There is water and beach area, but that's now where most families would live. We went out downtown and found it underwhelming. We visited relatives who lived there in a family friendly suburb, it was homogenous and boring looking. Not to say DC burbs are amazing feats of architecture, but at least we have hills here and more breaks in uniformity. I am from CA, so I am not digging FL nature that much

So you spent a few days walking in circles in Wesley Chapel or something and so all of Tampa Bay is 'boring' and has no hills. Ps-there are hills there. You missed some stuff.

yes, I did missed some stuff: the vibe. It didn't seem to have any. But I am sure it's must be amazing now.

I don't like FL overall for various reasons, different strokes. I do like visiting Miami, but would not be dying to go to Tampa again, these two felt like different worlds, and Tampa was just so generic, and yeah, also flat. Sorry, whatever "heights" or "hills" they have, I didn't notice much, and we did drive all over having to visit family. there were golf courses and more golf courses, and playfields , and tract homes, and more tract home subdivisions. some nicer, some very bland, etc.

If you only saw tract home subdivisions and golf courses, you missed a lot. Did you not go to South Tampa or Ybor? That’s where the historic areas are and they can be quite lovely. It’s not like it’s a major tourist destination or anything but it’s nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I'm familiar with the area, for work reasons. It's pending already! It's a walkable area, historic with beautiful trees. Most people get their kids into charter/school choice. Seminole Heights is a very popular neighborhood.

I moved to Tampa three years ago. Not in Seminole Heights, but I'm very familiar.

This area is basically struggling with being a run down place for decades. Now because it's trendy and expensive people think services are up to the norm, but truth be told there really aren't any good public schools nearby. I know more than a few young professionals who got married, bought in SH and as their kids approached school age moved elsewhere. The schools have lagged waaaaay behind the premium you pay to live in that area if you have kids.

I'm trying to remember how Hyde Park handled this, because back in the 80's no one wanted to live there. Same with Ybor. Same with the warehouse district by the docks that are now high rise homes.

Tampa has a pattern. Trend setters move into a poor area, because they are poor also. Fix up a few spots. Make the area cool to be in. Then wealthy people follow and the poor trend setters move on. But the city never seems to keep up.

It went from Ybor to the warehouse docks. From Hyde Park to Tampa Heights to Seminole Heights.

I wonder where the poor trend setters are living now? Sulphur Springs?

Hyde Park actually managed to fully gentrify though. It’s full on wealthy now. The main difference I can think of is that it feeds into a good high school whereas SH doesn’t (Hillsborough is only good for IB and not every kid can get in).

[Anonymous]

Like I said in my post-many families in Seminole Heights do charters or school choice. From people I know there, they didn't come there and aren't leaving there in regards to schools, because they have choices. It's a certain lifestyle I guess-very walkable, great restaurants and breweries, short commutes and amazing historical houses. I was so suprised the first time I saw the area-100 year old original craftmans! Big beautiful oak trees, brick roads-nothing like generic Fl suburbs.

I work there but can't afford to live there-I live an hour and two counties away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could not pay me to live in humidity, heat and bug infested Florida. That's below the gnat line--it's like living in the DC summer but with more bugs, for at least double the amount of time. And it's only going to get hotter.

I live in FL full time for a few years now, I just got back from a visit to NoVa to see friends and family and I saw way more bugs there than I ever see in FL.

Quite a few of you people commenting here sound like dull brained morons in your odd opinions and dense generalizations about FL.

I don’t believe you. I attended university in Tallahassee and those flying bugs were huge. They were everywhere. And don’t forget the love bugs greeting the grill of your car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I can get that whole list for $650K a 15-20 minute drive from downtown DC, why would I want it in Tampa?

I found Tampa one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. It's literally a bunch of really sprawly flat suburbs without any interesting landscape features. There is water and beach area, but that's now where most families would live. We went out downtown and found it underwhelming. We visited relatives who lived there in a family friendly suburb, it was homogenous and boring looking. Not to say DC burbs are amazing feats of architecture, but at least we have hills here and more breaks in uniformity. I am from CA, so I am not digging FL nature that much

So you spent a few days walking in circles in Wesley Chapel or something and so all of Tampa Bay is 'boring' and has no hills. Ps-there are hills there. You missed some stuff.

yes, I did missed some stuff: the vibe. It didn't seem to have any. But I am sure it's must be amazing now.

I don't like FL overall for various reasons, different strokes. I do like visiting Miami, but would not be dying to go to Tampa again, these two felt like different worlds, and Tampa was just so generic, and yeah, also flat. Sorry, whatever "heights" or "hills" they have, I didn't notice much, and we did drive all over having to visit family. there were golf courses and more golf courses, and playfields , and tract homes, and more tract home subdivisions. some nicer, some very bland, etc.

