From Teacher & Pilot to …. House Flippers?
Do you like home improvement projects? We do! And based on all of the building supplies in our garage, you could see that home improvement projects for us are quite a hobby. We also watch a lot of HGTV. It’s so inspiring to see the amazing things that everyday people can do to improve their communities by rehabbing houses. So, in 2017, when Mike suggested pursuing real estate investing as a way to prepare for retirement, I was excited to get started! I was on board with the idea that maybe we could have some rental properties and do rehabs on others in our “free time”. Yeah, right! If you know any teachers, you know that free time doesn’t exist — especially, during the school year. As a helicopter pilot, however, Mike had a schedule that was more conducive to this plan. Before we knew it we were off! We bought our first property and we began our journey on this fun real estate adventure!
Passionate People, Community Focus
Anne Laurenzi, Owner
Science Geek, Animal Lover, Would rather be hiking!
Hi, I’m Anne!
I am originally from Brooklyn, NY, but have called NW FL home for the majority of my life. After graduating from Gulf Breeze High School in 1995 (Go-o-o Dolphins!), I pursued science degrees in Boston and Central Florida, with a few stops in between. After moving back to the Pensacola area, I had the pleasure of working as a science teacher in both Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. My last teaching position was at the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station where I helped develop educational programs and managed a NOAA grant to begin an ongoing water quality study in the Santa Rosa Sound. Talk about a dream teaching job! It just doesn’t get better.
I love building relationships, helping people, and being involved in the community — all of which I did through teaching. As hard as it was to make the decision to leave that career, I found that real estate let’s me do all of these things, too (and with considerably less paperwork)! I still continue to mentor previous students and am passionate about battling distracted driving and encouraging young drivers to make safe choices on the road.
When I’m not looking for houses, you can usually find me outside, in Lowe’s contemplating turning on all of the ceiling fan displays, or trying to coax my houseplants into staying alive. I also volunteer for local environmental events sponsored by the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station and the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Milton. If you find yourself at one of these events, stop by and say hello!
Mike Laurenzi, Owner
DIY Master, Beekeeper, Low Yield Gardener
Being from Salt Lake City, I grew up in a family of skiers and snowboarders. Summers were spent on a nearby lake and that’s where my love of the water began. So much, in fact, that during high school I was a camp counselor in PA and taught kids sailing. This also allowed me to be a kid for a few more summers … it was a lot of fun.
I’ve always liked working with my hands and I love aviation, so I graduated with a degree in Aviation Mechanics from Utah State in 2002. Shortly after, I decided I wanted to be in the driver’s seat and get my pilot’s license. So, in 2006 I moved to Central Florida to go to flight school, where I exchanged my snowboard for a surfboard. After spending a couple of years on the Space Coast, where I met my wife Anne, we moved to Pensacola to be closer to work and family.
When not buying real estate, rehabbing real estate, or talking about real estate, I have been flying a search and rescue helicopter in the Gulf of Mexico for almost 20 years! I really enjoy it and you can’t beat the view from my “office.”
On my time off, I love spending time outside with my 4 rescue dogs, and working on home projects (YouTube is the best). I also dabble with beekeeping and I’m constantly struggling to figure out how to grow tomatoes in my garden.
Please feel free to send any questions you have about our home buying process (or your favorite gardening tips!) to mike@takeflighthomebuyers.com.
Why We Love Real Estate!
Starting our own real estate business has allowed us to focus on the most enjoyable parts of our previous careers: helping people and serving our community. Sometimes life can throw us curve balls and a helping hand through those tough times can make all the difference.
Hearing the relief in a homeowner’s voice as we help them navigate their real estate problems is very rewarding and is what motivates to us to do this day after day. It brings us so much joy to help homeowners unburden themselves so they can move on to their next chapter!
In addition, the flexibility of our schedule allows us to spend more time with our families and friends and do the things we want to do. We love to travel, spend time outdoors, and care for our houseful of rescued animals, many of which have required extensive medical care.
And as our business grows, we will be able to do more to support the organizations and causes that we love. There is never enough time to do it all, but being able to control more of our time means the world to us. Having the opportunity to focus on the important things in life is why we started this business and enjoy it so much. For us, this is what life is all about!
We love seeing our vision turn into reality!
We love renovations! They give us the opportunity to be creative and try out different designs, which can be a lot of fun. Taking out a wall, adding a splash of color, and upgrading fixtures can lead to a beautiful transformation! But, we can tell you they make it look a LOT easier on TV! We have learned a lot from every rehab we have done, but our favorite lesson has been how satisfying it is to be able to take an older property and make it a comfortable home for a new family to enjoy.
Have a property you want to sell quickly and easily?
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We Are Your Northwest Florida Home Buyers
Whether you are trying to avoid foreclosure, inherited a property you do not want, going through a divorce, or are tired of being a landlord dealing with tenants, we can help. If selling your house is the solution to your real estate problem, contact us today for your no-obligation offer.
Take Flight Home Buyers is a top-rated home buying company in Northwest Florida. We buy houses for cash in all cities of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties including Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Milton, Pace, and surrounding areas.