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Finding the Right Tampa or South Tampa Home, Condominium, Loft or Townhome for you is my Specialty.

The South Tampa Real Estate favorite architecture style seems to be Mediterranean, but many home styles are available including Ranch, Tudor, Spanish, Townhome, Condo and Loft.

Waterfront and Luxury Homes are in just about every area of Tampa Bay. Some examples are Davis Islands, Harbour Island, Culbreath Isles, Westshore, Golfview, Clearwater Beach, St Petersburg Beach, Westshore, Snell Isle, and the Hillsborough River.

One of Tampa's Top Realtors Year after Year.

SMITH & ASSOCIATES TOP LISTING & SELLING AGENT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN 2002, 2005 and 2006. TOP SELLING AGENT IN 2003.

Smith is located in South Tampa and has a long history there. Jeanne has lived in South Tampa for over 35 years and has sold Real Estate from there for over 26 years.

You can rely on Jeanne's 26 years of Real Estate experience in the Tampa Real Estate Market and her professionalism to insure a problem free transaction whether you are buying or selling. The market is constantly changing, and no one is better qualified than Jeanne, to assist you with accurate, local Real Estate market values in the many areas, subdivisions and condominums of Tampa. Her knowledge of the Tampa Market is unsurpassed.

Consistent high volume of sales, over $25 Million in 2005.

One of Tampa's Top Real Estate Professionals.

Specializing in Marketing and Research assistance, as well as Contract to Closing Full Sevice, to Home Buyers and Sellers in South Tampa, Florida including Davis Islands, Harbour Island, Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, Westshore, Beach Park, New Suburb Beautiful, Sunset Park, Interbay, Sunset Park Isles, Golfview, Culbreath Isles, Culbreath Bayou, Parkland Estates, Bayshore Blvd, Bayshore Beautiful, Ballast Point, Waterfront and Luxury Homes and Condos.

Tampa's Experienced Realtor - 26 years, Always Call Jeanne Wolfe, Realtor, for help to sell your South Tampa Home or to find your next South Tampa Real Estate purchase.

Davis Islands almost never came into being.

By Jeanne Wolfe

     In spite of the feverish land boom of the early 1920’s, wealthy homeowners on Bayshore Boulevard vociferously fought the Davis Islands plan for development.

     Tampa native D.P. Davis was a developer who has prospered in the Miami boom.  His vision was to convert the mudflats and three small islands near the mouth of the Hillsborough into an idyllic island community.  He was able to purchase the property for $350,000.  The Bayshore Boulevard neighbors, however, sought to squelch Davis’ plan by claiming that the city could not legally sell the submerged bottomlands.

     The lawsuit eventually went all the way to the Florida Supreme Court on appeal.  The victory for Davis set into motion his ambitious plans: 834 acres, 11 ˝ miles of water frontage with seawalls and 27 miles of winding streets.  The streets are named for bodies of water in somewhat alphabetical order starting at the North end of the island.  Davis planned a resort community with three luxury hotels proposed, also included were a nine-hole golf course, airport and public swimming pool.

     D.P. Davis was proud of his deeding a 50-acre park to the city.  In honor of Davis’s late wife, the spacious park was named Marjorie Park.

     In order to build his islands, Davis hired the 4 largest dredges available.  The dredges soon ran 24 hours a day in order to complete the ambitious project.  Davis needed to dredge 89 million cubic feet of sand from the bay.

     When the lots went on sale, prospective buyers waited in long lines and the streets near the sales office were jammed with congested traffic.  When the doors opened pandemonium ensued.  Within the first 3 hours, all of the initial lots offered (306) were sold.  The Tampa Tribune said that Mr. Davis “was literally showered with checks.” The $1,683,582 in sales was a world’s record for the sale of lots in a new subdivision.

D.P. Davis was an inspired promoter and his exciting ads stimulated sales even more.  Mediterranean Revival architecture was encouraged in order to enhance the ambiance of this Venetian paradise.

     In October of 1926, D.P. Davis was making a transatlantic voyage in order to explore the possibility of a development along the French Riviera.  Davis fell overboard and was lost at sea.

     Davis Islands development slowed down and relatively few homes were built in the 1930’s. Eventually, buyers of lots were able to build in whatever architectural style they preferred.  Thus the eclectic mix of architectural styles that predominate today.  The golf course and skating coliseum are now gone.  Peter O. Knight added more fill to the islands in order to accommodate an airport on the south end. This increased the size of Davis Islands to the existing 875 acres.

     Davis Islands is the ideal model for an urban community with its own individual style.  Driving across the Davis Islands Bridge watching the sunlight sparkle on the water, makes it clear – this community is a jewel.