If you’re looking for a quick, casual Italian meal, whether for sit-down dining or quick drive-through to-go service, you should definitely give the new Fazoli’s, located at 24791 S.R. 54 in Lutz (less than a half-mile west of the Tampa Premium Outlets), a try.
Fazoli’s is sort of like an Olive Garden (but with no alcohol sales) in a family-friendly environment, and also serves its own unlimited garlic breadsticks when you dine inside.
Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I attended Fazoli’s pre-opening ribbon-cutting event on May 20 with other North Tampa Bay Chamber members and had the opportunity to meet franchisee Carlos Saenz and his family. Saenz, who also has owned Dairy Queen franchises in the Tampa Bay area, welcomed everyone to what is now the only Fazoli’s in the Tampa Bay area (the location on Busch Blvd. in Tampa closed a few months ago; the next nearest location is in Plant City).
We serve Fast, Fresh Italian,” Saenz said. “We have people who live in this area who have been anxiously waiting for this location to open, as they have been driving to Plant City for our breadsticks and Italian specialties.”
Jannah, Charmaine and I sampled a few items from the Fazoli’s menu, including slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza, baked lasagna, a Classic Sampler (fettuccine Alfredo, lasagna with meat sauce and spaghetti marinara with meatballs) and my favorite so far, the meatball sub. Among the other items on the Fazoli’s menu include fried mozzarella bites, pepperoni pizza breadsticks, baked ziti or spaghetti, chicken fettuccine Alfredo and more — all fairly priced. Another plus is that Fazoli’s sells Cheesecake Factory cheesecake slices for dessert. As I said…it may not be fine Italian dining, but it is worth a visit.
For more info, visit Fazolis.com, call (813) 803-3231 or stop in and tell general manager Nicole Taylor, operations director (and Wesley Chapel resident) David Ginsberg and crew I sent you!
(Above, l.-r.) Carter, Ryan, Leeann and Rylee Sack. The Team Sack real estate team of Future Home Realty is most definitely a family business. The Sacks want to help you & your family buy or sell a home. (Photo by Charmaine George)
Buying or selling a home is generally one of the biggest and most expensive projects most people will undertake. The journey is almost always filled with a lot of both emotions and important decisions.
How can you have peace of mind when faced with such a daunting task? Aligning yourself with the right people who have experience and can walk you through the entire process is an important first step.
Long-time local Realtors® Leeann and Ryan Sack with Future Home Realty, Inc., are the married team calling themselves Team Sack. They have an ongoing business relationship with mortgage broker Patrick Monteau of Great Western Home Loans, which makes the combination a one-stop shop for home buyers.
Leeann has been a Realtor for 19 years. Prior to joining Future Home Realty, she worked for a home builder selling newly built homes and still has contacts in the new home construction industry.
Although it wasn’t yet called Team Sack at that time, Ryan got his real estate license 15 years ago, “and we joined forces right away,” says Leeann, who brings her vast array of insider knowledge of the business to the table for every potential home buyer, whether you’re looking for new construction, a resale or aren’t sure which type of home is right for you.
Leeann says that wherever you go in and around Wesley Chapel these days, you will find new construction. An important Team Sack strategy is always having information about what each of the new home builders are offering, so they know how to market a seller trying to resell an older home in order to be able to compete with all of that new home construction.
As for Team Sack’s philosophy when working with clients seeking to buy a home, Leeann says, “Competition is always a factor when purchasing a home, especially when inventory is low. Speed is of the essence in order to be able to secure the home of your dreams, and prompt action can make all the difference.”
Ryan adds, “Whether buying or selling, you need to be educated and Team Sack believes in educating our clients. Potential buyers and sellers want to feel comfortable with the information you provide. Every client will have questions and we are always going to answer the phone and get you through the process.”
The Right Lender, Too!
Leeann and Ryan met Patrick about 10 years ago and they have been working together ever since. Patrick started his career working in foreclosures in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. He worked for Bank of America underwriting and processing mortgages in their operations department. Then, about 15 years ago, Patrick decided to start his career as a loan originator.
