Market Technologies Offers Investment Software & Career Opportunities

Building wealth by investing in financial markets can bring the reward of a secure future but there can be plenty of uncertainty along the way to that goal. For almost 40 years, Wesley Chapel-based Market Technologies has provided investors with trading software they can use to navigate the ebb and flow of economic factors influencing the stock, commodity, and currency markets, as well as their own investment portfolios.

According to Market Technology vice president Lane Mendelsohn, the company’s proprietary VantagePoint market forecasting software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to track and analyze factors such as market reports, related market activity and government policies that can influence a particular stock or other trading investment, such as commodities like corn or copper.

A report by the financial services consulting firm Aite Group (cited in the June 2, 2016 edition of Forbes magazine) indicated that there are 54 million individual, self-directed market traders in the U.S. alone, who can manage their investments just about any time, anywhere, from their smartphones. To get VantagePoint software into the devices of as many investors as possible, Market Technologies is now hiring inside sales professionals to assist people calling to about the software.

Lane says software programs like VantagePoint analyze market information to give near-term trading forecasts. It’s an application of computer technology that has spawned new competitors for VantagePoint, which can trace its pioneering digital roots to 1991, a time before widespread consumer use of the Internet.

According to Market Technologies’ website, VantagePoint forecasts stocks, futures, Forex, and ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) with proven forecasting accuracy of up to 86 percent.

Market Technologies was founded by Lane’s father, Louis  Mendelsohn, who is still the company president. The company was the result of Louis’ quest for better returns on his own self-directed investments.

“He starting developing software for his own purposes so he could be a more successful, profitable trader and investor,” says Lane.

Lane Mendelsohn

As the senior Mendelsohn’s research gained notice through publications and television appearances, his personal project evolved into a company providing technical analysis trading software to individual investors.

“It was something he personally had a need for and later realized other people had that same need,” Lane says.

Louis Mendelsohn grew up in a Providence, RI, tenement building next to a freight rail line, and set his sights on moving away from that life of poverty. His first step was a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Administration & Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.

Louis’ childhood background led him to study social work, and he received his Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He followed that up by earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Boston University in 1977 and moved to Tampa to work as a hospital administrator.

While making investments for himself, he realized he needed better tools than the calculator and pencil technology that prevailed in the financial services industry at the time. Louis knew about computers and software, so he combined his interests in finance, investing and computers to develop predictive trading software that would compute market trading technical indicators — like moving averages that give investors clues as to how a stock or commodity may behave.

A Company Is Born

Wanting to share his knowledge and success from his work, Louis started Market Technologies in 1979 as a company and released his first trading software for personal computers in 1983. He has also written books on the subject, such as Trend Forecasting with Technical Analysis: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Intermarket Analysis to Beat the Market.

Louis Mendelsohn

Building on his early research, Louis began focusing on the relationships between individual stocks, currencies and commodities and the global factors affecting all of them. He developed proprietary mathematical processes to recognize trading patterns across different markets, leading to the development of today’s VantagePoint software.

VantagePoint is advertised in trading industry magazines such as Traders, Stocks & Commodities and Your Trading Edge. The ads generate leads for the Market Technologies sales force working out of the company’s building just off Wesley Chapel Blvd., about 1.5 miles west of I-75 on Old Pasco Rd.

VantagePoint user Eric Hall expressed his satisfaction by awarding a Five-Star Google Review, writing “This is an amazing group of people that provide cutting edge software products to traders across the globe. No other product even comes close to what they provide. If you’re looking for an edge in the markets they can provide it to you!”

Opportunity Is Knocking…

For people more interested in reaping financial and personal benefits from rewarding work, Market Technologies currently is hiring people for inside sales positions, responding to individual traders who express interest in the high-tech Vantage Point market forecasting software.

According to Lane, applicants do not need financial industry experience but persistence, curiosity and a positive attitude are essential for success at Market Technologies.

