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Jackie Colson-Miller,Tampa Real Estate www.RealEstateSizzle.com

The World Series is in Tampa this Week! Where are the Best Places to Eat in Tampa?

Tampa is “abuzz” with the Tampa Bay Rays playing in, and hosting, the World Series this week. Hordes of baseball fans will descend on the Tampa Bay area, which means they will be looking for all of the best restaurants in Tampa, and the best places to eat in Clearwater!

Yes, I sell real estate in Tampa, but I also love great food! Welcome, to all of the baseball fans who are in town this week! Enjoy some of my suggestions for all of the great places to eat, all over the Tampa Bay area!

For the Phillies fans, you won’t find much “cheese steak”, but you can feast on just about anything else, at some of my favorite spots!

The Best Steakhouse in Tampa

Best Places to Eat in Tampa

Best Places to Eat in Clearwater

Best Pizza in Tampa Bay

Best Burger in Tampa

If you are just loooking to “hang out”…Downtown St. Pete is loads of fun! You will find great shopping, restaurants, the Art Museum, movies and more! Head over to Dino’s piano bar for a drink and listen to some great music , or enjoy some wine and nibbles at Tastings!

If you have any questions about where to go, or what to do while you are in the Tampa Bay area, or, if you are thinking about buying real estate in Tampa Bay, or just want to chat, send me an email! Enjoy your Stay!

Visit my blog at Real Estate Sizzle!

Big News Today Will Affect the South Tampa Real Estate Market

The big news in Tampa today is not about the Economic Crisis, or the Presidential Race. The Hillsborough County School Board announced that it will be making “Boundary Changes” for a number of schools next year and specifically mentioned Plant High School in South Tampa! Plant High is one of the Top 100 High Schools in the U.S., and the Plant High School District is one of the most sought-after places to live in Tampa for families with children. I have lived, and worked, in the Plant High District for nearly 20 years.

The Current Boundaries for Plant High School take the district north of Kennedy Blvd. to I-275 and south through the neighborhoods of Bayshore Beautiful and west to Bel Mar Shores and the bay. I can guarantee there are parents throughout South Tampa who are already forming a coalition to fight the boundary changes, since South Tampa Real Estate values are higher in the “Plant” District, any boundary changes are bound to affect housing values in certain South Tampa Neighborhoods.

Where will they move the boundaries? That will be a heated discussion! Since South Tampa consists of everything south of Kennedy Blvd., that would be the “natural” boundary change. However, that would virtually eliminate much of the “minority” student population and could be considered “segregation”. Moving the southern boundary farther north, would eliminate the Bayshore Beautiful neighborhood, which is filled with pricey homes and many prominent “movers and shakers” in Tampa! As Real Estate Agents, we often joke that someone influential must have lived on Chapin Avenue, since it is such an odd place for a southern boundary in the Plant District! The Bayshore Beautiful Homeowner’s Association meets tonight at 7 pm…I am betting this item is on the agenda!

Several years ago, Westchase Elementary School went through some boundary changes and THOUSANDS of parents showed up to protest!

Though I can’t predict WHERE the new boundaries will be, I CAN predict many heated discussions on the issue! My advice? If you live close to the “fringes” of the Plant High District, this might be a good time to sell your house and move to the “center” of the District! Davis Islands, Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, New Suburb Beautiful, Parkland Estates, Beach Park and Sunset Park are pretty safe “bets”.

You can read more about living in South Tampa, and the Plant High School District, in some of my previous articles!

Buy A Home in the Plant High District

Buy A Home in Beach Park or Sunset Park

Hyde Park…The Historic District in Tampa

New Suburb Beautiful

Davis Islands

For help finding a home in the right neighborhood in Tampa, for your family, contact me today!

Visit my blog at: www.RealEstateSizzle.com

Find the Right Magnet School in the Tampa Real Estate Market

If you are moving to Tampa, or looking for a home in the Tampa Real Estate Market, and you have children, finding the right school will be at the top of your “to do” list! Hillsborough County is the 8th largest school district in the Country and has many top-rated schools, both Nationwide and Statewide.

Each street address has a specific “school district” assigned to it, but another option to consider is one of the many “Magnet Schools” available at all grade levels. I am going to chat about several of the most popular magnet schools over the next few weeks, to educate my readers, and those considering a move to Tampa, about the incredible educational opportunities for your children outside of the “mainstream” curriculum.

I deal with a heavily “International” clientele. Many of my clients have bi-lingual children and want to immerse them in a curriculum that is focused on languages and international studies. I, personally, studied at a French elementary school and later at a university in Switzerland. While studying Russian History in French may not appeal to everyone, it is EXACTLY the kind of challenge that many students thrive upon!

Hillsborough County offers the Interational Baccalaureate programme at the Elementary, Middle and High School levels. Today, I will introduce you to MacFarlane Park Elementary, which offers the IB program at the primary level, focused on ages 3–12. Located on MacDill Avenue, close to South Tampa, MacFarlane Park Elementary is rated in the top 1% of all Florida School. You can find more information about their program here.

Hillsborough County offers Magnet Programs in Math, Science, Arts, Performing Arts, International Studies and more. Before you enroll your child, consider all of the options available to you. To be considered for a magnet program, there is an application process and a spring deadline for the following school year. This is the time to start investigating your options for the 2009–2010 school year.

Looking for real estate in Tampa?

If you are buying a house in Tampa, or Selling a house in Tampa, I can help with any Tampa neighborhood, including:

South Tampa, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Culbreath Isles, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunter’s Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Condos in Tampa and International Real Estatecontact me!

Sign up for my email list to receive the latest information on the Tampa Real Estate Market, Living in Tampa, and the International Real Estate Market!

For more information about the schools in Tampa, or assistance in relocation to any Tampa neighborhood, contact me today.

Is a"Pool Home" More Desirable in the Tampa Real Estate Market


Tampa summers are HOT and HUMID and enjoying a refreshing drink, while relaxing by the pool, in your backyard, is a great way to cool off after a long, hot day! I always counsel buyers to choose a “pool home” over a “non-pool home”, for resale value!

Recent sales in the Tampa Real Estate Market show the “value” of a “pool” increases with the value of the home. You can see the percentage of homes sold in 2008, with, and without pools in various price ranges.

Price range Homes Sold Percentage of “Pool Homes”

$350–500K 3351 63%

$501–750K 1543 72%

Over 750K 1212 82%

You can see, as the price for a Single Family Home in the Tampa Real Estate Market climbs, so does the desire for a pool! Given a choice between two homes...choose the one with the pool!

Isn’t this a FABULOUS pool? The asking price for this home in an exclusive, gatedTampapool subdivision in Tampa? Over 20 Million!

For information on Luxury Homes in Tampa, or pool homes in any Tampa neighborhood, contact me today!

For more information about the Tampa Real Estate market, Tampa Neighborhoods, including Culbreath Isles. South Tampa, Harbour Island, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Channelside, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Condos in Tampa and International Real Estate contact me!

Listing Photo courtesy of MLS idx

Tampa Real Estate Move to Hyde Park, Tampa's Historic District

Another article in my Plant High School District Neighborhood series Hyde Park is Tampas Historic Neighborhood.

Located in South Tampa, just minutes from Downtown and running along beautiful Bayshore Boulevard, it is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Hydepark-tampatown. Homes with large front porches, dating back to the early 1900s, sit on streets lined with grandfather oaks. You can walk to the shops and restaurants in Old Hyde Park Village, head over to the Best Steakhouse in Tampa, or jog along Bayshore. Its a very neighborly , place to live, in the highly rated Gorrie Elementary, Wilson Middle, Plant High School district! Prices for Single Family Homes range from the $400,000s to several million.

The waterfront estates on Bayshore Boulevard are some of the most prestigious homes in Tampa. It is just five minutes to Downtown Tampa and 10 minutes to the Airport or MacDill Air Force Base. ark. If you would like more information about living in Hyde Park, or any Tampa neighborhood, please contact me!

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It is a "Buyer's Market" in Tampa, with plenty of inventory of homes to choose from! I can help with your move to any Tampa neighborhood, including: South Tampa, Harbour Island, Davis Islands, Beach Park, Sunset Park, Hyde Park, Channelside, Culbreath Isles, Palma Ceia, Westchase, Waterchase, Odessa, Cheval, Avila, Brandon, Riverview, FishHawk, New Tampa, Tampa Palms, Hunters Green, Arbor Greene, Apollo Beach, South Shore, MiraBay, Golf Communities, Waterfront Homes, Luxury Homes in Tampa, Condos in Tampa and International Real Estatecontact me!