GAINSWave Therapy in Westchase, FL

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Real estate company Zillow released a new ranking of most popular places to buy a house in the U.S. and Florida made the top 10 list.

This time instead of Tampa or St. Petersburg, the ranking was elsewhere, but not far away. Westchase, just 30 minutes from Tampa, was the fourth most popular market to buy in across the U.S.

“The most popular markets so far this year paint a picture of how remote work has changed the U.S. housing landscape,” Zillow economist Nicole Bachaud said. “Demand for suburban homes found an extra gear last summer, perhaps as buyers gained more clarity in their employers’ return-to-office policies. Research suggests the rise of remote work is responsible for roughly half of home price growth during the pandemic. How many employers continue to allow this flexibility for employees to live where they choose will go a long way toward determining which markets are most in demand in the future.”

Zillow said the values of homes in the suburbs grew fast as buyer interest increased, “a reversal of previous norms” and different compared to the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said an embrace of remote work was a big part of the change, where home buyers were trying to “prioritize affordability and space over a short commute.”

Of the top 10 markets, Westchase was the only one in the Sunshine State. Zillow reported the typical Westchase home is worth $537,668, and that prices have gone up nearly 10% in the first three months of 2022.

Zooming out from Florida, home values across the U.S. are reportedly still growing, and up 20.9% in the past year. Zilow said the mix of rising costs and mortgage rates going up made monthly payments to buy a house 52.5% higher than in 2021. On top of that, higher costs have not slowed down the competition to buy.

“Homes are selling as fast as they ever have,” Zillow reported. “After only seven days for a typical home.” Almost half of those houses are also selling above list prices. The company said buyer demand is strong enough to keep the market in motion, even with rising mortgage rates.

They said it’s creating more challenges when it comes to how affordable buying a house is.

“Year-over-year home value growth set a record for the 13th consecutive month in April. The typical U.S. home is worth $344,141, 20.9% higher than a year ago. That record pace of growth comes despite rising mortgage rates eating away at what home buyers can afford,” Zillow said. “The monthly mortgage payment on the typical U.S. home is 11.7% higher than it would have been in March, and 52.5% higher than a year ago, assuming a 30-year mortgage with a 20% down payment.”

Zillow reported Tampa home prices are up 35% compared to last year.

Here’s the breakdown of top 10 cities people want to buy a house in, from Zillow.

For 17 years, Santa has taken time from his busy schedule to parade through the streets of Westchase.

But this parade is much more than a parade. It is a beloved annual tradition that offers the perfect opportunity to gather with neighbors for a driveway potluck party while awaiting Santa’s sleigh ride down your street. It is also an event – much like the Great West Chase and Thanksgiving Food Drive – that brings us together as a community to give back to those in need.

In fact, the parade was born out of a desire to do more for others. Dan O’Brien and Ralph Caputo launched the parade in 2005 with Santa, a firetruck, one simple float and a mission to raise awareness for the Westchase Charitable Foundation, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to assisting those in the community who have a family member battling a serious illness or who are faced with a tragedy. The parade also offered an opportunity to do even more for the community by requesting donations of unwrapped toys from those along the parade route that were then loaded onto Santa’s sleigh and delivered to local organizations serving children in need.

A Westchase tradition was born, and then it grew.

As with any community event, it takes a dedicated team of volunteers to make the parade possible each year. Alan Shabott is one of those volunteers. Each year, Shabott and his family devote countless hours to crafting floats and costumed creations that bring joy to everyone along the parade route. It all began when Shabott spied fellow Abbotsford resident Caputo constructing that first make-shift float on the bed of a U-Haul trailer. Shabott, who had honed his construction skills with DIY projects over the years, offered to help. The next year, he ventured out on his own, and in the process became the official Abbotsford float designer. Each year, he enlists friends and family to design and build a new float. “The goal is to make a new theme every year,” he said. Those themes have ranged from a gift-wrapped boat dubbed “Ye Mystic Crew of Claus” to kid favorites like Paw Patrol and Frozen to a large-scale sleigh that celebrated an “Abbotsford Grinchmas.”

