Dunedin, FL
Dunedin real estate, from a former Dunedin HS coach.
Troy coached varsity basketball at Dunedin High School and taught in Pinellas County before going full-time in real estate. He owns and operates the Dunedin Duo short-term rental — so the numbers on this page come from a real P&L, not pro-forma fantasy.
Dunedin neighborhoods
Six micro-markets, all walkable to Main.
Downtown Dunedin
$725K median
Walk-to-Main bungalows. Premium $/sqft. STR-permitted in most zones — best owner/operator pocket.
Edgewater / Causeway
$895K median
Waterfront, AE/VE flood. Insurance-heavy ($8–18K/yr) — elevated builds command a premium.
Curlew / Bayshore
$535K median
Family-focused, Dunedin HS school zone. X-zone, lower insurance, owner-occupier-driven.
Patricia Estates
$465K median
Mid-century value pocket. X-zone, 8-min walk to the Pinellas Trail, 30–40% below downtown $/sqft.
Acker Heights
$445K median
Best value-per-sqft in town. 1950s–70s ranches, mostly renovated. Quiet, inland, bike-to-Main.
Bayshore Bluffs
$615K median
Established, lower density, X-zone (elevated). The discreet-money play of Dunedin.
Dunedin neighborhoods — side-by-side
Dunedin is small (~36K residents) but the price spreads are wide — a waterfront Edgewater home and a Patricia Estates ranch can be 2x apart on $/sqft. Current data:
| Neighborhood | Median | $/sqft | Flood | STR | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dunedin | $725K | $485 | X mostly | Permitted (most zones) | Walk-to-Main, premium |
| Edgewater / Causeway | $895K | $515 | AE / VE | Permitted | Waterfront, insurance-heavy |
| Curlew / Bayshore | $535K | $340 | X | Permitted with limits | Family, Dunedin HS zone |
| Patricia Estates | $465K | $295 | X | Permitted with limits | Mid-century value pocket |
| Acker Heights | $445K | $285 | X | Permitted with limits | Best value-per-square-foot |
| Bayshore Bluffs | $615K | $380 | X (elevated) | Permitted | Established, lower density |
Patricia Estates / Acker Heights: the value pocket. Inland, Zone X, mid-century stock from the 1950s–1970s, much of it quietly renovated. 5–8 minute drive to Main Street; bike-able to the Pinellas Trail. Best $/sqft in town if you don't need a waterfront view.
The real STR numbers — Dunedin Duo, 2025
Most STR listings on Zillow ship with a glossy “projected revenue” that bears no relationship to the cleaning + tax + insurance + vacancy reality. Here are the actual numbers from Troy's Dunedin Duo (two-house compound, sleeps 16, heated pool, pickleball court) — pulled from the booking dashboard, not estimated:
Seasonality is the math. Dunedin's peak runs March–April (Blue Jays spring training brings 50K+ visitors; Honeymoon Island is Florida's most-visited state park). Shoulder hits in September–October (hot, hurricane-attention, no major events). Operating costs run ~38% of gross — cleaning ($120–180 per turnover), utilities (~$650/mo summer peak), management software, supplies, insurance ($4.8K), taxes (TDT collected by Airbnb but business-license fees and property tax are owner-paid).
Net: roughly $58K cash flow on a property carrying a $2.4K/mo PITI. Numbers vary widely by neighborhood, size, and management style — Troy will run a property-specific underwrite using comp listings within a half-mile.
Address-level STR zoning — is your target legal?
Dunedin permits short-term rentals (under 30 days) in most residential zoning districts. The process:
- Vacation Rental Certificate from the City of Dunedin — annual, ~$150, inspection required.
- Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license — state-level, ~$170/year.
- Pinellas TDT account — 0.16% bed tax, filed monthly.
- Florida sales tax — separate from TDT, also monthly.
- Business Tax Receipt — Dunedin local, ~$50.
Density rules: max overnight occupants = 2 per bedroom + 2 (so a 3-bed caps at 8). Noise ordinance kicks in at 10 p.m. weekdays, 11 p.m. weekends — first violation is a warning, second is $250.
Sliver-zone gotchas: a small number of parcels near the causeway, the Honeymoon Island access road, and certain Edgewater blocks have additional restrictions baked into HOA covenants — even though the city zoning permits STRs. Always pull the deed restrictions before writing an offer. Troy runs the address-level check for free.
Living in Dunedin — for buyers, not tourists
Schools: Dunedin Highland Middle and Dunedin High School are the zoned secondary schools for most of town. Garrison-Jones Elementary serves the downtown ring; Curtis Fundamental (application-based) is the magnet draw for K–5. Buyers chasing the Dunedin HS attendance zone should focus on Curlew/Bayshore and the Patricia Estates corridor.
Commute reality: downtown Tampa via the Courtney Campbell is 35 minutes off-peak, 55–65 minutes at peak. St. Pete is 25–30 minutes via 19/275. There is no direct rail/transit — you will drive.
Groceries: Publix on Main (the social hub of town), Whole Foods in Clearwater (5 miles), Fresh Market in Belleair (6 miles), Trader Joe's in Palm Harbor (4 miles).
The downtown premium is real. Walk-to-Main bungalows trade at 25–35% premium per square foot vs. comparable houses 8 blocks east. If you don't actually walk to Main Street regularly, you're paying for a feature you won't use.
Dunedin buyer FAQ
Comparing markets?
Pinellas isn’t one market — these three behave very differently. Read the broker take on each.
Want a free Dunedin STR zoning check?
Send Troy an address — he'll run the zoning, the deed restrictions, and a half-mile comp set within the hour. No charge, no sign-up.
Or call us: (727) 625-1777