BAIN

iTrader: (5)

Are there any groups, get togethers, local boards, bars, track days, etc...? I was wondering where some of the nicer places to live(apartments, condo) are? What areas should we look in and what areas should we stay away from? I have a pretty loud car also so that will probably be a factor as well.

Any info you have would be great.

MELISSA05

What brings you to FLA? Better look for a hurricane proof house... And nothing close to the water (gulf). I am a native and I have never seen the hurricane season like it is... Serious!!

pushinfreight

For the local scene in Tampa go to revxtreme.com and that will put you in touch with the local domestic scene. As far as homes go, if you want to pay less than 1k a month you had better be in polk county. The beach is expensive. The biggest thing you have to decide is how much money do you want to spend a month to live? 200-300k will get you a small house in tampa.

Caveman

iTrader: (2)

I would agree, if you get an apartment make sure its a concrete building and if you rent or buy a house make sure its not too close to water and its a block home not wood frame. Other then that the car and hotrod sceen in Tampa/Sarasota is great, also tons of stuff to do there beaches, clubs, concerts, pro sports, theme parks and best of all 3 dragstrips Bradenton(BMP), Lakeland, and Sunshine.

MELISSA05

Couldn't have said it better myself. Definitely a concrete block house/apartment, especially for as many tornadoes come with these hurricanes. I hope he is ready for the next 10 years of this crap...

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

The GF and I are moving down there for my job. My co. is doing an addition to the hospital there. We will probably only be there for a year or so. So we won't be purchasing a house. A nice apartment or condo would be just fine.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

tampa/sarasota has a big car scene, esp ls1 fbodys/y bodys. hell we have our own ls1tech sponser locally. sarasota is truely a beautiful place to live but expensive as i am sure you have found out. we also have one of the best tracks in the country at BMP.

MELISSA05

Oh okay! Then an apartment will do for that length of time for you guys. Sarasota is definitely beautiful especially down by the water off of the Tamiami trail... I bought my GTP in Sarasota last April... Good part of Florida

MissBehave

Thanks for all the info guys/girls. It'll be nice to be a part of a big F-body scene again. There aren't very many people where we are in TN that are into them. We're originally from Dallas, so a bigger/better car scene will be nice to get back into.

Any complexes or areas that we should avoid?

<--the girlfriend, btw

LS1_Unleashed

iTrader: (12)

this area is amazing. i cant comment on house prices(not old enough yet to know), but the car scene is awesome and the area is really nice. lots of nice housing in sarasota, and the track isnt too far away either.

pushinfreight

The sarasota area is nice, a lot of old money so be prepaired for the blue hairs if you are going to live near there. The area where you want to go is mostly on what you want to spend a month. I would think in the sarasota area 1500 a month will get you a condo with a one car garage.

MissBehave

Thanks. I think we are going to try looking at Bradenton as well. It seems like the apartments (online anyway) are just as nice but a little more affordable. Is that true at all, or does it just look that way online?

If we can find a comparable apartment for a little less money, that's just more money we can put towards our cars.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

bradenton is much cheaper than sarasota as a whole.

FLA02TA

iTrader: (5)

Sarasota/Bradenton is pretty fortunate in the hurricane department. If you look at a map of the last 70 years or so of landfall dots, there's a huge gap between Venice and Tampa. We do catch outer bands and are at risk of tornadoes though.

I rent a house about 12-15 minutes from the hospital that's 600 a month. 2br 1 bath. It's in the county though, and the landlady hasn't raised the rent much since I started living there 8 years ago. Lucky me.

Sarasota is, for the most part, upscale. Though it does have its bad hood's like any city. Most areas north of Fruitville road start getting 'ghettoish' for a lack of better terms.

If you're looking for an apartment, Clark road and Bee Ridge have tons of complexes to look at. Both are relativley close to Sarasota Memorial.

The f-body scene isn't as robust as I'd like it to be. Most of the cars I see aren't modded at all, or are V6's. They're around though. There's just far more imports running around, and quite a few Mustang's. And of course, since it's Florida, it's VERY common to see some elderly man or woman driving in a Vette.

Bunch of us hit Bradenton Motorsports Park (http://www.bradentonmotorsports.com) on Test N' Tune nights, and of course there's RevX in Tampa with, what I believe, the most badass LS1's in Central FL

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

600/month for a 2/1 house? damn! lol. i pay nearly 1200/month for my 2/2/1 apartment! like everything. location, location, location.

MissBehave

This is all great info guys...thanks a ton!!!

01-6spdZ

Stay away from Bradenton, that whole place is a ghetto. Most 2 bedroom apts are gonna run you around $1000 monthly. There is no car scene here locally go 1 hr north to Tampa and you will find it there. Nightlife theres some descent bars/clubs. Personally I go to Boars Head, free pool, good drinks and loud rock music. Rockerfellers in B'ton is pretty good also.

BTW (shameless plug) if your company needs dumpster service let me know. My company is the best around here. Sun Coast Sanitation, div of Republic Service's

TOZ

Also join us at www.sffba.net

wicked_95z

iTrader: (8)

Ive got a house for sale in Arcadia about 40 minutes form Sarasota. Withstood all the hurricanes this year

silverTA2002

iTrader: (1)

Spoken like a true SRQ snob.

Basically the difference is that the area around downtown Sarasota is nice, and the area around downtown Bradenton is the worst part of town. So when Sarasota folks drive down US41, when you hit bradenton, you're basically in the Ghetto.

But, the "whole place" is far from Ghetto. Anyplace BUT around downtown is pretty nice. We have plenty of waterfront multimillion dollar mansions as well.

The nicest newly developing area is all out east right now, "Lakewood Ranch." However, it's also ridiculously expensive.

Basically, you're going to have to drive around and look. Bradenton has a ton of nice apartments. 3 years ago I had a 2/2 1000 sq foot aparment with a screened porch and lake view. It was $720/month with free cable and the first month free. 5 minutes from the beach, 10 minutes from the Ghetto.

But, if you're working at Sarasota Memorial, most of the nicer places in Bradenton will be at least a 30 minute commute.