About Mangrove Bay
A boutique brokerage built for the bay.
Mangrove Bay Realty is a licensed Florida brokerage based in downtown St. Petersburg. We help buyers, sellers, and investors navigate Tampa Bay's market with straight talk and a phone that actually gets answered.
Our story
A brokerage built on neighbor-helping-neighbor.
Troy founded Mangrove Bay in 2020 after a decade of teaching math and coaching basketball in Pinellas County. He saw firsthand how transactional and impersonal residential real estate had become — and built Mangrove Bay around the opposite philosophy.
Straight talk. Answered phones. Local knowledge that algorithms can't replicate. Today the brokerage serves buyers, sellers, and investors across St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, and the rest of Pinellas County — with the same approach we started with.
Start with the team profiles, compare the Pinellas investor guide, or use the STR rules map before you send an address for review.
How we work
Why people choose us.
Straight talk
If a deal doesn't make sense, we'll tell you. No pressure, no commission-driven nudging — just an honest read of the numbers.
Hyperlocal expertise
Troy walks every block we list. We know which streets flooded, which HOAs are quietly reassessing, and which builders cut corners.
Hands-on service
You call the broker, not a junior agent. From the first showing through closing, the same person who knows your file picks up the phone.
Results that show up in the contract
Editorial photography, twilight shoots, and pricing strategy built from sold comps — not a sales pitch. The numbers speak in the closing statement.
Licensed
Florida brokerage
325+
Career closings
5.0★
Cross-platform
Local
Pinellas-based
“Troy guided us through every step with expertise and dedication. His local market knowledge and investment-property experience made all the difference.”
Recent clientPinellas County
The team
Meet the brokers behind Mangrove Bay.
A small, licensed team. You get the broker on the phone — not a junior agent learning on your listing.
Troy Nowak
Broker Associate
10+ years of experience
Direct line
Specialties
About
Broker Associate at Mangrove Bay Realty and licensed Florida broker (BK3436609) serving Pinellas County buyers, sellers, and investors. Before real estate, Troy was a Pinellas County math teacher and the head boys' varsity basketball coach at Dunedin High School, so he knows the neighborhoods, school zones, and coastal risk patterns from the inside. He also owns and manages six STR and furnished rental properties in Tampa Bay, giving him hands-on insight into Airbnb operations, furnished-rental demand, STR zoning, flood exposure, insurance pressure, and resale strategy. Troy is the best fit for buyers comparing St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Indian Rocks, Madeira Beach, Indian Shores, Treasure Island, Clearwater Beach, Pinellas Park, Tampa, and Safety Harbor, especially when the decision involves luxury condos, gated communities, waterfront homes, or investment underwriting.
Key achievements
- 325+ career sales · $523K average sale price
- Owns and manages six Tampa Bay STR and furnished rentals
- Broker Associate at Mangrove Bay Realty · License #BK3436609
- Pinellas County rental owner and Airbnb Superhost/operator
- Former institutional acquisition experience
- Former Pinellas County teacher & Dunedin HS coach
Ben Coughanour
Real Estate Agent
15+ years of experience
Direct line
Specialties
About
Ben works with Tampa Bay buyers and sellers who want practical guidance through pricing, negotiation, inspections, and closing. His background is especially useful for move-up buyers, first-time buyers, and investors who need a clear read on neighborhood value, renovation upside, rental demand, and long-term resale. Ben helps clients compare St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, and north Pinellas options without getting stuck in portal noise. He focuses on the details that change the outcome: condition, insurance friction, roof age, HOA rules, seller motivation, and whether the contract terms match the client's real goal.
Key achievements
- Top 1% of Realtors Nationwide
- 500+ Successful Transactions
- 5-Star Client Rating
David Silvers
Real Estate Agent
12+ years of experience
Direct line
Specialties
About
David helps relocation buyers, local families, and investors make sense of Tampa Bay submarkets before they commit to a showing schedule or offer. He is a strong fit for clients comparing residential homes, small commercial opportunities, and investment properties across St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, and the wider Pinellas corridor. David focuses on market context, location tradeoffs, resale path, inspection risk, and negotiation strategy. For out-of-area buyers, he adds the local lens that search portals miss: traffic patterns, neighborhood feel, insurance issues, property condition signals, and the practical difference between nearby cities.
Key achievements
- Relocation Specialist
- 300+ Happy Families
- Consistent Top Performer
Valarie Gerbus
Real Estate Agent
8+ years of experience
Direct line
Specialties
About
Valarie works with residential buyers and sellers who want a responsive, detail-oriented agent for the full transaction, not just the search. She helps clients clarify priorities, compare neighborhoods, prepare homes for market, review pricing, and stay organized through inspections, appraisal, title, and closing. Her work is strongest for first-time buyers, homeowners planning a sale, and families deciding between St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo, Seminole, and nearby Pinellas communities. Valarie keeps the process grounded in the facts that matter most: condition, comparable sales, walkability, school and commute fit, HOA rules, and the next buyer's likely resale expectations.
Key achievements
- Client-Focused Service
- Residential Sales Expert
- Professional Realtor
What clients say
5.0★ across every platform
45 verified five-star reviews on Zillow. 56 on Google. Real clients, real transactions, every word public.
“I could not speak more highly of Mangrove Bay Realty. My home search and purchase had a few layers of complexity, but the team handled it with ease and helped me buy my first home!”
“It is a tough market and a brutal economy. The team at Mangrove Bay brings an upbeat, problem-solving approach to guide you through an otherwise daunting process. We couldn't have asked for a better experience buying our home in Pinellas Park!”
“Absolutely fabulous. Very hard working and gives his all to make you understand the entire process so that you can make informed decisions. Excellent experience with Mangrove Bay Realty.”
“We have bought many residential and commercial properties over 40 years and have never had such an enjoyable experience with a realtor. They sold our unusual property in Seminole quickly and professionally.”
“The BEST — we had a unique property to sell in Largo and the team was on top of everything the entire way. They really know the market and the process. Mangrove Bay Realty exceeded all expectations!”
Talk to Troy
Drop your info — he'll text you back personally, usually within the hour.