About Rick Fifer,

your vintage home consultant

So far 2011 has been a fantastic year, thanks to the many sellers and buyers who have trusted me with what is one of life's most important financial decisions.  Nearly $4,000,000 in sales and most of in central Tampa's historic neighborhoods.  If you are a prospective buyer of a vintage home, don’t you want a REALTOR® who actually knows something about those homes they are showing you? And maybe a bit about the community as well? Afterall it is a major investment in challenging times, that is why you need a knowledgeable real estate consultant who listens to your desires, wants, and needs with enough knowledge of the area to find the home that most closely matches your real estate goals. Maybe that is why over the past 6 years I have been out selling the competion in the Heights (33603 & 33604) with a total volume of 11.2 million dollars (2.5 million since 1/2011).

My specialities are bungalows and  vintage homes in Tampa's older traditional neighborhoods  like Seminole Heights,  Tampa Heights, Riverside Heights, Palma Ceia and Hyde Park.  These neighborhoods are noted for their historic homes, open porches, brick streets, tree canopied streets, and sense of community.  Bungalows from the Craftsman era are the most common of the historic homes and can be found in both the Heights and south Tampa neighborhoods.  Also Seminole Heights is the only Tampa neighborhood with two national historic districts, the Hampton Terrace  district is unique in that it has more than a dozen architectural styles represented in the district.  The heights neighborhoods with their vintage homes are under going a renaissance owing to their charm, character and convenience to urban amenities and cultural venues while at more modest prices than the vintage neighborhoods of Hyde Park and Palma Ceia.

As an active REALTOR® I have specialized in the homes, neighborhoods and communities I know best.  Seminole Heights and the other "Heights" neighborhoods will always be central to my business.  I am knowledgeable about all of Tampa's historic districts (click on links to see area map): Hyde Park, Ybor City (Barrio Latino), West Tampa, Tampa Heights, Hampton Terrace and Seminole Heights. You can learn more specific information about the Seminole Heights HistoricSeminoleHeights.info.

I entered real estate early in the summer of 2005, so it has been a little over 6 years since making career change to real estate.  With Seminole Heights as my primary market, I am your leading agent in Seminole Heights and central Tampa over these past 6 years. I believe that has been possible by consistently working to provide excellent service with integrity and honesty. It is also, in part, because I am doing something I enjoy tremendously.

In tough times more than ever, you want results when listing your home. I can’t promise every home I list will sell in today’s market but isn’t it more likely if you go with the strongest agent in the market?

Originally from the suburban Philadelphia area, I came to Tampa in 1983. My undergraduate degree is from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. I have two graduate degrees from the University of South Florida. I am a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Florida Association of Realtors, and the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors.  As a REALTOR®, I am with Florida Executive Realty in the south Tampa office.

My first home was in the Hampton Terrace section of Old Seminole Heights and Seminole Heights has remained my home 18 out of the past 20 years. I currently live in the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association boundaries an have completed renovations of my third bungalow home in Seminole Heights.  There is a character and charm in vintage homes that I can't resist.  Some might say that makes me a glutton for punishment but I have come to love the challenge. Each time I say I'm staying put life has a way of introducing change.   So will this be the last personal home renovation? Who can say.  But the experiences have given me knowledge about construction and architecture above that of your average realtor. 

I have been a consistent advocate and booster of Seminole Heights and the other heights neighborhoods since moving into my first bungalow in the early 1990's. In choosing me as your REALTOR® you can be confident that you have a neighborhood expert at your service. I have to be because it is my neighborhood too, not just an area where I sell homes.

I am currently a resident of Old Seminole Heights and a member of the Business Guild of Seminole Heights (BGOSH).  During my many years in the Seminole Heights area I have actively worked with many equally dedicated neighbors to bring positive changes to our central Tampa community through volunteering in a number of ways. As a former President of both the the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association (OSHNA) and the South Seminole Heights Civic Association (SSHCA), I have seen tremendous changes made within all of the Heights neighborhoods over the years. 

If you know my passion and commitment to this community, then you can be assured that I will give that same attention to you when purchasing or selling your home.
 
That is my promise and commitment to you!

Gay realtor, Gay agent