Florida & Georgia - Possible relo: Tequesta to St Pete

Survived a recent merger better than I anticipated (muni bond trader at large regional firm that just got larger). Usually have seen the ugly side of these consolidations, but this time it may actually go my way.:)

May entail a move from Tequesta to the greater St Pete area. Was wondering if we could get some input into the area.
Important to us-
1) prefer water front, or near water
2) respectable public schools
3) an actual town, or an area that has that feel
4) 45 minute commute to the Feather Sound, Gandy Road area (lived in Rumson NJ, and commuted to NYC; Live in Tequesta and commute to Boca-- so I can do an hour standing on my head, and will for the right area, but prefer not to.)
5) looking somewhere in the 600 to 750k range, +/-, + for the right home given the insanely low rates right now.
6) Wife is a state prosecutor in PBCo, will probably try to do same upon relo: so looking north or in Tampa could work.
7) 2 girls, 9 and 11- 11 year old in Murray Middle advanced program... we are comfortable with public schools provided they have that program.

So, those are our wish list items. Hopefully it will be a corporate relo alleviating some stress and expense. Poking around Trulia and Realtor.com it would appear as if Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs could fill the bill. Palm Harbor schools look to be good?
Can you get to the bay from Lake Tarpon in something like a 28 WhiteWater?

Appreciate any insight the community can share; we havent even probed south yet.
Many thanks-
Neal

Tierra Verde :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Pasadena :thumbsup:

Tierra Verde :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Pasadena :thumbsup:

I can't answer any of your questions, but I second Tierra Verde. Ft. Desoto is my second home. i live in north tamp/Lutz (about 45 minutes north), but am down in Tierra verde every other weekend. Great beach, great boat ramp, nice area, and not too far away from the st pete business area. Most of the homes (if not all) are on the water down there and there is the intercoastal very close by.

If you end up in Tampa, Davis Island is nice. Not sure about Hillsborough schools. North Pinellas has good schools, Seminole area has good schools. Lake Tarpon is connected but you cannot get to the bay. Even if you could, it is almost two hours to the gulf. Tiera Verde is very nice for south Pinellas county. Look at Treasure Island, Pinellas also has alot of magnet programs in the school system. Good luck.

Snell island hands down.no traffic hassles of fort desoto or beaches.10 minute boat ride to desoto.Country club on the Island.Closer to downtown st pete.

You might as well give up boating. ;-) But seriously, if you can pass on living on the water, try to find something up on one of the "ridge lines" so you don't get crucified on your homeowners insurance. Any commute from west to east is going to be miserable, but not that long. Maybe look in Bellair. I live in Shore Acres which is the nest hood north of Snell. Snell and Old Northeast are VERY nice. As for boating, if you want to catch big fish, plan on going out at least 60 miles unless you are planning to convert to the First United Church of the Grouper Chasing Rednecks or really like cleaning sheepshead. :-D As for schools, this is Florida.........send your kids to private schools. LOL You can get pretty serious house in Pinellas in your price range.

If quick access to offshore is your thing then Pasadena area is a good place to look. Certain areas in Pasadena fall under the county, not the City and thus have a much lower millage rate. It is a nice area and worth the time to look. A lot on the water that was 500k (a few years ago) can be had for 300k. For your price range you can get move in ready on the water with dock/lift.

Just about anywhere including Pasadena is an easy 30 min drive to Carrilon/Feathersound.

Tierra Verde :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Pasadena :thumbsup:

Tierra Verde is a great location with some of the ugliest houses in any high end community I have ever seen in Florida. It is as though every northerner who made any money but had no friggin taste built the largest and most tasteless house they could build and each neighbor tried to out do the other...IMO

Don't get me wrong there are some real nice houses here but.....and inordinate number of McMansions and even worse.....

Second Snell Island....My son lives in St. Pete and we spend lot of time there, great city...IMO

If your looking for good schools, a community and great water you're right on with Palm Harbor or Dunedin. St Pete and Tampa are either really nice or ghetto. North Pinellas is really your best bet.

As far as schools go, both Pinellas and Hillsborough County School systems are pretty much out of control -- very large and more interested in maintaining the status quo and following the ciriculum of the year and "teaching the test" than actually educating. Hillsborough is going through a major re-org with the Gates Foundation and there are mixed reveiws.

There are obviously good, if not excellent schools in both systems, for the most part they have strong school administration. You're just going to have to do some digging to find them. My kids came from private schools and did HS in the Hillsborugh Public System -- what a mess. One principal had a stroke and refused to retire for two years! No captain on that ship!

Find a place that'll make your wife and kids happy -- the rest will fall into place. If they're not happy -- you're not going fishing.

"Can you get to the bay/gulf from Lake Tarpon in a WW 28" -- No, there's a spillway half way out. Buy a trailer from Owen & Sons in St. Pete and put in at Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater or Ft. DeSoto Park depending on where you want to go.

PB