Today, Patrick is the branch manager with Great Western Home Loans, a company with 40 years in the business that is headquartered in Texas. His office is located off of W. Kennedy Blvd. Although he is open from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Patrick offers flexible meeting times and provides his mobile number to all of his clients.
He says that although he is willing to meet with his clients, most of the work in his business these days is done online. He is very proud to say that his is the only Great Western branch in Florida.
‘Certified Divorce Specialists’
Ryan and Leeann call Team Sack, “Certified Divorce Specialists,” because they often help couples going through a divorce who have decided to sell their home. Team Sack is able to work together to help both parties.
“Each of us will represent one of the people going through the divorce as their Realtor,” says Leeann, “and we also will work with the attorneys. This makes it a seamless process for everyone.”
Leeann and Ryan say their favorite part of working in real estate is helping their clients achieve one of their goals — whether buying or selling.
What About This Market?
(l.-r.) Millie, Patrick, Stacy and Mollie Monteau. Patrick, the branch manager at Great Western Home Loans, works with Team Sack to get you the lowest possible interest rate. (Photo provided by Patrick Monteau)
Leeann, Ryan and Patrick all agree that whether buying or selling, “You shouldn’t be scared of the current market,” Leeann says.
Based on the fact that throughout the history of the real estate business, home values always will trend upwards long-term, even though there may be short-term corrections. In other words, “It’s always a good time to purchase a home,” Ryan says, “and when you are ready, please give us a call!”
He adds, “The local market has stayed strong, but the inventory is still low.” “There is still high demand for homes here.”
Leeann says Florida has many things to offer and our area “checks a lot of those boxes.” With about 1,200 people relocating to Florida each day, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area offers small city feel with big city amenities, plus miles of beaches not very far away on one side and Orlando on the other.
She also notes that one of the big advantages of working with a Realtor who so often partners up with a great mortgage broker (like Patrick) is that, “We can often get you a lower interest rate,” even though rates are definitely higher now than they were even a year ago.
In fact, the Team Sack/Great Western ad below says that not only can you get a lower interest rate, Ryan and Leeann are currently offering a $500 credit (at closing) towards a buyer’s home inspection fee and Patrick is offering an additional $500 credit towards the buyer’s appraisal fee (also at closing).
And, $till More Help!
To help home buyers have an additional edge, Patrick says he will often use what is known in the mortgage business as a “2-1 Buydown.”
“A 2-1 Buydown lowers the interest rate for the first two years before it rises to the regular and permanent rate,” he says. “The rate is usually 2 percentage points lower the first year and one percentage point lower the second year. This is a great deal for homebuyers, as long as they know they can afford the regular interest rate starting with the third year.
He adds that this 2-1 Buydown is available when the seller offers money towards the mortgage. “For example,” Patrick says, “you may see an ad where a home price was reduced by $10,000. Instead of reducing the initial price, the seller will contribute $10,000 towards the mortgage and the buyer will receive the lower rate for the first two years. This is a win-win for both the buyer and the seller.”
He also says, “Programs like this will help get that house sold that may have been sitting on the market for a while. It may also get the buyer to say yes when the hesitation was the interest rate.”
Patrick also offers additional financial solutions and options to help clients save money in the long run — including Federal Housing Administration (FHA),Veterans Administration (VA), U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), jumbo and Non-Qualified (Non- QM) mortgages. He says it’s this commitment to financial wellness that sets him apart.
Leeann, Ryan and Patrick not only work together they also vacation together and are good friends. Patrick and his wife Stacy have two little girls — 2-1/2-year-old Millie and Mollie, who is seven months old (photo above). Leeann and Ryan’s son Carter is 12 and attends Cypress Creek Middle School and their daughter Rylee is 9 and attends Quail Hollow Elementary.
For more information about Team Sack, call Leeann at (813) 351-9599 or Ryan at (813) 351-9598 or email them at info@SellandBuyFL.com. For Patrick Monteau, call (813) 927-7806 or email him at pmonteau@gwloans.com.
Instead of calling a 1-800 number, if you need almost any kind of insurance, walk into the GEICO local office owned by Jaime Bryant (in blue in front) in the Super Target-anchored Northwoods Plaza on BBD Blvd. at County Line Rd. to meet with a live agent. (Photos by Charmaine George)
It seems that these days, whenever you go on social media, you find someone saying, “My insurance rates have gone up!” But, in our all-electronic, virtual world, being able to go to a physical location to speak with an insurance expert can make a big difference.
