Coastal Comforts • About Us
Mission
We deliver reliable customer service, effective communication, and experienced problem resolution for our clients, residents, and employees every day.
Vision
We strive to provide peace of mind to property owners who are looking for superior property management and realty services.
Our Company Values
- Caring and compassionate partnership
- Open and honest communication
- Round-the-clock availability
- Experienced and hands-on customer service
- High-quality, reliable operations
- Timely handling for urgent issues
- Effective and innovative problem solving
Our Guiding Principles
Leadership Team
PRESIDENT
Gail Comfort
Prior to founding Coastal Comforts in 2020, Gail was the Vice President of Operations for Fieldstone Properties LLC. Working directly for the owners, she managed all aspects of Fieldstone’s multifamily portfolios in both the Florida market and Northeast, totaling 13 properties, 6,500 apartment homes, and 3 retail spaces. She continues to provide consulting for this organization. Gail’s expertise is in leadership, staffing, human resources, resident retention, marketing, collections, communication, financials, reporting, and building operations. Prior to joining Fieldstone, Ms. Comfort served more than nine years as a Senior Regional Manager for AIMCO. She managed over 5,000 units in Tampa Bay, and ranked in the top 5% of her peers throughout the nation. Prior to AIMCO, she managed a portfolio throughout the Texas market for 10 years.
Memberships:
- Florida Apartment Association
- St. Augustine Chamber of Commerce
Career Accomplishments:
- Board of Directors member, Tampa Bay Apartment Association (2001)
- Previous Board of Directors member, Austin Apartment Association (1998)
- Delegate to the Texas Apartment Association (1998)
- Executive Committee member, Austin Apartment Association (1995)
- Awarded “Go Getter of the Year” by the Austin Apartment Association (1995)
- Awarded “Go Getter of the Year” by the Texas Apartment Association (1996)
- Awarded “Go Getter of the Year” by the National Apartment Association (1996)
- Anticipating Florida Real Estate License (September 2022)
Gail and her husband Rick love living in St. Augustine. Their favorite activities are spending time with family and friends, taking their dogs on long beach rides, and trying out new local restaurants.
BROKER
Rick Comfort
As a native Floridian with over 40 years of experience in customer sales and service, along with 3 years in the St. Augustine real estate market, Rick understands how to help customers receive the most value from their current home, or to find the perfect future home they’ve been searching for.
After vacationing in St. Augustine for 14 years, he now calls it home and this provides him with the ability to help his customers with their unique housing needs – whether they are locals, new arrivals, or winter visitors. Customer service is his focus, and he strives to ensure client satisfaction whether they’re buying, selling, or leasing.
When not in the office, Rick likes to spend time with his family and their furry friends. He also enjoys reading and outdoorsy activities like going to the beach, gardening, and neighborhood walks.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Marie Patri
Prior to joining Coastal Comforts, Marie was with Vesta Property Services, specializing in Architectural projects. Marie brings 11 years of Property Management experience as well as 20 years as a Licensed Residential Sales associate. Before joining Vesta Property Services, Marie was a Community Manager with Weller Property Management. Marie is a seasoned management professional who excels in establishing excellent working relationships with customers, employees, vendors, and contractors. Marie has expertise in resident relations, sales, marketing and business transactions. Marie is a detail-oriented and organized Property Manager effective at managing personnel, property and special projects. Her certifications include Licensed Condominium Association Manager (LCAM), Licensed Real Estate Sales Associate, and Certified Apartment Manager (CAM). Marie lives in Saint Augustine and enjoys hanging out with friends and family, and spending most of her free days on the beautiful beaches of Saint Augustine.
VP OF SYSTEMS & STRATEGIC CLIENT SOLUTIONS
Marni Harkness
Marni oversees the daily operations and management of the single and multi-family housing at Coastal Comforts. She has held a variety of positions within the property management industry for 20 years. With extensive experience from leasing.. to IT… to accounting, she has a strong working knowledge of the day-to-day tasks required to run a successful, profitable portfolio. Marni moved to the Tampa Bay area for college at the University of South Florida, where she studied Accounting. It was then that she fell in love with Florida (and her husband)! In addition to Coastal Comforts, Marni also owns a small business and is an avid gardener. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and loves traveling to remote destinations to experience all of nature’s natural wonders.
DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES
Richard Comfort
Richard Comfort is excited to assist the Coastal Comfort team in his role as the Director of Information Services. Richard began his professional career in 2016 after receiving a B.A. in Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. Due to his passion for research and analysis, Richard is currently pursuing his M.A. He enjoys applying the technical skills he’s learned throughout his education to streamline his approach to solving problems. Richard specializes in connecting with others to ensure he provides results in an accurate and efficient manner. He is always happy to assist and is a strong believer that no problem is ever too big or too small.
Advisory Team
JOSH
NAPOLITANO
DANA
GORDON
MITCHELL
GHANEIE
BETHANY
MCCLELLAN
CHAD SCHWANINGER
KRB Construction