The former location of Super Hot Asian & BBQ and Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms is now the third location of Dummy Crabby, which has been a success in the Wesley Chapel Village Market since it opened a few months ago.
Back in June, we told you about a new restaurant that opened in the Wesley Chapel Village Market on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at S.R. 54.
That was the second location of Dummy Crabby, which has already developed a cult following of sorts for anyone who loves fresh seafood in those boil-in bags, especially the buy-one-pound-get-the-second-pound-for-free offer on snow crab legs.
You get 1 lb. of snow crab free when you buy a lb. at the regular price of just $30.95. Dummy Crabby III also serves crisp sweet potato fries, ice cold beer & more.
The original Dummy Crabby is located on W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa, but there is now a Dummy Crabby III, located in the space at 15317 Amberly Dr. previously occupied by Super Hot Asian & BBQ and by Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms.
Like the other links in this growing local chain, the newest Dummy Crabby also offers everything from clams, crawfish, scallops, black and green mussels, shrimp and even lobster tails and king crab legs in their seafood boils., all served with corn on the cob and potatoes. There also is a huge selection of lunch specials and combination meals, daily specials and raw and steamed oysters and wings. “Appetizers” include fried catfish, shrimp, scallops and oysters, three kinds of fries (French, Cajun and sweet potato), as well as a crab cake appetizer, mozzarella sticks and more.
And, in addition to soft drinks, there’s also a variety of bottled beers offered.
Dummy Crabby III is open every day from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (until midnight on Thursdays). For more information, call (813) 447-4465 or visit DummyCrabby.com and tell them that the New Tampa Neighborhood News sent you!.
Shake-A-Salad To Take Over For Island Fin Poké Co.?
In other news, the owners of Shake-A-Salad, the popular salad eatery at the KRATE at The Grove container park in Wesley Chapel, have announced that they are reviewing a lease for the space at 6417 E. County Line Rd. (at BBD) that previously was occupied by Island Fin Poké Co., in the Winn-Dixie-anchored plaza.
We mentioned before that a popular KRATE might be coming to the Island Fin space, but we couldn’t elaborate because it wasn’t a done deal or announced by the Shake-A-Salad owners (who also have a location on Little Rd. in New Port Richey)…until this recent Facebook post:
“We would love to hear additional feedback from our neighbors in the Chapel and New Tampa, as well as from members of the LA Fitness next door on whether we would be welcomed in this area.”
(Above) Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens can help you create unique Christmas stockings for your pets (right) and so much more. (All photos provided by Kathy Gillespie)
Kathy Gillespie never imagined her life would take such a creative turn. She began her journey as a skilled seamstress, crafting parachutes with precision and care. Kathy explained that alongside her late husband, Rob Jones, she “co-owned Morpheus Technologies, a business that combined our passion for skydiving with the art of making parachutes.” Together, they built a life filled with adventure and hard work. “But, when Rob passed away,” Kathy says, “I found myself at a crossroads, uncertain about the future of the business.”
As time went on, she began to feel the weight of her loss and the reality of aging. “I wasn’t sure,” she explains, “if I wanted to continue running Morpheus Technologies full time, especially since I knew I wouldn’t be jumping out of planes as often as before.” Little did she know that a new passion was just around the corner, waiting for her to take a different kind of leap.
In 2011, the couple who owned the business that embroidered their parachutes had mentioned that they were thinking about retiring. The couple asked Kathy if she would be interested in purchasing the business. “This sparked many thoughts” Kathy says. “What if I took over the business and ventured into the world of embroidery?” It was a big decision, and it took her a year to think it through. But, in 2012, she decided to take the plunge and purchase the business.
Kathy was now the proud owner of both Morpheus Technologies and a new company.
“I wanted to give this new company a name that people would remember and smile,” she says. “I thought about it for a while and finally came up with the perfect name: ‘Stitch Happens.’” It is playful, catchy and a little bit cheeky, a perfect reflection of Kathy’s personality.