In case you still didn’t know it, sitting in the Super Target-anchored Northwoods Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., at County Line Rd., is a team of insurance experts. Just walk into the Wesley Chapel local office of GEICO Insurance, where actual live people can help you with a wide variety of insurance needs.
Owner and long-time Wesley Chapel resident Jaime Bryant opened the office in December of 2020, but he began working for GEICO in 2004, after earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of South Florida. He also received his Florida 2-20 Resident General Lines License (which allows him to provide property, casualty, surety, marine, health and miscellaneous insurance lines, including auto, motorcycle, boats/watercraft, homes, condos, RVs, renters and even pet insurance) to ensure that his local GEICO office can provide you with virtually any type of insurance you may need.
Jaime says his GEICO local office can write policies for your “home, auto, commercial auto, motorcycle, condo, rental apartment, boat/watercraft, jewelry, flood mobile homes/RVs and umbrella policies.”
An umbrella policy provides added protection beyond your existing limits and coverages of other policies. Jaime says, “Umbrella policies are good for someone who has a lot of assets.”
When you call or walk into Jaime’s local GEICO office, an agent can take your information, which is then used to customize whatever policies you may want to your specific needs.
As for GEICO’s rates, although there’s been a lot of discussion these days about rising insurance rates, especially here in Florida, Jaime says, “While everyone has seen some increases in their premiums, the market now appears to be stabilizing, with most (but not all) insurance premiums staying about the same.”
Help For Home & Condo Owners
If you need home or condominium insurance, dates may come into play. In most cases, a condo or townhome can be any age. But, for homes, mobile homes and RVs, GEICO can issue you a policy, as long as your home was built in 1995 or later.
Jaime, Elliot and Shannon Bryant hope you will visit their GEICO local office for your insurance needs!
Homeowner policies will cover not just the home itself, but also attached structures such as garages, lanais and even fences, as well as any personal property inside the home. These policies, in most cases, also will include liability coverage, which will protect you in the event someone gets injured in your home, although additional liability insurance is sometimes required. Jaime says your GEICO agent can assist you with finding all of the requirements for your perfect policy.
“For example,” he says, “Your homeowners insurance will usually have hurricane coverage. In the state of Florida, GEICO requires policies to have hurricane coverage, which will include damage caused by tropical storms. In order for this coverage to kick in, the storm causing the damage has to be a named storm. For non-named storms, the claim would be under ‘wind damage.’”
With hurricane season now just a few days away from starting, Jaime says this is a good time to visit the GEICO local office to see what he and his staff can do for you.
In addition, while Wesley Chapel is not in a major flood zone, Jaime and his crew can still provide you with flood insurance.
He says, “Just because flood insurance isn’t required here, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it. Flood insurance will cover water that is coming into your home from your property — for example, from rain that is not from a hurricane, a sewer, or an overflowing pond.”
He adds, “People don’t think they will find themselves in these situations, but when they do, they wish they would have had the insurance. Plus, flood insurance is not very expensive to add to your homeowners policy.”
The Buying Power Of ‘Bundling’
Jaime says that GEICO’s rates are very competitive and your live agent will always check for all possible discounts. As one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., GEICO also offers discounts for “bundling” different policies together.
For example, Jaime says that bundling your home and auto policies together will qualify you for discounts on both policies. “It doesn’t always end up costing you less than buying them separately,” he says, “but it usually does.”
He adds, “But, when you bundle multiple GEICO policies together though, because GEICO (which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway) is such a large company, at least you don’t have to worry about us leaving the state (as so many other insurance companies have over the past few years).” He also notes that auto and renters insurance also are often bundled, “because the renters insurance will then either be free or cost pennies on the dollar, which is probably the biggest savings you get by bundling.”
When you own a boat, Jaime says that whether you bundle it with your homeowners policy or not, “Boat/watercraft insurance is one of our most competitively priced products on the market.” Other GEICO policies with competitive rates include for recreation vehicles (RVs), travel trailers and mobile/manufactured homes.
