Lennar Homes Opens New Sophia Model at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek in Naples

NAPLES, Fla. --- Lennar Homes recently opened the three-bedroom Sophia model home at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek, the private residential golf course community located off U.S. 41 halfway between Naples and Marco Island. Dave Meyers, director of sales and marketing for Lennar Homes in southwest Florida, said the Sophia model offers 2,032 square feet of living space with three bedrooms, two baths and a den that can also serve as a fourth bedroom. The Sophia ranks as one of Lennar’s most popular floor plans, Meyers said. Its open concept design has an island kitchen that flows into the living room and dining room. Priced from $377,990, the Sophia model at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek features an optional pool and spa, outdoor kitchen and pine ceilings on the rear patio, Meyers said. New Homes in Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek come with the Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: upgraded features, appointments, appliances and finishes all included in the one “Everything’s Included” price. Fiddler’s Creek features a spectacular 18-hole championship golf course and community clubhouse with state-of-the-art fitness center and aerobics studio, a swimming pool, tennis courts, walking trails, ponds and conservation areas throughout. Located 15 minutes from downtown Naples, the community is convenient to some of the finest shopping, dining and beaches in the area and 15 minutes from the acclaimed Marco Island.

Stirling Sotheby's International Realty Negotiates $2.59 Million Land Sale North of Heathrow

Lake Mary, Fla. – Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty recently negotiated the sale of two prime residential parcels of land totaling 15.91 acres located just north of Heathrow on Orange Blvd. and S. Lake Sylvan Drive for $2,593,330 or $163,000 per acre. Roger Soderstrom, owner and founder of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Ingrid Cameron, luxury marketing specialist in the firm’s Heathrow Marketing Center, negotiated the transaction representing both seller and buyer. The property was purchased by Orlando-based Park Square Homes who plans to develop 38 luxury single-family homes on the site. Soderstrom said the proposed community will offer gas which is an excellent selling feature in today’s market. “Good residential development sites are difficult to locate in this region and in strong demand,” said Soderstrom.

UCF Business Incubation Program Offers "Soft Landing" Appeal to Small Businesses That Want to Make a Splash in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla., … The UCF Business Incubation Program has discovered an important new small business niche in local economic development that could prove more valuable than huge tax incentives to lure major employers to the area. Gordon Hogan, director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, calls the appeal “soft landing.” The target is small businesses from outside the region that want to explore opportunities in the area without making a huge investment for permanent space. Hogan said the UCF Business Incubation Program has already recruited five businesses from Ireland, the U.K. and South America and Hogan hopes to have from 20 to 30 companies with Central Florida “soft landing” on their agenda. UCF recently completed a video that explains what the incubator has to offer at facilities in Orlando, Winter Springs, Apopka, Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Daytona Beach--short-term, office space with flexible lease and support services to help introduce the business to the Central Florida and U.S. markets.

DiVosta Homes starts construction of two new model homes at Cove at Waterway Village in Vero Beach with six new floor plans

Vero Beach, Fla. --- DiVosta Homes has started construction of two new model homes and introduced six new floor plans at Cove at Waterway Village, an intimate community of 80 exceptional homes located on Kings Highway and 53rd St. in Vero Beach. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for DiVosta Homes in the south Florida region, said both new models in DiVosta’s newest Vero Beach community will open by mid-summer. The Martin Ray model at Cove at Waterway Village is priced from $233,990 with 1,968 square feet of living space, two bedrooms and two baths and a two-care garage. The Martin Ray features a flex room and an optional upstairs loft. The Pinnacle model offers three bedrooms and three baths in 2,488 square feet and also includes a flex room and an optional upstairs loft, all priced from $264,990 with garage space for two cars and a golf cart. Among the amenities at Cove at Waterway Village are a community swimming pool and cabana and a bocce ball court.