Although Kathy still makes parachutes, Stitch Happens quickly became her focus.
“The business offers more than just embroidery,” Kathy explains. “We also provide silk screening and a variety of other services.” She can make just about anything you can think of — shirts, hats, scrubs, personalized backpacks, pens, team uniforms, magnets, stickers and even dog collars. “If you can dream it, I can stitch it.” she says.
Business Branding, Too
One of Kathy’s favorite things about her work is helping companies promote their brands. “I especially enjoy working with the medical industry, creating custom scrubs for healthcare professionals,” she says. “Two of my clients are AdventHealth and Florida Medical Clinic.”
When you see Kathy’s Jeep, you know some cool promotional items are being delivered.
But, what really sets Stitch Happens apart from other companies is Kathy’s commitment to building personal relationships with customers.
“I don’t just take orders,” Kathy says, “I collaborate with my clients, and help them refine their ideas and create the perfect design. My customers know they can count on me to be creative and add that special touch that makes their products stand out.”
She recently created promotional items for Black Sheep Restaurant in Lutz, including shirts for the restaurant’s anniversary celebration.
“Helping people grow their businesses through branding is something I find deeply rewarding,” she says “I love hearing back from them and knowing I was a part of their success story.”
Building relationships with her customers is at the heart of Kathy’s business philosophy. She knows that even a small job can lead to bigger opportunities down the road. For example, she might start by creating a personalized item for a newborn baby and as the child grows, she continues to provide items like embroidered backpacks and school uniforms.
“Over time, these small connections grow into lasting partnerships that I cherish,” she says.
And, Kathy’s customers rave about her services, too, giving her a 4.8-out-of-5-star overall rating on Google. Here is just one of those raves:
“We at Crown Insurance Group have been working with Kathy and Stitch Happens for over 5 years and she has yet to disappoint. The quality of her work and her attention to detail are second to none, but more importantly, Kathy brings a passion to her work and goes out of her way to ensure customer satisfaction. Stitch Happens has made polo shirts for the entire Crown Insurance Group team, dress shirts and ‘swag,’ including cups, koozies, magnets and table runners, just to name a few. Even when we have given her short timelines to work with, she delivers every time. We regularly receive compliments on everything that Stitch Happens has done for us. So much so, that we refer Stitch Happens constantly and everyone raves about Kathy and Stitch Happens. Thank you!” — Manuel Saldana, agency principal, Crown Insurance Group, Inc.
Pet Products & More
Pets are a big part of many people’s lives and Kathy knows just how to make them look special, too. “I offer custom embroidery for dog collars,” she says, “and I create unique designs that pet owners love.” Some collars have playful sayings like, “If you find me, call my Mom,” complete with a phone number, while others simply display the pet’s name.” Kathy enjoys helping her customers come up with just the right words to make their pet’s collars one-of-a-kind.
While Stitch Happens does have a website — StitchHappensPromo.com— Kathy says it’s more for inspiration than for shopping. Her site doesn’t have a shopping cart because she prefers to work directly with her customers. The website is a place where people can browse for ideas and once they know what they want, they can reach out to her.
Kathy & Stitch Happens can turn simple items like book bags & backpacks into personalized keepsakes.
“I take pride in finding the best prices for my customers.” she says, adding that she often searches for local businesses to source products, avoiding extra shipping costs whenever possible.
The holiday season is a busy time for Kathy, especially when it comes to Christmas stockings.
“These personalized items are always in high demand,” she says. “I enjoy creating festive designs that bring joy to my customers.” She’s also worked on more sentimental projects, like embroidering messages on quilts for military families. “These quilts often feature squares with special memories or messages,” explains Kathy, “creating a beautiful and lasting tribute to loved ones.”
