Mattamy Homes USA has 43 new single-family homesites available at Sevilla in St. Augustine, new floor plans unveiled

Mattamy Homes USA has 43 new single-family homesites available at Sevilla in St. Augustine, new floor plans unveiled

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Mattamy Homes USA, http://www.mattamyhomes.com/, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest home builder, recently acquired 43 new homesites at Sevilla, located off World Commerce Parkway and International Golf Parkway in St. Augustine.

Laura Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing for Mattamy Homes USA, said most of the homebuilder’s 43 new 50 and 60 foot homesites at Sevilla offer lake or conservation area frontage.

New single-family homes at Sevilla are priced from the $150s, Bailey said.

At the same time, Mattamy Homes is introducing new floor plans at Sevilla, which include the 2,164 square foot Ashley, the Jessica, with 1,888 square feet of living space, and the Michele, with 2,402 square feet. All the new plans include an optional bonus room, and a three-car garage is included in the Michele plan.

Mattamy plans to break ground by mid-June on a new model in the new neighborhood at Sevilla.

The homebuilder currently has one model home open and four ready-to-move-in homes available from its first 30-lot phase at Sevilla.

For sales information, contact Sue Andrews or Sharon Pacetti at Mattamy’s Sevilla Sales Center at 478 Casa Sevilla Ave., or call 904-940-9222.

For more information contact
Kerry Soltis, Marketing Manager Mattamy Homes-Jacksonville 904-279-9502

Laura Bailey, VP of Sales & Marketing Mattamy Homes USA 407-599-9994;

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion. Visit http://www.mattamyhomes.com/.

Lennar's Central Florida Division Names Dawn Marie Pawlowski New Home Consultant at Heritage Hills in Clermont

Lennar's Central Florida Division Names Dawn Marie Pawlowski New Home Consultant at Heritage Hills in Clermont

CLERMONT, Fla. - Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which builds new homes in 32 communities in nine counties, has appointed Dawn Marie Pawlowski new home consultant.

Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said Pawlowski will be selling Lennar homes at Heritage Hills, the homebuilder’s new Clermont community located off U.S. 27.

Pawlowski, with more than 20 years of experience in residential real estate and new home sales was formerly a real estate broker for Lakes of DeLand Realty.

For more information contact:
Mark Metheny, Lennar Division President-Central Florida, 813-769-5277

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

ICI Homes Chairman Hosseini optimistic about housing recovery

ICI Homes Chairman Hosseini optimistic about housing recovery

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – April is shaping up to be the best month for ICI Homes sales in the last three years, Mori Hosseini, chairman and CEO of the homebuilding company told the national audience on CNBC’s daily TV show Mad Money hosted by Jim Cramer earlier this week.

Cramer has been insisting that the hard data supports his conclusion that the housing market will bottom out in June of this year despite continued media commentary to the contrary. So he decided to reach out to one of the nation’s hardest hit markets – Florida, and to one of the nation’s largest privately-held homebuilders to get his perspective. Hosseini and Cramer discussed the state of the industry.

"Prices of homes stopped dropping in February and the velocity of sales picked up dramatically,” Hosseini said. “We are cautiously optimistic that we are coming out of the downturn and the worst is behind us.”

Hosseini has good reason to be optimistic. Traffic to the ICI sales centers has spiked in recent weeks, he said.

“There is demand out there because we cut our prices to their lowest levels in many years. Savvy buyers recognize tremendous value when they see it, so they’re finally getting off the fence, taking advantage of historically low interest rates and getting back into the market…and that’s good news for us.”

When asked why he thought the media was under reporting this shift in activity, Hosseini explained to Cramer and his audience that the media has always been a lagging indicator in any building recovery and it may be six to seven months into the rise of activity before the media starts reporting positive news.

Cramer closed the segment lauding Hosseini’s positive comments which he strongly indicated supports his theory that the housing bottom is nearing.

For more information, contact:
Lisa A. Egle, Marketing Manager ICI Homes-Daytona Beach, 386-236-4273

Rosemary Messina, VP Sales & Marketing ICI Homes, 386-236-4231

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About ICI Homes
ICI homes, ranks among the top 100 Builders by Builder magazine and is one of the largest privately owned homebuilder in the US. The 30-year-old firm builds new homes and resort facilities in the Volusia-Flagler region as well as Northeast Florida, Orlando and Tampa.

