Flamingo Real Estate & Management

When Robbie and Jamie Shoemaker opened Wildwood-based Flamingo Real Estate & Management in 2014, their intent was to give back to the community doing what they know best—real estate. 

Fast forward eight years, and after being recognized by the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, their vision has come full circle. 

“We were surprised to have been voted “Outstanding Small Business of the Year,” by our peers for 2022. That was a huge honor for us and we’re thankful,” Robbie says.

Robbie grew up in Wildwood, where his family’s legacy of community support and participation is four generations strong. His ongoing involvement is evident as co-owner/broker of Flamingo Real Estate, but he also serves as Chairman of the Florida Commercial Brokers Network that covers the entire state of Florida, Board of Director (BOD) for the Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, BOD for Habitat for Humanity of Lake and Sumter Counties, and Past President of the Wildwood Rotary Club.

“I’ve grown up in this area my entire life, and have been very community minded. We want to give back to the community,” Robbie says, explaining that one example is a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway Flamingo hosted in 2022, during which they gifted 250 turkeys to local families. “I’d say real estate is definitely part of what makes us successful, that’s very important, but I believe that when you’ve been blessed, you should be a blessing to others.”

Robbie feels when companies focus on that mantra, people notice, and in turn, want to be part of the exchange. 

“What’s unique about that is when people purchase real estate from us, when they’re buying or selling with us, they know those funds coming in are also being re-invested back into the community,” Robbie adds. 

Flamingo Real Estate & Management was born 10 years after Robbie and Jamie first got into real estate. They applied their experiences and took time sharpening their skills, so when they opened the doors to their own brokerage, were able to grow it in such a way that focused solely on seeing their customers’ dreams come to fruition.

“At that point, it was either sink or swim and sinking wasn’t an option. So, with a vast Rolodex of customers and support, Flamingo Real Estate & Management flourished, offering professional experience and knowledge in all facets of real estate, including residential, vacant land, commercial, industrial, property management, and commercial leasing,” Robbie says.

Beginning this venture in a small office in Oxford, the brokerage began to grow and within a few years, an opportunity opened to expand into the heart of Wildwood.  After many months of renovation, the vision Robbie and Jamie had for their new office came to fruition in 2017.

Since then, Flamingo Real Estate & Management has surpassed many expectations, especially in building a brand committed to ‘Service over Sales’, ‘Relationship over Realty’, and ‘Commitment over Commission’, as well as maintaining a company culture focused on giving back to their community.

Offering 18+ years of Real Estate experience, the “flock” has expanded in recent years to train up the next generation and provide a larger footprint with an even greater level of service.  Flamingo Real Estate & Management truly is, “your leg up in real estate.”

“We’re not trying to necessarily be the biggest, just aiming to be the best,” Robbie says. “We’re a smaller firm whose intensions are not centered around the recruitment of agents, but to keep our services personal and as high quality as we can get.” 

Robbie states their commitment to quality over quantity is something he takes seriously. 

“People come to us for a number of reasons, but our local Real Estate knowledge is unmatched. From rezoning and entitlements to lot splits and lineal descents, we manage properties throughout the entire process providing the highest and best use and greatest returns for our customers,” Robbie adds. “We go to city and county meetings, so we know what’s happening within our community and many people just don’t understand that.”

Additionally, Robbie says that the key to real estate, in this day and age, with so many remote dealings and deceptive listings, is having someone in your corner always looking out for your best interest.

He says customers can breathe easy using Flamingo Real Estate because they know the market.

“You can sell real estate on your own, just like I can do plumbing on my own, but if I need plumbing, I’m probably best calling a plumber. There’s a reason why they’re certified and I’m not, and the same thing with real estate,” He adds. “There’s a reason why we’ve been doing this for 18 years. We know the ins and outs, the pitfalls, and most of all, what works.”