I’ve written a lot about Seminole, FL over the past few years and I realized it would be a good idea to create an ultimate guide into this amazing city that ties everything together.
Before we dive into our guide I’m going to list other articles I wrote on Seminole that will help give you more perspective on the area:
1) 7 Reasons You Should Buy A Home In Seminole, Florida – Written in March of 2017, this article discussed the growing trend of Seminole, FL becoming a hot real estate market and place to move.
Since this article was written (as of January 2020) the average homes sales price has increased from: $236,727 to $265,092 which is a 11.98% increase or approximately a $787 monthly increase over a 3 year period in value.
2) Seminole, FL Real Estate. How Much Will It Cost To Live There? – Written in June of 2017 it discussed the cost of living in Seminole mid 2017. Around mid 2017 the average sales price was $217,220 and I had wrote if it continued the trend it would be around $232,968.45.
As you can see from the stat above it ended up being $236,727 in the end which is even higher than I projected. While the future can sometimes be mysterious, it’s important to pay attention to trends and indicators in the past to get a better idea of where things might be heading.
3) Moving to Seminole, FL? Here’s 15 reasons why you’ll be thankful that you did – Written in March of 2018, Seminole was becoming a much more discussed city.
Often dwarfed by bigger cities like Clearwater and St Petersburg, Seminole now had more appeal than it ever did before with the growth of the mall Seminole City Center.
4) The Best Up & Coming Neighborhood in Seminole, Florida – Written in July of 2018, I noticed there was increased demand to be closer to the mall.
My neighborhood Ridgewood Groves (directly across from the mall) was attracting investors and buyers alike with properties being upgraded and even some conversions being made.
5) Seminole City Center Is Creating A Hot Real Estate Market In Seminole, FL – Written in August of 2018, I had received feedback requesting more information on the outdoor mall Seminole City Center which had become a big part of the economic growth in Seminole.
This article was designed to explain the history of the mall and why it was such an important development for Seminole.
It is now January 2020 as I write this article. As you can see it was long overdue for an update on Seminole, Florida.
In our ultimate guide I want to discuss 5 important topics that will give you even more knowledge of the Seminole real estate market.
Topic #1 – Client Feedback
One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to show people the new lifestyle living in our area can bring. I’ve been to beach cities, mountain towns, and I even grew up in the country and nothing in my mind compares to what our area has to offer.
While Seminole in many ways can be considered a beach town due to it’s close proximity to the beach (5-10 minute drive from most parts), it feels like the suburbs of a nice tropical area with easy access to many amenities.
I’m fortunate enough to live right across from Seminole City Center and I love the convenience of being able to drive there in literally a minute. I don’t know if you are a Chipotle fan, but ever since their opening the staff definitely know my face as I go there all the time.
Part of the reason I moved to Seminole was the central location, easy access to the beach, multiple parks, friendly environment and the growth of Seminole City Center mall. Anyone that has worked with me hears a lot about Seminole.
Most clients consider multiple cities in Pinellas but I’m starting to see more and more people leaning towards Seminole after exploring the area a bit.
Here’s some of the feedback I’ve received so far:
“I love how close it is to the beach and nothing is too far away.”
“I like that there’s great options for new construction and even gated communities.”
“We have visited the parks and really like the vibe of the area.”
“We really like that mall, we’ve gone several times and want to be somewhere near it”
“I feel safe here and like that I can easily get to the VA and beaches”
Topic #2 – Is There New or Newer Construction?
Fortunately, Seminole, FL does have some neighborhoods known for their new or newer construction (2010+ built).
Popular Single Family Home Neighborhoods Include:
Arabella Cove
Artisan Estates
Artisan Preserve
Crestview Estates
Kensington Isle
Oakhurst Shores
Pinellas Groves
Seminole Groves
Thurston Groves
West Ridge
Although there are a handful of neighborhoods that include newer construction homes built in 2010 or beyond, in 2019 alone there were only 40 new construction single family homes sold within this timeframe in Seminole. Many of these newer construction homes average $300,000 on the low end to well over a million dollars on the high end as of the year 2020.
Would you like to be kept in the loop on when these newer construction homes pop up in Seminole? Fill out the form below and we’ll set you up on a search through the Multiple Listing Service.
[ninja_form id=48]
Topic #3 – Should I Live In Seminole or St Petersburg?
We write a lot about St. Pete. As a matter of fact we write more about St Petersburg, FL on our website than any other city in the Tampa Bay Area. There’s no denying the appeal of St. Pete.
There’s so much development going on in the city and it’s one of the best locations to just hang out. We love St Pete so much we even have an office there!
So comparing Seminole which spans less than 6 square miles (land & water) vs St. Pete which covers over 137 square miles (land & water) might seem like a David vs Goliath moment.
However everyone is different right? What might be important to one person could be vastly different from another. To understand the two cities it’s important to recognize one of the biggest differences.
St Petersburg, FL has a real downtown area and Seminole, FL does not. A lot of the appeal of St Pete right now is the mix between history, development, walkability and the proximity to downtown.
Most St. Pete residents aren’t much closer to downtown St. Pete than someone who lives in Seminole, FL. On average it will take most Seminole residents 30 to 40 minutes to drive to downtown St. Pete vs those that live in St. Pete due to the size could be anywhere from 1 to 30 minutes.
On the other end, if you would rather get more house for the money, live closer to the beaches, and have lesser drive times to most of the other popular cities in Pinellas, Seminole might make more sense!
Where I currently live in Seminole, I’m able to get to Indian Shores Beach in about 5-7 minutes. What’s great is there isn’t nearly as much foot traffic on this beach so it’s a nice place to relax.
I can also get to Clearwater Beach in about 20 minutes and Dunedin a popular city with a great downtown in about 30 minutes.
As a father of two I love that I feel safe and comfortable in this area. I’m fortunate to have great neighbors, easy access to groceries and entertainment, plenty of parks to take my children to and I can enjoy all the other cities in the county without feeling too far away due to the central location.
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Topic #4 -How Much House Do I Get For The Dollar?
As you can see from the chart above there are fluctuations throughout each year. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the market is going up or down during those timeframes but is more reflective on the homes being sold.
If 40 homes sell in December and the majority of those homes have more updates, amenities, and better locations than the homes selling in November, you might see a healthy increase in price per heated square foot.
The same concept can be applied to homes that have more square feet vs others. If you take two virtually identical homes in the same neighborhood and one home has 500 more square feet vs the other, the home with the higher square footage in most cases will sale for a lower price per square foot.
All square feet are not created equal so how this ultimately translates is a home with extra square feet may not command the same price per square foot as a similar home in the same area.
As of January 2020 we are looking at approximately an average $160 per square foot for residential properties in the city of Seminole.
Topic #5 – What’s It Like Living Near The Beach?
I think about all the people that spend thousands of dollars to visit here every year and I can access it at anytime. It is a really good feeling when you can call this place your home. Also as a resident you get the inside scoop on knowing which beaches to check out and avoid during peak travel times.
Depending on what part of Seminole you are driving from you may end up on Indian Shores or Madeira Beach. Indian Shores is definitely the more tame of the two. A great place to have more beach to yourself and take in nature at it’s finest hour with our gorgeous sunsets.
If you want a little more entertainment beyond just the beach you can check out Madeira Beach also referred to by the locals as Mad Beach. On Mad Beach you have access to tons of restaurants and the famous John’s Pass boardwalk.
Overall when you end up living here you might not go to the beach everyday but it’s nice to know you have the option to.
In Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to read our ultimate guide on Seminole, Florida real estate! I’ll continue to update this so if there’s anything you need more information on don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at the727team@gmail.com