NAI Realvest Negotiates New Lease at Boardwalk Plaza in UCF area with franchisee for Dunkin Donuts

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new long-term lease agreement for 1,780 square feet in the Boardwalk Plaza at 3100 Alafaya Trail in Oviedo. NAI Realvest principals Matt Cichocki and Kevin O’Connor negotiated the transaction representing the landlord, Boardwalk Plaza LLC of Gardena, Calif. The new tenant MSVG Alafaya LLC of Norwood, Mass., leased Unit 1018, a southern endcap unit at the retail center to open a Dunkin Donuts by the end of this year. David Cobb of Bishop Beale represented the tenant.

Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida names Ian Geibeig Senior Loan Officer at Jacksonville branch

Lake Mary, Fla. – Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, Inc., one of the region’s most active residential mortgage lenders, has named Ian Geibeig, senior loan officer in the firm’s Jacksonville branch. Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan, said Geibeig has more than 10 years of experience in the banking and mortgage lending industry. He was formerly employed with Charles Schwab and Bank of America. Integrity Home Loan currently has nine locations throughout Florida including is Central Florida headquarters in Lake Mary, and in Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and a new branch in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich.

M/I HOMES STARTS DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LUXURY COMMUNITY

LAKE MARY, Fla. --- M/I Homes has started development of the new residential community, Versailles, located off Orange Avenue, north of S.R. 46 in North Seminole County. David G. Byrnes, area president of M/I Homes in the Orlando region, said M/I Homes plans to build 57 new three, four, five and six-bedroom homes at Versailles, priced from $389,990 to more than $500,000. Byrnes said presales will start in January and the first model home at Versailles will start construction in April.

First Green Bank Ranks First Among Central Florida Independent Banks in Asset Quality, Fifth in Florida According to Study

MOUNT DORA, Fla. --- First Green Bank in Mount Dora ranks first among independent Central Florida banks and fifth in Florida, according to a massive statewide Asset Quality Review by the Carson Medlin Company, which provides specialized corporate financial services to banking institutions nationwide. Kenneth LaRoe, chairman of First Green Bank, said Carson Medlin analyzed a range of parameters to evaluate 29 leading independent banks in Central Florida and 188 banks statewide. First Green Bank’s total assets of $196,275,000 rank the bank eleventh among the region’s independents, LaRoe said---right in the middle. But First Green’s community-focused lending policies have served the best interests of investors, depositors and customers while earning First Green the Number One spot in asset quality. “What the study really means is that our values based investments in our communities have resulted in far fewer bad loans than most independent banks in Florida,” LaRoe explained. First Green Bank posted zero past due loans, zero non accrual assets, zero REOs (real estate that the bank has taken back to cover debts) and only $288,000 in restructured loans when the region-wide average is almost $5.5 million per bank. Independent banks in Central Florida average more than $12 million in non-performing assets---NPAs or bad loans. First Green Bank has none. And while Central Florida banks posted an average NPA-to-asset ratio of 4.48 percent, First Green scored a big fat zero, according to LaRoe. Most notably, First Green was one of only seven Florida banks to earn a coveted zero on the famed Texas Ratio---a widely regarded measure of sound banking practices developed by Texas banker Gerard Cassidy and RBC Capital Markets more than 30 years ago. “We have taken an aggressive approach to lending for projects that improve the economic vitality and quality of life in Central Florida,” LaRoe said. “That might earn us criticism in some circles, but our experience---affirmed by Carson Medlin’s Asset Quality Review---is that these are the best loans to make. We play fair. We respect our customers. We do the right thing. And our borrowers are good, solid people,” he said. “In our business, character counts,” LaRoe said.

Ashton Woods Homes Acquires Townhome Sites at Community South of Downtown Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – Ashton Woods Homes has acquired 66 three and four bedroom townhome sites at Copley Square located off Michigan Street and Delaney Avenue south of Downtown Orlando. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes, said the townhomes range in size from 2,000 square feet of living space to 2,400 square feet with two car garages. Ashton Woods townhomes at Copley Square will be priced from the mid $200s, Roche said, and are designed and built according to Power House Green and Environments for Living™ standards for high levels of efficiency and comfort. Models under construction will be completed and ready for viewing in December, Roche added. The community offers a pool and cabana. Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa. For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoods.com.

