Craftsman and Bungalow Homes in Tampa Bay

The bungalow was the starter home of early 20th-century Florida. Streetcars carried buyers to new suburbs, and builders filled them with one- and one-and-a-half-story homes with deep porches. Today those same homes sit in some of the most walkable neighborhoods in Tampa and St. Petersburg. This guide explains the style, where to find it, and what a 100-year-old house needs from a buyer.

How to recognize a Craftsman bungalow

• A low-pitch, front- or side-gable roof with deep eaves
• Exposed rafter tails and decorative brackets
• A wide front porch with tapered columns on brick or block piers
• Wood siding, often with a raised floor over a crawlspace
• Windows with several panes over one

Bungalow or Craftsman? Bungalow describes the building type: a small, low house of one or one-and-a-half stories. Craftsman describes the style and its details. Most Tampa Bay bungalows from this era use Craftsman details, so listings often use both words.

Where to find Craftsman bungalows

Seminole Heights

The Seminole Heights Residential District in Tampa was listed on the National Register in 1993, with a period of significance from 1912 to 1928. The City of Tampa made it a local historic district in 1995, so exterior work there goes through architectural review.

Hyde Park

In Hyde Park, bungalows sit next to Victorian, Colonial Revival, and Mediterranean homes. Bungalow Terrace, a short street of bungalows, is a well-known example. Hyde Park is also a local historic district.

Historic Kenwood

In St. Petersburg, the Kenwood Historic District was listed on the National Register in 2003. It covers about 375 acres and more than 2,200 historic buildings, most of them bungalows. In the mid-1930s, about 170 bungalows were moved to Kenwood from downtown St. Petersburg. Local designation in parts of Kenwood has been under review, so confirm the status of a specific address with the City of St. Petersburg.

The Old Northeast

The Old Northeast, listed on the National Register as the North Shore Historic District, has Craftsman bungalows on brick streets close to Downtown St. Petersburg.

What to check before you buy

• Foundation. Check the piers, the crawlspace, and floor level.
• Wood and termites. Get a wood-destroying organism report. See WDO reports.
• Wiring and plumbing. Look for knob-and-tube wiring, old panels, and cast iron or galvanized pipes. Insurers check these. See 4-point inspections and cast iron pipes.
• Historic review. In a local historic district, additions, new windows, and demolition need city approval. See buying a historic home in South Tampa.
• Renovate or rebuild. Outside historic districts, small bungalows on large lots can draw builder interest. Read renovate or tear down.

For sellers

Bungalow buyers ask about the roof, wiring, plumbing, and foundation before they ask about the kitchen. Shane Vanderson gathers update records and inspection reports early, and he checks whether your lot draws builder interest. Start with a home valuation.

To see Craftsman and bungalow homes for sale, call or text Shane at 813-205-5430 or use the contact page.