“We’ve had people who didn’t have sales experience but wanted to help people and learn new things,” he says, adding that as the market for self-directed investment products grows, so do the opportunities for those who make them available to individual traders. “There is no better time for someone to join our company and ride that wave of success.”

As to how good a time it is to join the VantagePoint team, in addition to having a product that is of interest to a lot of people, Market Technologies was just named as a “2018 Top Workplace” by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, a recognition based on anonymous surveys completed by employees collected by the research company Energage, LLC. According to a company news release, the survey placed “Market Technologies in the top 10 out of 50 companies with fewer than 150 employees.”

That recognition comes as no surprise to Gilbert B., who has been a member of the Market Technologies sales team for nine years. Gilbert says he has found workplace satisfaction and financial security working atop the VantagePoint wavecrest.

“There’s a great opportunity here but you have to work hard,” Gilbert says, adding, “The company cares about the employees.”

Benefits include fully paid insurance for all employees, including health, dental, life and long-term disability. There is a full description of job openings and benefits available at the Market Technologies website, SellingIsFun.com.

Market Technologies has a global reach, with customers in more than 120 countries, but its connection to the Tampa Bay area has been strong since its founding. In fact, part of the company’s philosophy is sharing its success with the local community.

Market Technologies’ charitable efforts include supporting Metropolitan Ministries and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program, among others. In fact, earlier this month, for International Children’s Book Day (Apr. 2), the company collected and donated more than 100 books to Shriners Hospitals for Children Tampa. Market Technologies also has hosted events for children being treated at Shriners and has supported the hospital with financial donations. “We decided last year we wanted to make Shriners a really big focus of ours,” Lane says.

He acknowledges that there are plenty of wealth-building products and programs in the marketplace for consumers to consider, but one way to distinguish among them is longevity.

“That’s something that really differentiates our company from so many others in the industry, that next year will be our 40th anniversary year,” Lane says. “So, for 40 years, we’ve been developing technology for traders and investors to help them achieve their goals and really empower them to be able to be successful and provide for themselves and provide for their families.”

Market Technologies is located at 5807 Old Pasco Rd. in Wesley Chapel. For more info, call (813) 973-0496. Neighborhood News readers interested in employment opportunities at Market Technologies can learn more by visiting SellingIsFun.com. To find out more about VantagePoint and get a free demonstration of the software, visit VantagePointSoftware.com, send an email to info@vantagepointoftware.com or call (800) 732-5407.

Family Of Christ Christian School Offers A Great Education & Life Lessons, Too

If you want to see smiles like these on your children’s faces, arrange a tour today to check out Family of Christ Christian School off BBD Blvd. in Tampa Palms, no matter what denomination or religion or your family may be.

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Those words from Luke 2:52 (New Testament, New International Version) delivered in the First Century AD come alive today in the Family of Christ (FoC) Christian School mission statement, which commits the faculty and staff to growing the knowledge and abilities of their students “in a manner that brings honor and glory to God.”

Putting those words into action is the job of the school’s faculty and administrators, including Jennifer Snow, who has been the principal at FoC since 2005.

“The priority of the staff is to work as a team to help our students develop their hearts, minds and souls,” Snow says, adding that the joy of learning is part of the educational experience at FoC.

“If you walk through the classrooms, you see how happy they are while learning.”

But of course, plenty of learning goes on beyond the classrooms of the tree-shaded campus nestled between Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Tampa Palms Blvd. W. in Tampa Palms.

Recent class field trips have taken students to places like the Florida Keys to explore marine science and Washington, D.C., to see firsthand and up close how the American political machine operates and the history of our government. Snow, who has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Education from the University of South Florida, says the students’ enthusiasm for learning makes it easy to give them a little more freedom in their pursuit of knowledge.

“We have such well-behaved students that you can kind of go out of the normal classroom realm a little bit and just have fun,” she says.

