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Clearwater Introduction
Part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, Clearwater is a city in Pinellas County on Florida's central west coast. It is 35 minutes east of Tampa, and 30 minutes northwest of St. Petersburg. It is conveniently located near several main roads including 19, 580, and the Gulf to Bay Boulevard.
Clearwater Neighborhoods
Starting in 2006, Clearwater has instituted a Clearwater Awards for Neighborhoods program to reward neighborhoods for implementing "winning" programs in neighborhood improvement. The first awards will be given in September of 2007. The most recent neighborhood to win "Neighborhood of the Quarter" honors is the Harbor Oaks Neighborhood.
Clearwater Real Estate
As of 2005, there were an estimated 59,568 housing units in Clearwater, Florida (US Census Bureau). Roughly two thirds of the occupied housing in Clearwater was owner occupied, and a third was renter occupied. The owner occupancy rate for Clearwater was below the national rate as of 2005. 16.9% of Clearwater homes were vacant well above the national average.
Almost half (49.2%) of Clearwater's housing was built in the 1960s and 1970s. 21.5% was built prior to that, and 20.2% was built in the 1980s, 6.8% in the '90s, and 2.3% since. The most common configuration for Clearwater housing is four to seven rooms in size with two to three bedrooms. Under 10% of the housing has more rooms or bedrooms. The vast majority of Clearwater homes are heated by electricity.
As of 2005, the median value of a Clearwater home was $166,700 (US Census Bureau), which was essentially the same as the national average (167,500). 2005's median price represented a substantial increase in value over 2000 when the median value of a Clearwater home was $100,500. By the 2nd quarter of 2007, the median selling price of a Clearwater home was up to $181,000.
65.9% of Clearwater's owner-occupied homes have a mortgage. A quarter of these homeowners are accessing the equity in their home with equity loans and second mortgages.
Median owner costs for a home in Clearwater were $1,224 per month in 2005 (US Census), slightly below the national average.
Clearwater Property Taxes
The Pinellas County Tax Collector collects the property taxes for Clearwater and Pinellas County. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Office determines the value of all real estate in Clearwater for property tax purposes. As of 2005, the median annual property tax bill for an owner occupied house in Clearwater was $1,444.
Clearwater Schools
Clearwater is served by the Pinellas County Schools (PCS). The Pinellas County School District is the 22nd largest district in the United States and 7th largest in Florida. The Pinellas County School District has maintained a B grade for the last four years under the Florida's A+ Plan for Education.
For advanced education, Clearwater is home to Clearwater Christian College, St. Petersburg College, Everest University, and the Pinellas Technical Education Center.
Clearwater Economy
The metropolitan area of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater are joined together as a single, interrelated economy. According to US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the major economic sectors in this area are (in order of size of employment):
The Morton Plant Hospital located in Clearwater is one of the 50 largest employers in the State of Florida. According the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, there are over 35,000 business located in Pinellas County, making for a very vibrant economy.
According to 2005 US Census Bureau estimates, the median family income in Clearwater was $50,056 in 2005, which was below the national average ($55,832) and slightly below the average for Florida ($50,465).
Clearwater and Florida Mortgage and Real Estate Organizations
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Homes With No Mortgage | 29% |
| With A Mortgage | 71% |
| First Mortgage Only | 53% |
| Second Mortgage or Home Equity Loan | 18% |
| Second Mortgage Only | 10% |
| Home Equity Loan Only | 8% |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Owner Costs as % of Income | 19.5% |
| Median Real Estate Taxes (2000) | $1,179 |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Occupied | 48,255 |
| 1-Person Households | 35% |
| 2-Person Households | 37% |
| 3-Person Households | 13% |
| 4-Person Households | 9% |
| 5-Person Households | 4% |
| 6-Person Households | 1% |
| 7+-Person Households | 1% |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1973 |
| Median Year Built (Owner Occupied) | 1973 |
| Median Year Built (Renter Occupied) | 1974 |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Using Utility Co. Gas Heat | 6% |
| Using Bottled/Tank Gas Heat | 1% |
| Using Electric Heat | 90% |
| Using Oil Heat | 2% |
| Using Coal | 0% |
| Using Wood Heating | 0% |
| Using Solar Heat | 0% |
| Other Heating | 0% |
| No Heating | 0% |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| No Bedrooms | 0% |
| 1 Bedroom | 9% |
| 2 Bedrooms | 44% |
| 3 Bedrooms | 32% |
| 4 Bedrooms | 13% |
| 5+ Bedrooms | 2% |
Rate quotes from multiple lenders for the Clearwater area:
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