| If you are considering getting a new start on life, | | | | universities in the area including the University of South |
| relocating to Tampa, Florida might be a good choice. | | | | Florida and the University of Tampa. The city also sits |
| Low taxes, warm weather and friendly people make | | | | astride major highways and has an International |
| Tampa a good choice. | | | | Airport. The nearby Gulf of Mexico provides a wide |
| If you are considering relocating to the Tampa, Florida | | | | variety of aquatic activities. |
| area, it might be a good idea to get a scale and some | | | | On a little more negative note, home prices in Tampa |
| weights because there are certainly a large number of | | | | have been rising steadily over the past few years. |
| pros and cons that you need to consider and that | | | | This has been excellent news for local real estate |
| might be one way to find the balance. Tampa is | | | | investors, but might make finding an affordable home a |
| located on the western side of Florida on the Gulf of | | | | bit more of a problem for new residents. In 1998, |
| Mexico. It is a growing city of 342,054 people, but | | | | Tampa ranked near the bottom of the top 123 Metro |
| actually is usually lumped with St. Petersburg and | | | | areas in the United States in median home price. In just |
| Clearwater to constitute the Tampa Bay Metropolitan | | | | eight years, it has moved nearer to the middle. A |
| area which has a population of 2.7 million and is the 12 | | | | typical home here costs about the same as in Dallas, |
| largest DMA market in the United States. | | | | Texas, although the median income is at least 30% |
| The climate is really one of the main areas where | | | | lower in Tampa. When you consider the entire |
| personal preference is going to come into play. It has a | | | | Metropolitan area, however, there are quite a few |
| subtropical climate where a serious threat of frost | | | | outlying areas where good bargains can still be found |
| happens once every three or four years. The highs | | | | in housing. |
| range between 65-95 degrees year round, and | | | | Sadly, the city does not rank real low when considering |
| although the humidity is high during the summer months, | | | | crime statistics. Murder is the only major violent or |
| the highest temperature ever recorded is a mere 99 | | | | property crime that ranks below the national average. |
| degrees. There is a distinct rainy season, and storms | | | | This means all the others are above, but in most |
| coming off the Gulf are a problem. Tampa trails only a | | | | cases only slightly. Despite these grim stats, Tampa is |
| city in Africa for the title of lighting strike capital of the | | | | not considered a particularly unsafe city. |
| world. If you are not a big fan of long cold winters, | | | | Taxes represent a very good reason for relocating to |
| Tampa, Florida may make sense. | | | | Tampa, Florida. The state tax rate in Florida ranks 45 |
| Tampa has been growing in rapid bursts ever since | | | | out of 50 states for putting the least burden on its |
| the wide spread use of air conditioning. The downtown | | | | citizens. This means the residents of only five other |
| area is undergoing a major transformation that is | | | | states pay fewer taxes. This represents a pretty |
| planned to be finished in time for 2009 when the city | | | | good start on making your money go farther. |
| will host the Super Bowl. The city is a Mecca for | | | | Relocating to Tampa, Florida has its benefits and |
| sports fans with a professional football, major league | | | | negatives. Basically, it all comes down to whether you |
| baseball, and National Hockey League team all making | | | | like this type of climate. Considering the growth of the |
| their home here. The school system is rated as | | | | area, many would seem to. |
| excellent, and there are several colleges and | | | | |