Mangowood Estates Means Community

Mangowood Estates Means Community

I’ve written about the quaint, almost idyllic, Palmetto Bay neighborhood of Mangowood Estates before. These homes, west of Coral Reef Elementary School, have run a successful volunteer homeowners’ association for more than 50 years. The moment you enter the area, you can almost feel the community reach out to you. People say hello on these streets and know their neighbors. And for that very reason, these predominantly 1960s homes maintain a higher market value.

On November 11, the community held their annual block party. There was music, food, a pick-up game of football, a rock climbing wall and more. Besides a great evening of neighbors getting together, it was also time for the annual elections to the Association Board.

In the end, retired Miami-Dade police sergeant David Greenwell became President. It was more than fitting, as the family is legacy in Mangowood.

“My Dad, Joe Greenwell, bought the second home in Mangowood in 1957. At the time, we were surrounded by mangroves and the Dixie Drive-In was all the rage,” explained David Greenwell. “As a kid, I remember them creating a berm from the dredging of the C-100 canal. We used to dig hiding places in there. This was a special community then and it still is today.”

It is special because families tend to stay here. Houses are often turned over the next generation or people leave and are drawn back.

Pam Tabor, a former Association President remembers fondly, “My parents bought the third house in Mangowood. I was 12 at the time and one of the older kids thus the default babysitter. I hate to admit that I used to babysit David Greenwell.” Pam just loves the families, community and sticking together that has always been Mangowood. “We band together and overcome challenges, like hurricane clean-ups, like no other community.”

DroneNerds of Pinecrest
Over the past few years, the popularity and types of specialized hobby cameras has exploded. At the top of the heap are drones, the common name for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Drones give a new, god’s eye perspective on everything from nature hikes, to real estate, to kids’ soccer games, to being out on the water and more.

With drone costs coming down and feature sets and choices going up, many are considering drone ownership. But some give pause because they fear the complexity or just don’t know if it’s the right thing for them. That’s where DroneNerds come in.

The family owned-franchise store is run by Lissette and Nelson Salazar. Both their eldest son and daughter are involved as well. The grand opening was October 14 and their five skilled employees do things far beyond just selling drones.

“People can buy these drones online or at a big box retailer, but that’s all they can do. Once they get home, there is no support whatsoever,” explains Nelson Salazar. “We are the support community and ongoing resource for our customers on how to maintain their drone and get the most out of it, including how to fly safely and within the law.”

The love of their business can be traced to their son Nicholas. Nicholas used drones while he was finishing film school. Friends and family always asked him to create drone footage for their events or projects and when the rest of the family got involved in turning that into a small service business, the love relationship flourished. The store was a natural extension, bringing retail sales and all the services together.

If you are at all hesitant, the friendly staff will do more than just sell you a drone. They’ll take you outside and hand you the controls so you really get comfortable before you dive in. They educate and inform as part of every sale. If you want more support, a $99 post-purchase one-hour class will get you complete set-up and a guided first flight. Thereafter, you can come to the store unlimited times for further educational help. They are just about to launch evening classes with professional UAV pilots teaching you the art of getting amazing images.

Besides DroneNerds being the largest UAV dealer in the United States, it is DJI’s largest and most experienced authorized service center as well. I tested their repair service with my crashed Phantom 3 drone. Typically within a week (rush service is available at a cost), DroneNerds of Pinecrest will diagnose most any drone (starting at $60) and then if the customer chooses to do the repair they’ll apply the diagnostic fee to the cost of repair. I took in my drone which had crashed, leaving the outer shell looking quite ragged. Within days, I got it back looking shiny and new. The cost was quite reasonable and the repairs are done right in the store, so you can always get status easily.

If purchase isn’t your thing, their aerial division can be hired to shoot drone photos or video. They really are ‘all things drone.’

DroneNerds of Pinecrest also sells GoPro cameras and other hobby cams. Give them a visit if you have anyone “nerdy” on your holiday shopping list. They are located at 9075 South Dixie Highway in the shopping plaza with Moe’s and T-Mobile. You can call the store at 786-313-3664 or go to dronenerds.com/pinecrest for more information.

Real Estate Update
As of November 17 the Pinecrest market, although improving a bit, remains soft. Homes listed over $1M are at 16 months of inventory, indicating a strong Buyers’ market. A healthy market has 3-6 months of supply. No matter where you live, let me assist you with local expertise, realistic expectations and guidance to get you to wherever ‘next’ is. It’s easy to get started at miamihal.com/myvalue.

Hal Feldman (MiamiHal) is a Realtor with RE/MAX Advance Realty. You can contact him with your story ideas or real estate questions at www.MiamiHal.com, Hal@MiamiHal.com or www.facebook.com/MiamiHal.


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