Lennar to offer Realtors Chance to win $1,000 Bonus during Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium

Lennar to offer Realtors Chance to win $1,000 Bonus during Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium

TAMPA, Fla. - Lennar’s Central Florida Division will offer Realtors® the chance to win $1,000 during the Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway N. in Tampa.

Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which includes more than 30 communities throughout the Tampa Bay, Orlando and Space Coast regions, said the homebuilder plans to make a big impression during the Realtor-Builder Expo event, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Area Realtors are among our most important partners,” Metheny said. “Any area Realtor® who visits the Lennar exhibit booth during the Realtor-Builder Expo will get a chance to win a $1,000 bonus,” he said. Visit www.lennar.com.

For more information, contact:
Jassy Friddle, Marketing Manager Lennar, 888-317-7489
Mark Metheny, Lennar Division President-Central Florida, 888-317-7489;
Robert Jesski, Lennar Vice President of Sales-Central Florida, 888-317-7489;
David Parker, VP Sales & Marketing, Lennar-Central Florida 877 205-1102;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 16 Percent Jump in Annual Sales in Tampa Bay Area

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 16 Percent Jump in Annual Sales in Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA, Fla. - Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region reports its annual sales of new homes increased by 16 percent.

Mike Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said the home builder closed out its fiscal year 2009 at the end of May.

“We had 81 net sales of new homes in five communities in the Tampa Bay region this year,” Roche said. That’s up from 70 net sales of new homes during the same period last year.
The average sale price for the year was $247,377, Roche said.

Ashton Woods Homes builds new single-family homes priced from the $200s in five Tampa Bay-area communities.

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group of Companies, a North American real estate conglomerate headquartered in Toronto, and currently has communities under development in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa, Denver and Orlando.

For more information, contact:
Michael Roche, VP Sales & Marketing Ashton Woods Homes-Tampa/Orlando, 407-647-3700;
John Reny, President, Ashton Woods Homes-Tampa/Orlando 407-647-3700
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

NAI Realvest Negotiates new Office Lease of 2,400 Square Feet in Apopka for Healthcare Management Enterprises

NAI Realvest Negotiates new Office Lease of 2,400 Square Feet in Apopka for Healthcare Management Enterprises

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new office lease agreement for 2,400 square feet at Apopka Shopping Center located at 717 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Apopka northwest of Orlando.

Paul P. Partyka, principal and managing partner at NAI Realvest, brokered the transaction representing the new tenant, Healthcare Management Enterprises, a Sarasota-based physicians group. The landlord is Sandmar Properties of Gaithersburg, Md.

Earlier this year Partyka located and negotiated the lease of 2,085 square feet of space for Healthcare Management at Alafaya Commons in East Orlando.

“This is the fourth Central Florida location for Healthcare Management Enterprises with more planned,” Partyka said.

For more information contact:
Paul P. Partyka, Managing Partner, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 ppartyka@realvest.com
Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com
Renee Ellis or Beth Kowalski, Marketing NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 rvmarketing@realvest.com
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications, Inc. 407-644-4142

About NAI Realvest
NAI Realvest, serving all of central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide through NAI Global, an international commercial real estate network with over 325 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built their businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network. Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com.

Melrose Sovereign Companies Awarded Contracts to Manage two Residential Communities in Sarasota-Bradenton Area

Melrose Sovereign Companies Awarded Contracts to Manage two Residential Communities in Sarasota-Bradenton Area

ORLANDO, Fla. - Melrose Sovereign Companies, the property management firm that specializes in residential communities and multi-family properties throughout Florida, was recently awarded contracts to manage Crystal Lakes and Bradford Manor residential communities in the Sarasota-Bradenton area.

Ellen Lumpkin and Jack Hanson, co-founders and owners, said Taylor Morrison, one of Florida’s largest home builders, awarded both contracts.

Crystal Lakes, a community of 199 single-family homes, is located just east of I-75 off Buffalo Rd. at 5101 72nd St. East in Palmetto.

Bradford Manor, a gated community where Taylor Morrison is building 173 town homes with attached garages, is located near U.S. 301 and I-75 off Tuttle Ave. at 1502 Grantham Dr. in Sarasota.

Melrose Sovereign Companies, formed in 2008 with the merger of Melrose Management Group and Sovereign Residential Services in Orlando, currently employs more than 100 property management specialists at offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Tampa, Palm Harbor, Bradenton/Sarasota, Port Charlotte and Fort Myers.

For more information, contact:

Ellen G. Lumpkin, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign Companies, 407-228-4181, elumpkin@melrose-sovereign.com

Jack B. Hanson, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign Companies, 407-228-4181, jhanson@melrose-sovereign.com

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, Lvershelco@aol.com

Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, Awarded New Contracts to Provide Data Services in Texas, New York, Vermont

Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, Awarded New Contracts to Provide Data Services in Texas, New York, Vermont

ORLANDO, Fla. - Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, the Avalon Park-based firm that provides professional GIS (geographic information systems), asset management, software engineering and web development services, was recently awarded contracts to provide services to government agencies in Texas and Vermont and The Wildlife Conservation Society based in New York City.

