In this article, we will take a look at one of the most popular suburbs of Tampa, New Tampa.
New Tampa is a beautiful master planned suburb on the north eastern corner of Tampa proper.
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Tampa Proper
New Tampa sits on the very northeast corner of Tampa Proper. All this means is that many areas that have Tampa addresses are not taxed and governed by the city, but instead by the county. The area below is the geographical boundaries of Tampa Proper. New Tampa Is included in that space.
History
In the mid 90’s, there was a big battle over this area that is now known as New Tampa. As this area was starting to grow and people were building houses there, one of the big developers, now known as Lennar, advocated for annexing it into the city. Meaning they make it part of the city and not just a part of the county.
Even though there was a bit of a battle over this annexation, eventually the area of New Tampa was assumed by the city. The main reason the big developer wanted to do this is because the higher city taxes could help compensate for some of the infrastructure that the developer needed to build the houses.
Quickly after New Tampa was assumed by the city, it started being built out as a master plan community. It really is a thoughtful and interesting area with gated communities and all kinds of neighborhoods in between, complete with golf courses and all kinds of shopping.
Neighborhoods
Tampa Palms
Tampa Palms is the main neighborhood in New Tampa. It’s a large neighborhood with all kinds of little communities inside of it.
Tampa Palms included gated communities, non gated communities, townhouses, and single family homes.
The smaller homes are start in the low 300,000’s and the larger homes in the low 1 millions. There are homes all in between these price ranges of course, it all depends on size and location. Generally, the closer to water the more expensive.
I highly recommend Tampa Palms for a few different reasons.
- It gives a nice suburban feel that people like.
- It’s easy access to the city.
- Great school options
- The CDD’s and HOA’s are quite a bit lower compared to some of the other new developments.
Pebble Creek
Another neighborhood in New Tampa, Pebble Creek. Some parts of this area have 24/7 manned gates, which will add to the HOA but grants residents with extra safety and peace of mind.
Many different areas will have different HOA prices depending on the extra additions that come with the neighborhood. It’s a nice perk to be able to pick and choose what you are willing to pay for based on your interests and lifestyle, this way you aren’t paying for amenities that you will never utilize. Whether it be community pools, manned gates, tennis courts, or golf courses, this area truly has something for everyone.
The University of South Florida
Although not a neighborhood, it is important to note that the area on the south edge of the Tampa Palms and New Tampa Area is the University of South Florida. Many students and faculty live here, however, it’s more like a neighborhood than the typical university housing that you would picture.
New Tampa: Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s
Pro 1: It is part of the city of tampa. This could be a pro or a con depending on your perspective. Reasons to think of this as a pro are: Your whole area is governed the same as the rest of the city, you are a part of the city that you are connected to, you’re not confused about who is responsible for your utilities or infrastructure like you might be in the county areas.
Pro 2: There is still potential to buy a home and improve it. This is definitely not everyone’s plan, which is totally ok, but this area has great opportunities for those looking into this option.
Pro 3: Mature landscaping. This area contains tons and tons of beautiful oak trees, which gives these neighborhoods a different feel than some of the newer neighborhoods up in Land O’Lakes, Wesley Chapel or even down South in Riverview and Brandon. The mature landscaping really sets this area apart and you really feel tucked into these communities and less exposed to the highways.
Pro 4: The stores are hidden and made discrete by the landscaping. Even the big box stores are situated in a way that gives the area a nice, low-key feel.
Con’s
Con 1: Part of the city of Tampa. Seen as a con this time, your sales and property taxes are a little higher. Hillsborough county and the city of Tampa have higher taxes than the surrounding counties that make up the area. So you paying a premium on taxes, especially property taxes, by having a home in Tampa instead of the unincorporated area of Hillsborough county.
Con 2: Some homes in this area will need updating. Many people want to move into something that is already updated, with a modern kitchen, a pool, and outdoor eating area. Unfortunately, this area is a little behind on some of these things. Not that these things are impossible to find, but will be much easier to find in newer developments such as Westchase, Brandon, or Wesley Chapel.
Con 3: Hidden Stores. If you don’t know the area, stores can be a little hard to find. Locations of places you may need to go are not obvious or well marked by signs and very easy to pass right by. This gives a nice feel while you’re driving through these areas, but can be stressful and annoying if you’re trying to find something.
Overall Feel
Overall Feel of New Tampa
New Tampa is a pretty big area with a lot of really interesting natural features, and resembles the “typical” Florida subdivision. There are plenty of plants and large clumps of huge cyprus trees inside these neighborhoods and developers do a great job with maintenance. It really gives these neighborhoods a mature feel.
Another interesting, easy to access, thing about this area is Flat Woods Park. It is 11 miles of paved trails through a forested wilderness area. There are also plenty of unpaved trails in this park for mountain biking and hiking.