Hold-Thyssen negotiates new lease with E-Cig Depot at Enterprise Plaza in Orange City

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen, Inc., a commercial property firm based in Winter Park, recently negotiated a three-year retail lease agreement at Enterprise Plaza, 2499 Enterprise Rd. in Orange City. Darby Hold, lease consultant for Hold-Thyssen, negotiated the transaction on behalf of the Landlord, Florida Premier Group, Inc., based in Rochester, Mich. The E-Cig Depot, Inc. leased Suite K with 1,054 square feet at the shopping center and joins existing tenants Sherwin Williams, Beauty Alliance and Arby’s. The tenant was not represented in the transaction. Hold-Thyssen, Inc. provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

Ryland Homes Opens New Phase at Carolina Park community in Mount Pleasant

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Ryland Homes has opened a new phase at Carolina Park, located off Carolina Park Blvd. and Hwy. 17 North in Mount Pleasant. There are 50 new homesites that are at least 60' wide, some a quarter acre or larger in size, available in the new phase for new three and four bedroom homes with two, three, and three-and-a-half baths. “Ryland is seeing increased demand and sales are picking up in the Mt. Pleasant market,” said Gayle Jinks, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Charleston-Myrtle Beach region. Ryland offers six floor plans in one and two-story designs at Carolina Park ranging from 2,072 to 2,964 base square feet, priced from the mid-$300s. Ryland has two decorated model homes open daily for touring at Carolina Park -- the two-story Coosaw model with four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths in 3,206 square feet of living space with a detached two-car garage priced from $405,000; and the two-story Thompson, with 2,446 square feet of living space, three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths with bonus room and a detached two-car garage. The Thompson floor plan, which features a downstairs master bedroom, is priced from $373,000. Altogether Ryland Homes is building 112 new luxury homes in Carolina Park, with Townhomes planned in the near future. Carolina Park features a Junior Olympic-size pool, tennis courts, a playground and walking and biking trails.

Rhodes+Brito Architects Awarded Contract to Design Two New Elementary Schools in Apopka

ORLANDO, Fla., --- Rhodes+Brito Architects based in Orlando recently were awarded contracts from Orange County Schools to design new facilities for two elementary schools in Apopka. Ruffin Rhodes, co-founder and partner at Rhodes+Brito, said the firm will design $13 million worth of new facilities to replace Clay Springs Elementary School, which accommodates 830 students. Under terms of the second contract, Rhodes+Brito will design $12 million worth of new facilities to replace Lovell Elementary School. Rhodes said both schools will be completed in 2015. Rhodes+Brito, which opened in Orlando in 1996, currently employs a staff of 20, including eight registered architects. The firm has exceptional experience providing architectural services to municipal government agencies.

DRW Life Skills Institute to offer Two-Day Course on Emotional Intelligence March 22-23

Kissimmee, Fla. --- DRW Life Skills Institute in Kissimmee will offer a two-day beginners workshop on emotional intelligence and critical communications skills March 22-23 at the Institute, headquartered on the fourth floor of the UCF Business Incubator facility at 111 E. Monument Ave. in Kissimmee. Dr. Wanda Bonet-Gascot PhD, President, Life Coach and Project Manager at the DRW Life Skills Institute, said the workshop is titled Emotional Intelligence: Listening to Myself. “Emotional intelligence is a set of skills that influence self-perception, the way we express ourselves, performance and even how we socialize and relate in our work, family, and community,” Dr. Bonet-Gascot explained. “The workshop is designed to help participants improve critical communication skills and start learning how Life Skills can dramatically improve their lives, their families, and their careers,” she said. Tuition for the workshop is $595.00. For additional details, visit www.drwinstitute.org.

Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services Adds Property Management Assignments that Total 250,000 Square Feet in Florida

Winter Park, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services, a commercial property firm based in Winter Park with offices in Tampa and Nashville, added more than 250,000 square feet of commercial properties to its Florida property management portfolio over the past 60 days. R. Anthony Fisher, vice president of Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services, said the firm manages more than three million square feet of commercial space. Fisher said the new assignments include 46,000 square feet of space in Winter Haven, 25,000 square feet in Sunrise, 21,500 in Vero Beach, 47,000 in Jupiter and 110,000 square feet in Plantation. All of the most recent assignments are REO bank-owned properties or properties in receivership, Fisher said. Hold-Thyssen provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

Hold-Thyssen negotiates three lease agreements totaling more than 9,000 square feet in Orlando

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services, a commercial property firm based in Winter Park with offices in Tampa and Nashville, recently negotiated three lease agreements totaling 9,139 square feet in Orlando. Troy Stevens, leasing agent at Hold-Thyssen negotiated the three transactions, representing the Landlord for each facility – Miami-based LNR Partners, LLC. Groupware, a local IT services firm renewed its lease of 7,500 square feet in Kennedy Commerce Center, a flex warehouse facility at 995 W. Kennedy Blvd. off S. Keller Rd. Southeast Wiring Solutions, experts in security systems, alarm monitoring and home automation, leased 1,000 square feet of flex warehouse space in suite 6270 in Edgewater Commerce Center at 3300 Edgewater Drive. ADTC Fire and Security, Inc. of Orlando leased suite 116 with 639 square feet in the Kirkman Commerce Center at 771 Kirkman Rd. in Southwest Orlando. Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

2013 Real Estate Report for East Volusia: Sales of Luxury Homes up more than 60 percent

ORLANDO / PORT ORANGE, Fla. --- Sales of luxury homes in the East Volusia region---including Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Spruce Creek Fly-In in Port Orange---saw robust growth in 2013, up more than 60 percent over 2012 sales according to a recent Real Estate Report published by Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in Orlando. Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said associates Debbie Keilin, Rachel McGrath and Maureen Reynolds of the firm’s East Volusia offices at Spruce Creek Fly-In compiled the survey of closed real estate sales. Soderstrom said one reason for the increased sales of luxury homes is that listings of homes for sale increased by almost a quarter in 2013. “The market is coming back,” Soderstrom said. “As home owners see other homes selling in their price range, they are more inclined to list their homes for sale,” Soderstrom said. Sales of homes priced from $500,000 to $1 million grew by almost half in 2013, Soderstrom said, from 137 homes sold in 2012 to 202 luxury homes. Only five sales priced from $1 million to $1.5 million closed in 2012. Last year sales in that category totaled 22 homes. In the $1.5 million plus category, sales grew from 4 in 2012 to 11 in 2013. “Sales of luxury homes in east Volusia County say more about the national economic recovery than the local economy,” Soderstrom explained. “This region is known throughout the world for its beaches and its lifestyle, and many buyers come from outside the east Volusia area to live here,” he said. Soderstrom said waterfront properties tend to sell for the highest prices and they don’t often stay on the market very long. “Luxury waterfront properties are always at a premium but we have seen substantial growth in luxury property sales that are not on the water as well,” Soderstrom said. The complete East Volusia report can be viewed at http://www.stirlingsir.com/resources/siteresources/my%20folder/2013eastvolusia.pdf

Only One Luxury Condominium Remains for Sale at Six Fifty Six Coleman in Mt. Pleasant

Charleston, S.C. --- After only nine months on the market, the Ryland Homes signature condominium community Six Fifty Six Coleman in Mount Pleasant has only one condominium remaining for sale out of 35. Gayle Jinks, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Charleston region, said the home builder opened its sales office at Six Fifty Six Coleman in May with prices starting from $310,000. Two and three-bedroom condominiums at Six Fifty Six Coleman ranging in size from 2,100 square feet of living space to 2,414 square feet with gourmet kitchens, energy efficient appliances, optional private elevators, bonus rooms and lofts sold for an average price of $390,000 The three-story homes at Six Fifty Six Coleman come with two-car garages. “Six Fifty Six Coleman has been a great success, from the location to the features to the design and the marketing. The community offers a unique lifestyle as well,” Jinks said. The one remaining condominium is priced at $419,000, Jinks said. For more information or an appointment to tour the model, call Tina Jones 843-513-6454.