Snow adds that, in addition to a focus on core academic subjects such as science, language and math, FoC also provides instruction in art, music, computers and physical education and is an active participant in the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS).The school measures student progress by administering the Stanford Achievement Test each year for grades 1-8.

The genesis of FoC was almost two decades ago, at the end of 1999, when Family of Christ Lutheran Church embarked on its mission of bringing high-quality educational opportunities based on Christian values and beliefs to the New Tampa area with (at that time) Pre-K and Kindergarten instruction. The school took a gradual approach to growth, adding one grade at a time until it achieved its current K-8 status , now with 180 enrolled students.

The classrooms at FoC features staffers like Lindy Evans, a language arts teacher for middle school (grades 6-8), who says the emphasis in her class is on learning to live by high standards, as well as learning with high achievement. 

“We aren’t primarily focused on test scores,” Evans says. “We are more concerned with producing academically strong students, with a solid Christian foundation, who will be positive members of our community.”

And when FoC alumni transition to high schools, middle school science teacher Melissa Gembarowski expresses confidence that the graduating Family of Christ 8th graders will be well prepared for all of the challenges awaiting them.

“Our students are successful, whether at private or public high schools, due in part to the confidence and Christian foundation that is instilled in them during their years at Family of Christ,” Gembarowski says.

Graduating eighth-graders also can get a headstart on their high school educations by earning credits in advanced science, algebra and Spanish language courses at FoC that can be applied to a high school diploma.

Living Up To Its ‘Family’ Name

It’s an educational formula that FoC parent Yamira Soto says has benefited her children.

“We have been a part of the Family of Christ Christian School family for the past 8 years,” Soto wrote in her email. “Our school has the perfect combination of a superior curriculum, the best educators and a faith-based, nurturing environment.”

Similarly, Tom and Lori Lahart have experience as a long-term FoC family, with their two children attending there for nine years.“Mrs. Snow delivered on her promise to provide a safe, nurturing, fun environment while putting a world-class education as their primary focus,” the Laharts wrote in an email. “Our two children have now graduated and are flourishing in high school, thanks to the strong foundation they received at Family of Christ.”

While the school is affiliated with Family of Christ Lutheran Church and is accredited by the National Lutheran Schools Association (NLSA) (and by the district of the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod), enrollment at FoC is open to anyone, regardless of their religious affiliation.

“There are Christians and non-Christians; there are Catholics, Baptists and non-denominational families here,” says Snow. “We have (children from) a variety of denominations that go to different churches but still come here for school.”

Snow adds that FoC’s “inclusivity” is based on common interests and helps the school achieve its purpose.

“To me, it’s about God’s word and what we can do to work in (and have) a positive effect on the community,” she says.

Some of the community projects the school has undertaken include feeding the homeless through Metropolitan Ministries and donating financial offerings to charities such as the Red Cross.

Further Expansion On The Way?

In the 13 years since Snow joined FoC,  its enrollment has increased from fewer than 80 students to its current level of 180, which is just about the capacity of the current facilities. Snow says she hopes expansion will occur, but that there are no firm plans to do so at this time.

“We don’t have a lot of spaces to give, but we want people to know we are here,” Snow says, adding that the school is tuition- and fee-based, but there are scholarships available to help in some situations.

For families with infants or toddlers through age four, their Christian school relationship can begin at Family of Christ’s Child Development Center, which was part of the original church mission that brought forth the school as a K-8 institution. In addition, Family of Christ Lutheran Church is hosting a Vacation Bible School (VBS) July 16-20, with a theme of “Rolling River Rampage.”

Athletics also are part of the FoC experience, with students in grades four through eight participating in a variety of sports, including flag football, golf, cross country, volleyball and basketball. The FoC Knights compete against other Christian schools throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Snow, who has more than 25 years experience as an educator, including as a teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary when it first opened, says that she and her colleagues at FoC are committed to doing their best at this special career they have chosen.

