My wife and I are considering our retirement places, and Tampa area comes to mind first. We are interested in a waterfront home (on a canal?) with deep water for sailboats. Never been to the area but are coming down end of March to visit. Staying in Clearwater Beach but we are open to suggestions up and down the coast of that area. Would appreciate recommendations from people familiar with that area. Housing cost estimates would also help us make a decision. How far to open water sailing? Thanks. Lee s/v Calaloo
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Exprensive
Unless you are very wealthy, water front homes are out of the question. Even water front condos are expensive (500,000) Houses are in the millions in most areas. Some of the older condos might be less expensive. You might be able to find something in Palmetto, Florida (on the Manatee River, off the south end of Tampa Bay.) Not my favorite area in that there are no decent restaurants, well maybe 1. (I lived there for 6 months - hated it - but not in a house) there are a couple of areas where houses have canal access. Marina space is also at a premium - was even before 4 hurricanes destroyed several in Florida. (Waiting list at the St Pete Municipal Marina is years long) Several Marinas in the area are closing - the shoreside facilities are being torn down and condos are planned. Not sure what the costs will be but I would expect the condos to start (1st floor view of parking lot) at about 350 or 400,000 given what else is being built around here. Punta Gorda was supposed to be cheaper, not sure what it is like now given that it was hit pretty hard by Hurricane Charlie. Summertime sailing is not too good, as there isn't much wind - except when there is a storm and then there is too much. It is cheaper (somewhat) than Florida's east coast. There are deep water canals in Ft Lauderdale, but in order to get the cost of the homes down, you are several hours from the ocean, and the current on new river is 5 or 6 knotts in places, and it is very narrow and there are several bridges. Still, depending on your engine, this can be an alternative. There are also condos with docks, but the waiting list tends to be long. I never looked at Stuart, but before it got hit twice there were 2 or 3 big marinas there. How far to sailing depends on where you are. At St. Pete Muni you are right on Tampa Bay and can start sailing almost at once. Up the Manatee river you are probably looking at 45 minutes to an hour of motoring to get out of the river (if the wind is right you can sail the river) Where I am is probably an hour or a bit more to open water. Clearwater marina - probably 20 minutes.
Unless you are very wealthy, water front homes are out of the question. Even water front condos are expensive (500,000) Houses are in the millions in most areas. Some of the older condos might be less expensive. You might be able to find something in Palmetto, Florida (on the Manatee River, off the south end of Tampa Bay.) Not my favorite area in that there are no decent restaurants, well maybe 1. (I lived there for 6 months - hated it - but not in a house) there are a couple of areas where houses have canal access. Marina space is also at a premium - was even before 4 hurricanes destroyed several in Florida. (Waiting list at the St Pete Municipal Marina is years long) Several Marinas in the area are closing - the shoreside facilities are being torn down and condos are planned. Not sure what the costs will be but I would expect the condos to start (1st floor view of parking lot) at about 350 or 400,000 given what else is being built around here. Punta Gorda was supposed to be cheaper, not sure what it is like now given that it was hit pretty hard by Hurricane Charlie. Summertime sailing is not too good, as there isn't much wind - except when there is a storm and then there is too much. It is cheaper (somewhat) than Florida's east coast. There are deep water canals in Ft Lauderdale, but in order to get the cost of the homes down, you are several hours from the ocean, and the current on new river is 5 or 6 knotts in places, and it is very narrow and there are several bridges. Still, depending on your engine, this can be an alternative. There are also condos with docks, but the waiting list tends to be long. I never looked at Stuart, but before it got hit twice there were 2 or 3 big marinas there. How far to sailing depends on where you are. At St. Pete Muni you are right on Tampa Bay and can start sailing almost at once. Up the Manatee river you are probably looking at 45 minutes to an hour of motoring to get out of the river (if the wind is right you can sail the river) Where I am is probably an hour or a bit more to open water. Clearwater marina - probably 20 minutes.