A.M. “Trey” Fragala III, AICP, chief operating officer at Data Transfer Solutions, said the firm was recently awarded a contract to provide LiDAR data collection, orthophotography and Mobile Asset Collection through the use of the DTS MAC vehicle in Texas as part of the PBS&J team.

The firm was awarded a second contract from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) of New York to provide generalized map viewing (GME) services. DTS has been retained by the WCS for the past two years on a variety of projects including the development of a web-based GIS map viewer tracking the worldwide instances of the global avian influenza. This recent contract is an extension of the ongoing work on behalf of WCS.

The State of Vermont awarded Data Transfer Solutions a contract to provide Enterprise GIS application development.

For more information, contact:
A.M. “Trey” Fragala, III, AICP, Chief Operating Officer, Data Transfer Solutions, 3680 Avalon Park East Blvd., Suite 200, Orlando, 32828; 407-382-5222; tfragala@edats.com;

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com

Beazer Homes Names Four New Home Consultants in Orlando region

Beazer Homes Names Four New Home Consultants in Orlando region


ORLANDO, Fla. - Beazer Homes has appointed four new home consultants in the Orlando area.
Theresa Tilton, vice president of sales and marketing for Beazer Homes Florida Division, said the home builder’s new home consultants include:

Jose Perez, who has more than 20 years of experience, is selling new single-family homes priced from the $160s at Sawgrass, located off Weatherbee and Boggy Creek Rds. in south Orlando;

Linda Whitehead, who has more than 13 years of experience, is selling new town homes priced from the $140s at Heritage Commons, located off Dodd Rd. two miles west of the Red Bug Rd. exit of the 417 in Winter Springs;

Terry Jalbert, who has more than 10 years of experience, is selling new single-family homes and town homes priced from the mid-$100s at The Enclave at Moss Park off Moss Park Blvd. on Great Commission Way in southeast Orlando;

Crystal Eisen, who has more than seven years of experience, is selling new executive homes at Legacy, south of downtown Orlando on Lake Jessamine.

For more information please contact:

Theresa Tilton, Vice President of Sales Beazer Homes/Florida, 407-339-4114, ttilton@beazer.com

David Byrnes, President/Beazer Homes Florida, 407-339-4114, dbyrnes@beazer.com

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

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, Worldwide Auction Realty Services to Host Auction of 11 New Homes July 25 at JB Ranch in Ocala

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, Worldwide Auction Realty Services to Host Auction of 11 New Homes July 25 at JB Ranch in Ocala

ORLANDO, Fla. - Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty and Worldwide Auction Realty Services will conduct an auction July 25 to sell 11 new homes at JB Ranch, an active adult community located on S.W. 60th Ave. in Ocala. Directions: http://jbranchocala.com/images/map.gif

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the Saturday morning auction will feature 11 homes that were formerly listed for sale priced from $232,000 - $320,000. Brochure: http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/auctions/jbranch/JB_Ranch_Auction_Bro_web.pdf

Minimum opening bids of $65,000 will start from, Soderstrom said.

Six of the 11 homes will be sold in absolute auction, Soderstrom added. And 14 home sites will also be auctioned with suggested opening bids of $10,000 per lot.

The auction will begin at 10 a.m. Prospective bidders are being invited to register and participate in the auction in person at JB Ranch, by telephone at 800-327-1048, or Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty will accept bids online at (www.AuctionsByStirling.com).

For more information please contact:
Jon & Lori Chipps, World Wide Auctions, 800-327-1048;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407.644.4142

Auction of 27 Luxury Condominiums 10 to be sold absolute Aug. 1 at Artisan Park at Celebration

Worldwide Auction Realty Services to Host Auction of 27 Luxury Condominiums 10 to be sold absolute Aug. 1 at Artisan Park at Celebration

CLERMONT, Fla. - Worldwide Auction Realty Services will conduct an auction Saturday, Aug. 1, to sell 27 remaining condominium, residences at Artisan Park, a luxury community of over 300 new condominium homes located at Celebration in Osceola County.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, the company representing the property, said the condominiums were formerly listed for sale at prices ranging from $480,000 to $600,000.

The auction is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the Celebration Hotel.

Suggested opening bids for the luxury units have been set at $95,000, Soderstrom said.
Many of the condominiums to be auctioned feature waterfront settings, he added.