Four years ago, that sleigh came in handy when parade organizers found out at the last minute that the firetruck used to transport Santa for years was no longer available. Thankfully, the Grinch’s sleigh was the perfect fit for Santa and is now his official mode of transportation through the neighborhood.

Over the years, Shabott has also amassed dozens of mascot costumes of beloved characters like Mickey Mouse, Elmo and Olaf. Each year, a selection of those characters can be seen riding along the 6-hour parade route on floats and in the back of pick-up trucks. Shabott admitted that what began as a hobby has become more of a service. This year, he and his family will build three floats: the Santa float, the Abbotsford float and a Boy Scout float. It’s a labor of love that has become a family affair with his kids and grandkids. “They don’t have a choice,” he said with a laugh.

In the end, all of the effort is well worth it. “Old, young… there is such an outpouring of love from everyone,” Shabott said. “I get chills at the end of the night when I see just how many toys we’ve collected. What you see in the end makes it all worth it.”

And the effort is much appreciated by residents. Woodbay resident Emily Grime was thrilled to see the parade come down her street last year and is prepping for this year’s parade. “It was a great success. We are thankful and grateful to be included in the new route as there are many children who live in the community and were overjoyed to see Santa,” she said. “It really kicked off the season with hope and joy. The neighborhood also hosted a potluck event, so it was lovely to mingle with friends, meet new neighbors and all celebrate the upcoming holidays.”

Organizers Thank Parade Sponsors

The parade, while organized by Ralph Caputo and Brandon O’Brien, is proudly brought to you by a number of local organizations, businesses and families, who help underwrite the event’s costs and support the volunteers. These include lead sponsors, Taylor Financial and the WOW. The Westchase Community Development District’s (CDD) board of supervisors also makes the event possible by providing off-duty deputies for parade safety and traffic control. This year’s luncheon, which feeds parade volunteers during the mid-day parade break, is once again being generously hosted by the Metzger Family of Radcliffe. Food for the officers will be provided by Tampa Pizza Company.

Residents interested in participating in the parade by putting together a float can still contact parade organizers Ralph Caputo at thecaputos@yahoo.com or Brandon O’Brien at brandono850@gmail.com.

Toy Donations

Once again, unwrapped gifts will be collected along the parade route for the Boys and Girls Club of Town ‘n Country. In addition, this year, after the needs of the local organization have been met, any excess toys will go to an organization who will distribute them to children in Southwest Florida directly affected by Hurricane Ian.

Tracking Santa

Residents hoping to track Santa’s progress can save the following link, http://glympse.com/!westchasesanta, to your phone or your computer and click on it at noon on Saturday, Dec. 10.

While you are encouraged to click on the link at noon, the cursor marking Santa’s whereabouts won’t become active until roughly 2 p.m., the parade’s official start time.

Parade Route

The parade route can be found on the map running with this article. The highlighted roads in red indicate where Santa’s sleigh will travel. The length of the route and time it takes Santa to travel it makes it very difficult to add roads.

Residents are encouraged to follow the Santa tracker and greet Santa on the nearest road as he passes. Or better yet, head over to a friend’s house along the route for a holiday celebration.

All residents are invited to attend the tree lighting in West Park Village at approximately 8 p.m. There, Santa will get down from the truck, light the tree and greet the families who are gathered.

Florida is typically known for its gorgeous white-sand beaches, but the abundance of natural springs found in the state are equally impressive.

Florida springs offer crystal clear, cool water that is perfect for swimming, tubing and kayaking year-round, but they are particularly refreshing in the heart of summer. Below are six springs, some nearby, others a bit of a drive, and all perfect spots to cool off on a hot summer day.

Lithia Springs Park is well-known for its natural springs, which flow year-round at a crisp 72 degrees into the Alafia River. It is a great spot to swim, but the park also offers fishing, volleyball, picnic tables with a playground within view. Camping is also available for those who want to extend their stay.

Location: 3932 Lithia Springs Rd., Lithia, FL 33547 Summer hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Cost: $2 per vehicle park admission (up to 8 people); swimming $2 per person

Weeki Wachee may be known for their mermaids, but they are also a great spot to cool off in beautiful, brisk spring water. Here, guests of all ages can enjoy swimming, tubing, kayaking and tons of fun in Buccaneer Bay Water park, which includes a water slide, lazy river and kiddie pool all in gorgeous spring water. This is definitely not your typical water park. There is also a Wilderness River Cruise that runs daily from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Location: 6131 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, FL 34606 Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cost: $13 for adults, $8 for children ages 6 to 12. Ages 5 and under admitted free.

