Neighborhoods6 min
Best St. Petersburg Neighborhoods 2026 for Buyers
Best St. Pete neighborhoods 2026: prices, flood, walkability, and a broker checklist from Downtown to Shore Acres.
Read article
Broker Associate · Owner · Pinellas Native
Troy Nowak
Broker Associate at Mangrove Bay Realty
✓Florida Licensed Broker · #BK3436609· Active through 09/30/2026VerifyTroy Nowak is a Broker Associate at Mangrove Bay Realty and a licensed Florida real estate broker specializing in short-term rentals, furnished rentals, and investment properties across Tampa Bay. Before real estate, Troy spent over a decade as a Pinellas County math teacher and the head boys’ varsity basketball coach at Dunedin High School, so when he talks about neighborhoods, schools, and what makes Pinellas tick, he’s lived it. Since launching his real estate career in 2019, he has closed 325+ sales with an average price of $523K, ranging from first-time buyers at $117K to luxury waterfront at $1.9M. He also owns and manages six STR and furnished rental properties in Pinellas County, has Airbnb Superhost/operator experience, and brings former institutional acquisition experience to investor guidance.
325+
Career sales
6
Rentals owned & managed
$523K
Average sale price
$117K-$1.9M
Price range served
Broker Associate at Mangrove Bay Realty
300+ homes sold in Tampa Bay
Owns and manages STR and furnished rentals
Pinellas County rental owner
Airbnb Superhost/operator experience
Former institutional acquisition experience
Public review profiles
Origin
Before he sold houses, he taught math and coached basketball.
Troy taught Algebra II and Geometry at Pinellas County schools for nearly a decade before he ever sat for the real estate exam. The last four years of that run, he was the head varsity boys' basketball coach at Dunedin High — the same high school that zones half the neighborhoods buyers ask him about today.
Two things carried over from coaching: people remember how you treated them long after the score gets forgotten, and the best players are the ones who see the play developing two steps ahead. Same applies to a transaction.
He opened Mangrove Bay Realty in 2020 because the big-box brokerage model wasn't built for the kind of client work he actually wanted to do: short-term-rental underwrites, institutional-style acquisition screens, downtown condo plays, and waterfront comps that require eyes on the ground. Today he runs the firm, manages the Dunedin Duo STR, and answers his own phone.
What I've done
Real numbers, not adjectives.
325+
Career sales
Since 2019 · $117K-$1.9M
6
Rental properties owned & managed
STR · midterm · furnished rentals
BK3436609
Broker Associate
Mangrove Bay Realty
Where I add value
Specialties
Short-Term Rental Investments
Vacation Rental Management
Land Investments & Development
Tampa Bay Market Analysis
Airbnb Property Selection
Investment Property ROI Analysis
Find Troy elsewhere
Where I show up online
Most of the market commentary lives on the journal here, but you'll also find Troy on these platforms.
From the journal
Recent writing from Troy
Market reads, neighborhood guides, STR underwrites — published when there's something real to say.
Due Diligence10 min
Pinellas Park CRS Class 5: 25% Flood Insurance Discount for STR Investors Starting Oct 2026
Pinellas Park moved to FEMA CRS Class 5. 25% NFIP flood insurance discount starts October 1, 2026. What it means for STR buyers, cash flow, and due diligence.
Read article
Short Term Rentals9 min
St. Pete & Pinellas STR Risks: Flood, HOA, and Zoning That Break Cash Flow
St. Pete and Pinellas STR buyers: flood, HOA, and zoning risks that break Airbnb cash flow, plus a 5-point checklist before you offer.
Read article
Short Term Rentals12 min
Pinellas County STR Market Update July 2026: ROI, Regulations & Flood Due Diligence for Investors
July 2026 Pinellas STR snapshot: ~60% occupancy, $261 ADR, Certificate of Use checks, ROI math, and flood diligence for investors.
Read article
Market Updates9 min
St. Pete Central Avenue Zoning Change 2026: Density, Heights & No Parking Minimums
St. Petersburg SunRunner Overlay (May 2026): higher FAR, taller heights, no parking minimums on Central Avenue. Parcel-level notes for buyers, sellers, and investors.
Read articleDue Diligence9 min
49% Rule & Flood Insurance for Pinellas STR Buyers (2026)
How Pinellas substantial improvement (the 49% / 50% rule) interacts with flood zones, elevation, and insurance when you buy or renovate a short-term rental.
Read articleStart a conversation
Contact TroyTalk to Troy
Drop your info — Troy texts back personally, usually within the hour.