Upper Tampa Bay Real Estate and Northwest Hillsborough Revamps Urban Sprawl for a Better Future

Not so long ago, much of the Tampa Bay area, including northwestern Hillsborough County was caught up in the national blight of suburban strip-mall sprawl. The same kind of development was afoot in many locales in the United States. Recently trends have migrated toward more sustainable communities and neighborhoods with increased emphasis on green space and ecosystem preservation as the region approaches a population ceiling.

By green space and preservation it is not indicated that new construction is halted. Instead development has progressed in the area of master planned communities in which space can be micro-designed and buffer zones can be developed as forethought versus after.

Also referred to as Upper Tampa Bay, this region is one of the most populated. Veteran’s Expressway and Suncoast Parkway make commuting easy to any of the major downtowns or the airports. Homes have been affordable; there are an abundance of good schools and easy access to all the area beaches.

Northwestern Hillsborough Communities

Citrus Park is one of the more well-established areas of Northwestern Hillsborough County. Growth has literally sprung up around Citrus Park which is comprised of a number of smaller subdivisions. Citrus Park Mall and Town Center is one of the largest in the region. Westchase is a newer planned community designed to combine a traditional suburban community with a central village square, a concept made popular by Disney’s Celebration. The center of quaint Westchase is intended to resemble Main Street USA, with wide, breezy front porches and polished bungalows and cottage style homes.

Cheval, located in Lutz, is an exclusive gated golf community noted for its dual golf courses—the Tournament Players Course as well as the Main Cheval course. Here custom-built homes fitted to acre-plus lots start around $2,000,000 and go up. Cheval West, however, offers more affordable homes starting in the high 300s.

Other homes in the area include increasingly high-end properties on Lake Keystone, the second largest ski lake in Hillsborough County. This area is known as Odessa and is home to 25+ lakes, both ski-size and smaller. The area offers a rural, lakefront setting where homes sit on oversize and estate-size lots. Average home prices begin around $700,000.

Preservation

Hillsborough County began establishing a Greenway System a few years ago, clearing new mixed use pathways as well as converting antiquated railways to trails. The plan is to eventually have miles of interconnected greenway throughout the County. This territory is rich in lakes, so if boating, swimming or fishing is your hobby, call Barbara Jordan, your Tampa Realtor for all the latest listings in Northwestern Hillsborough County.

Barb Jordan is your Upper Tampa Bay Realtor and Tampa relocation specialist. She has residential homes, condos, town homes and land for sale in Northwestern Hillsborough County, as well as listings for exclusive golf communities and properties suited to investors. Call her for guidance on your qualifying 1031 Exchanges.