New Heights Elementary School

It's a practical, connected part of St Petersburg with quick access to both the beaches and Tampa, which sits about 24 minutes away. The area feeds into schools including Boca Ciega High School, and with 120 homes sold in the last year it's an established, active community rather than a quiet backwater.

Compared to much of St Petersburg, this zone is relatively affordable, with a median list price of $345,000 and active listings ranging from $54,900 all the way to $1.25 million. Only one home currently on the market is priced above $1 million, so the bulk of inventory sits in a more attainable range.

Expect around $294 per square foot, with a median home size near 1,165 square feet. Over the past 12 months the median sold price was $310,000, a bit under the current $345,000 median list price, which tells you sellers are pricing with some room to negotiate.

It's balanced and moving at a steady pace — homes are selling in a median of 28 days, and sellers are averaging about 96% of their asking price. With 31 active listings including four new-construction homes, buyers have genuine choice on the live map without the pressure of a runaway market.

The median HOA runs about $428 a month, though that varies widely by property type and won't apply to every home. Median property taxes come in around $3,144 a year, and if you're weighing renting versus buying, the median rent locally is about $1,795 a month.