Any major purchase requires significant research, analysis, and foresight. Your Home in Tampa Bay is of course no different.

Actually, in my case, even less expensive purchases require significant due diligence. My wife lives with the epitome of a researcher.

Wife: “Honey, what hotel should we book for the vacation?”

Me: [queue digging through every review, article, write-up I can find on hotels in the area]

Wife a few days later: [sigh] “Let’s just book this one and be done with it. It seems fine”. 

Me: “Looks great, however it doesn’t have a playground for Colt and everyone says the pool is freezing.”

Wife: “Ohhh, I see. Definitely don’t book that one!”

Granted, my wife is CERTAINLY correct more often than not(!), however occasionally my relentless quest for data has its benefits!  If you ask her how much research went into purchasing our waterfront home in Saint Petersburg, be prepared for a smile and very long conversation.

Many factors come into play when searching for homes surrounded by salt water and the Florida elements!

My goal was to exhaust them all. Not only did we take into account home elevation and street flooding, we also took into account the age of big ticket items such as the roof, seawall, AC units, electrical, and much [much] more.

Watch for unexpected surprises

Our neighborhood also has an HOA, so we considered dues, any upcoming assessments, and the general budget forecast from the HOA.  You don’t want to be surprised by an unexpected assessment immediately after moving into your new residence!

Side note, HOA implications are especially a factor when you are searching for condos and townhomes in the Saint Pete, St Pete Beach and Clearwater area.

Different types of waterfront homes

From a house perspective, there are a number of details you need to delve into when searching for waterfront property or even homes fairly close to the water, as the case with much of St Pete. If you are looking for true waterfront property, you’ll also need to consider the differences between open water, canal front, bayfront, and bridge restricted homes.

The Loving St Pete experience!

Have I mentioned that depending on the area you are searching, we may even tour properties via boat? Yes, boat and golf cart searches are part of the Loving St Pete experience!

The big picture

Bottomline is that there are many ‘worst case’ scenarios that a Realtor and buyer should discuss. The key is putting it all together to form the bigger picture, helping to ensure you’re very happy in your new St.Pete or Clearwater residence and avoid surprises. From your initial search to the moment you receive the keys to your new home, I’ll be digging into the details and guiding you through the process!

Of course, all of this comes with the phenomenal supporting cast at Keller Williams!  As Saint Petersburg and St Pete Beach area experts, we can help provide info on the different neighborhoods, schools, and other local community amenities that suit your lifestyle.

Curious about what’s happening in a neighborhood of interest?

Let me create a custom market report for you today to see what’s active, under contract, and sold!

Considering selling? Get an property valuation now!

Contact me today to find out how I can be of assistance to you!