Second homes: All the joys of Florida in one spot
Florida is a huge second-home destination. It seems to have something for everyone: secluded beaches and urban buzz, golf communities and marinas, high-rises and bungalows at prices from ultra-luxury to shockingly affordable. It’s also diverse. The mansions of Palm Beach are far removed from the beach towns of the Panhandle and theme parks of Orlando.
But if everything that Florida offers came together in one place, it would be on the coast of Pinellas County. This includes Clearwater and St. Petersburg, just outside Tampa. It’s known by other names, including the Tampa Bay Area.
“We call it the ‘Nature Coast,’ ” says Debra Nobile of Innisbrook Real Estate Services. “The east coast (of Florida) is all big buildings and parking lots. Here, everything is nestled among the trees. There’s more beach. It’s more laid-back.”
Anthony Jaquinto, a longtime Realtor with Re/Max Realtec Group, says the area has great appeal to part-timers.