Weddings are another occasion where Kathy’s talents shine — from embroidered bathrobes for the wedding party to personalized ties with messages for the groom — Kathy helps couples add a personal touch to their big day. She can even stitch wedding dates and names inside bridal dresses, creating a hidden keepsake that brides can cherish forever. And, the possibilities don’t stop there, as Kathy’s embroidery has graced everything from menus to initials on glassware, making each wedding truly unique.
In addition to her work with Stitch Happens, Kathy also is an active member of the Main Street Zephyrhills group which organizes events and fund raisers. She has created logos for the group and enjoys giving back to her community. Kathy also has embroidered golf towels and created logos for golf tournaments that support underprivileged children.
Kathy’s motto is “Making Stitch Happen Since 2012.” This sums up her journey perfectly, as she took a leap of faith by leaving behind the parachutes she once made to create something for an entirely new adventure. Kathy Gillespie has built a business that’s more than just a place to get something stitched. It’s a business where relationships are woven together one stitch at a time.
For more information, call Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens at (813) 679-9355 or email her at StitchHappensKat@gmail.com.
In addition to its more upscale dinner items, The Grill at Morris Bridge on Cross Creek Blvd. has a great new bar menu that includes (above left) Nathan’s Coney Island hot dogs with different toppings, (below left) ham-&- cheese croquettes, (below right) savory meatballs, (lower left) crispy pretzels, (lower right) a variety of bar pizzas, brunch items like (bottom right) Berry Berry French toast and a blackened (or fried) grouper sandwich (below right). (Photos by Charmaine George and Gary Nager)
“This is now the fourth college and pro football season since we opened in 2021,” says The Grill at Morris Bridge owner Frank Gouveia, “and we’re really trying to cater to the local bar crowd that doesn’t want to have to deal with the big crowds and average-at-best food at most sports bars.”
To that end, Frank has expanded his already lower-priced bar menu options to include Nathan’s Famous hot dogs with a variety of toppings, ham and cheese croquettes, zesty meatballs and more.
“My parents sold Nathan’s hot dogs at their restaurant in New Bedford, Massachusetts, as far back as the 1950s,” he says. “So, having Nathan’s hot dogs here is a tribute to them.”
And, they’re delicious, too. I grew up on Nathan’s Kosher-style hot dogs at the one-time chain’s second restaurant in Oceanside, Long Island (the original location was, of course, on Coney Island, Brooklyn) and The Grill’s new Coney Island dog with mustard and sauerkraut definitely takes me back to those days, even though Frank serves them with yellow mustard, instead of the brown mustard I was used to — that must also be a Massachusetts thing. But honestly…yum.
The hot dogs also are available with house-made chili and onions and chili, onions and cheese, and are all served with house-made potato chips for just $6.90 apiece or two for $10.90. The chili is chunky, with just a hint of spice and the melted cheese is a great complement.
The super-crispy ham, spicy capicola and cheese croquettes come four to an order for just $9.90 and the white cheddar cheese is fully melted inside. The croquettes are served on top of a thick dip of parmesan, goat cheese, ricotta and parsley. Excellent finger food.
The meatballs are super-tasty, too, and very tender. They are made in-house from a freshly ground blend of The Grill’s ribeye and filet and served in a light tomato sauce for just $13.90 for an order of two. If you’re looking for something to dip in that sauce, try an order of the freshly baked pretzels (just $8.90 per order). They’re nicely crisp outside (as they should be; unlike at most other restaurants) and pillowy soft inside — and even though they’re served with a melted white cheddar dip, Frank won’t throw you out of the place for dipping them in the meatball sauce, too.
And, of course, The Grill’s Boston-style bar pizza is already legendary and available with a variety of toppings so you can build your own or try the cutely named options, like the New Bedford (with hot chicken, onions, scallions and spicy peri peri sauce) and the Route 140 (with linguiça sausage, banana peppers and onions). The pizzas are hearty, filling and start at just $11.90 for plain cheese.
Other items on the bar menu include cacoila (paprika-braised pulled pork) sliders for $12.90 and a big stuffed quahog (New England clam) for just $7.90. I haven’t yet sampled either of these.
