Hyde Park Condos Offer Great Option
November 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The Hyde Park area of south Tampa is just a 10 minute commute away from MacDill AFB and is a good option for living close to Tampa’s activity areas and MacDill AFB. The commute is a simple drive on the Crosstown Expressway (toll road). I often get questions regarding low-maintenance living under $200,000 in the Hyde Park area.
Old Hyde Park Village is an area of retail shops and restaurants that features many seasonal music and arts festivals.
If you want to be in a condo near Old Hyde Park Village, for under $200k, you have 2 options basically, Hyde Park Walk and Hyde Park Place.
Hyde Park Walk Condos
Set right smack dab in the core of the village, Hyde Park Walk was built in 1996 as apartments (Post), and converted to condominiums in the wild and crazy days of 2005, the height of the conversion-mania. Post Apartment Homes sold the place to some converters who had a very successful sales process, selling out in short order.
The resales popped up quickly, as did the second round of buyers, who pushed prices as high as $228k for an 880sqft 1 bedroom unit, that the converter had sold for $181k.
Fast forward to today: Highest price paid year-to-date for a Hyde Park Walk 1 bedroom unit = $200k. Most recent sale: $135k, for a 552sqft unit that the converter originally sold for $155k. Current prices for Hyde Park Walk 1 beds: $180–$190k, all around 700sqft (mol).
Hyde Park Place Condos
This is an older conversion having converted long before conversion-mania began. Location is about a 1/2 mile from Hyde Park Walk and Old Hyde Park Village, north of Swann Ave. While not set amongst the shops and restaurants of The Village, Hyde Park Place is located in a mix of single family and multi-family zoned properties. The Village, as well as The Bayshore, are both within easy walking distance. Hyde Park Place features a tropically landscaped courtyard with fountain, pool, fitness, covered (mostly), gated, parking garage, with 3 floors of condos, elevator included.
One bedrooms at HPP were selling between $130k and $166.5k in 2004. The sellers’ market of yesteryear pushed prices up to $191k in March of 2006. Hyde Park Place is experiencing a price correction for sure. Three one bed units have sold at HPP year-to-date. Highest price = $162.5k back in January. Current listings for 1 bedroom condos at Hyde Park Place range from $150–$180k.
Both of these condominiums offer residents a great south/central Tampa location close to the activity/entertainment cores of South Tampa, downtown Tampa, Channelside, Ybor City, etc. And both offer 1 bedroom units for under $200k.
Contact me for additional information on either Hyde Park Walk or Hyde Park Place condos.
Read more about condo fees:
Data used is from the Mid-Florida Regional MLS, all brokers/agents included. Does not include private, non-brokered sales.
Google maps public transportation routes
September 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Most web users are familiar with Google Maps, and the more adventurous know Google Earth. Now Google is working on a third product to help us find our way. Google Transit is a tool to plan trips using public transportation. Currently in development, it’s available for seventeen U.S. cities, plus Japan.
You can plan routes on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco, Capital Metro in Austin, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) in Tampa, and TheBus in Honolulu, plus several other cities. Links are included to each public transportation entity as well.
I think new residents and tourists will benefit most from this initially. Google does an excellent job of listing the segments of the trip and drawing the route on the map. As it is adapted in more and more urban areas, this would make a great application for cell phones and PDAs. For more information and to try it out, visit Google Transit.
Downtown Tampa/Channelside/Ybor City…Good Options For MacDill
August 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
We recently helped a client working on base at MacDill find a condo in a pinch. He was moving from New Orleans where he had been living in a French Quarter condo for a few years. He and his girlfriend really liked the lifestyle of the living in the Quarter, and being born and raised (21 yrs at least) in the NOLA area, I could identify. So the plan was to help them find something here in Tampa that could come close to that style of housing.