Rainbow Springs is roughly an hour and a half north of Tampa in Dunnellon. With its crisp, crystal clear water that flows into the Rainbow River, this is one of the most popular tubing destinations during the summer months. The adjacent spring is perfect for swimming and snorkeling, and the hiking trails that surround the spring feature some of the tallest waterfalls in Florida. This site is an easy day trip, but weekends are packed and the park closes when it reaches capacity. The best bet is to go on a weekday and to go early. For those hoping for a weekend, arrive before the park opens. Camping is available for those who don’t want to make an early drive.

Location: 19158 S.W. 81st Place Rd, Dunnellon FL 34432 Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, daily Cost: Park entrance is $2 per person (under 6, free); Tubing is an additional cost.

Wekiwa Springs This unique park just minutes from downtown Orlando features emerald springs feeding the Wekiwa River and lush tropical hammocks perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day. The crystal-clear water is a refreshing 72 degrees year-round. The swimming area at the spring is just over a half-acre in size with an average depth of four feet and is surrounded by wide-open grassy spaces perfect for picnicking. This is also a great place to snorkel.

Location: 1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka FL 32712 Hours: 8 a.m.-sundown, daily Cost: $6 per vehicle

This area features spring-fed rivers, lush canopies and cool swimming hole, making it a perfect spot for both tubing and swimming. Tubing is available year round. With two drop-in spots. Swimming is available at either Ichetucknee Spring (head spring) or Blue Hole Spring, but it’s important to note Blue Hole Spring is for experience swimmers only due to its depth and current. The area is also home to 2,669-acre Ichetucknee Springs State Park, which is a wildlife haven where beaver, otter, gar, softshell turtle, wild turkey, wood duck and limpkin all find a home. This area is a bit of a drive from Tampa, so book a campsite in advance to make the most of your stay.

Location: 12087 S.W. U.S. Hwy 27, Fort White, FL 32038 Hours: 8 a.m. to sundown, daily Cost: $6 per vehicle; Tubing is an additional charge and information can be found here.

These springs, located in the Ocala National Forest, are a bit of a trek from Tampa, but worth the drive. Known for being one of the oldest recreation centers on the East coast, this place has it all. During the day, enjoy swimming snorkeling, picnicking, bird watching, paddling and hiking. This site tends to be packed on weekends and does close when capacity is reached. Make it a vacation by booking a camp site and arriving at the recreation area early in the day to take advantage of these gorgeous springs.

Location: 26701 E Highway 40, Silver Springs, FL 34488 Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m., daily Cost: $8 on weekdays and $11 on weekends; Camp sites are additional.

By Karen Ring

Tampa and Sarasota are among the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released by Money.

FLORIDA — Tampa and Sarasota in Florida are among the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released this week by Money.

The 2022 ranking of 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. includes cities that offer the best in what matters most to residents: economic opportunities, quality of life, and diversity, according to Money. This year, researchers also set out to feature a more diverse list of cities than in past years.

“We kept returning to the question, ‘best places to live for whom?’” researchers said on Money’s website. “(Previous cities were) often quaint, affordable — and unintentionally yet overwhelmingly white. We wanted to create a more welcoming list for a broader group of people this year, so we restructured our data gathering and ranking processes to reflect that priority.”

Tampa ranked the highest on the list among cities in Florida at No. 9 on the list. With a population of 379,742 people, Tampa residents have a median household income of $70,145, while the city’s unemployment rate is 2.7 percent.

Here is some of what Money found to be among Tampa's assets: "Tampa is a rare combination of action-packed and affordable: The median home sale price is about $381,000, one of the lowest on our list, and you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck. There’s nightlife galore in the Ybor City district. Tampa’s 20- and 30-somethings also flock to spots like Angry Chair Brewing, which serves its famous stouts alongside kitchen faves like pickle dip, and Taco Bus, which was dishing burritos out of its yellow school bus way before food trucks were cool.