But of course, Jannah and I have tried most of The Grill’s full lunch and dinner menu — all of which is available at the bar, too — so if you’re looking for something else when you visit to watch a game or any other reason, you can enjoy everything from the blackened grouper sandwich (and substitute fresh broccoli for the house-made French fries it comes with) to a delicious shaved ribeye sandwich (served with au jus and creamy horseradish sauce for dipping) to what is still New Tampa’s only bone-in tomahawk ribeye steak for two. There’s also true New England-style clam “chowda,” Jannah’s favorite grilled Caesar salad, prime rib (served Fri.-Sun.) in 12- and 16-oz. cuts, teriyaki-glazed salmon, a great smash burger with white cheddar (served with spicy peri peri mayo) and so much more.
The Grill at Morris Bridge has great food and shows your favorite college and NFL games.
There’s even a great Sunday Brunch menu, with spinach & artichoke dip, sautéed mussels, avocado toast, a charcuterie board and a variety of different eggs Benedict options, including braised short rib, salmon, “Southern” and crab cake “Bennys,” as well as a pancakes, Berry Berry French toast, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, fried or scrambled egg sandwich and much more.
Try the chef’s super-creamy raspberry cheesecake
The Grill’s kids menu has mac & cheese, chicken tenders, a smash burger and hot dogs, all for just $7-$9. For dessert, there’s bourbon-glazed chocolate chip bread pudding, chef’s creamy cheesecake and different chef’s cakes.
And, with New Tampa’s most extensive wine list, plenty of domestic, imported and micro-brewed beers on tap and in bottles and cans and a true craft cocktail selection (Jannah’s favorite is the sparkling French martini), The Grill at Morris Bridge is the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry while watching Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Bucs (above) or your favorite NFL or college teams.
So, don’t just think of The Grill at Morris Bridge for dinner. Check it out for lunch, brunch and weekend football games, too!
The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open Sun., 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon., 5 p.m.-9 p.m., 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. on Tue. & Wed., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. on Thur. & Fri. & 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sat. For more information, call (813) 388-5353 or visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com and please tell Frank and his crew I sent you!
Try any of Johnny C’s pizzas and ask for the Mike’s Hot Honey to give it a little extra kick. (Some Photos are by Charmaine George and Gary Nager; others were provided by Erik Ravenna)
Although it’s only been open a little more than a year, Johnny C’s Italian Eatery, located in the small plaza on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd., is already one of our area’s favorite restaurants for New York-style pizza and delicious Italian food.
But lately, co-owner and chef Erik Ravenna says that he’s become more and more passionate about catering — especially as people are starting to think about the upcoming holiday season.
Johnny C’s even recently provided breakfast for 400 people at Cypress Creek High in Wesley Chapel.
Johnny C’s, named for Erik’s partner Pat Ciaccio’s father Johnny (a long-time restaurateur himself), can accommodate parties and events — on-site or at a remote location — of pretty much any size, which may have something to do with the fact that Erik and Pat also used to work together at Saddlebrook Resort, where large-scale on-site catering drove the food and beverage end of the business.
“I really enjoy doing large catering events,” Erik says, “especially events to help people and worthwhile causes.”
As we reported in March of this year, Erik, who also lives in Wesley Chapel, became friends with Cypress Creek High (CCH) principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles because he has coached at the school and helped start its athletic booster club, and has always offered to help the school in any way he can. That included not only hosting an on-site pizza-making class (he now also offers cooking classes for individuals and small groups at the restaurant) for CCH’s Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students, he also recently provided breakfast for 400 CCH students and teachers.
Erik loves teaching kids how to cook and offers cooking lessons for small groups and individual kids. “The kids love learning how to make pizzas and different dishes and then being able to serve what they’ve made to their families,” he says. “I always make it fun for them.”