There were three distinct areas that we concentrated on while looking:
Downtown Tampa
Downtown Tampa, like many of our country’s larger cities, is experiencing a rebirth so to speak. Two years ago there were not many options available if you wanted to live in Tampa’s downtown. Fast forward to today in which Tampa’s first high rise residential project is just being completed. Skypoint, in Tampa’s Arts District is just now getting its first residents and more are coming as the closings on the highest floors begin. And next door, Element, the next highrise in line and built by the same developer, is coming out of the ground. Pre-construction sales have been brisk. These two buildings will offer urban, high-tech and high-rise living in condominiums that are priced currently in the low $200s and up.
See what’s for sale at Skypoint and Element.
The Channel District
A previous industrial/warehouse area, the Channel District, a.k.a. Channelside, is
morphing into a hip, soon to be lively, urban residential area. Adjacent to downtown Tampa, Channelside has many brand new mid-rise condo projects and one soon to be completed high rise project, many of the loft-style. Channelside and downtown are both close to The Florida Aquarium, The St. Pete Times Forum (home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning), and the Channelside entertainment complex, a mix of retail and popular restaurants and clubs. You can get a sampling of property types and prices for Channelside lofts and condos here.
Ybor City
Tampa’s historical “Cigar City“, Ybor is a lively mix of restaurants, clubs and retail with many new residential projects such as Box Factory Lofts, a renovated cigar box factory that is now a group of residential lofts on the edge of the Ybor National Historic Landmark. Browse Box Factory Lofts for sale.
All three areas are linked by Tampa’s Teco Line Streetcar Trolley system. More importantly, all three areas are within a fifteen minute commute to MacDill AFB via the Leroy Selmon Expressway, a toll road (welcome to Florida!) running from near MacDill to the outlying areas of eastern Hillsborough County.
So what did our client choose? Ybor City. It was an easy choice for him because of the similarity to The French Quarter. Ybor City is Tampa’s Latin Quarter and provides residents the opportunity to walk to shopping, fine dining and many entertainment options. Want a cigar? Cuban sandwich? How about a cup of cafe’ con leche? There all available within a short walk of any of Ybor’s residential projects.
New Home Construction Near MacDill AFB
July 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment
MacDill AFB sits squarely at the south end of the Interbay Peninsula in the City of Tampa, Florida. Residential development began on the Interbay Peninsula starting in the early part of last century. Homes were first built on the northeastern shore in the Hyde Park area as well as down near the base in the Port Tampa City area. Development then slowly covered the peninsula from north to south. By the 1970’s, much of the peninsula was built out.
There are a few builders that have scooped up small remaining undeveloped parcels near the base and are now building those areas out. Meanwhile, many of the older homes have been demolished and new homes were built to take their place.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at what’s available in new construction of single family homes near MacDill AFB. When I say “near the base“, I am speaking of the area between the base and Gandy Boulevard, a major road that bisects the peninsula from east to west.
Here’s a sampling of homes built in 2006 or later that are currently available for sale:
The new Palm Grove subdivision is very near the base and features a new 3/2 home of 2243sqft priced at $389k. Built on an 89′ x 75′ lot, the home is wood frame construction with a 2-car garage included. Listed by Excel Realty Network. For new construction in this area, this is currently the lower end of the price spectrum. There are a couple of similarly sized homes within Palm Grove priced in the mid $400s.
There are quite a few new homes being built along Interbay Blvd., another main road that moves east-west across the lower end of the peninsula. One such home is at 6215 Interbay Blvd. This one is a 5/3 of almost 3000 sqft that is currently priced at $475k, down from $570k back in January. Listed by Geary and Associates Realty
Just north of the home on Interbay is a new, similarly sized 4 bedroom home priced at $485k. 3105 W Paxton features volume ceilings and French doors leading to a large back yard (125′ deep lot). The master suite has two walk-in closets and a bath with garden tub. Listed by Keller Williams South Tampa.
And while the majority of the newly constructed homes in the area are in the $400k to $600k range, there are 12 that top the $1m dollar mark as well. Most of these are at the waterfront, gated community developed by WCI communities known as Westshore Yacht Club. At the top end of the spectrum you’ll find a recently completed 4 bedroom, 5 1/2 bath home of just over 4500 square feet. This home is directly on Tampa Bay with a large outdoor kitchen and pool area in the rear with great view westward. Listed by Smith & Associates, Realtors.
