The red-hot Southwest Florida regional housing market is about to get even busier with the addition of a major new employer to the area. Online retail giant Amazon recently confirmed that it will develop a massive distribution and fulfillment center in Ruskin, one of the southernmost communities of the Tampa Bay area.

Ruskin borders Manatee County on the north; in fact, it is located on the banks of the Little Manatee River. This is great news for jobseekers in Manatee County since they would be able to commute to the new Amazon center via I-75 or the Tamiami Trail. The Manatee County communities that are closer to Ruskin are Parrish, Ellenton and Palmetto, and these are some of the most promising real estate markets in the region.

According to a recent article by Bill Varian and Susan Thurston of the Tampa Bay Times, the Amazon center was a deal that Hillsborough County commissioners worked quietly and anxiously. The acquisition of the 80-acre site to be developed was acquired in early October, and it will be the first Amazon distribution center in the Sunshine State. County commissioners envision about 1,000 jobs created by this project.

The economic impact to Southwest Florida will be significant. In fact, home builder Neal Communities is already looking into developing almost 2,000 new residential units to accommodate the housing needs of Parrish, one of the communities that will be positively affected by Amazon as a new regional employer.