Tampa
Mortgages

Tampa by the numbers

Median prices: Florida Realtors, August 2026 metro report. Loan limits: HUD and FHFA.

The metro's median single-family price sits well under Hillsborough County's FHA limit, which keeps FHA, conventional and down payment assistance in play for most of the county. South Tampa is the exception: Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, Bayshore and Davis Islands often run past the $832,750 conforming limit into jumbo territory.

What buyers in Tampa should know

• Check flood risk in South Tampa. Hurricane Helene's 2024 surge flooded parts of Davis Islands, Bayshore and other low-lying South Tampa streets. Get the elevation certificate and a flood quote before you offer.
• New construction often comes with a CDD. Many subdivisions in Riverview, Apollo Beach, Wimauma and nearby Wesley Chapel carry Community Development District assessments on the tax bill, and lenders count them in your debt-to-income ratio.
• Downtown and Channel District condos need a building that passes the lender's condo review. Check before you fall for a unit. See condo financing.
• Investors near USF and Seminole Heights often use DSCR loans to qualify on rent instead of personal income.
• Teachers, nurses and first responders should check Hometown Heroes. Hillsborough has one of the largest school districts and hospital systems in the state.

Where buyers look

• South Tampa (Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, Bayshore, Davis Islands): older homes and new builds close to downtown, often jumbo.
• Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights: historic bungalows, popular with first-time buyers and investors.
• Westchase and Town 'n' Country: established suburbs near the airport and Westshore offices.
• New Tampa: newer subdivisions in the north end of the city.
• Brandon and Riverview: the county's main first-time and new-construction market.
• Downtown and the Channel District: high-rise condos near the Riverwalk.

Homestead and property taxes

File for the homestead exemption with the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser by March 1 of the year after you close. Your bill resets to the new assessed value after a sale, so don't budget on the seller's taxes.