But, Erik also has donated food for New Tampa schools and organizations, including Benito Middle School, Heritage Elementary, and the Breast Cancer Awareness program at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. In Feb., he also provided dinner for more than 200 special needs teens and young adults for the Tim Tebow Foundation’s “Night to Shine” prom-style celebration, held at Cypress Point Community Church on Morris Bridge Rd.
“I do enjoy helping people whenever I can,” Erik says, “but so many of the people I’ve helped also have also become my customers, whether for a dinner with their families or for a large catering. A lot of the people we’ve served at these events may not have known Johnny C’s before, but they definitely do now. We often also get a banner at the schools we help, so even more people find out who we are and where we’re located.”
When he’s not giving away large amounts of his delicious food for schools and charitable events, Erik still spends most of his days in the kitchen at Johnny C’s and he says that the business has continued to grow in the 16 months or so since it opened.
The Food
Catering is a definitely a specialty at Johnny C’s, with everything from great sandwiches to shrimp scampi, chicken parmigiana, garlic knots & so much more available.
With his New Jersey Italian roots and extensive cooking training and experience, Erik says that although it was never his goal to run a restaurant, he loves the bustle in Johnny C’s open kitchen when the restaurant has a large weekend crowd and even the quieter times, when he can work on tweaking and perfecting his recipes.
“Our menu hasn’t changed much since we opened,” Erik says, “but I have made minor adjustments here and there.”
That means Erik is still dusting Johnny C’s pizza crusts with garlic and one of his favorite pizzas — the “Yea, Babe!” — was named after his father-in-law, Grandpa Bill’s favorite saying. The Yea Babe! features pink vodka sauce (instead of traditional red pizza sauce), Italian sausage and mozzarella. The other specialty pizzas on the menu are all named for the five boroughs of New York City, as well as SoHo, but you can get any of the 18 pizza toppings on the menu — from anchovies to sundried tomatoes — on any of the three sizes of pizza and in the calzones. You can even get your pizza made with a gluten-free cauliflower crust, which has become Jannah’s favorite pizza at Johnny C’s, even though she’s not on any kind of gluten-free diet.
And, although none of his specialty pizzas include it, as so many are these days, Erik does also offer Mike’s Hot Honey in individual-sized mini-tubs and he always asks his new customers ordering pizza if they’ve tried it. “It’s definitely a game-changer,” he says. “It gives your favorite pizza a little extra ‘kick’ and many customers are now coming back and asking for it by name, no matter what kind of pizza they like best.” His fried calamari appetizer also is made with the Mike’s Hot Honey.
And, while Erik offers a lot of different seafood pasta dishes (“partly because I saw that the other Italian places in New Tampa didn’t offer a lot of it”), other than his Linguini Vongolé (with clams, white wine and butter; it’s also offered with marinara), I can’t eat most of them because the dishes have either shrimp, mussels, or both. Even so, he says his shrimp marinara, his two “Fra Diavlo” dishes (literally meaning “Among the Devil” because of their crushed red pepper “heat”) — shrimp Fra Diavlo and “Frutti di Mare (“Fruits of the Sea,” which has shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari) have all proven to be very popular. “But our #1 seafood dish is still our shrimp scampi,” Erik says.
Speaking of customer favorites, Erik also says his other top sellers are the Italian meatball appetizer and Momma’s lasagna, but whether you prefer tender chicken or eggplant parmigiana over spaghettini, penne a la vodka, chicken or shrimp Alfredo, ravioli pomodoro or chicken Marsala or piccata, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy Erik’s house-made sauces. They’ve become so popular he also sells the marinara, vodka, Alfredo and Marsala sauces by the quart.
Co-owner & chef Erik Ravenna puts pizzas in boxes for a catering order. The Italian meatballs are a Johnny C’s best seller.
“We also sell a lot of our garlic knots,” Erik says, “but you gotta dip ‘em in the ‘gravy’ (marinara) for the best flavor.”
Johnny C’s also serves a variety of “grinders” (I call them “subs”), including the Italian — with capicola, salami, ham, provolone, tomato, onion, banana peppers and roasted red peppers, plus creamy Italian dressing — and hot grinders like meatball and chicken parm.
