Dear Wanderlust Friends and Family,

As many of you know, this is has been a very difficult year for my family and I. For those of you who do not know, I lost my father, with whom I was very close, at the end of March. He was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor, and passed away less than a week later. Thankfully I was able to quickly make the decision to move my family to the US to be close to my Mother and Sister during this incredibly intense time. My wife and I, and our children, spent 7 months in Islamorada, Florida, where I was born and raised. My time away from my “real life” in Nosara, provided ample opportunity for deep reflection.

As anyone who has lost a loved one knows, along with the pain and loss and grief, there comes a profound clarity into what is important in one’s life. The emotional furnace following a life-changing event tends to burn away the bullshit. Every activity, relationship, possession, and goal that I thought important, was put to the test. Most of it burned away very quickly. Some survived.

I want to share with you what stuck, and the relationships that remained important to me after experiencing the most difficult time in my life. I find it important to share, because this will be what defines me, and my company, for the foreseeable future. The silver lining to such a tragic loss is the ability recognize how simple things can be.

People

I am blessed with a life full of great people. Many of them ran to my side to stand tall against the fire I was facing. The outpouring of support and genuine love that was shared with my family and I was overwhelming. I cannot write about it without being brought to tears. So many people, from all over the world, made themselves available, willing to share whatever was needed, without a single thought of asking for anything in return. I could fill pages trying to poetically thank everyone who stood with us.

Today I want to focus on my Wanderlust Realty Family. This small group of people went far and beyond what any leader could reasonably expect from his team in a time of crisis. I spent the majority of a year turned inwards. I was physically absent from work, solely focused on healing myself and immediate family. I had no expectations as to what was being accomplished at the office in my absence. I, frankly, did not have space to care and figured that I could get things back on track whenever I was able.

I deeply enjoy my work, and am passionate about my company. Upon returning to Nosara, I was excited to get back at it. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I was also a bit nervous about what I was going to find. What I found was an office, company and business in better shape than when I had left.

My team had taken the opportunity that my absence provided, to implement their own goals, and they were successful on multiple levels. We have, amongst other things,  a new window display system that is clever and informative, a new filing system that allows our team to cross reference and search our entire database of properties, our office is now cloud based, which means that our team is in constant communication with one another, and we have several projects that are nearly finished that we will be unveiling this coming high season.

I started Wanderlust Realty in 2002 at the tender age of 23. I had some ideas of how I wanted to do things different than my competition. I succeeded in some areas, and learned some hard lessons along the way. Now, at 37, I can honestly say that I have never been more enthusiastic about Wanderlust Realty and this amazing group of people who are supporting me. I am blessed to call them friends, I am honored to work with them, and I cannot wait to see how far we can take this company.

Community

Towards the end of my time in the USA I was extremely homesick for Nosara. I realized that beyond my person to person relationships, my relationship with the Nosara community was just as important. I have brought back to Nosara a deeper appreciation for this community that we all love and share. It has become clear that I am not separate from Nosara, but an integral spoke in the wheel, as is everyone who visits or lives here.

I am excited to begin integrating Wanderlust Realty deeper into the fabric of Nosara. Our team understands the responsibility that we bare as first points of contact to new investors. We are working hard to guide our clients towards sustainable practices and projects. Throughout this year we will continue to roll out additional strategies to help educate our clients on various ways that they can help us keep Nosara the incredible community it has become.

I believe that now more than ever is the time for Nosara and all of us who live here to understand that Nosara is more than just a pretty beach town. The community that we have created, and continue to create everyday, is made up of striking individuals from all over the world, each of us drawn here for our own reasons, each of us contributing in our own way. Our collective values have created a unique vibe that people are being drawn to again and again. Is it perfect? Of course not. But it is real and it is mindful.

In an increasingly complex and stressful world, Nosara provides a sanctuary for those who are searching. Whether they come here permanently or just drop in for periodic visits, Nosara provides a much needed re-charge for guests. Our community’s shared values of supporting local businesses, sustainable living and the daily enjoyment of our natural resources, is a powerful way of life. Now more than ever, we need to love where we live, love our neighbors and share these values with the outside world.

Wanderlust Realty is excited to be playing our part.

Sincerely,

Brandon Richardson