Relocating to the Tampa area? What to look for when searching for a home to purchase

Posted June 19, 2018

Relocating to the Tampa area? What to look for when searching for a home to purchase

Relocating to FishHawk Ranch, Lithia, or the Tampa Area

Whether you are moving to FishHawk Ranch, Lithia, or Tampa, Florida area for work, retirement, tired of shoveling snow (I was), or looking for a vacation home there is a lot you should know about the area.

Many see Florida and the Tampa Bay area as a great place to visit because of the great weather, beautiful beaches, and endless availability of fun things to do. The area is that and a lot more and just a wonderful place to call home.

Moving, in general, can be daunting. Add in relocating to a new area and you will certainly have some challenges. I want to make your moving process as easy as possible so here are some tips that I hope can help!

Choose the Area, Community, then the Home

Over 90% of all home buyers start their home search online. It is a great way to start to see photos and get an idea of the prices of homes in an area. As hard as I try to give you the feel of the area online I believe you need to visit a few areas so you can get the vibe for yourself.

During my initial consultation with my buyers I try to find out the following:

Your Commute

Will you be working when you move here? If so, are you commuting to work on a daily basis? What time? What location? These items will help us narrow down areas that may make for a better commute. Places like FishHawk Ranch have bus service right in the community that goes directly to MacDill Air Force Base. It makes FishHawk Ranch a popular community for those commuting to the base.

The Best Schools in Tampa

Are schools important to you? For some buyer’s schools are important and for others, it does not matter. In today’s connected world it is fairly easy to see the online rating of schools. It is certainly an item that should be considered when choosing a place to live.

Consider Your Lifestyle

Many communities in the Tampa area built around lifestyles where you can conveniently do the things you love. If you’re an avid golfer, you can find a beautiful home in a golf course community.

If you or your kids love to swim but you don’t want a home with a pool, many communities have resort-style community pools. Maybe you enjoy running or being active outside? Many communities are fitness-focused with trails, community gyms, and nature trails.

Love the beach or want a home on the water? The Tampa Bay area has some of the most beautiful beaches and waterfront homes in the country.

If you’re considering a 55+ community, the Tampa area is home to some amazing Active Adult Communities like:

Sun City Center, The Encore at FishHawk Ranch, The Villages, The Groves, Valencia Lakes, and many more!

Tampa Home Styles

The Tampa area and Florida designs are probably not what you are used to up north. Newer homes, in general, tend to have open floor plans and higher ceilings. While this is a trend for newer homes some older homes in Florida were built like this as well.

Clean Out Your Basement!

In Florida, it is extremely rare to find a home with a basement (I’ve never seen one). Keep in mind that Florida is basically sand and water!

Most Florida homes have attics, but they are hot and not great for storing items. Anything that you store in the attic that can melt, and will probably melt!

Take an inventory of what you own and determine if you really need it. If not, sell it, donate it or trash it. Take a really good look at your winter clothes. In general, one or two coats are all you will need! Will you need 3-pairs of boots, ski hats, gloves, and an ice scraper (I did need one once), probably not.

Preparing Ahead

When searching for a new home try and have a forward view for a few years. Are you planning on expanding your family? Will it be getting smaller? Are you expecting visitors? One thing we tend to get in Florida than when living up north is that you will likely get more house guests than you currently do! When it is 15 degrees up north and 85 degrees in the Tampa area your new home will look like a nice place for Uncle Vinny to visit!

Since you will be living near the Orlando area amusement parks and white sand beaches your home will attract more guests than normal. Will you need an extra bedroom for them or will you give them the name of a good hotel?

If you choose to let them stay with you, finding a home with an extra room is a bonus.

Find A Local Real Estate Expert

Whether you are moving to the Tampa Bay area or another area in Florida working with an expert in that area is from the start of your search will be invaluable. Your expert REALTOR® will help guide you through the process of finding your perfect area, community, neighborhood, and finally your dream home in one of the best places to live in Florida.

Their experience and familiarity with the area will certainly save you time and minimize stress. After all, they are local experts on the area and the home buying process. Best of all most REALTORS® do not charge buyers for their services.

Your Trusted Relocation Expert

I am a trusted relocation expert for some of the larger national relocation companies. Including Plus Relocation for Mosaic in Lithia. If you are considering relocating to the Tampa area it would be my pleasure to assist you with your relocation, home search, and purchase.

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Please do me a favor and share this post with others. This may be the dream home of a family member or friend! Thanks for sharing!

About the author

The above real estate article “Relocating to the Tampa area? What to look for when searching for a home to purchase” was written and posted by Jeff Gould.

Jeff is a top-selling, nationally recognized real estate broker, REALTOR®, and local FishHawk Ranch real estate expert.

In addition to the FishHawk area, Jeff assists buyers and sellers with residential homes in the entire Tampa Bay area. Including Lithia, Riverview, Valrico, Apollo Beach, Brandon, and the rest of the Tampa Bay area.

If you are looking to sell or buy a home anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, Jeff is your local and trusted professional.