For the best possible information, Jaime says it’s always a good idea to, “Stop by and speak to one of our agents, rather than calling the GEICO 1-800 number. Our people can help you find the policy (or policies) you need at the best possible rates.”
In addition, Jaime says that if you or your family members or friends who need insurance would prefer to speak to someone in Spanish, he has bilingual agents who can assist them with that, too.
Giving Back…
Jaime gives back to our community and to some organizations that he says are near and dear to his heart. The office will be sponsoring a golf tournament for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This nonprofit organization has made a promise to the children of fallen U.S. Special Operations personnel and the children of all service members awarded the Medal of Honor by providing full education and additional opportunities for them.
Jaime, who lives with his wife Shannon and their two-year-old son Elliot in Wesley Chapel, says he also will sponsor the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Wharton High next year. He also sponsors the sports tickets for Wiregrass Ranch High and has provided folders for Double Branch, New River and Watergrass elementaries in Wesley Chapel.
The GEICO Wesley Chapel local office is located at 1227 BBD Blvd. The office is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. For more information, call (813) 953- 4200 or feel free to stop by the office in person. You also can visit GEICO.com/insurance-agents/florida/tampa/ jaime-bryant/
I’ve said it from Day One, but when you’re supposed to be a “fresh” seafood restaurant and the food item people say they love the most at your place are your cheesy fried biscuits, that’s kind of a problem.
Well, the bad news for you Cheddar Bay biscuit lovers is that dozens of Red Lobster restaurants across the U.S., including the location at 17021 Palm Pointe Dr. at The Pointe at Tampa Palms, closed abruptly on May 14, weeks after the announcement that the company was pursuing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the 700+-unit worldwide chain. The local Red Lobster was one of three Tampa Bay-area locations and 20 in Florida that all closed the same day. And, following the closures, published reports say that Red Lobster did formally announce that it had indeed declared bankruptcy on Monday of this week (after we went to press with the May 28 New Tampa issue) —” punctuating a five-year chapter marked by traffic declines, inconsistent sales and dwindling cash. The restructure will result in a leaner company, smaller menu and better capital structure, per a plan laid out in a court filing by CEO Jonathan Tibus.”
Although the restaurant’s popular “Endless Shrimp” promotion was reported as a major reason for the bankruptcy, it’s clear the company had a lot more problems than just too many customers consuming too many free crustaceans.
The good news is that you can still buy the mix to make your favorite biscuits from scratch. They’re also available frozen and ready to bake in most local grocery stores.
Meanwhile, TJF USA LLC, the parent company of Central Florida-based Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex restaurants, has been acquired by a new ownership group (Flatheads, LLC), but the company concurrently announced that it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has resulted in the closing of 11 of its 26 franchise locations (there also are 65 company-owned Tijuana Flats), including the one in New Tampa at 17501 Preserve Walk Ln. in the Highwoods Preserve area, which is already closed (photo).
The Wesley Chapel Tijuana Flats, located at 27709 S.R. 56, is one of the locations that is remaining open. All of the Tijuana Flats restaurants are located in Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Alabama.
Also, although we told you way back in our Sept. 19, 2023, New Tampa issue that Potbelly Sandwich Works was taking over the former Oronzo Honest Italian space in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on BBD, we had no idea at that time how long it would take for Potbelly’s to open in the plaza.
Well, we now know that the answer is “No time soon.”
Yours truly was able to stop in at the under-construction location a couple of weeks ago and what I saw was a still-completely-gutted space with a dirt floor. In other words, no remnant of what once was Oronzo remains and even the construction workers at the site (who said they didn’t know and certainly couldn’t speak officially about any projected opening date) said that it would be “months” before Potbelly could possibly be ready to open. I didn’t take any pictures inside, but based on what I saw, it could be until the end of the year before we see the new Potbelly’s opening in that space.
In the meantime, feel free to visit the location at 4738 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (near Raymond James Stadium) or the one at 2520 S. Falkenburg Rd. (near Brandon) for the Chicago-based chain’s “famous toasty sandwiches, soups, salads, fresh-baked cookies and hand-spun milkshakes.” — GN
Attorney Brian Arrighi of North Tampa Law Group can help you with real estate transactions, estate planning, probate and more at his North Tampa Law Group office off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Attorney Brian Arrighi helps people with estate planning, probate and real estate transactions at his North Tampa Law Group office, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (east of I-75) in Wesley Chapel.