"The Tampa Bay area — which includes nearby cities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater — is bursting with culture. Check out Surrealist art at the Dalí Museum or see a touring Broadway show at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. Go to the beach or Busch Gardens, home of the award-winning Iron Gwazi roller coaster. And don’t miss Gasparilla, an annual pirate festival with a Mardi Gras-style parade."

Sarasota ranked No. 43 on the list. With a population of 56,115 people, Tampa residents have a median household income of $64,142, while the city’s unemployment rate is 2.6 percent.

Among the top selling points for Sarasota, Money says: "Located on the west coast of Florida, Sarasota is a paradise for beach, culture and wildlife lovers. Sunbathers can enjoy sandy stretches on nearby Siesta Key (which has a thriving social scene — ever seen that MTV reality show?) and Longboat Key (where hundreds of sea turtles lay their eggs every year).

"Art fans won’t feel out of place, either. Sarasota boasts the Ringling Museum, a museum built by circus operator John Ringling and his wife in the 1920s. Styled after the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, the museum is home to pieces from artists like Peter Paul Rubens as well as a massive courtyard filled with bronze cast statues — including a replica of Michelangelo’s David.

Also included on the list is Altamonte Springs north of Orlando, ranked 38th.

To determine the cities on this year’s list, Money analyzed data in nine different areas: cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity, education, fun and amenities, health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finance, and quality of life.

Data was collected from several sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Read more about the methodology for Money’s Best Places To Live.

The top city on this year’s list is Atlanta, Georgia.

“This is no accident,” researchers said. “At a time when people are becoming much more introspective about their role in society, our goal this year was to name a number one where anyone can feel like they belong. And for that, Atlanta is hard to beat.”

Following Atlanta is Tempe, Arizona, at No. 2, and Kirkland, Washington, at No. 3.

See the full list of Best Places To Live.

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TAMPA BAY, FL — Even with high inflation rates and the increasing cost of electricity, holiday lights lovers won't be deterred from their mission to adorn their homes with thousands of Christmas lights, an assortment of Christmas inflatables and animated characters, much to the relief of families who love driving around, looking at all the festive displays.

Here are some places to see over-the-top light displays in Tampa Bay this year:

Each year, Blake Real Estate will host its annual Pinellas County Christmas Lights Competition, giving one lucky family a chance to win a $1,000 cash prize based on voting by their neighbors.

Click here to see a map of the locations of homes in the competition.

Decorated houses in the running include:

The annual Temple Terrace Light Show takes place nightly from 6 to 11 p.m. with snow for 15 minutes at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. all along River Ridge Drive in Temple Terrace.

The Christmas light display includes more than 50,000 computerized lights synchronized to music broadcast on 95.5 FM.

Thirteen neighbors on Quintessa Lane in Fishhawk West are lighting up their cul-de-sac as part of a Star Wars-themed Christmas display. The third annual Merry "Sithmas" features more than 100 custom-made light sabers along with beloved characters from the Star Wars series, including life-size mannequins of C3PO, R2-D2, Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. The lights are synchronized to "Star Wars" and Christmas music. It will be open every night at 6 p.m. through New Year's Eve.

This year's light show is raising funds for Hurricane Ian and Nicole victims. The neighborhood has set up a GoFundMe page here. Or those driving by can hand a donation to the neighbors.

Although the neighborhood is small, Mike and Kathy Morbach and their neighbors love lighting up their homes for the holidays. Brian's Pond Road is located just off Sparkman Road in Plant City.

While more subdued, fitting the traditions of the times when they were built, the historic homes of Church Street in downtown Dade City are also worth a stroll. In fact, the annual Church Street Christmas Stroll is set for Dec. 21 to 23 from 7 to 9 p.m.

This free classic annual holiday event will feature carolers, choirs, dancers and musicians performing along sidewalks lit with luminarias. Santa will be on hand as well. Click here.

The Burton family hosts a nightly light show at their home at 2014 Sydney Road in Valrico from 7 to 11 p.m. Each year, Rodney and Audra Burton share their Christmas spirit with the community by decorating and lighting up their house with more than 75,000 lights, two lights and decorated 20-foot trees, three matrix screens and a light show synchronized to music. Click here for more information.

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