“This is the most important job God could have given any of us, and that is to work with kids,” she says. “Our staff at Family of Christ is the school heartbeat and, daily, they go above and beyond their jobs.”

You can learn more about Family of Christ Christian School by calling (813) 558-9343 to arrange a tour of the school and its campus, located at 16190 BBD Blvd. com. For more info, see the ad on pg. 38 of this issue or visit FOC-Knights.com.

Promise Pointe At Tampa Oaks Offers A Way To Keep Your Family Closer

Tampa Palms and New Tampa-area residents searching for a convenient assisted living and memory care option for their aging family members will soon have a new choice with the opening next month of Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks.

The new facility is located seven minutes away from the heart of New Tampa via I-75, one mile west of Exit 266 on E. Fletcher Ave., next to the Woodspring Suites Tampa Northeast hotel and the Hong Kong Willie art gallery and red worm farm (that is not a typo).

The 108-unit Promise Pointe joins recently-opened Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, the Legacy at Highwoods Preserve and the Memory Lane Cottages in Tampa Palms as assisted living and/or memory care residences those living in New Tampa can consider to meet the changing lifestyle needs of their elderly family members.

Promise Pointe is managed by Life Care Services (LCS), the country’s third-largest manager of rental senior living and continuing care communities, serving more than 33,000 residents nationwide. LCS also manages the Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel, which also is celebrating its Grand Opening in March.

Executive director Delane Ward, NHA (Nursing Home Administrator)

Overseeing day-to-day operations at Promise Pointe is the job of executive director Delane Ward, NHA (Nursing Home Administrator) who brings more than 25 years of elder-care experience working in assisted living facilities, nursing homes and memory care facilities. Whatever the setting, Ward abides by a simple rule of “making sure the basics are done” and says, “the safety of residents is number one,” on her list of priorities.

“I treat every resident as if they’re my own family member,” Ward says. “On my business card, I provide my personal cell phone number and if there’s an issue or concern, they can call me anytime.”

Ward says she put her B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida to considerable use in navigating the regulatory environment of elder care and working with the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to open Promise Pointe, which has a March 20 Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting scheduled.

The location of Promise Pointe can help keep New Tampa residents close to their family members residing there and it also provides easy access to numerous nearby medical providers, including Florida Hospital Tampa and the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, as well as attractions like Busch Gardens and Wesley Chapel’s nearby shopping centers and restaurants.

Onsite services and activities offer chances to work out in Promise Pointe’s fitness center, spend time on hobbies, develop artistic talents or socialize in an environment where chores like housekeeping and laundry can be taken care of and all utilities, including Wi-Fi are included in a month-to-month rental package.

According to the Promise Pointe website (PromisePointeSeniorLiving.com), assisted living involves helping residents with daily activities such as dressing, bathing, dining and managing medications without impinging upon their independence. For residents, that means living in their own private unit (or companion suite) with whatever level of help and care they may require being readily available once those needs have been assessed.

So Many Options

Assisted living residences range from 355-sq.-ft. studios for a monthly rate of $3,395 to 730-sq.-ft., two-bedroom units for $4,495. Additional personal services are available in Level of Care (LOC) packages ranging from $350 to $1,500 a month.

Promise Pointe also addresses the needs of memory care residents who have dementia-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, which is characterized by a general decline in mental ability and inability to retrieve information, through the use of Heartfelt Connections – A Memory Care Program¼.

Heartfelt Connections derives detailed biographical information by using tools such as LifeBio’s Reminiscence Therapy, which according to its website (LifeBio.blogspot.com), “is a powerful tool which promotes engagement, ignites feelings of purpose, reduces loneliness, and increases emotional wellbeing.” Daily routines emphasize accomplishment of basic tasks and participating in activities to promote self-esteem and reduce anxiety.

Home for memory care residents is a dedicated area of the Promise Pointe facility, staffed continuously by Registered Nurses (RNs) and/or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Accommodations include private 318-sq.-ft. studios for a monthly rate of $4,495 and a 442-sq.-ft. shared suite for $3,495 per month.

