A recent report by SmartAsset ranked Tampa and St. Petersburg among the six most affordable big cities in Florida.

To compile the rankings, SmartAsset looked at the closing costs, real estate taxes, homeowners insurance and mortgage rates for every city with a population over 200,000. Those data points were used to create an affordability index. The full methodology can be found here.

Tampa ranked as the third most affordable big city in the state with an affordability index of 39.14. The city ranked in the middle of the pack for all data points, helping it place at No. 3.

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Kiplinger's Original Article

Every day Florida's population swells by more than 1,000 people, many of them retirees relocating for the second halves of their lives. There's little mystery why: Even in the coldest months of the year, the average daily high is at least 70 degrees, and the temperature rarely dips below 50 in the Sunshine State.

Are you a fan of mid century modern, modern or contemporary style homes? The builders in Sarasota, Florida are very busy filling the demand for home buyers of this style. St. Petersburg builders/home buyers seem to also love the mid century modern, modern or contemporary style as well. Take a drive by the condos and single family homes under construction and you will see this style throughout. Many people appreciate the simplicity, clean lines and minimalistic feel of this style. I also believe that so much of our new construction comprised of Spanish-Mediterranean style for 15+ years that people were welcoming a change from that style. 

Below are 11 contemporary/modern homes for sale. They are in no particular order. Click on the address to view more photos. 

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A new ranking by the real estate site Zumper calls St. Petersburg the most pet friendly city in the country, with Tampa following closely behind.

The ranking calculated scores for 95 American cities in three categories: ease of owning a pet, places to play and the number of home rental listings that allow animals.

Ease was based on the number of pet stores, veterinarians and pet-friendly restaurants listed on Yelp, as well as the cost of pet insurance. Play scores were based on the number of dog parks per capita, the percentage of each city's area set aside for parks in general, pleasant weather and a city's walkability according to WalkScore...

Fodor's Travel recently chose 11 Under-the-Radar Florida beaches to visit this winter. On their list was the gorgeous Pass-a-Grille beach.

Here’s the thing about Florida: You visit time and again, and you’re quite sure you know the state and its glorious sandy stretches pretty well. But there’s always a surprise waiting for those who stray from the classic Panama City–Orlando–Miami–Key West stops. From Atlantic coast enclaves that locals try to keep to themselves to subtropical islands dotting the Gulf of Mexico, from the Tampa Gulf and the Florida Panhandle, most...

Looking for a waterfront home in the St. Petersburg, FL area with magnificent water views? Does the canal view below not excite you very much? 

Five Fabulous Water View Homes for Under $700,000

Click on the photos below to view more information.

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Whether it's your primary residence, secondary home or seasonal getaway, furnishing a home can be a burdensome task. If you enjoy interior design as a hobby or find enjoyment crafting a space to your taste, comfortably furnishing a home to live in can be a big process. One option buyers can consider when buying a home is to focus your search on "turn-key" properties. These are listings that come equip with many of the interior necessities such as couches, tables, beds and more. They may even include fully stocked kitchens with plates, silverware and cookware. The inventory of listings sold completely furnished is limited so be sure to discuess with your Realtor that you're looking for turn-key properties and request an inventory sheet of everything that comes in the sale. For those interested in properties like this, here are 5 turn-key properties on the market right now that are ready for you to start living your best life.

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Have you ever driven by that huge mansion and wonder what it's like inside? Take a walk through the the most expensive home for sale in St. Petersburg. 

14275 Siesta Road, Largo, FL 

Follow this link to see more information. If this home sells or is taken off the market then this link may not work.