Winter Park entrepreneur Ron Schwartz launches Ride Green Scooters dealerships in Winter Park, Orlando: 75 MPG transportation that costs $799 and up

Winter Park entrepreneur Ron Schwartz launches Ride Green Scooters dealerships in Winter Park, Orlando: 75 MPG transportation that costs $799 and up

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Winter Park entrepreneur Ron Schwartz has launched Ride Green Scooters, a dealership with two Central Florida locations that sell highly efficient scooters for highly efficient prices.

Schwartz, whose business interests include Park Plaza Gardens Restaurant & Café on Park Avenue in Winter Park and Scalini’s Pizza & Pasta on Dr. Phillips Blvd. in southwest Orlando, said Ride Green Scooters sells scooters priced to fit almost every pocketbook---from $799 to $2,000.

The Asian-manufactured two-wheelers range from 50 cc's to 250 cc's and boast 75-80 miles per gallon, Schwartz said.

Ride Green Scooters has already opened its first location at 671 W. Fairbanks Ave. Schwartz said a second location will open in 90 days at 7217 E. Colonial Drive.

Ride Green Scooters partners John Henderson (left) and partner Brian Schwartz

Schwartz’s son Brian is a partner in the venture and serves as director of sales.
Partner John Henderson heads the new firm’s maintenance division, and Schwartz said Ride Green Scooters also repairs and maintains other scooter brands.

“In America we’re obsessed by cars, but worldwide, most people get around on small, energy-efficient scooters,” said Schwartz. “The benefits to the environment, and to America’s need to wean itself from dependence on foreign oil, is too much to pass up. We’re proud to take part in the greening of America in a big, positive way,” he said.

Ride Green Scooters is open daily and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5.

For more information, please contact:
Ron Schwartz, Principal, Ride Green Scooter 407-342-3648 (direct);

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Only One Model Luxury Home Remains for Sale at Toscana in Palm Coast

Only One Model Luxury Home Remains for Sale at Toscana in Palm Coast

PALM COAST, Fla. - Only one model luxury home remains for sale at Toscana, the luxury community ABD Development, Inc. is developing off Old King’s Rd. in Palm Coast.

David Kohn, president of ABD Development Company said ABD recently sold its second model luxury home at Toscana.

The remaining Manchester model home, priced at $889,000, offers five bedrooms and four baths in 5,200 square feet of living space---the largest home ABD builds.

Kohn said ABD Development Company is designing a new model home at Toscana.

For more information, contact
David Kohn, President, ABD Development Company, 407-370-6400

Sofi Coffey, Marketing Manager ABD Development Company, 407-370-6400

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty negotiates lease agreement for 4,558 square feet of Class A office space in Plaza North Tower in Orlando

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty negotiates lease agreement for 4,558 square feet of Class A office space in Plaza North Tower in Downtown Orlando

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said John Kurtz of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s World Marketing Center Team negotiated the lease agreement representing the landlord, Swamp Donkey LLC.

The lease agreement is worth more than $500,000, Soderstrom said.

For more information please contact
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-588-1260

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty
Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, commercial, worldwide auctions, property management, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates five performance centers which serve all of Central Florida.

Central Florida District of Rotary Clubs to Continue Expansion, District Governor to Head Expansion Committee Next Year

Central Florida District of Rotary Clubs to Continue Expansion, District Governor to Head Expansion Committee Next Year

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Central Florida District of Rotary International will continue its efforts to expand next year even though District Governor Carlos Giraldo will step down in June when his one-year term expires.

Giraldo, who heads CRSHotels.com in Maitland, began his term as district governor with a call for major expansion in Central Florida and efforts to recruit new members from Central Florida’s Hispanic communities. Giraldo has agreed to head the Rotary International Central Florida District’s Club Extension Committee in 2009-2010.

Giraldo said five new Rotary International chapters will open within the next 12 months at Poinciana, the Four Corners area, South Orange County, Lake Nona, and Baldwin Park.

The Four Corners Rotary Club chapter will be chartered in about three weeks, Giraldo said.

“Rotary International offers a special opportunity for business leaders to play an active role in benefiting their communities in real ways that count,” Giraldo said. “That’s a real value for most people and our recruitment efforts are paying off handsomely,” he said.

For more information, please contact:
Carlos H. Giraldo, District Governor Rotary International, 407.376.5368, carlos@crshotels.com

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407.644.4142, lvershelco@aol.com