Memory care monthly costs include medication management and attending to personal care needs.

To keep an eye on the health of residents, Promise Pointe staffing includes the 24-hour presence of Registered Nurses and/or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and residents also will have access to services provided by visiting physicians.

For families more involved in the daily care of aging loved ones, Promise Pointe offers respite care at a daily rate that can give home caregivers a break while their loved ones enjoy a short stay in a safe and supportive environment.

Families also can connect with what’s going on in their loved ones’ lives through social media such as the “Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks” Facebook page, which also provides information families may find useful in planning for the attrition of life, so their loved ones may age in place as gracefully as possible. There are links to articles about topics such as communicating effectively with someone who has dementia and performing legal document “check ups.”

Delicious Food, Too!

Enjoying food is a big part of enjoying life and an essential part of health in the elderly and Promise Pointe’s Executive Chef Jorge Perez blends taste and nutrition in a modern kitchen.

Executive Chef Jorge Perez

Chef Jorge earned his Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in Culinary Arts from Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico in Ponce, and has worked in assisted living and hospital kitchens for seven years. He also has had commercial experience in opening two Tampa Bay-area Cheesecake Factory locations.

Chef Jorge says that a basic principle of cooking  — “flavor, not salt” is applied to the menu, and recipes for Promise Pointe meals use other ingredients, such as cilantro, to spice up a dish. He adds that residents will always have two choices for each meal, and that customer service is an essential ingredient to the dining experience he wants to provide.

“If today we have fried eggs and tomorrow you want boiled, I’ll make it happen,” she says. Residents have access to food throughout the day and facilities for private family events also are available.

Residing in an assisted living or memory care facility can provide a good value for the cost of living there, but paying for it requires knowledge and planning. Long-term care insurance is accepted by Promise Pointe, as are Veterans Administration benefits that can help veterans and their spouses, as well as surviving spouses, pay for assisted living services. Help in determining insurance coverage and benefit eligibility, as well as identifying financial resources to finance senior living expenses is part of discovering if Promise Pointe is a viable senior-living solution for your family.

Membership in the Founders Club awaits the first 35 families who become part of the Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks community. Benefits offered in promotional materials include free rent for the first and 20th months of residency, guaranteed lifetime rent pricing, recognition with personalized plaques, and more.

To learn more about assisted living and memory care options, or schedule an on-site tour at Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks (12110 Morris Bridge Rd.), see the ad on pg. 25 of this issue, call (813) 694-2153, or visit PromisePointeSeniorLiving.com.

The Beach House At Wiregrass  Ranch For Assisted Living & Memory Care

The Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch administrative team: (from left) business office manager Chelsea Rice, director of community relations Callie Sears, and executive director Linda Mena.

Wesley Chapel families who want to live near their aging loved ones who require more health and daily living support than can be provided at home will have a new option when Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch holds its Grand Opening next month. Even though it’s at least an hour from the nearest beach, the name Beach House is intended to evoke memories of the many splendid summers experienced over a lifetime.

The new 93,000-sq.-ft. facility includes 100 residential units, with 67 of them available for seniors looking for assisted living accommodations and 33 suites dedicated to residents who need memory care, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Housing options for assisted living residents range from alcove-style units (basically a studio apartment with a partitioned-off area) ranging from 450-480 sq. ft. to two-bedroom/two-bath floor plans ranging from 782–796 sq. ft.

As the first full-service assisted living and memory care facility located in Wesley Chapel, the Beach House offers a number of levels of accommodations and services to its residents, ranging from assisted living (where the Beach House staff provides help with a variety of daily activities, such as shopping and medication management) to memory care programs to support memory function, including discussion groups centered on reminiscing about the past, discussing current events and studying languages and cultures.

The Wesley Chapel location joins two existing Beach House facilities in Jacksonville and Naples, FL. They are all owned by the Dallas, TX-based Prevarian Senior Living, LP, which has Assisted Living and Memory Care communities in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona.

