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28 | FLORIDA HOMES MAGAZINE location joining a firm because they are interested in a specific area. is is just going to broaden our reach. You began your career in Atlanta, why did you select Naples for the next phase of your career? Moran: I moved to Naples aer the recent collapse of the markets. Aer doing research, I realized that Naples was the first area in the region to take a dip, and predicted that it would also be the first area to rebound. I saw an excellent opportunity to move to paradise while at the same time expand my business when the market came back . I saw the area to be on the cusp of a generational change, baby boomers were starting to move in as well as a certain number of generation X. ese groups are definitely more tech focused, but all groups have an appreciation for the Naples area being beautiful with low crime and good schools. Naples has also been historically a second- ary home ownership market, whereas now it is aracting a younger buyer interested in living here year-round. It really is a fantas- tic place to raise a family. It just made sense for me, professionally and personally. It presented numerous economic opportuni- ties for rapid business growth as well as providing me with a location where I felt comfortable raising a family when and if that opportunity presents itself. How do you envision Naples changing in the foreseeable future? Moran: I see the Naples area really starting to grow more. We are starting to see more year-round residents. We of course will continue to be predominantly a second-home community, but we are begin- ning to see couples with children moving in, as well as large corporations. Summers are even beginning to be more active. We are also seeing more single family homes being purchased, not only by young families, but also by the baby-boomer generation, where they are being very family-centric. ey are interested in having homes where the entire extended family can come and visit. A more of a year-round market is starting to emerge. W hat are some of your favor- ite things to do for fun in the Naples area? Moran: In Naples we really have some great choices. We have the Mercado, a work/play concept started about seven years ago. We have some fantastic night- life spots, such as Blue Martini, where they have live bands come in and we have a world class symphony, which I really enjoy. ey also have a fantastic opera series every year. You don' t have to leave Naples too oen to find certain things that you are looking for. I spend some time downtown as well, going to different restaurants. ere is a great locally owned wine bar on Fih Avenue that I love to go to called Avenue Wine Cafe. It was started by some local guys who wanted to have somewhere they could go aer work , where they could enjoy some fine wines and cra beers, as well as cigars. ey also feature great local artists on the walls. And, we are only an hour and a half om Miami, two hours om Tampa, so if you want international travel, or concerts, or that true nightlife experience, it is a quick trip. Moran at home. Avenue Wine Cafe

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