CollegeStack.com partners with iMobile3 to provide virtual wallet, wider choice of coupons, and a unqiue mobile application via the PassMarket platform

ORLANDO, Fla. --- CollegeStack.com, one of Orlando's most popular coupon books, has partnered with iMobile3 to offer Central Florida college students a powerful virtual wallet inside of an application that takes coupons/offers to a new digital level. Julien Meyer, founder and chief executive officer of collegeTKTS LLC, parent company of CollegeStack.com, said the partnership offers revolutionary ways for businesses to better connect with consumers. “Virtual loyalty cards are among the flagship products that we will be rolling out with this new partnership,” Meyer said. “The company's new app will double the number of available coupons so users have more choices,” Meyer said. Andres Ochoa, director of CollegeStack’s operations at UCF said, “CollegeStack.com plans to roll out the new platform in March and we’re already getting traction from many businesses in the Orlando area…even some outside of the college community.” “We're really excited to have this opportunity and to roll out our newest version for all of our users to fall in love with,” Ochoa said. CollegeStack is a client of the UCF Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County.

Two Homewood Assets Closed by Hendricks-Berkadia for $11,675,000

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Hendricks-Berkadia, one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies, recently negotiated the sale of Knoll Crest, a 150-unit apartment community, and the adjacent Olympia Village, a 127-unit apartment community, both located in Homewood, Ala. for a combined $11.675 million. David Oakley, partner in Hendricks-Berkadia Alabama office negotiated the sale of Olympia Village and Knoll Crest representing the seller, Knoll Crest Partners, LLC/Olympia Partners, LLC, an Alabama limited liability company, based in Birmingham. Olympia Village, built in 1976, has a total of 121,002 square feet of rentable living space with one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments. Knoll Crest, built in 1975, has a total of 145,334 square feet of rentable living space with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The buyer was Knoll Crest Holding Company, LLC/Olympia Partners LLC, based in New Jersey. Both properties have existing Fannie Mae loans that were assumed at closing by the Buyer. The approximate balance on the loan for Knoll Crest was $5,629,517 at an interest rate of 4.31 percent. The approximate balance on the loan for Olympia Village was $4,230,303 at a 6.18 percent interest rate. The buyer plans to complete light interior renovations and amenity upgrades to both properties. The contiguous properties in Homewood are located within a half mile of the Magic City Five Portfolio, which Hendricks-Berkadia recently transacted consisting of five properties totaling 2,244 units that sold for $105,900,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Henin Homes offering incentives, super discount in March for luxury move-in-ready home at Riviera Bella in DeBary

DeBary, Fla. -- Henin Homes is offering a “super” discount plus incentives for March home buyers on one of the last remaining move-in ready homes at Riviera Bella, the gated luxury community overlooking the St. Johns River in DeBary. Jerome Henin, founder and owner of the Henin Group, which developed Riviera Bella, said the offer is on the “Darina” model home on Lot 136 which was originally priced at $365,900 for the four-bedroom, two-bath plan with 2,396 square feet of living area. “The special March incentive price is $324,900 plus an additional buyer incentive of $8,350 to be used toward closing costs and one year of paid HOA fees,” Henin said. “This is a super value for home buyers interested in a top quality custom home in a fine neighborhood,” Henin explained, adding “but the home must be purchased in March and close within 30 days.”

Oceans Luxury Realty in Daytona Beach Shores Reports it Closed Sales totaling $2,774,000 in January

Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. --- Oceans Luxury Realty, which acquired Exit Realty Daytona Beach Shores last year and now has three offices in the area, reported it closed on sales that totaled $2,744,000 in January Crystal Anderson, chief executive officer of the firm, said Oceans Luxury Realty added 33 new listings during the month. Anderson said currently 33 sales are pending.