Generally Good Sailing
I've been sailing in the area for about twelve years. All of it in the Gulf and intercoastal. For a few years I sailed a Flying Scott off of the Spring Hill area, about 40 miles North of Clearwater. The Gulf there is shallow, but it was great fun in a day sailor. Then for about six years I belonged to a boat club which had a number of power boats and one Oday 27. It was located on the northern end of Pinellas County an area of wide intercoastal sailing and easy access to the Gulf with lots of islands and points of interest to sail and motor to. It is the best of saiing options. On good days you can sail the Gulf on bad days you can sail in the intercoastal. In the last three years I have had a larger boat a Hunter 33. In that time, I have changed slips about seven times. Always moving up. Today the boat is at the Clearwater Marina with easy access to the Gulf and when the new Clearwater Memorial bridge is in the intercoastal will open up all the way north where I enjoyed sailing with the boat club. I disagree with Debra B. the wind is normally good on the Gulf. Sometimes the waves are a bit high, but for an old Lake Michigan sailor they are usually more laid down than I am use to. When the bridge is finally done the City has plans to put in more slips on the intercoastal which will be an easy out via Clearwater pass to the Gulf. Slips are getting tight but they can still be found. When you vist the area take a look at north Pinellas to Tarpon Springs and on into Pasco County. You might find something to meet your needs.
I've been sailing in the area for about twelve years. All of it in the Gulf and intercoastal. For a few years I sailed a Flying Scott off of the Spring Hill area, about 40 miles North of Clearwater. The Gulf there is shallow, but it was great fun in a day sailor. Then for about six years I belonged to a boat club which had a number of power boats and one Oday 27. It was located on the northern end of Pinellas County an area of wide intercoastal sailing and easy access to the Gulf with lots of islands and points of interest to sail and motor to. It is the best of saiing options. On good days you can sail the Gulf on bad days you can sail in the intercoastal. In the last three years I have had a larger boat a Hunter 33. In that time, I have changed slips about seven times. Always moving up. Today the boat is at the Clearwater Marina with easy access to the Gulf and when the new Clearwater Memorial bridge is in the intercoastal will open up all the way north where I enjoyed sailing with the boat club. I disagree with Debra B. the wind is normally good on the Gulf. Sometimes the waves are a bit high, but for an old Lake Michigan sailor they are usually more laid down than I am use to. When the bridge is finally done the City has plans to put in more slips on the intercoastal which will be an easy out via Clearwater pass to the Gulf. Slips are getting tight but they can still be found. When you vist the area take a look at north Pinellas to Tarpon Springs and on into Pasco County. You might find something to meet your needs.
port charlotte
check out the area of PUNTA GORDA/PORT CHARLOTTE yes we just went thru CHARLIE but you can pick up lots on a canal for 300k add a house and you come in at 500k i have an undamaged one for sale at 459K ready to move in...email me direct at 1keladi@msn.com and when you are down i can show it to you 5 minutes to charlotte harbor
check out the area of PUNTA GORDA/PORT CHARLOTTE yes we just went thru CHARLIE but you can pick up lots on a canal for 300k add a house and you come in at 500k i have an undamaged one for sale at 459K ready to move in...email me direct at 1keladi@msn.com and when you are down i can show it to you 5 minutes to charlotte harbor
Hurry
I purchased last april at a retired community in port charlotte,not on the water and it has gone up $80,000 already, a house on canal were just too much,I have a 2001 290 and we are having a very nice house built,I will be looking for a slip when I move to florida in two years, if things get tuff finding a slip my aunt lives on a canal. I started looking at port richy working our way down to ft myers and purchased in port charlotte,so start looking soon.
I purchased last april at a retired community in port charlotte,not on the water and it has gone up $80,000 already, a house on canal were just too much,I have a 2001 290 and we are having a very nice house built,I will be looking for a slip when I move to florida in two years, if things get tuff finding a slip my aunt lives on a canal. I started looking at port richy working our way down to ft myers and purchased in port charlotte,so start looking soon.
Nick, ever hear of a "market bubble"?