Try Johnny C’s hand-piped cannolis with crushed pistachio nuts and/or chocolate chips.
Finish off your meal with delicious hand-piped cannolis. I didn’t know I loved them with pistachios until I had them at Johnny C’s. “They’ll make you forget you’re in Pasco County,” Erik said, even though he knows the restaurant is actually located within the City of Tampa limits.
Johnny C’s also serves beer and wine (for those 21 & older) and has a great $6.95 kids menu. Among the different specials are “Wednesday is a Pastability,” when you get a second pasta entrée 1/2-off with the purchase of a pasta entrée, and “Thursday Night Out,” when you can buy one entrée and get the second 1/2-off.
Johnny C’s Italian Eatery (10970 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open for dinner only Mon.-Thur. (4 p.m.-9 p.m.) and for lunch and dinner (11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.) Fri.-Sun. For more info, call (813) 278-8020 or visit JohnnyCsItalianEatery.com. Your Booster Club also can hold its Spirit Days at the restaurant. Call during business hours for details.
Joe & Christina Kipping say they rare proud to run their Tampa Bay Home Team real estate office on Cypress Ridge Blvd. like a family, but here they are with their actual family. (Photos provided by Joe Kipping)
Joe Kipping loves his family and he also loves to be a coach. A former high school and college football player himself, he now coaches football for his sons, Joey, 10, and Jaxson, 9.
But, Joe spends most of his time coaching clients in his role as a real estate agent and broker, and cultivating a business that feels more like a family than a corporation.
He and his wife, Christina, who also is a real estate agent, own Tampa Bay Home Team.
Joe started in the industry in 2003.
“I was doing mortgages, but I didn’t want to be strapped behind a desk,” he says. From his vantage point, he met real estate agents who weren’t serving their clients well. “I can do this better,” he thought, so he pursued a real estate license.
He started selling homes in 2007, then established the company that would become Tampa Bay Home Team in 2009. After 10 years under the Keller Williams umbrella, Tampa Bay Home Team is now part of eXp Realty.
“We made the switch to eXp Realty because it offers greater opportunities for Realtors through revenue sharing and stock ownership,” Joe explains, adding that eXp Realty has an innovative model that allows agents to build wealth for retirement during their careers.
In 2014, Christina was let go from a corporate job in finance and joined Joe in the business.
And in 2021, Joe’s career came full circle when he opened a mortgage business, called Motto Mortgage Home Team, a local franchise of a Denver-based company that has more than 225 offices in 40 states.
The office for both companies is located in Wesley Chapel, on Cypress Ridge Blvd. near AdventHealth Center Ice. It includes five more agents, all of whom have been at the company for several years.
“We’re family oriented,” says Christina. “We’re a small business, and we really do treat clients as family, and our employees would say the same thing.”
Joe and Christina are native to the Tampa Bay area and moved to Wesley Chapel almost 15 years ago. In addition to Joey and Jaxon, Joe and Christina also have two daughters. Taylor, who is 14 and six-year-old Natalie.
“I love to educate people,” Joe says, “whether they’re buying now or 10 years from now. I’m a coach at heart. If they buy 10 years from now, I want to be the guy who has been there the whole time, educating them along the way.”
“We’re here to help people when the time is right,” Christina adds.
Discounted Commissions
Joe and Christina say they have stripped their commission fees “down to bare bones” and offer a menu system where buyers can pay as little as 1.5 percent. However, they say, most people choose the 2% option.
They say that if someone doesn’t see value in a particular service, they shouldn’t have to pay for it. In other words, their options put the consumer in the driver seat.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Home Team’s clients say their lower commission rate doesn’t mean a lower level of service.
When you list your home for sale with Tampa Bay Home Team, you can rest assured that outstanding photography will always be part of the deal.