LENNAR TO START CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AT BRANDON POINTE IN BRANDON

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar will offer three, four and five-bedroom single-family homes at Brandon Pointe in Brandon starting in January. Mark Metheny, president of the Central Florida Division of Lennar Homes, said new single-family homes at Brandon Pointe will range in size from 1,610 square feet of living space to 2,558 square feet, priced from the $170s with two-car garages. All Lennar homes at Brandon Pointe feature the homebuilder’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: a wide range of appliances, special features and add-ons at one “everything’s included” price. Located just off Causeway Boulevard in the heart of Brandon across from the Westfield Brandon Shopping Mall, Brandon Pointe features a lake, a private park and a large community swimming pool. Visit www.LennarTampa.com.

Women Empowerment Institute to Host Second Workshop in Sanford Dec 8 to Help Women Maximize Their Potential

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Women Empowerment Institute will hold its second workshop for women who want to achieve their potential as entrepreneurs and business innovators from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 in the University of Central Florida Business Incubation facility at 100 West 1st Street in Sanford. Tekoa Pouerie launched the Power Promise Organization initially to help students. Then earlier this year she and college friend Sherlina Stephens – both UCF alumni – together launched the organization’s subsidiary The Women Empowerment Institute from their headquarters at the UCF Business Incubation facility. Stephens, Director of the Women Empowerment Institute, said the group’s workshops are very popular. “We are focusing on providing women the tools they need to further their careers as top-level executives and entrepreneurs,” Stephens explained. Pouerie, president of the Power Promise Organization, said the Women Empowerment Institute aims to help women become self-sufficient trailblazers in their community. “Women own 7.8 million small businesses in the U.S. and that’s 30 percent of all small businesses nationwide,” Pouerie explained. Altogether, women-owned businesses generate approximately $1.2 trillion annual sales, she added. The Institute’s first workshop---“Get in the Game,” was a resounding success, Pouerie explained. “Women came from as far away as Ft. Lauderdale to learn how they can get in the game,” Stephens said. Women Empowerment Institute workshop trainers employ a wide range of motivational and educational tactics to inspire, encourage and empower women to play a bigger role in the economy. From the ‘Freedom Huddle,’ where women physically chase their dreams, to the official Women Empowerment Institute pledge, participants expressed nothing but praise for the workshop. “We want to encourage women to put their thoughts onto paper and into action, Pouerie explained. Admission to the workshop is $39.99 and open to every woman who is ready to take charge and put their words to action. To register for this workshop please visit www.walkthewalktalkthetalk.eventbrite.com.

Mercantile Capital Corporation Reports it closed on Seven Commercial Loans to Finance Projects Valued at $28.2 Million in October

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Mercantile Capital Corporation, which ranks as one of the nation’s leading providers of U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) 504 loans to business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities, reported it closed seven commercial loans in October that financed projects totaling $28.2 million in total project costs. Christopher G. Hurn, chief executive officer of Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the loans helped finance projects in California and Illinois as well as Florida. The largest single loan helped finance a TownePlace by Marriott hotel in Sacramento, Calif. valued at $9.5 million. Hurn said Mercantile Capital’s loan volume for October is up 200 percent over last October. Mercantile Capital expects to end this year with a total of 95 loans to finance projects valued at more than $420 million, up from 174 million in 2011. “We are seeing record growth this year because the regular credit markets are basically frozen,” Hurn said. “Banks are not loaning money in great enough quantity to meet demand and we are a terrific and available alternative,” he said.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Retail, Industrial Leases totaling more than 6700 square feet on 17-92 in Longwood

MAITLAND, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two new lease agreements – a retail lease for a bakery and an industrial lease for a carpet firm – both located on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Longwood. At 2350 S. US Highway 17-92, Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest, represented the local landlord SGS Holdings in a lease agreement with The Carpet Shack for 5,500 square feet of industrial space in suite 1000 at the facility. Paul P. Partyka, managing partner at NAI Realvest, represented the tenant in the transaction. NAI Realvest Associate Aron Harrison represented local landlord Placeway, Inc. in the lease of 1,218 square feet of retail space at Lake Kathryn Plaza, 1271 S. US Highway 17-92. Epic Delights Bakery is the new tenant who also operates Cut the Cake as a subsidiary at the retail center.