Data-DrivenClient-Focused
Michael Troise, REALTOR® and Pinellas resident. I combine verified market data and modern technology with personal, local guidance so buyers and sellers across St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, and the rest of Pinellas can make better-informed decisions.
How I use data & technology for my clients
My background is in data analysis, and I build my own tools to study homes, deals, and the Pinellas market in detail. Here's what that means for you.
Verified market data
Every month I track Pinellas asking prices, inventory, and price cuts by area, cross-checked against independent sources before I share them.
Pricing built on evidence
Sellers get a list price grounded in recent comparable sales and current competition, not guesswork or online estimates.
Risks flagged early
Flood zones, insurance factors, permits, and condo reports get checked before you commit, when they're still negotiable.
Sharper negotiation
Price-cut trends, days on market, and comparable sales inform every offer and counteroffer, so you negotiate with facts.
What's Your Home Worth in Today's Market?
Automated online algorithms miss what moves value in Florida: roof age, flood zone elevations, recent renovations, and post-storm insurance shifts. Get a custom, human-prepared Comparative Market Analysis (CMA).
Found a house on Zillow? Send me the link.
Paste a Zillow, Redfin, or Realtor.com link (or just the address). Within 24 hours I'll send back:
- 🌊 Its FEMA flood zone and hurricane evacuation zone
- 📋 Permit history, including when the roof was last permitted (when it's on record)
- ❓ The questions to ask your insurance agent before you tour
Pinellas Communities, City by City
Real estate in Pinellas County is hyper-local. Compare asking prices, days on market, and price cuts across all 16 Pinellas cities and beach towns — updated monthly with September 2026 data.
St. Petersburg
Waterfront downtown, historic neighborhoods, and the arts
St. Pete Beach & Treasure Island
Gulf-front barrier-island living
Madeira Beach & the Redingtons
John's Pass, fishing fleets, and quieter beach towns
Tierra Verde
Island living next to Fort De Soto
Clearwater
The county seat, from the bayfront to Countryside
Clearwater Beach
White sand, Pier 60, and resort-style living
Indian Rocks Beach & Belleair Beach
Low-key, residential beach towns
Largo
Central Pinellas, parks, and easy beach access
Seminole
Established neighborhoods near the beaches
Pinellas Park
Central, connected, and more attainable
Dunedin
Walkable Main Street, breweries, and island state parks
Palm Harbor
North-county space, golf, and the waterfront
Tarpon Springs
The Sponge Docks and the Anclote River
East Lake
Larger lots and golf communities near Lake Tarpon
Oldsmar
Pinellas living with a short trip to Tampa
Safety Harbor
A small-town Main Street on Old Tampa Bay
Real Estate Tools Built for Pinellas
Explore neighborhood vibes, check FEMA flood zones, calculate rush-hour bridge commutes, or request an instant home valuation.
What's My Home Worth? (CMA)
Get an accurate, data-backed Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) based on recent sales, roof age, and flood zone realities in your neighborhood.
Pinellas Flood Zone Checker
Enter any Pinellas County address to see its official FEMA flood zone, hurricane evacuation zone, and lender insurance requirements before you tour.
Pinellas City-by-City Market
Asking prices, days on market, and price cuts for St. Pete, Clearwater, Dunedin, the beaches, and every Pinellas city, updated monthly.
AI Neighborhood Explorer
Explore lifestyle vibes, walkability scores, indie coffee and dining hotspots, and Florida flood zone realities across Pinellas and Hillsborough.
Pinellas Commute Analyzer
Test peak rush hour vs off-peak drive times across Howard Frankland, Gandy, and Courtney Campbell bridges to find homes matching your daily drive.
Property Value & Solar Enhancer
Calculate your Florida rooftop solar potential and discover which renovations (lanais, concrete patios, hurricane impact glass) deliver the highest net ROI.
Isochrone Lifestyle Search
Forget rigid 5-mile radius searches. Discover homes based on actual travel time to the Gulf beaches, walkable town centers, or your workplace.
Pinellas Market Report
Verified Pinellas County asking prices, inventory, and days on market for 16 areas, plus weekly Freddie Mac 30-year mortgage rates.
Mortgage & Loan Calculators
Interactive calculators for monthly payments, loan affordability, amortization schedules, and refinance scenarios.
The Essential Pinellas Buyer's Guide
Buying in Florida is fundamentally different than in other states. From property tax caps and zero state income tax to flood insurance categories and CDD fees, here is what you need to know.
Save Our Homes (SOH) 3% Cap
Florida primary residences qualify for the **Homestead Exemption**, which exempts up to $50,000 of your home's value from taxation and triggers the Save Our Homes amendment.
3% Annual Assessed Cap: Even if Tampa Bay market prices surge 12% in a year, your assessed taxable value cannot increase more than 3% (or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower).
Portability Benefit: When you sell your Florida home and buy another in Tampa Bay, you can transfer up to $500,000 of your accrued SOH tax savings to the new property!
Maximizing Your Purchasing Power
Unlike New York, California, Illinois, or New Jersey, Florida levies **zero personal state income tax**. How much that saves depends on your income and the state you're leaving — your CPA can run the comparison.
Take-Home Pay vs. Qualifying: Lenders compute debt-to-income (DTI) on gross income, so no state income tax doesn't raise what you qualify for — but it does leave more take-home pay for the monthly payment.
Property Tax Estimation: Remember that when buying an existing Florida home, the previous owner's taxes reset in year two to current market value. Mike estimates your post-closing property tax before you make an offer.