Hurry?...maybe not. I just spent 6 weeks in Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and all anybody can talk about is how much money they are making on their real estate. That's usually a good sign that prices at best will start to flatten and at worst may collapse. Well here in Toronto we have been through two "housing price bubbles" since I have been a homeowner. The first was the early '80s and the second around 1991. Prices always reach new highs after each "re-adjustment" but after the 1991 collapse it took 10 years for prices to recover to the '91 levels. Florida could be immune due to it being a popular retirement haven but what's driving its home prices are all the snowbirds selling their northern homes at inflated prices making them cash rich. What could affect things: rising interest rates, the falling US$, the budget deficit, trade deficit, and the increased costs to support social security and medicare. But back to sailing. Lee, one thing I'd check is who maintains the water depth in the canals, if that is your access to the gulf. They were dredging in the Hudson area while I was there and the permitting process from the Florida EPA is obviously very complicated and lengthy, and the dredging itself is expensive due to the environmental protection rules imposed on the crews. There were a number of letters to the editor from canal homeowners complaining of no gulf access during low tide and demanding the county do some dredging. In one case the EPA was saying that they would not issue a dredging permit for a channel that had never been dredged, i.e. not man made. That is, this was just a natural channel that had silted up over time. I guess due diligence is required. Kevin
Hurry?...maybe not. I just spent 6 weeks in Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and all anybody can talk about is how much money they are making on their real estate. That's usually a good sign that prices at best will start to flatten and at worst may collapse. Well here in Toronto we have been through two "housing price bubbles" since I have been a homeowner. The first was the early '80s and the second around 1991. Prices always reach new highs after each "re-adjustment" but after the 1991 collapse it took 10 years for prices to recover to the '91 levels. Florida could be immune due to it being a popular retirement haven but what's driving its home prices are all the snowbirds selling their northern homes at inflated prices making them cash rich. What could affect things: rising interest rates, the falling US$, the budget deficit, trade deficit, and the increased costs to support social security and medicare. But back to sailing. Lee, one thing I'd check is who maintains the water depth in the canals, if that is your access to the gulf. They were dredging in the Hudson area while I was there and the permitting process from the Florida EPA is obviously very complicated and lengthy, and the dredging itself is expensive due to the environmental protection rules imposed on the crews. There were a number of letters to the editor from canal homeowners complaining of no gulf access during low tide and demanding the county do some dredging. In one case the EPA was saying that they would not issue a dredging permit for a channel that had never been dredged, i.e. not man made. That is, this was just a natural channel that had silted up over time. I guess due diligence is required. Kevin
Thank you all for your help
Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my inquiry. I will be in Tampa/Clearwater next month and will see first hand what the area has to offer. I expect to get a sticker shock, but I hope is not a much biger shock than I expect. Anyway, I have another 2-3 years before I have to make my decision but I thought it would be a good idea to start asking questions early so that I can narrow my retirement options. Joe, your friends home and dock looks great, I wonder what the price of a home and water like that would be. Lee
Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my inquiry. I will be in Tampa/Clearwater next month and will see first hand what the area has to offer. I expect to get a sticker shock, but I hope is not a much biger shock than I expect. Anyway, I have another 2-3 years before I have to make my decision but I thought it would be a good idea to start asking questions early so that I can narrow my retirement options. Joe, your friends home and dock looks great, I wonder what the price of a home and water like that would be. Lee
Lee.... re: home prices
... I went to realtor.com and made a search for waterfront houses in that area. I'm guessing their 2200sf with custom pool and dock would be worth $850k plus. maybe more. As I said before, the house needed a lot of work when they bought it, but location rules. Over the years they have added the custom pool, replaced the old dock with the one in the picture, and completely remodeled the kitchen to gourmet status. The pool was probably $75k, the dock $20k, and the kitchen another 30k. But still.... a good investment. Waterfront property is being gobbled up like crazy along the west coast of florida. One option you might consider is a condo that has a marina. When it's time to cruise, you just lock the door and leave. There are lots of projects like that in the area.
... I went to realtor.com and made a search for waterfront houses in that area. I'm guessing their 2200sf with custom pool and dock would be worth $850k plus. maybe more. As I said before, the house needed a lot of work when they bought it, but location rules. Over the years they have added the custom pool, replaced the old dock with the one in the picture, and completely remodeled the kitchen to gourmet status. The pool was probably $75k, the dock $20k, and the kitchen another 30k. But still.... a good investment. Waterfront property is being gobbled up like crazy along the west coast of florida. One option you might consider is a condo that has a marina. When it's time to cruise, you just lock the door and leave. There are lots of projects like that in the area.
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