Coming soon to S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel: The Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch Assisted Living & Memory Care.

Day-to-day operations at the Beach House are managed by employees of Life Care Services, a Los Angeles, CA-based company serving the needs of more than 33,000 senior citizens at facilities throughout the U.S.

Overseeing all aspects of the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch’s daily operations is executive director Linda Mena, who brings to her position more than 25 years of experience working in senior housing.

Mena earned her Bachelor of Health Care Administration (BHA) from the University of Phoenix, AZ. In 2015, Mena received her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a focus on Health Care Administration, from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Prior to assuming her role in Wesley Chapel, Mena was the executive director of the Beach House facility in Naples, FL.

Mena refers to the lifestyle offered at Beach House as “resort-style senior living.”

Assisted living amenities include outstanding group and private dining options, arts and crafts, a movie theater, wellness programs, grooming/haircuts and fireplaces. Memory care amenities include a variety of personal and social dining settings and dietary options to choose from, as well as activities that focus on the patient’s remaining physical abilities, memories and capability to enjoy them throughout what Mena calls, “the attrition of life.” There also is a secure outdoor area for memory care residents.

That means assisting a wide range of residents. “We go from an independent resident to end-of-life needs,” Mena says.

The Full Spectrum Of Care

To deliver services to that wide range of residents, Beach House is licensed as an Extended Congregate Care (ECC) facility, which according to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs website (ElderAffairs.state.fl.us) certifies Beach House’s ability to  cover the spectrum of needed care, from limited assistance to total help with many basic needs. According to Mena, Beach House will be staffed to provide 24/7 nursing care.

“They truly can age in place in our community and that’s important to residents,” Mena says. “With the attrition of life, their needs become much greater and they don’t want to have to move or make a transition at that frail part of their lives.”

Mena notes that 85 percent of the people she and her administrative staff will work with are adult children of prospective residents. She recognizes that many of them are knowledgeable about the process and options available, but family members also provide a clear picture of their loved one’s character and history to help in meeting daily needs and creating a meaningful program of activities for them.

“It’s really important that we listen when they come in,” says Mena, who adds that knowing as much as possible about the residents, especially those in memory care, helps the staff engage with them more effectively. As part of those conversations with residents and family members, Mena makes a commitment on behalf of her Beach House staff to those they serve at what can be a very rough time of their lives.

“There are a lot of mentoring, assisting, and bonding relationships established because it’s the trust factor that makes this transition, if you want to say, ‘smoother,’ for this caregiver,” says Mena. “My guiding principle is to just be very transparent, honest and forthright with them.”

She adds that the goal for herself and her staff of Beach House is clear.

“Making sure the needs of the residents are met in every aspect,” Mena says, ‘from the clinical to the dining experience to life enrichment; really addressing the needs of each resident as a whole.”

Beach House is a private pay operation, which means they do not accept insurance plan coverage, and the cost is borne by residents or their families. Medicaid payments are not accepted. While Beach House does not accept payments directly from the insurance companies, If residents or their families have long-term care insurance, it will, as a courtesy, send the insurance company billing information so the families can be reimbursed by the insurance company.

Mena says costs will vary, depending upon the specific support needs of each patient, which are evaluated annually.

With a location that’s convenient to many of Wesley Chapel’s commercial and cultural activities, such as the Shops at Wiregrass mall only 2.5 miles to the west on S.R. 56, a Beach House residency means families can easily embark on multi-generational excursions with their loved ones residing there.

Temporary Assistance, Too

The Beach House lifestyle also is available on a temporary basis for what is known as “respite care,” which according to the Beach House website, “is a temporary stay at a senior living community.”

Senior patients recovering from surgery or illness may find temporary support helpful in their recovery. Caregivers of people normally residing outside of Beach House may also find that respite care is a way to manage vacations or just get a helping hand with assisted living and memory care levels of support. Respite residents at the Beach House will have access to the same services as other longer-term residents with whom social interaction also is part of the routine.

