Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater
Tampa real estate: find a licensed local agent, with help in Russian
Tampa homes sold for a median $449,786 in the three months ending September 2026, up 4.9% on a year earlier, and took a median 60 days to sell (Redfin). Across the bay, St. Petersburg’s median was $424,748. Buying or selling here goes best with a licensed agent who works mainly in Tampa Bay, and you can find one with help in English or Russian.
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
At a glance
Tampa Bay in six facts
Tampa Bay is three cities on one bay on Florida’s west coast. Tampa sits on the east shore in Hillsborough County; St. Petersburg and Clearwater share the Pinellas peninsula across the water. Every figure below names its source and month.
Facts checked November 8, 2026.
- Counties
- Hillsborough and PinellasTampa is in Hillsborough County (1,574,115 people). St. Petersburg and Clearwater are in Pinellas County (948,563). Estimates for July 1, 2025.U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimates
- Tampa population
- 413,554City estimate for July 1, 2025. The Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater metro area counts 3,418,895 people across four counties.U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimates
- Median sale price, Tampa
- $449,786Three months ending September 2026, all home types, up 4.9% on a year earlier. St. Petersburg: $424,748.Redfin, Tampa housing market
- Days on market, Tampa
- 60 daysMedian for the three months ending September 2026, up from 45 a year earlier. Homes sold for 96.7% of the list price.Redfin, Tampa housing market
- Drive from downtown Tampa, no traffic
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- Downtown Orlando, 84.8 mi 99 min
- Tampa airport (TPA), 7.9 mi 13 min
- St. Petersburg, 22.9 mi 32 min
- Clearwater, 23.0 mi 37 min
- City tax rate, Tampa
- 6.2076 millsThe City of Tampa’s own rate for October 2026 to September 2027. County, school and other levies are added on top.City of Tampa, Ordinance 2026-95
The area
Three cities around one bay
Bridges and causeways tie the two shores together, so many buyers look on both sides of the water before they choose.
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Tampa
Hillsborough County · 413,554 peopleThe largest of the three, on the east shore of the bay. I 4 runs east toward Orlando and I 75 passes east of the city. Tampa International Airport (TPA) is 13 minutes from downtown without traffic.
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St. Petersburg
Pinellas County · 264,033 peopleAt the south end of the Pinellas peninsula, 32 minutes from downtown Tampa on I 275 without traffic. South of the city, I 275 crosses the mouth of the bay on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The PIE airport in Clearwater is 20 minutes away.
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Clearwater
Pinellas County · 114,364 peopleOn the west side of the peninsula, 37 minutes from downtown Tampa without traffic. SR 60 crosses Old Tampa Bay toward it on the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The PIE airport is 19 minutes from the city center.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, estimates for July 1, 2025; drive times from OSRM routing, November 8, 2026, without traffic; roads and bridges from OpenStreetMap; airports: tampaairport.com and fly2pie.com.
Prices
What homes sell for in Tampa and St. Petersburg
Both markets moved up over the year, and homes took about two months to sell. These are city wide medians for all home types.
| Median sale price | $449,786up 4.9% on a year earlier |
|---|---|
| Price per square foot | $296up 5.3% |
| Median days on market | 6045 a year earlier |
| Sale price to list price | 96.7%up 0.4 point |
| Sold above list price | 14.7% |
| Homes sold in September | 1,3061,336 a year earlier |
Source: Redfin, Tampa housing market, read November 8, 2026.
| Median sale price | $424,748up 6.5% on a year earlier |
|---|---|
| Price per square foot | $314up 1.8% |
| Median days on market | 61the same as a year earlier |
| Sale price to list price | 96.2%up 1.3 points |
| Sold above list price | 12.0% |
| Homes sold in September | 1,1721,151 a year earlier |
Source: Redfin, St. Petersburg housing market, read November 8, 2026.
Redfin rates both markets “Somewhat Competitive” (a Compete Score of 40 in Tampa and 35 in St. Petersburg). It does not say whether its city figures follow city limits or mailing addresses, so read them as a guide to each market, not a price for one street. Clearwater figures could not be checked for this page on November 8, 2026, so none are shown. A local agent can pull recent sales for the exact streets you like.
Before you buy
Five things to check in Tampa Bay
Each one depends on the exact address, so check it before you make an offer, not after.
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The flood zone and insurance quotes
Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and read FloodSmart for flood insurance basics. Ask several insurers for quotes before you make an offer; Citizens Property Insurance is one name you will hear.
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Two reports for any condo building
Florida requires a milestone inspection for condo buildings three habitable stories or taller by the end of the year the building turns 30, then every 10 years (Fla. Stat. 553.899), and a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years (Fla. Stat. 718.112). Ask the association for the latest of each.
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The tax rate where the home sits
Tampa’s city rate is 6.2076 mills for October 2026 to September 2027. St. Petersburg levied 6.4525 mills and Clearwater 5.8850 for the year that began October 2025 (Pinellas County Tax Collector). County and school levies come on top, so check the parcel with the Hillsborough or Pinellas Property Appraiser. If the home will be your permanent residence, Florida’s homestead exemption can lower the taxable value: apply by March 1 (Fla. Stat. 196.011).
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Rental plans, before you sign
As of August 27, 2026, the City of Tampa had no short term rental registration program (City Attorney memo), and a 2022 appeals ruling upheld a city code violation for rentals shorter than a week in a single family district (Super Host v. City of Tampa). A vacation rental also needs a state license from the Florida DBPR. Rules depend on the exact address and zoning, so check with the city and the county before you buy for rental income.
