Recognized as Florida's first Green City, St. Petersburg leads the way as one of the healthiest and most sustainable communities in the state. The city has received several awards and distinctions for its pioneering strategies to preserve and conserve natural ecosystems. Some of its sterling works include extensive park systems, more than 50 miles of bicycle trails, and environmental education campaigns. For the last 20 years, St. Petersburg has been the recipient of the Tree City USA award from the National Arbor Day Foundation. A progressive development, it's little wonder this Sunshine City is considered a great place to raise a family.
St. Petersburg, FL is a great place for affordable rent-to-own homes! With the current housing shortage trend it can make it harder to become a homeowner, including in St. Petersburg, FL. This means higher than average down payments for homes and higher qualification standards for conventional home loans. With a rent-to-own property, tenants are also buyers. You can live in the house for a set amount of time before you purchase it, meaning that you get to know the house, your neighbors, and your community before making the final purchase. This enables you and your family to make the right choice based on both information and experience. Rent-to-own is also a great alternative way to get into a home if you have bad credit or don't have enough saved for a down payment.
Housing Statistics With fantastic selling prices, homes for sale and rent-to-own homes are popular. This group takes the lion's share of the housing market at 54 percent, while rented homes capture 29 percent of the market and vacant homes take only 16 percent. Last year's statistics showed 940 homes were sold to families and singles. The median sales price for homes for May to July was $100,250, and the average home sales price listing for early August was $247,072. Overall, sale prices have seen a depreciation of 32.5 percent over the last five years, making family housing more affordable. In addition, the St. Pete's Neighborhood Stabilization Program protects families from foreclosures.
Transportation and Commutes St. Petersburg is an urban community with a population of 244,009. Half the population commutes and 80 percent work the day shift. But don't let that deter you, navigation is easy. This well-planned grid has streets running north to south and avenues running east to west. Interstate 275 and US 19 are the two major north-south arteries. Central Avenue cuts through downtown and runs out to the beaches on the Gulf. On average, commutes take 20 minutes.
Local Shopping Is One of a Kind There are more shopping places in this Sunshine City than time and, perhaps, money permit, including the popular Southside Shopping Center, West Central Shopping Center, Bayboro, and Maxi Mall. Downtown at Beach Drive is the newest waterfront shopping experience that has a little bit of everything: apparel shops, seafood, dining, arts and crafts, and entertainment. If you have a sweet tooth, Schakolad Chocolate Factory and Sweet Divas chocolates compete for your attention on the same block. But it probably doesn't get any better than Baywater. Opened in 2000, Baywater is the topmost shopping, dining, and entertainment experience you may have downtown. Owned by entrepreneur Fred Bullard, it features 130,000 square feet of retail space plus an 80,000 square foot movie theater.
High Neighborhood Standards It's important to know your neighborhood before buying a property. St Petersburg allows you to breathe easy Located in Pinellas County, it is the fourth-largest community in Florida and one of the most ethnically diverse. Many residents have college degrees and enjoy a good income. Home development is geared towards families and singles; 50 percent of residents are married couples. The city's layout is described as nautical, which means parts touch the ocean. Some of the most popular neighborhoods in St. Petersburg are: