The future is looking bright for these six lesser-known St. Pete neighborhoods.
Back in January, we ran a two-part blog series highlighting the “Best of the Best” neighborhoods in St. Pete. The neighborhoods we presented are often the first that come to mind when the subject of the Sunshine City comes up.
This time around, however, we’re looking for value – future value, more specifically.
It’s no secret that it’s tough sledding right now when it comes to finding reasonably priced properties in Snell Isle, Old Northeast, Yacht Club Estates, and the other top St. Pete neighborhoods. It’s certainly a sellers market and options are very limited unless you’re able to shell out top dollar.
And for most first-time home buyers, young families, and transplants, doing so just isn’t a possibility. These prospective homeowners are being forced to look outside the box in order to lay down their roots.
The good news, however, is that there are a handful of lesser-known St. Pete neighborhoods that do offer the combination of characteristics that every new homeowner desires. Best of all, there are still some good deals to be had on homes in these neighborhoods – and they all offer exciting prospects for future value.
Is your St. Pete home search running dry? Don’t forget about these neighborhoods.
Accessibility, community (& safety), natural beauty, and of course future value all came into play in the formation of this list. We scoured the ‘Burg and found 6 neighborhoods that stood out above the rest in regards to these criteria.
Turns out that most of the areas we’re highlighting are located on the east end of town (the accessibility and future value factors played a big role in this). Nevertheless, here they are in alphabetical order:
Edgemoor
- Location – Between 62nd Ave. N & 54th Ave. N (north-to-south); between Foch St. NE & 9th St. N (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – Short drive to 4th & 9th St. puts you in the middle of the action in North St. Pete. Many restaurants & grocery stores nearby and just a few minutes to Gateway Mall. No parking issues. I-275 easily accessed via 54th Ave. N., but beaches are 25+ minutes away.
- Community – A quiet and relaxed environment where residents can feel safe. Puryear Park is a great place for families & friends to gather, plus other parks are nearby. You’re likely to see many of your neighbors walking or biking down the sidewalks of 1st St. and 62nd Ave.
- Natural beauty – Puryear Park provides a huge green space for you to enjoy, and there are some good views of the water & mangroves. The east end of the neighborhood also contains some picturesque tree-lined streets.
- Future value – Median sale price of $243,500 is very reasonable for the northeast end of town. Close proximity to water and other high value neighborhoods gives Edgemoor strong future prospects.
Euclid Heights
- Location – Between 62nd Ave. N & 46th Ave. N (north-to-south); between 9th St. N & 16th St. N (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – Even better access to the interstate than Edgemoor can provide as the 54th Ave. on-ramp is right there. The commerce of 4th St. is right around the corner, and you’re just that much closer to the beaches and downtown.
- Community – Homes are spaced pretty nicely to provide a nice neighborly feel. A safe neighborhood where residents can feel comfortable walking down the streets, and there are good schools nearby. The neighborhood association isn’t overly active, however.
- Natural beauty – Euclid Heights itself doesn’t offer much in the way of green spaces, but a short journey to neighboring Allendale will provide some of the nicest tree-lined streets you’ll find in St. Pete. Other parks are also a short drive away.
- Future value – Very good, especially for those with a slightly lower budget. Euclid Heights offers almost all 2 and 3-bedroom homes, many to be had for under $300,000. Many local experts love the future value prospects of this neighborhood.
Magnolia Heights
- Location – Between 38th Ave. N & 30th Ave. N (north-to-south); between 9th St. N & 16th St. N (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – Magnolia Heights offers a nice central location in North St. Pete and is close to top neighborhoods like Euclid St. Paul’s and Allendale. I-275, 4th & 9th St., and downtown St. Pete really couldn’t be much closer for the value.
- Community – They boast an up-and-coming community scene thanks to a younger population and strong neighborhood association. Every street seems to have it’s own character. The area is safe but walking/biking opportunities and gathering spaces are limited.
- Natural beauty – Not a ton to offer in this category, but many of the homes offer nice curb appeal. Plus, there are parks all around you in any direction outside of the neighborhood’s borders.
- Future value – A very appealing median home value of $197,813 exists here. There are also a good amount of homes currently for sale. A great place for a starter home.
Maximo
- Location – Between 46th Ave. S & 54th Ave. S (north-to-south); between 37th St. S & Dolphin Cay Ln. S (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – Sure, you won’t have the convenience access to all that’s happening in North St. Pete as you will with the other neighborhoods. But St. Pete Beach is a short drive and I-275, along with the Skyway Bridge, are right around the corner.
- Community – Maximo is located in a safe section of South St. Pete with a population that skews slightly older. Recent large residential & commercial developments may have it shifting in a more youthful direction, though. The neighborhood itself offers a secluded feel, and there are good restaurants nearby as well as Maximo Marina. Very strong neighborhood association.
- Natural beauty – South St. Pete generally offers more of a spacious vibe than North St. Pete, and easier access to the water and beaches. Nearby Maximo Park is a can’t-miss for lovers of the outdoors and recreation.
- Future value – Although it has a slightly higher median home value ($262,400), there are a variety of competitively-priced, mid-sized homes are available and thanks to the recent developments in the area, Maximo offers great future value.
North Kenwood
- Location – Between 22nd Ave. N & 9th Ave. N (north-to-south); between I-275 & 34th St. N (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – You couldn’t possibly be closer to the interstate, and 34th St offers a number of restaurants & grocery stores nearby. You’re also very close to Central Ave. and the up-and-coming Grand Central District.
- Community – Often gets lost in the shadow of its big sister, Historic Kenwood, but is quietly making a name for itself. The community is close-knit and is seeing a number of young families moving in. This is helping to make the neighborhood a much safer place to live in. Very active neighborhood Facebook page.
- Natural beauty – Not a ton in the way of green spaces but Booker Creek Park does stand out. Your central location in the city makes up for this as nature lovers will find something close in every direction. There are also some nice modern homes going up that add to the neighborhood’s curb appeal.
- Future value – With an estimated median home value of just $144,500, and a 7.4% increase forecast, it’s all about future prospects with North Kenwood. Now is a great time to get into this neighborhood.
Old Southeast
- Location – Between 13th Ave. SE & 25th Ave. S (north-to-south); between Beach Dr. SE & 4th St. S (east-to-west)
- Accessibility – About as good a location as you’ll get accessibility-wise in South St. Pete. 4th St. is right part of the border, downtown is super close, and the beaches are still within reason. Walking around the neighborhood is also very convenient.
- Community – The community is tight-nit and neighbors can often be seen mingling at the park or chatting during evening walks. Just step inside the staple Old Southeast Market for a great reflection of the pride that residents take in their neighborhood.
- Natural beauty – Has a similar charm to its cousin on the northside, Old Northeast. Offers great architectural variety and a uniqueness that sets it apart from other neighborhoods. Plus, you’re right on the shores of Tampa Bay and have a huge green space at your disposal with Lassing Park.
- Future value – Despite the higher median home value of $238,600 and slightly lower growth forecasts, the future is bright for Old Southeast as it’s on track to become the “trademark” neighborhood in South St. Pete. There’s something to be said for the unique personality it brings to the table.
Take an open-minded approach with your home search.
Even if you don’t find any homes in these neighborhoods that fit your needs and budget at first glance, don’t give up. You can still create your dream home with the help of a reliable custom home builder.
Chances are you’ll stumble across many homes that need significant work, but for a much lower price. Spending the difference between the purchase price and your budget on a custom renovation can improve your prospects even more. Not only will your home turn into the star of the street thanks to some custom attention, but its future expected value is likely to get an extra boost thanks to the newer work.
You may even be able to find a reasonably-priced vacant lot in one of these neighborhoods and start from scratch with a custom new build. You’re likely to exceed your original budget if you go this route, but you’ll reap the benefits mentioned in the previous paragraph at an even great degree.
If you do decide to team up with a General Contractor, consider us at Sun Bay Builders. We’ve got experience with the dynamics of all of these neighborhoods and can guide you through our process starting with a simple 10-minute phone call.
Best of luck with your home search!