Artisan Park features a community clubhouse with a swimming pool, cabana, restaurants and other amenities. A brochure can be downloaded and property photos viewed online by visiting www.AuctionAtCelebration.com

Prospective bidders are being invited to register and participate in the auction in person at Artisan Park, by telephone at 800.327.1048, or World Wide Auction Realty Services will accept bids online at (www.AuctionAtCelebration.com).

For more information please contact:
Jon or Lori Chipps, World Wide Auction Realty Services 800.327.1048; http://www.stirlingsir.com/;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407.644.4142

UCF Business Incubation Program Identifies More Than 1,600 Area Jobs it helped to create with Earnings of More than $70 Million

UCF Business Incubation Program Identifies More Than 1,600 Area Jobs it helped to create with Earnings of More than $70 Million

ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program, which currently supports nearly 70 startup companies at five Central Florida incubation sites in downtown Orlando, east Orlando, Winter Springs and the UCF campus, reports its efforts have helped to generate more than 1,600 new jobs in the Central Florida region with combined earnings of more than $70 million.

Dr. Tom O’Neal, founder and executive director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said that’s just a start. “Currently, client companies of the UCF Business Incubation Program employ 340 professionals,” O’Neal said.

Thirty-one Central Florida companies that have graduated from the program currently employ 490 individuals, O’Neal added.

The net effect of that job growth creates almost the same number of “ripple” jobs to support these new businesses, O’Neal said.

Orlando-based Real Estate Research Consultants, Inc. conducted a study of the economic impact of the UCF Business Incubation Program job growth in the region, O’Neal said, and used an industry standard calculation known as RIMS II multipliers to determine the number of “ripple” jobs created.

The UCF Business Incubation Program’s area economic impact goes beyond job growth, O’Neal explained.

“The job growth we helped to create here will generate as much as $14 million in new ad valorem revenues over the next 20 years in Orange County alone,” O’Neal said. In Seminole County, new ad valorem revenues resulting from the UCF Business Incubation Program are estimated at almost $4 million.

In addition, Orange and Seminole County schools will collect more than $28 million from the new job growth, O’Neal said.

The UCF Business Incubation Program, which initially focused on emerging technology companies, has expanded to include startup businesses of almost every stripe except retail and lifestyle.

“Most startup companies can benefit from a successful incubation program, but not all,” O’Neal said. “We aren’t equipped to adequately serve consumer product retail or lifestyle companies because the dynamics of those businesses don’t fit well in an incubator environment,” he said.

The award-winning UCF Business Incubation Program, which opened its doors 10 years ago, now ranks as one of the most successful incubation programs in the U.S.

For more information, contact:

Tom O’Neal. Ph.D, UCF Associate Vice President for Research and Commercialization and Incubation Program Executive Director, 407-882-1120, oneal@mail.ucf.edu

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 Lvershelco@aol.com

About the UCF Incubation Program:

Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the metro Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu/.

Park Plaza Gardens Restaurant & Café Sends 10 Staff Members on Educational Tour of Napa Valley Wineries

Park Plaza Gardens Restaurant & Café Sends 10 Staff Members on Educational Tour of Napa Valley Wineries

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Park Plaza Gardens Restaurant and Café in downtown Winter Park recently sent 10 staff members on educational tours of Napa Valley wineries in California.

Ron Diaz, general manager at Park Plaza Gardens, said the Napa Valley trip was a reward to the staff in a wine sales competition reflecting their performance, and the tours are an important part of Park Plaza Gardens’ service.

Left to right: Ron Diaz, Chris Yeomans, Jamie Lutz, Tyler Brown and Vincent Stolic.

“We pride ourselves in offering our patrons one of the area’s most distinguished wine cellars and highly knowledgeable wine service,” Diaz said. “Our staff is always being trained in the art of selling wine and food pairing.”

Some 10 wineries in the Napa Valley area were visited. Silver Oak, Markham, Rombauer, Honig, Opus One, Miner in Napa; Korbel and Arrowood in Sonoma; Langtry in Middletown, and Stonestreet in Alexander Valley.

“We want our servers and staff members to know their way around the finest wines and the best way to teach them is at the wineries,” he said.

Diaz said the trip included VIP treatment at each winery and full tours focused on the process of wine making plus a small course on wine varietals. A two-day stop over in San Francisco for sightseeing and fine dining was also a highlight of the winning trip, Diaz said.

Park Plaza’s staff participating in the tour were servers JJ Dalton, Chelsea Grasso, Jamie Lutz, Jason McNamara, Vinny Santuci, John Stoner and Chris Yeomans; Guy Cowie, bartender; Food runner Ben Sunners and new manager Daniel McGaughey.

Bottom to top, left to right: Jamie Lutz, Ron Diaz, Chris Yeomans, John Stoner, and Vincent Stolic.

For more information, contacts:

Park Plaza Gardens, 407-645-2475, http://www.parkplazagardens.com/

Ron Schwartz, Principal, Park Plaza Gardens, 407-342-3648

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