So while there are plenty of new single family homes available near MacDill AFB, prices start at around the $400k mark currently, with many of them in the $500k-$600k range. Contact us for further information regarding homes near MacDill Air Force Base.
Tampa Real Estate Market Update
May 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The number of active MLS home listings in Tampa jumped slightly over the last week while the buying activity did likewise.
In the last 7 days 132 properties went under contract, while 85 sales closed.
In Hillsborough County, there are 15,941 residential properties listed as of this morning (5/11/07). At the end of March, there were 13,426 residential properties listed for sale in Hillsborough County according to a local report from NAR, whose forecast for Q2 of 2007 is for decreasing inventory, increasing sales and an increase in the average home price. Almost 6 weeks into Q2, this has not been the case.
But Q2 is usually a busy season for Tampa real estate and the sense on the street is that many of the fence-sitting, tire-kicking home buyers are beginning to become more motivated as price reductions have become more prevalent and interest rates remain low.
Data used is from the Mid-Florida Regional MLS for city = Tampa. All brokers/agents included.
Gurvich Realty Group of Keller Williams
Historic Ybor City Box Factory Now Residential Lofts
March 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Box Factory Lofts, originally scheduled for a 12/2005 completion, are now completed and home to new residents. Closings began in early January of this year.
The project is situated in an old cigar box factory dating back to 1905. Considering it’s age, Box Factory Lofts will most likely qualify for Historic Preservation Tax Incentives which could substantially lower the unit owners’ property taxes for the first 10 years. An application is pending approval.
Located at 21st Street and Adamo Drive in Ybor City, Box Factory lofts is just down and across the street from where IKEA, the Swedish home furnishing retailer, will be opening a new store in 2009.
The developer has very few remaining units available along with a few resales.
This project turned out really nice and features true loft style living in Ybor City, Tampa’s National Historic Landmark District. The exterior walls and ceilings remain intact from the old building. Box Factory has lofts ranging from 950 to 1700 sqft. with high ceilings, stained concrete floors, concrete walls, and exposed ducts, beams and conduits. All the features you’d expect in a loft.
The exterior units feature tall, arch topped windows that provide for a very bright setting with lots of natural light. The interior units face an open courtyard that features a pool and common area. Fees aren’t too bad either. Expect about $210 for 1000 sqft unit initially. (See: “What Do Condo Fees Cover?”)
Why is this a cool place to live:
- Close to Ybor City
- Close to Channelside
- Close to Downtown
- Close to Brandon
- Close to The Leroy
Stationed at MacDill? Just hop on the Leroy Selmon Expressway for about a 10-15 minute drive. Want to see a Lightning game? Take the trolley to the Forum. Heading to the Gulf beaches? Expect about a 30 minute drive.
All in all, Box Factory Lofts is a good option for someone looking for low $200k price point loft style living in an urban setting close to it all.
See what’s for sale at Box Factory Lofts
Images courtesy of BoxFactoryLofts.com
Fairly Stable Week for Tampa Real Estate - Market Report
March 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The number of homes listed for sale in Tampa crept slightly upwards this week, while the number of pending contracts followed suit.
And 135 residential properties went under contract in Tampa since March 9th (as of this post).
Some facts about those homes:
- Average List Price = $282,028
- Average Bed/Baths = 3/1.89
- Average Size = 1645 htd/cooled sqft.
- Average Year Built = 1980
- Highest Priced Home = 7307 Pelican Island (Dana Shores Area) Listed by Coldwell Banker
MLS grid WO16 has the most new contracts with 6! This is the Palm River Townhomes off of US 41 and Palm River Rd.
The Palm River Townhomes are an excellent choice for those commuting to MacDill AFB. They are situated very near the Leroy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, which provides easy access to the base. These are brand new townhomes and a 2/2 starts in the low $200s. Drive time between these townhomes and MacDill AFB is approximately 15 minutes.