Request Mike's Full Tampa Bay Buyer Playbook & Daily Match Alerts
Tell Mike what you're looking for and he'll follow up personally with homes that fit, plus flood-zone details for each one. Zero pressure, honest advice.
The Strategic Pinellas Seller's Guide
How to command top dollar in today's market. Avoid the price cut trap, focus on high-ROI Florida renovations, and position your property for maximum buyer competition.
Why Aspirational Pricing Costs You Money
The single biggest mistake sellers make in Tampa Bay is saying: *“Let's start $40k higher to see if someone bites.”*
80% of Attention in 14 Days: When a home hits MLS, thousands of buyer auto-alerts fire immediately. If priced accurately, you create competition and multiple offers.
The Price Cut Trap: Homes that sit past 30 days develop a stigma (*“What's wrong with it?”*). Data shows homes requiring price cuts typically sell for **93%–95% of original list price** — far lower than if priced correctly on day one.
The Real Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
Automated computer algorithms like Zillow Zestimates don't know if your kitchen was remodeled, if your roof is 3 years old, or if your street is in Flood Zone X instead of AE.
Hyper-Local Comps: Mike analyzes closed sales within 0.5 miles over the last 90 days, adjusted dollar-for-dollar for square footage, lot size, pool, and wind mitigation upgrades.
Active Competition Audit: We evaluate every competing home currently for sale in your neighborhood to position your listing as the obvious best choice for serious buyers.
Request Mike's CMA & Pre-Listing Assessment
See what your home could be worth in today's Tampa Bay market, based on recent neighborhood sales data, condition, and upgrades, plus ideas for high-ROI touch-ups.
Pinellas Neighborhood Spotlights
Downtown St. Petersburg
Walkable Arts, Waterfront Parks & Vibrancy
Dunedin
Scottish Heritage, Craft Breweries & Island Gateways
Safety Harbor
Mossy Oaks, Spa Heritage & Small-Town Vibe
Clearwater Beach & Coastal Pinellas
Sugar Sand Beaches & Boating Lifestyle
Michael Troise
REALTOR® · Nex Realty (#SL3664135)
I bring a data analyst's rigor and a local's insight to real estate across Pinellas County: St. Pete, Clearwater, Dunedin, and everywhere in between. I use data and technology to analyze homes, deals, and contracts in detail, and my philosophy is simple: no high-pressure tactics, no generic advice. Just verified market data, careful contract review, and honest guidance tailored to your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear, data-backed answers to the most common questions buyers, sellers, and relocators ask about navigating Pinellas County real estate.
What is the typical home price in Pinellas County?▾
Prices vary a lot between mainland cities and the barrier islands. In September 2026, median asking prices on the mainland ranged from $302k (Clearwater) to $388k (Palm Harbor), while beach communities ranged from $597k (Madeira Beach & the Redingtons) to $911k (Indian Rocks Beach & Belleair Beach). These are asking prices from Realtor.com listing data, not closed sales. Our live Pinellas Market Report tracks asking prices and price cuts for all 16 Pinellas areas.
Do I need flood insurance when buying a home in Pinellas County?▾
If you finance your home purchase with a federally backed mortgage (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA) and the property is located in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (Zones A, AE, VE), flood insurance is mandatory. Because Pinellas County is a low-elevation peninsula, flood risk can change street-by-street. We recommend using our free Pinellas Flood Zone Checker before making an offer to evaluate base flood elevation and insurance requirements.
How does the Florida Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes cap work?▾
Florida permanent residents who make a property their primary residence as of January 1 can receive up to a $50,000 deduction from their home's assessed property value. Crucially, the Save Our Homes (SOH) amendment caps annual assessment increases on primary residences to 3% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. When buying a home in Florida, property taxes are reassessed at full market value for the new buyer, so never rely solely on the seller's historical tax bill.
How can I find out what my Pinellas County home is worth before selling?▾
Online automated valuation models (AVMs) like Zillow's Zestimate can miss the hyper-local factors that drive Pinellas home values: roof age, wind mitigation credits, flood elevation certificate status, recent flood repairs, and hurricane impact window installations. Request a free Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) through our Home Valuation tool to receive a data-backed estimate of your home's current market value (a CMA is not a licensed appraisal).
What closing costs should Florida buyers and sellers anticipate in Pinellas?▾
Buyer closing costs depend on the loan and price and typically cover lender fees, appraisal, prepaid property taxes, and homeowner's and flood insurance escrows; your lender's Loan Estimate itemizes them. Sellers typically pay broker commissions, owner's title insurance (customary in Pinellas County), and the State of Florida Documentary Stamp Tax on the deed ($0.70 per $100 of transaction value).
What are the most walkable neighborhoods in Pinellas County?▾
Walkable areas in Pinellas include Downtown St. Petersburg (Central Avenue, the Edge District, and Old Northeast), downtown Dunedin along the Pinellas Trail, Safety Harbor's Main Street corridor, and Gulfport's waterfront arts district, offering vibrant dining, indie retail, and recreation without requiring a car for every outing.
Pinellas Market Pulse
Verified asking prices, inventory, days on market and mortgage rates for Pinellas County, with what it means for buyers and sellers. One email a month.
Book a 15-Minute Strategy Call
Pick a date and time that fits your schedule for private, no-pressure real estate guidance.
October 2026
Available Time Slots
Thursday, Oct 29, 2026
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