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The school district for the address
Tampa addresses are served by Hillsborough County Public Schools; St. Petersburg and Clearwater addresses by Pinellas County Schools. The assigned school depends on the exact address, so ask the district.
The steps every Florida purchase shares are in How to buy a home in Florida, and what buyers pay at the end is in buyer closing costs.
How it works
How the introduction works
Tampa Bay purchases and sales are handled by a licensed agent who works there. Zoya finds and checks that agent with you.
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Tell me your plans.
Call, WhatsApp or use the form, in English or Russian: which side of the bay, a house or a condo, buying or selling, and when.
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I look for the agent.
I check the license with the State of Florida, the agent’s recent work in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Clearwater and client reviews, and I talk with the agent first. If you want to work in Russian, I look for an agent who speaks it and tell you before the introduction if I cannot find one.
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You decide.
I give you the agent’s name and brokerage. Your details go to that agent only after you say yes, and you can ask for someone else.
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I stay in touch.
The agent handles your search or sale on the ground; I check in and answer general questions in English or Russian.
Who does what
Zoya and the Tampa Bay agent
| Zoya | Tampa Bay agent |
|---|---|
| Listens to your plans in English or Russian | Shows homes around the bay or markets your home |
| Checks and chooses a licensed agent | Advises on price and negotiates |
| Introduces you after you agree | Prepares the contract and works with the closing |
| Stays in touch while you search or sell | Represents you under a written agreement with you |
Tampa Bay or Orlando
Weighing the Orlando side too?
Downtown Orlando is about 1 hour 40 minutes from downtown Tampa without traffic, and Orlando International Airport (MCO) about 1 hour 45 minutes. Rush hour on I 4 adds more.
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
Redfin’s September 2026 figures put the median sale price at $405,033 in Orlando and $346,835 in Davenport, the Polk County city southwest of Orlando near I 4, where half the homes were built in 2015 or later (Census, 2020 to 2024 estimates). Zoya works with buyers and sellers in Central Florida herself, so if the Orlando side suits you, she can help you there directly.
Looking further south along the coast? Find an agent in Sarasota.
Sources: Redfin housing market pages for Orlando and Davenport; Census table B25035; OSRM routing to MCO, November 8, 2026.
Questions
Buying and selling in Tampa Bay: questions and answers
What does a home cost in Tampa right now?
The median sale price in Tampa was $449,786 in the three months ending September 2026, up 4.9% on a year earlier, or $296 per square foot (Redfin, all home types). In St. Petersburg it was $424,748. Prices swing a lot between streets and home types, so ask the local agent for recent sales near the homes you like.
How long does it take to sell a home in Tampa?
The median Tampa home took 60 days to sell in the three months ending September 2026, up from 45 days a year earlier, and sold for 96.7% of its list price; 14.7% sold above list (Redfin). In St. Petersburg the median was 61 days at 96.2% of list.
How much are property taxes in Tampa?
It depends on the home’s taxable value, your exemptions and every levy at that address. The City of Tampa’s own rate is 6.2076 mills for October 2026 to September 2027, about $6.21 for every $1,000 of taxable value, and county, school and other levies are added. The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser shows the estimate for each parcel. If the home will be your permanent residence, apply for the homestead exemption by March 1.
Can I buy a home in Tampa to rent out short term?
Check first. A 2022 appeals ruling upheld a City of Tampa code violation for rentals shorter than a week in a single family district, and a vacation rental also needs a Florida DBPR license. Rules depend on the exact address and zoning, so check with the city and the county before you buy for rental income.
What should I check before buying a condo in Tampa Bay?
Ask the association for the building’s milestone inspection report and its latest structural integrity reserve study, both required by Florida law for buildings three habitable stories or taller. Check the flood zone for the exact address with FEMA, and get insurance quotes before you make an offer.
Are you a Tampa agent, and what does the introduction cost?
No, I am not. I am licensed in Florida and work in Central Florida with Olympus Executive Realty; in Tampa Bay a licensed local agent handles your purchase or sale. There is no separate charge to you: if that agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it pays my brokerage out of its commission. You agree the terms of service with the local agent, in writing.
Talk to Zoya
Buying or selling in Tampa Bay?
Tell Zoya which city, what kind of home and your timing. She answers in English or Russian and explains each step before anything is shared.
- Call(609) 408-7086Olympus Executive Realty
- TextSend a textOlympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
- WhatsAppMessage ZoyaOlympus Executive Realty
- Emailrealtor@zoyasells.comOlympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive, Montverde, FL 34756
About this page.
Zoya Solovyeva is a Florida licensed real estate sales associate with Olympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive[CONFIRM: , Suite 6], Montverde, FL 34756. She works with clients in Orlando and Central Florida. She has no office in Tampa Bay and does not show homes or write offers there herself. For Tampa Bay, she refers you to a licensed Florida agent who works mainly in that area, and she shares your details with that agent only after you agree. If she cannot find a suitable agent, she tells you and shares your details with no one. The partner agent works for a different brokerage, which supervises that agent’s work. If the partner agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it is paid to Olympus Executive Realty out of that brokerage’s commission, and Zoya may receive a share from Olympus Executive Realty. It is not a separate charge to you.
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Facts checked November 8, 2026. Sources are linked beside each figure: the U.S. Census Bureau, Redfin, OSRM routing, OpenStreetMap, the City of Tampa, the Pinellas County Tax Collector, the Florida Statutes, FEMA and the two school districts.