Whether seniors are residing at Beach House for a short respite or  to “age in place,” meals are an important part of daily living and socializing as well as supporting a healthy lifestyle.

According to the Beach House website, the chef-created recipes use “fresh, seasonal, local ingredients” and “accommodate any special dietary requirements.”

Beach House not only brings new housing and health care options to Wesley Chapel, it’s also creating jobs, especially in the areas of patient care at the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) level, as well as housekeeping and dietary workers.

Mena says the response from the Wesley Chapel area has been tremendously positive and that 30 percent of the units had deposits paid on them at our press time.

If you’re looking for assisted living for yourself or a loved one, arrange a tour at the new Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch (30070 S.R. 56). For more info, call (813) 508-6677, see the ad on pg. 31 or visit BeachHouseWiregrass.com. Beach House’s official Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Grand Opening is Wednesday, February 21, 11 a.m., with the ribbon cutting scheduled for noon.

 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Offers Global Service With A Local Touch

When they aren’t solving their clients real estate questions, the folks at Berkshire Hathaway are active in the community, like when they delivered food and toys to Metropolitan Ministries on Dec. 15.

A drive through New Tampa and Wesley Chapel pretty much tells the story about how popular our communities are as places to live and raise a family.

A crowded commute is one clue, but a look around reveals a lot of new housing construction adding to the existing high-quality home inventory and brand new shopping centers on prime commercial properties.

There’s a lot going on real estate-wise and at the center of much it are the professionals at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group’s New Tampa Market office, located In the Publix-anchored The Shoppes at New Tampa in Wesley Chapel, on the southeast corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and S.R. 56.

Berkshire Hathaway’s New Tampa office is run by president and managing Broker Otis Bass, Jr., who joined the company in 2014 after a stint at Charles Rutenberg Realty. Bass says his team is ready to handle just about any kind of transaction that serves a client’s real estate needs.

“We are full service,” Bass says. “So we’re doing residential, luxury, commercial, and we even do property management.”

Bass also includes helping landlords find tenants as a service the firm’s property management team provides. Berkshire Hathaway’s online portal for rental properties is RentAHomeWithUs.com, which is the site to browse for rental properties and for tenants and owners to conduct business for everything from making payments to reporting maintenance needs.

“We help our clients get what they need in real estate, be it insurance, or a mortgage, or anything along those lines,” Bass says. “We have so many people within our circle we can give to them, so they can shop those services and decide which one is the best fit for them.”

He adds that the vendors Berkshire Hathaway works with share his firm’s commitment to providing high-quality service.

“We want to make sure they are client-centric; they put the customer first,” he says.

Although located in Wesley Chapel, Bass says that his office has a wide footprint that extends through eastern Pasco County and northern Hillsborough County.

The Berkshire Hathaway New Tampa Market office has a staff of more than 80 sales professionals, including sales associate Kathy Britton.

When it came time to buy a new home, and in short order turn around and sell her old one, Charla Harper-Hagen turned to Berkshire Hathaway. She is one client who is happy to attest to the high level of customer service provided by Britton and Berkshire Hathaway.

Otis Bass Jr. is the president and managing broker of Berkshire Hathaway’s New Tampa Market office in Wesley Chapel.

“I honestly can’t say enough good things about Kathy,” says Harper-Hagen. “We had two transactions, inside of a 45-day period, (and both) went smoothly.”

Harper-Hagen says a big reason her real estate deals went well is that Britton kept her informed throughout the process of buying, and selling, her homes. She said the level of personal service she received was excellent.

“Kathy answered all of my questions,” Harper-Hagen says. “She anticipated all of my needs and made sure that, as a buyer, I was comfortable with what I was signing up for and that I understood all the ins and outs of the offers that were presented.”

