If you're an environment-loving, "green"-minded, at-one-with-nature kind of person, Fish Hawk, Florida, has your name written all over it. Located just outside Tampa, Fish Hawk is known throughout the region as a "green" community. Honored by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the State of Florida for its preservation efforts, it's no surprise that the community was once an undeveloped wildlife habitat in its former life.
Stretching only 16.4 miles, Fish Hawk is a tight-knit community with just over 14,000 residents (at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census). If you're in the market for beautiful housing for rent, Fish Hawk delivers. Whether you want house rentals in a "Wisteria Lane" subdivision or a smaller kid-friendly neighborhood, Fish Hawk has a variety of options for a wide range of budgets and family sizes. However, if you're looking for something closer to a 2-bedroom apartment for rent in apartment complexes or a condo-style space in apartment homes, you may have a harder time finding available complexes or multi-family units in Fish Hawk. If this is the case, try looking at some of the surrounding areas, including Riverview, Brandon, and Tampa.
The Many Neighborhoods of Fish Hawk
Dorman Browning: Located on the east side of Fish Hawk, Dorman Browning is an upscale subdivision community with approximately 50 residents. The small community's ideal location is close to downtown Tampa, Brandon, and Lutz. If you need to get out of the house, Dorman Browning is also near major highways, the airport, restaurants, and entertainment.
Fish Hawk Trails: When you enter the subdivision of Fish Hawk Trails, you'll feel as if you stepped back in time. With wide streets lined with grand houses, moss-filled trees, and gorgeous ponds, Fish Hawk Trails honors its southern roots. The few-and-far-between rentals you find in this 400-home community consist mainly of single-family homes and are above the average rental cost for the surrounding region. However, with higher rent comes better amenities. Fish Hawk Trails offers 24-hour security, over four miles of paved trails, parks, ponds, tennis courts, baseball fields, and soccer fields. Fish Hawk Trails is just 35 minutes to downtown Tampa, 45 minutes to the airport, and about an hour to beautiful beaches.
FishHawk Ranch: Although this subdivision used to be a working ranch, you're unlikely to find John Wayne, Buddy from "Hey Dude," or any Wild West characters in FishHawk Ranch. Holding true to it's nature-inspired history, the 3,500-person community was the first certified green new-home community in Hillsborough County. Twenty-five miles of trails run throughout the community, allowing residents to get into nature without leaving their neighborhood. What started as a ranch, turned into a small neighborhood and now has evolved into its own small-town community with over 1,200 homes within it. Rentals in FishHawk Ranch do exist, although they are sometimes difficult to come by. Whether you're looking for a small home for a family of two to three or a larger home on a sprawling lot for a family of five to six, FishHawk Ranch has a variety of homes with varying styles. If you're part of the military, you'll feel right at home in this community. Many military families call it home because of its close vicinity, just 30 miles, from the Air Force Base. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Commuter Express conveniently makes several trips to and from the base during the week. Unlike many of the communities in Fish Hawk, FishHawk Ranch is unique in that many restaurants and shops are right in the community. Expect to bump into your neighbors when you're out and about!
Living in Fish Hawk
When you consider that it's just a 30-minute commute to Tampa and the beach, house rent in Fish Hawk is affordable based on its location, amenities, "green" reputation, and small community vibe. Keep in mind that you'll want a vehicle to get around in Fish Hawk; the community is car-dependent with a low WalkScore of 37 overall. Although the individual subdivisions of Fish Hawk don't boast many restaurants, the area's larger community of Lithia is home to a variety of restaurants, bars, shops, and more.