Tampa, Florida, neighborhoods have dominated a recent 2022 Best Places to Live in Florida poll conducted by Niche. Having three out of the top five locations on the list, including Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek, Harbour Island, and the Historic Hyde Park neighborhood, Tampa continues to establish itself as a much-desired city to live in, in both Florida and the United States.
Paul Turovsky of Tampa, a leading real estate professional with more than sixteen years of experience, says, “Tampa, Florida, is one of the most desirable cities in the United States for families, retirees, and even young professionals. Our location, being situated in western Florida, sitting near the Gulf of Mexico and the Tampa Bay, is thriving with economic growth, job growth, and population growth as well.”
Out of the top five neighborhoods included in this year’s poll, Hyde Park – Spanishtown Creek, ranked among the top desired neighborhoods in all of Florida to live in. Turovsky says, “Spanishtown Creek has some of the best public schools in the state, which has played a major role in leading the rapid acceleration of young professionals and young families moving to this area.”
Spanishtown Creek represents nearly a seventy percent to thirty percent split between renters versus homeowners. Renting in this neighborhood has provided critical access to reasonable housing for families moving to the area. In addition to the highly rated public school system, Spanishtown Creek is also heavily populated with restaurants, parks, bars, and even coffee shops.
“The average home value in this neighborhood is over Five hundred and thirty thousand dollars, while the average monthly rent payment is less than four thousand dollars,” says Paul Turovsky of Tampa. “Florida has always been known to have lower taxes than the national average, which helps real estate investors provide a manageable monthly rental rate for their consumers, which ultimately helps build a strong community in Spanishtown Creek.”
The second most desirable neighborhood to make this year’s list includes Harbour Island. Harbour Island leans fifty-five percent to forty-five percent home ownership versus home renting, which also drives more families to the area.
“I have seen a dramatic uptick in the number of young families and retirees moving to Harbour Island, and I know colleagues who have represented many of these families that are looking to purchase real estate and settle into a quiet, yet lively neighborhood in the Tampa area,” says Turovsky.
Harbour Island’s average home value is $1.5 million dollars, while the average rental property goes for close to $3,000 per month. The neighborhood went through a significant development phase in nineteen eighty-five, where new commercial and real estate development took place, and helped shape what Harbour Island is today. The neighborhood has a large density of hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and even an island Yacht Club.
“Harbour Island is the perfect neighborhood for families,” says Turovsky. “Most families I work with love the idea of living on an ‘island’ that is surrounded by three different channels, all out letting to the Tampa Bay.”
While Spanishtown Creek, a neighborhood within the Hyde Park section of Tampa, secured the top position, the Historic Hyde Park neighborhood also found itself on this year’s list. Historic Hyde Park provides families with an upscale living environment, representing one of the area’s highest home value options. The average home value in the Historic Hyde Park neighborhood is over five hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars. The ratio between homeowners and renters is close to sixty percent for homeowners versus forty percent for renters.
“I love the Historic neighborhood of Hyde Park,” says Turovsky. “In this neighborhood, we are able to offer buyers a more upscale option that offers higher home values, excellent public, and private schooling options, in addition to parks, restaurants, and bars.”
While real estate investors have been flocking to the Tampa, Florida, city, and region, Turovsky says the historic neighborhood of Hyde Park has really held its ground as being more of an upscale family living location, versus some of the other surrounding neighborhoods around Tampa.
“I have been representing real estate investors for more than sixteen years, and while investors have been looking for areas they can maximize their potential, in addition, to giving back to our local communities, investors tend to steer clear of the historic neighborhood, thus allowing families to enjoy all that the neighborhood can offer, and really drive the amount of home ownership versus rentals,” says Turovsky.
Still, Tampa, Florida remains one of the most desirable places to live in the state. The rapid acceleration of economic expansion and investment in the area has played a major role in both investors and families deciding to move to Tampa.
