By Alicia Thompson
REALTOR® Michael Henry owned and operated a lawn maintenance business for 14 years before becoming a real estate agent with Century21. It was a natural progression, because Henry got an intimate knowledge of homes and neighborhoods from working on people’s lawns and interacting with sellers, prospective buyers, and real estate agents brokering the deals.
“One winter when it was slow, I walked down and got information on how to start,” Henry said. “I was ready for a change.”
The brutal Florida sun was one reason Henry wanted out of the lawn care business, but it’s that same sunshine and access to water that makes Henry love living in Florida. “I grew up being able to enjoy the Alafia River, Little Manatee River, Tampa Bay,” he said. “We’re close to large beaches, like Sarasota. I still love being near the water.”
The water is the main feature that draws many out-of-state buyers to consider Florida as a home, he said, and he shows many properties in waterfront communities like Apollo Beach.
Henry works out of Century21’s Sun City Center office, and so many of his clients are attracted to the retirement community there. “I deal with about 50-50 retirement and other buyers,” Henry said. “There are some great waterfront areas near Sun City, too, like the Little Harbor area.”
In his free time, Henry still enjoys watersports like boating, fishing, or waterskiing. He and his family are avid anglers, and love exploring both fresh and saltwater areas in Central Florida.
Henry was born in Tampa and grew up mainly in the Riverview area, where his parents still reside. He graduated from East Bay Senior High School in Gibsonton in 2000, and has lived in Ruskin and Wimauma in addition to Riverview.
Between being raised in the area, maintaining multiple lawns as an entrepreneur, and now brokering real estate, Henry has a unique perspective on South Hillsborough County communities.
Century21 has multiple locations throughout Florida. Henry primarily works out of the Sun City Center office located at 701-A Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City Center. Call 477-3054 or visit http://www.century21.com/.
