Getting ready to start a new gig on Macdill AFB. We are heading to Tampa to look for housing next week. I'd like to be close to post and we are looking to rent. Any neighborhoods to avoid, to focus on? Other tips?

Ugh...close to MacDill and nice neighborhood = expensive!





I would plan on at least a 30-45 minute commute.



ETA: Take Hwy 60 across the bay and head North

I have a condo for rent in the Forest hills area.  Zip code 33612.  Rent it cheap enough to where you'd be making okay money with your BAH.

South Tampa is expensive. Most people live in the Brandon/Riverview area (east of the base) or in the St. Petersburg area (west). Issue with "St. Pete" is it is across a body of water and there is only one close bridge (Gandy bridge). Accident or weather can leave you stuck for hours.

Housing market is coming back around, but there are still a lo of foreclosure a so if you are looking for a house you can still find a good deal.  Apartment?? Google is your friend or go to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) substation and see if they will pull up any calls within the last year or so to see if there are issues.

Either side of the bay is going to be about a 45 minute commute plus a slight wait to get through the gate.

MacDill is a nice base and if you can't find something to do in Tampa, you are not looking.

Enjoy the assignment and PM me if you have any questions

edit: saw you said apartment..

Thanks folks. Actually, we are looking for a house, but to rent. There seems to be a handful of places in the South Tampa area in the 1500-2000 range for a 3 bedroom with fenced yard which is what I really need. I'd like the dog and cats to have space outside.

I had considered across the bridge and got the same response from my sponsor on post...only one way in and out can be a bad thing.

As far as areas like Brandon or Riverview, I have also come across those. Militarybyowner.com seemed to have most of the places listed as being in those areas. Gave me the impression that lots of people do just suck it up and take the time to make the commute. I'm spoiled living super close to post right now and mentally I am not excited about anything that involves 45 minutes or more in my car but I may just have to suck it up as well.

Is South Tampa safe enough? The properties I am looking at seem nice enough but if its the expensive area and I am capping out on the cheaper end of things than maybe I am looking at rougher streets without knowing it. I see the suggestion for checking crime rates in certain areas. I can do that.

South Tampa is pretty damn safe.  But it floods down there something awful.

So we just got back from Florida on Saturday afternoon. Looks like we will end up in the Riverview area. We saw some places in the inland areas of south Tampa that were in the price range but not that nice. In fact we weren't sure why all the "everyone wants to live in south Tampa so its expensive" until we left out the east side of Macdill and drove up Bayshore. Then it all made sense. Much nicer and high dollar over there.

Riverview gives us more of the suburb feel we are both accustomed to growing up in and we get a lot more for our money. Looking like it'll be a place with 4 beds, 3 car garage, fenced yard, in a gated community for under my housing allowance.

Thanks everyone for the tips.

Riverview is a nice area depends on the location location..Lithia is great but expensive as well. Valrico has some very nice homes for reasonable homes for rent in some nice neighborhoods. South Tampa by Davis Islands is high end prices anything by Bayshore is either Condos and Mansions besides business establishments. Also Riverview just got a brand new state of the ark Hospital St. Joseph Hospital - South.