The Tampa Palms resident has served his neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 19 years, helping those who find themselves in need of an attorney for real estate transactions, estate planning and probate issues.
Brian, the owner of North Tampa Law Group, relocated his firm to its Wesley Chapel location nearly 10 years ago, after originally opening it in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2014.
Brian earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, where he graduated cum laude, and his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mass Communications from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He’s a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar.
“Our practice involves three areas,” Brian explains, “real estate, estate planning and probate (law).”
Real estate law includes title closings, title insurance and organizing and overseeing real estate transactions. This includes handling “For Sale by Owner” home sales from contract to closing.
As an experienced probate attorney, dealing with distribution of property after someone’s death, Brian also understands the complicated issues that might arise related to real estate titles.
That’s why he says many of his clients are referred to him by local real estate agents, who suggest they hire North Tampa Law Group instead of a title agency for their closings. He says those agents tell him they recommend his firm because it is quick and efficient in dealing with issues found during title searches.
Brian says, “If something pops up on the title search, we’re able to get on the legal side of it right away, whereas a title agency will send you to hire a lawyer to figure it out. We can usually get the legal work done and still close on time, because we get such a good head start on it.”
He adds that hiring North Tampa Law Group to handle a real estate closing doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of a transaction without an attorney.
“Our fees are very competitive compared to a standard title agent,” Brian says.
In most transactions, the seller is the party who chooses the title agency, and sellers often use whoever their Realtor recommends. But, people are free to choose, so they can let their Realtor know they would like North Tampa Law Group to handle their closing and title insurance.
“For someone selling their home by owner,” Brian says, “once they obtain the buyer, we provide the contract and forms and take it from there. We handle everything and oversee it all the way to closing.”
James is a local resident who had a great experience using North Tampa Law Group for a real estate closing — selling a townhouse in Zephyrhills.
“The process couldn’t have been made simpler for us and we are thrilled with their service,” James says, explaining that the communication with North Tampa Law Group throughout the process also was outstanding.
“Based on our experience,” he adds, “I would definitely use them again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.”
Estate Planning & Probate
In addition to handling real estate closings, North Tampa Law Group also helps clients with estate planning, such as wills, trusts and the transfer of wealth and assets to loved ones after a death. Brian says he has something of a specialty helping people set up their estates so they can protect their minor children from outside influences and adults from making poor decisions. He works with individuals to set up trusts for health care, living expenses and smaller disbursements, rather than lump-sum payouts, if that’s what the client wants.
One thing Brian emphasizes is that each client’s individual circumstances are unique, so he helps to arrange documents in whatever way is best for each person’s particular situation.
Even for those who don’t know where to start with an estate plan, North Tampa Law Group can help.
“If people aren’t sure what they want,” Brian says, “we can sit down, do a consultation and listen to their objectives — how they want their estate distributed, and what it will consist of. Then, we go over their options and give recommendations for what type of trust or plan will be specific to that individual’s needs.”
He says that many clients are relieved to find out the estate planning process was not as expensive or as difficult as they thought it would be.
Most services are offered at a flat rate. At the initial consultation, Brian will go over your options and fee structures. Then, you will have the choice of whether or not to move forward with the services.
And, while proper estate planning prepares for the management of your assets and determines how to efficiently distribute those assets to your loved ones when you pass away, a lack of estate planning could cause confusion that leads to a potentially lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.”
When probate is necessary — for example, for those who have recently lost someone and find themselves needing the court to sort through any issues — Brian is experienced in that process.
Consultations for real estate, estate planning and probate can all be done in person at North Tampa Law Group’s office, although Brian also offers phone consultations for those who prefer them.
“Some things are easier to understand in person,” he says, “and it’s really important for people to know all the differences between everything I’m explaining. But, if a client prefers a phone call, I’m still happy to do that.”
North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more information, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com, or make an appointment for a free initial consultation by calling (813) 518-7411.