Bass says he honed many of his own current skills working in the mortgage industry for more than a decade. That experience, he says, has provided him additional perspective when it comes to his real estate management job.

“Getting into real estate was second nature for me,” he says. “I already understood contracts, titles, appraisals, surveys, and I pretty much knew what I was getting myself into. Once I got into real estate, I was having more fun than I was with mortgages.”

While the Berkshire Hathaway team has the industry expertise to conduct business, Bass says the ultimate decisions are made by their customers.

“What sets us apart is our approach, which is more of a consultative approach,” he says. “We want to help our clients make good decisions for themselves.”

Berkshire Hathaway’s role in those good decisions involve, among many things, interpreting market data or deciphering the terms of a contract for clients.

“We’re going to help them understand what they are doing,” he says.

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel families are probably used to their year-round home in paradise becoming a vacation destination for extended family members living outside of the Sunshine State, so an extra bedroom or other living space is part of a lot of transactions. Bass, who lives in New Tampa, says there’s also a growing popularity in properties that can accommodate more kin than just parents and kids.

“It’s quite a good area for multi-generational families, and that’s a lot of what I’m seeing,” he says. “We’re seeing grandparents living with nuclear families, and some of the builders are building multigenerational houses.”

CalAtlantic of Estancia, Bass says, is one example of builders specializing in extended-family housing.

A Name You Can Trust Globally

A review of the listings carried by Berkshire Hathaway’s New Tampa Market office shows homes from Odessa to Eustis in Lake County, but by virtue of Berkshire Hathaway’s corporate relationships, suitable dwellings can be found for moves to anywhere on the globe. Through the company’s international listings, Berkshire Hathaway also can help Floridians market their properties worldwide.

In fact, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Property Group’s online presence is a huge resource for information about home listings, as well as tips for buyers and sellers. There are links to Berkshire Hathaway’s YouTube channel, Twitter feed and Facebook page on the company website at BHHSFloridaProperties.com.

If the name Berkshire Hathaway seems familiar beyond the real estate business, it’s because it is derived from the holding company Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which is chaired by billionaire financier Warren Buffett, who also is the company’s CEO. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group is one of the companies that make up HomeServices of America, Inc., which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

The HomeServices group of companies, of which Florida Properties Group is one, provides all the resources involved in supporting real estate transactions and investments under one roof, such as mortgage originations, title and closing services, insurance, home warranties and even relocation services that span the globe.

But, the company remains just as strong locally, as well.

The Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group name went up on The Shoppes of New Tampa signage in early 2014. The company was founded in 1959 as Tropical Realty and Dewey Mitchell and Allen Crumbley acquired the business in 1984.

In 1988, they aligned with the Prudential Real Estate Network, which Berkshire Hathaway bought in 2012. There was a two-year transition period between 2012 and 2014 for the change to become complete for the Florida Properties Group.

That nearly 60-year period has coincided with the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas evolving from scrub land and cow pastures into vibrant active communities to live and conduct commerce.

Bass, a Florida native, is quite familiar with the market and its transformation.

“I grew up in Wesley Chapel before it was Wesley Chapel,” he says. “I’m one of the very few people you will meet who is from the area.”

Many, including Bass, feel that growth will continue unabated because of the quality of the area’s schools, access to healthcare and the promised addition of jobs.

“The population of Wesley Chapel is really going to grow in the next few years,” he says.

As members of the community they are helping to grow through their business, Bass says his Berkshire Hathaway team is committed to taking action to improve the lives of all residents.

This past Christmas season, for example, the company’s annual Cabernet Sleigh drive collected money, non-perishable food and gifts at its offices and delivered them to Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa on Dec. 15. Crumbley and Mitchell headed up the Cabernet Sleigh drive, which gets its names from the cabernet and cream colors the company uses.

You can meet the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group New Tampa Market team at their office, located at 1830 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (between Bealls & Publix), visit online to browse listings at BHHSFloridaProperties.com or call (813) 907-8200.