If you only saw tract home subdivisions and golf courses, you missed a lot. Did you not go to South Tampa or Ybor? That’s where the historic areas are and they can be quite lovely. It’s not like it’s a major tourist destination or anything but it’s nice.

It was a while ago, I do remember going to the city and visiting some historic areas. I didn't find the city impressive at all to want to return back, it could have changed. We visited one of the local beaches, and it was not anything special either. We liked Sarasota and Ft.Myers for beaches more than Tampa. I get it that if you want to live somewhere with jobs and schools and infrastructure Tampa is livable, especially if housing is still affordable. But doesn't seem like it's the case anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I can get that whole list for $650K a 15-20 minute drive from downtown DC, why would I want it in Tampa?

I found Tampa one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. It's literally a bunch of really sprawly flat suburbs without any interesting landscape features. There is water and beach area, but that's now where most families would live. We went out downtown and found it underwhelming. We visited relatives who lived there in a family friendly suburb, it was homogenous and boring looking. Not to say DC burbs are amazing feats of architecture, but at least we have hills here and more breaks in uniformity. I am from CA, so I am not digging FL nature that much

So you spent a few days walking in circles in Wesley Chapel or something and so all of Tampa Bay is 'boring' and has no hills. Ps-there are hills there. You missed some stuff.

yes, I did missed some stuff: the vibe. It didn't seem to have any. But I am sure it's must be amazing now.

I don't like FL overall for various reasons, different strokes. I do like visiting Miami, but would not be dying to go to Tampa again, these two felt like different worlds, and Tampa was just so generic, and yeah, also flat. Sorry, whatever "heights" or "hills" they have, I didn't notice much, and we did drive all over having to visit family. there were golf courses and more golf courses, and playfields , and tract homes, and more tract home subdivisions. some nicer, some very bland, etc.

If you only saw tract home subdivisions and golf courses, you missed a lot. Did you not go to South Tampa or Ybor? That’s where the historic areas are and they can be quite lovely. It’s not like it’s a major tourist destination or anything but it’s nice.

It was a while ago, I do remember going to the city and visiting some historic areas. I didn't find the city impressive at all to want to return back, it could have changed. We visited one of the local beaches, and it was not anything special either. We liked Sarasota and Ft.Myers for beaches more than Tampa. I get it that if you want to live somewhere with jobs and schools and infrastructure Tampa is livable, especially if housing is still affordable. But doesn't seem like it's the case anymore?

Right, no longer affordable if you want to be close in or zoned for good schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5301-N-Central-Ave-Tampa-FL-33603/45092661_zpid/

Like, this house is "cute"...but it's in a very...erm...up and coming neighborhood I personally would not choose to raise my family in. The schools would be an absolute non-starter for me (and I'm a product of FL public schools and always roll my eyes at the "FL schools are universally awful!" comments...if that tells you anything). And it's within viewing distance of one of the busiest interstate stretches in the entire state. I can't imagine paying $650k for it (although I'm sure someone will).

I can get that whole list for $650K a 15-20 minute drive from downtown DC, why would I want it in Tampa?

I found Tampa one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. It's literally a bunch of really sprawly flat suburbs without any interesting landscape features. There is water and beach area, but that's now where most families would live. We went out downtown and found it underwhelming. We visited relatives who lived there in a family friendly suburb, it was homogenous and boring looking. Not to say DC burbs are amazing feats of architecture, but at least we have hills here and more breaks in uniformity. I am from CA, so I am not digging FL nature that much

So you spent a few days walking in circles in Wesley Chapel or something and so all of Tampa Bay is 'boring' and has no hills. Ps-there are hills there. You missed some stuff.

yes, I did missed some stuff: the vibe. It didn't seem to have any. But I am sure it's must be amazing now.

I don't like FL overall for various reasons, different strokes. I do like visiting Miami, but would not be dying to go to Tampa again, these two felt like different worlds, and Tampa was just so generic, and yeah, also flat. Sorry, whatever "heights" or "hills" they have, I didn't notice much, and we did drive all over having to visit family. there were golf courses and more golf courses, and playfields , and tract homes, and more tract home subdivisions. some nicer, some very bland, etc.

If you only saw tract home subdivisions and golf courses, you missed a lot. Did you not go to South Tampa or Ybor? That’s where the historic areas are and they can be quite lovely. It’s not like it’s a major tourist destination or anything but it’s nice.

