Plus one HUGE perk to the greater TB area is medical care! Unfortunately, the medical care is just not good enough for people as they age. My mother (now a snowbird) lives in DC in a retirement community part of the year, but also in FL. She sold her home in 2019 near FWB because she's not confident in the medical care system in the panhandle. She gets state-of-the-art care in Bethesda, etc. They aren't on the water anymore and bought a villa in a community called Waterset in Apollo Beach. Actually during the pandemic, they rented it out during the months they weren't using it for about 3K per month. Rents in FL have also skyrocketed. We like that area as well, but it's not a secret anymore. The southshore area is growing like wildfire, while the roads and schools can't keep up. We expect it'll be just one development after another going from Tampa to Sarasota within a few years. Manatee Co is growing like crazy. When we checked, the property taxes were the most affordable in Hillsborough. My husband thinks that's because they divide the expenses by more people, making it more affordable to provide more services for less money per household. However, it's denser and more traffic etc.... What's nice about the area is you really feel like you're in a small town but right next to a city. We like a local butcher there (fantastic!), Mom & Pop restaurants, a couple nice places on the water. Retirees mixed with people of all ages makes it very comfortable. My mother said she just doesn't like being around all elderly people all the time (I agree). Getting out there with younger folks energizes her and helps level out her anxieties and perspectives on things. If we were 55+, we would be keeping a close eye on places in the Apollo Beach area that go up for sale. Mirabay is a fantastic development but the HOA and CDD fees are $$$. Depends on what you want. Waterfront is pricey but much more affordable than South Tampa, although it's not a secret anymore. We put an offer on a home in Apollo Beach back in 2019. The deal fell through in negotiations, counters, etc. When the pandemic hit, we were glad we didn't take on that project (the home needed repairs, it was on the water), however, that home now is remodeled by a new owner and the value has skyrocketed.