Newsletter
Dear Family, Friends and Clients,
It has been six months since our last newsletter. This is longer than our regular updates of every three to four months, so we apologize for the delay. It has been a busy transition into “season” and our schedules have been packed full. We wish you all a delayed Happy New Year and hope that 2010 brings some good fortune to us all.
Throughout our twenty years of business in real estate here in Southwest Florida we have improved our performance each and every year. 2009 was our first drop in total sales since our inception. It has been a test of patience, flexibility and perseverance. Life is full of hills and valleys. They say the tough times make you stronger and we are evidence that this is precisely the case. Even though last year was not a great year for us financially, we were able to build up a list of potential buyers that were waiting out the market. Since the beginning of the year buyers have been stepping up to the plate and seizing the deals. We are getting rock bottom prices for our clients, which has equated to an impressive first quarter of sales equal to our entire 2009 sales numbers.
Eric has seen the opportunity in the market and capitalized by purchasing a couple lower end houses and then fixing them up. If you have ever seen the show “Flip This House” on the A&E channel, then you know exactly what I am talking about. He is able to keep costs down by taking a hands-on approach. He oversees the project on a daily basis and does a lot of the work himself. He is finishing one project at a time before moving onto the next. The first house has already been completed and turned for a substantial profit. Home two will be finished shortly and put on the market. Eric is one example of how you can capitalize in the current market conditions.
Eric’s driving force is to support his family which is growing as baby number two is on the way. Eric and Lita are due at the end of August and baby Rylan will have his first birthday on April 30th. They are waiting anxiously till the end of the month to find out the sex of the new baby. Secretly Eric is hoping for another boy so he doesn’t have to go out and buy all new clothes, while Lita is praying for a baby girl to play dress up and treat like a princess. Eric and his wife are looking forward to the challenges of a second child.
Ty, the youngest of the three boys, has supplemented his income by teaching tennis in the afternoons at an after school clinic. A longtime family friend and local tennis pro Chuck Breger has a program every weekday from 4-6PM at the Pelican Bay Community Park. New recruits of all ages and ability levels are always welcome. Give Ty a ring if you have any interest.
Lindsey has transitioned into her role as second grade teacher at Poinciana Elementary quite gracefully. Ty is pulling off daddy day care with Samantha in the mornings, while Lindsey’s parents take over at lunchtime. This gives Ty a chance to get to the office and work uninterrupted for a couple hours, which is difficult to come by in the mornings chasing around a 22 month old. Sammy Mac is accelerating at an astonishing rate. Having raised three children and being an elementary principal, I know something about child development. Her ability to pick up and recall words, ideas and tasks is uncanny. You can follow along with their journey at www.manringmemories.blogspot.com.
Josh, the Journeyman, is a remarkable spirit. He has trekked through over fifty countries while documenting his travels with spectacular photography. Recently he has embarked on trips to Cuba, Costa Rica and a dream trip to the southern region of Africa. The experiences were so awe-inspiring that he was driven to compile his photographs into book format. After tireless editing, he has published five books of photography with remarkable results. You can view excerpts and purchase any of these books at www.journeymangallery.com. Where his next adventure will take him, your guess is as good as mine.
Eric has taken over full authority of the coaching duties for the boys’ team at Barron Collier High School, while Ty has takes a year hiatus. The team continues to reload with national caliber competition on a yearly basis. They are looking forward to great things in the months to come. In five years of coaching the boys have compiled three state championships with one state runner-up last year.
As for me, I should be retiring but enjoy the thrill of the chase too much. The ever changing real estate market keeps me sharp. I continue to play tennis three to four times a week and kayak regularly. More than anything I enjoy the free time with my two grandchildren, Sammy Mac and Rylan. There is nothing like a pair of rambunctious toddlers to keep you feeling young. A bit of sad news to report as my beloved Rottweiller, “Bama” passed away suddenly a few months back. She was a great companion to me and is dearly missed.
The Manring Team encourages all of you to send any referrals you might have. They are the lifeblood of our business. Rest assured any referral will be treated like royalty. If you would like to refer a friend or relative you can do so by contacting us at the office 239-261-2244 x302 or 303. Our email addresses are dinkshot@aol.com, ericmanring@yahoo.com and tylermanring@yahoo.com. Also be sure to visit our website at www.manringteam.com.
Best Regards,
Tom, Tyler & Eric
The Manring Team