It was a while ago, I do remember going to the city and visiting some historic areas. I didn't find the city impressive at all to want to return back, it could have changed. We visited one of the local beaches, and it was not anything special either. We liked Sarasota and Ft.Myers for beaches more than Tampa. I get it that if you want to live somewhere with jobs and schools and infrastructure Tampa is livable, especially if housing is still affordable. But doesn't seem like it's the case anymore?

Right, no longer affordable if you want to be close in or zoned for good schools

That's the point, Tampa is nothing special to have to pay prices that are no longer affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could not pay me to live in humidity, heat and bug infested Florida. That's below the gnat line--it's like living in the DC summer but with more bugs, for at least double the amount of time. And it's only going to get hotter.

I live in FL full time for a few years now, I just got back from a visit to NoVa to see friends and family and I saw way more bugs there than I ever see in FL.

Quite a few of you people commenting here sound like dull brained morons in your odd opinions and dense generalizations about FL.

I don’t believe you. I attended university in Tallahassee and those flying bugs were huge. They were everywhere. And don’t forget the love bugs greeting the grill of your car.

I live over 300 miles south of Tallahassee. Don't you think it might be possible that not everywhere in FL is the same as everywhere else? I don't see any huge flying bugs here and there are no love bugs on my grill or anywhere I can see. During some parts of the year the mosquitoes bite but that was true when I lived in NoVa too. There were some tiny ants in my kitchen last year but the pest control guy sprayed and they are gone. I'd say the worst wildlife I see is the occasional lizard, mostly outside but occasionally inside. They don't do anything annoying whatsoever.

So you don't have to believe me if you don't want to but it's all true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could not pay me to live in humidity, heat and bug infested Florida. That's below the gnat line--it's like living in the DC summer but with more bugs, for at least double the amount of time. And it's only going to get hotter.

I live in FL full time for a few years now, I just got back from a visit to NoVa to see friends and family and I saw way more bugs there than I ever see in FL.

Quite a few of you people commenting here sound like dull brained morons in your odd opinions and dense generalizations about FL.

I can related to that. You think that the more north= less bugs, but that's not true. Our family lives in western, rural Connecticut, we were there celebrating 4th July outside. I was bitten by the biggest bugs right in my face that I haven't seen in DC area where we live. I love warm climate and always loved Florida vibe. I could easily live there instead of boring DC area ( no nice beaches nearby, humid summers, no good nature around).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The majority of people moving to Florida are doing so because they need to. I gladly pay 60k+ a year in taxes to MD/Moco. I can afford the pleasure of not needing to save that $60k to live near a bunch of three toothed Neanderthals.

I am hardly a raging liberal..I just hate stupid people.

How funny… I have two Ivy degrees, the moms of my DC’s friends from school have PhDs, professional careers (doctors, GCs, big law partners), etc. I don’t know what your agenda is or if you’re just ignorant…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The majority of people moving to Florida are doing so because they need to. I gladly pay 60k+ a year in taxes to MD/Moco. I can afford the pleasure of not needing to save that $60k to live near a bunch of three toothed Neanderthals.

I am hardly a raging liberal..I just hate stupid people.

How funny… I have two Ivy degrees, the moms of my DC’s friends from school have PhDs, professional careers (doctors, GCs, big law partners), etc. I don’t know what your agenda is or if you’re just ignorant…

I vote for ignorant. "three toothed Neanderthals" and "I just hate stupid people" is the evidence. Raging liberal or not, generalizing and stereotyping people in a whole state like that is the height of ignorance. Hating stupid people is pretty dense too, low intelligence is not a choice and I've known plenty of people on the underside of the IQ spectrum in the DC area too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The majority of people moving to Florida are doing so because they need to. I gladly pay 60k+ a year in taxes to MD/Moco. I can afford the pleasure of not needing to save that $60k to live near a bunch of three toothed Neanderthals.

I am hardly a raging liberal..I just hate stupid people.

How funny… I have two Ivy degrees, the moms of my DC’s friends from school have PhDs, professional careers (doctors, GCs, big law partners), etc. I don’t know what your agenda is or if you’re just ignorant…

I vote for ignorant. "three toothed Neanderthals" and "I just hate stupid people" is the evidence. Raging liberal or not, generalizing and stereotyping people in a whole state like that is the height of ignorance. Hating stupid people is pretty dense too, low intelligence is not a choice and I've known plenty of people on the underside of the IQ spectrum in the DC area too.

If PP has such an issue with less educated people, it’s probably easier for her to isolate herself from the unpleasant experience in FL, where people get around exclusively in their own car (no public transport), and the vast majority of UMC and up go to private or Catholic schools. She would have to deal with hoi polloi that she hates so much. Btw, I know many kids from FL privates who end up in too boarding schools - Choate, Deerfield, Andover, etc. so somehow, it can’t be that bad.