Eric Sanchez worked with Christina to sell his home in Meadow Pointe. He’s lived in Wesley Chapel for 18 years, but recently bought a home in Two Rivers.
“I was under duress and had to make a quick sale,” he explains. “I was looking for a Realtor who was willing to take less commission and found Christina. It was truly a godsend.”
Back in 2006, during the local real estate market crash, Eric had tried to sell in Temple Terrace by hiring a full-commission Realtor. That home never sold and he eventually lost it. He wanted to be sure he didn’t make that mistake again.
“(Christina and Joe) have a whole office working hard to sell my home,” Eric says. “They did everything from referring me to contractors who did an excellent job, to helping me pack. There was absolutely nothing the Home Team couldn’t handle for me.”
Eric received an offer within two weeks and closed on the sale of his home less than four weeks from when it was listed.
“A lot of things had to fall into place, and Christina handled everything to a ‘T,’” Eric says. “I got premium service — absolutely the full service of what you would expect from a Realtor’s office, with no corners cut – at a discounted rate.
He says he and his wife, Carmen, speak of them highly every opportunity we get, and refer them to anyone they can.
“They even have the post-sale saying,” explains Eric. “You’re family now. They have get-togethers and social events, and they invite us. It’s not a business feeling; it’s a family feeling. I don’t feel like a customer; I feel like a friend.”
Joe and Christina say a couple of things their clients really appreciate include their partnership with Zillow to showcase the homes they market.
Also, Tampa Bay Home Team has an in-house media department for photography and videography. When they used to outsource photography, pictures were snapped quickly in less than an hour, but now their staff can spend all day getting the perfect pictures to best showcase a home online.
“Clients like it because they don’t feel rushed,” Christina explains. “This is a big step for them, putting their biggest asset on the market. They want someone to come in and care about it as much as they do.”
They also say their background in the financial industry and mortgages also is a benefit to their clients.
“A lot of agents are not trained on the mortgage side,” Joe says. “You want to make sure the person you’re hiring as a listing agent has the background knowledge to know what questions to ask the lender so there are no issues with the mortgage.”
He says they’ve heard a lot of horror stories about deals that don’t close. “The worst thing is after you’ve made plans, you’re packed up and ready to move, and the deal dies,” he says.
Guaranteed Offers, Too
That’s one reason people are tempted by online companies that offer convenience and a sure thing, such as Open Door and Offerpad. But Joe says his company offers a better option.
Tampa Bay Home Team will make a guaranteed cash offer on your home.
“We have investors that will give full market value for homes,” Joe explains. “It’s a unique program that gets people a lot more money.”
He says online companies typically offer about 80 percent of a home’s value. Recently, Joe says a seller got $30,000 more from Tampa Bay Home Team than they were offered from an online source.
“If consumers go to Open Door or Offerpad, they are not being represented,” explains Joe. “Our fiduciary responsibility is to the client to represent their best interest. Those companies’ responsibility is to their shareholders.”
He says the most important thing when buying or selling a home is to work with someone who has a track record of selling a lot of homes, with the experience and education to navigate the transaction.
For example, Robert Holbert and his wife Carrie have 2-year-old twins and a 10-year-old. They are another client of The Home Team who recently moved to Wesley Chapel from New Tampa. They’re also repeat customers who first bought a house with Home Team in 2020. Then, The Home Team helped Robert’s parents move into the area in 2022.
“Joe is super knowledgeable about the market and has done a great job of keeping the relationship with us,” Robert says. “It’s not just a deal, but he’s been someone we see around town, who has helped us with follow-up questions about schools and when we needed a recommendation to replace our A/C. He’s been available for us, not just for one transaction.”
Tampa Bay Home Team is located at 2818 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Ste. 150. For more information about Tampa Bay Home Team, contact Joe and Christina at (813) 321-HOME (4663), email info@TampaBayHome.com or visit TampaBayHome.com.
The professional real estate team at Tampa Bay Home Team also enjoys spending time together outside of work.
