NAI Realvest Negotiates Office Building Sale in Winter Park

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of a 2,058 square foot office building located at 660 Shoreview Ave. in Winter Park for $300,000. Tom R. Kelley, II, CCIM, principal at NAI Realvest and associate Chris Adams negotiated the sale representing the seller Norma M. Raffo. The buyer, OETAM LLC was represented in the transaction by Emily Zinaich of Morrison Commercial Real Estate.

NAI Realvest Negotiates New Lease of 12,000 Square Foot Industrial Building at Heritage Center in Lakeland

ORLANDO, Fla. -- NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new industrial lease agreement for the 12,000 square foot industrial building at 2250 Commerce Park Drive in Lakeland. NAI Realvest associates Drew Saphos, CCIM and Paul Vera along with principals Christie Alexander and George Livingston, chairman at the firm, negotiated the agreement representing the Ft. Lauderdale-based landlord, Heartwood 43, LLC. The tenant, Finish Master Inc., based in Indianapolis, is an independent national distributor of automotive paints, coatings and accessories. David Tower of Sperry Van Ness represented the tenant in the transaction. The new location includes 800 square feet of office space and is part of the Heritage Center that fronts on U.S. Highway 98.

PulteGroup South Florida Honors Top Salesperson for August

Bonita Springs, Fla. -- The South Florida division of PulteGroup has named Marc Semach, who is working out of the community of VillageWalk of Bonita Springs, as its Top Sales Consultant for August, Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for the South Florida Division of PulteGroup, said Semach sold the highest number of new homes among all PulteGroup communities and brands in the South Florida division, which includes Pulte Homes, Centex, Del Webb and DiVosta Homes. Semach has been with DiVosta Homes for eight-and-a-half years. The Plymouth, Mich. native majored in communications and literature at Eastern Michigan University and enjoys fishing, golfing, hiking and spending time with family. Semach sells new two and three-bedroom single-family homes by DiVosta priced from the $190s in ten distinctive designs at VillageWalk of Bonita Springs, located on Umiak Court off Bonita Beach Road S.E. east of I-75 in Bonita Springs. PulteGroup ranks as one of the nation’s largest home builders and community developers.

Men’s Club at Del Webb’s Ponte Vedra Community Isn’t Just a Bunch of Retired Guys

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some folks who retire actually stop working. But others, like Ken Gillespie and fellow members of the Riverwood Men’s Club at Del Webb Ponte Vedra, just shift their focus… from making money to helping others. The men’s club, which launched with a handful of Ponte Vedra residents in 2008, has a mission of fellowship, service and support, according to Gillespie, the current president. The five-year-old group, which initially took its name from the community’s previous moniker, now boasts a membership of 160 representing nearly a quarter of the living units at Ponte Vedra. And, while it hosts its share of fun events like Super Bowl parties and Bingo nights, it also fosters goodwill and fellowship among its residents and the surrounding communities by raising thousands of dollars annually for those in need. “We’re a bunch of guys who have had pretty good jobs all of our lives, so now we’re giving something back,” said Gillespie, a Belvidere, N.J. native. Gillespie and his wife, Mary Ann – a member of the community’s women’s club – have lived at Ponte Vedra, southeast of Jacksonville, since December of 2007. The club, which meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, varies its agenda to include everything from beer and pizza round-table discussions to listening to guest speakers like a U.S. Secret Service Agent or an executive from the Jacksonville Jaguars football team. Its next event will be a pasta dinner on Oct. 11, where members will dress in their best Italian chef attire, complete with fake mustaches. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for Del Webb in North Florida, said residents at Ponte Vedra are very giving and almost turn fundraising into a competition. “People like Ken have a huge sense of community that shines through in the commitment they’ve made to make a difference in someone’s life,” he said. “And, the men’s club is one of the largest and most active clubs here to organize events and activities.” Gillespie, a retired human resources professional from M&M Mars, said there is much to attract new residents to the gated, 55 and up community of Ponte Vedra. Located on Del Webb Parkway, the crown jewel is the $14 million, 38,000-square-foot Anastasia clubhouse, complete with everything from a grand ballroom, social cafe and state-of-the-art fitness center to an indoor spa, a steam and sauna room and indoor and outdoor pools. “We’re 15 minutes from the ocean and 15 minutes from shopping and dining,” said 71-year-old Gillespie, who keeps busy playing golf and Bridge and is involved in the performing arts group and the investment club when he isn’t working part-time at the front desk at the clubhouse. In addition to its more than (how many?) clubs, Ponte Vedra also has an area known as Central Park, where residents can grow their own fruits, vegetables or flowers, or take in a concert on the open lawn. . Gillespie said another attraction is the developer’s obvious preservation of open, natural spaces. “They respected nature when building this community,” he said. Gillespie said the men’s club recently partnered with DelWebb and the community’s HOA to erect a 35-foot high flag pole that will be installed and surrounded by landscaped walkways that will serve as a central meeting place for holiday events and other gatherings. “We believe in this community,” Gillespie said. “If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have bought our second home here.”

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Negotiates $395,000 Sale of 24 Home Sites at the Reserve at Hidden Lake in Sanford

Lake Mary, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty recently negotiated the sale of 24 town home sites at the Reserve at Hidden Lake in Sanford for $395,000. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said commercial specialist John Kurtz negotiated the sale representing buyer D.R. Horton, Inc. Atlantic Development Corporation was the seller. “There are very few ready-to-go builder lots left in Seminole County and we think D.R. Horton will do very well in this location,” Kurtz said. Kurtz is currently marketing a variety of builder/developer projects across Central Florida priced from $300,000 to $15,000,000.

ICI Homes’ Luxury Models at Greenleaf Preserve at Nocatee Win Parade of Homes’ Top Awards

St. Augustine, Fla. --- Two of ICI Homes’ luxury models at Greenleaf Preserve at Nocatee took top honors at the 2013 St. Johns County Parade of Homes banquet held recently at the Marsh Creek Country Club. Don Wilford, North Florida division president for ICI Homes, said Parade judges ranked the Biltmore and the Allegheny models as the best in the class of homes priced above $500,000. The 2013 St. Johns County Parade of Homes running through Sept. 15 showcases 19 luxury models across 12 communities. The Biltmore, with three bedrooms and three baths in a one-story open floor plan with 3,195 square feet of living space, features a large central gathering room and oversized covered back porch and offers an optional three-car garage. ICI Homes offers the Biltmore starting from $440,900. The price of the Greenleaf Preserve at Nocatee parade model is $736,990. The one-story Allegheny floor plan consists of four bedrooms and four baths with a grand parlor, dining salon, kitchen and café that open to an expansive lanai at the rear of the home. It has 3,698 square feet of living space plus a two and a one-car garage. ICI Homes offers the Allegheny starting from $477,900. The price of the Greenleaf Preserve at Nocatee parade model is $719,950. Wilford said ICI Homes is building on 41 single-family homesites at Greenleaf Preserve at Nocatee, and new homes are priced from the low $400s.