Tierra Verde Real Estate – Why Homeowners and Cities Alike Want a Piece of this Island Paradise

Tucked away on an island raised from the water and navigable by canals, you’ll find some of the nation’s most desirable real estate. Tierra Verde – “green land” in Spanish – is home of Fort de Soto, named America’s No. 1 beach in 2005.

For the last 25 years, the beautiful island has remained unincorporated and a separate entity from surrounding Florida areas St. Pete and St. Petersburg. However, the opportunities and real estate of Tierra Verde have long been attractive to the larger areas nearby, and recently St. Petersburg filed an application with Pinellas County to formally annex commercial areas on the barrier island.

Tierra Verde is mainly residential and home to about 3,500 people and a total area of 667 acres. Originally composed of 15 separate islands, an early developer’s vision built Tierra Verde up into one main island with canals between landmasses, creating a waterway now enjoyed by kayakers. The canals are scientifically engineered so that the Gulf of Mexico's tidal actions help sweep the waterways clean. The 15 original islands now comprise the present six areas of Tierra Verde: Monte Cristo, Entrada, Pinellas Bayway, Sands Point, East Shore (Bayview) and West Shore (Oceanview.)

The area to be most immediately affected by annexation is the commercial area near the foot of the bridge connecting the island to St. Petersburg. The application lists the Tierra Verde Marina, the Tierra Verde Yacht and Racquet Club I and II and five residential lots on Third Avenue N, as well as the property occupied by the 7-Eleven and gas station.

Residents view potential annexation with mixed feelings. Those living in Tierra Verde have carefully created a lifestyle that is unlike any other in the country. From sprawling mansions to more compact modern homes, there’s one thing to be said of all Tierra Verde homes. The fresh smell of the beach, year-round greenery, and sparkling blue waters are never far from view in Tierra Verde. As one resident said, “Both St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach have bid for our annexation, but we've voted to stay independent.”  

Probably Tierra Verde’s most famous point of interest, Fort de Soto is found in the soutwest corner of Mullet Key in the large Fort de Soto Park, where Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico merge. The park’s beaches and activities draw adventurers and those who appreciate nature, while the fort reflects a bit of history, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

With sport fishing, boats and marinas, jet skiis, tennis, golf, camping, racquet clubs, and the nation’s No. 1 beach, owning a home in Tierra Verde puts you smack dab in the middle of the best of nature and adventure combined. Tierra Verde real estate was valued at $15 million in 1980. By 1996, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's Office evaluated Tierra Verde property at $349 million, and in 2003 values are listed at $632 million.

Want a home next to the beach with your own palm tree grove in your backyard? Find out more about Tierra Verde real estate for sale today.

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