DiMucci Companies Completes Three Luxury Condominiums for lease at Bouchelle Island

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Bouchelle Island in New Smyrna Beach, has opened three new luxury condominiums that are now available for long term lease. Anthony DiMucci, president of the DiMucci Companies, which is developing Bouchelle Island, said the two and three-bedroom luxury condominiums range in size from 1,100 square feet of living space to 1,500 square feet. Rents for the units, which are served by elevators, start at $1,100 per month.

UCF Business Incubation Program Names Juana Brand Program Assistant at Winter Springs Incubator

APOPKA, Fla., --- The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program hired Juana Brand as Program Assistant at its Winter Springs incubator. Esther Vargas-Davis, site manager in Winter Springs, said Brand graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a minor in International Business and has 14 years of administrative experience. Brand formerly held administrative positions at the Orlando area offices of CNA Commercial Insurance and Zurich North America.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Earn First Place Award for use of REVIT (BIM) Software in Construction Documentation

BALDWIN PARK, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently earned a First Place award in an international competition sponsored by the producers of REVIT (BIM) software. Cuhaci & Peterson Project Manager Steve Blevins led a team of designers who showed off their skills using the software to record construction documentation. The international users conference sponsored by REVIT (BIM) was held in Atlanta. Blevin’s team used REVIT (BIM) software to depict the transformation of a Winn Dixie store that’s being remodeled.

Tolaris Homes to Start Construction of New 7,000 Square Foot Home at Cedar Cove in Longwood

LAKE FORSEST, Fla. --- Tolaris Homes will start construction of a new 7,000 square foot single-family luxury home at Cedar Cove, a luxury neighborhood located off Markham Woods Road in Longwood. Rick Bavec, president of Tolaris Homes, said the two-story home will offer five bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths with a three-car garage. Bavec said the luxury home will start construction before Jan. 1 and Bavec plans to have the home ready for its new owners in the summer.

Lennar Homes in Southwest Florida Unveiling New Model Homes at The Preserve at Corkscrew in Estero

FORT MYERS, Fla. --- Lennar Homes is unveiling two new model homes at The Preserve at Corkscrew, located at 13525 Villa di Preserve in Estero off Corkscrew Road. Matt Devereaux, vice president of sales and marketing at Lennar Homes in the southwest Florida region, said Lennar is building 35 new Executive Homes and Manor Homes at The Preserve at Corkscrew. Manor Homes at the Preserve at Corkscrew will range in size from 1,861 square feet of living space to 3,867 square feet priced from the mid $200s. Executive Homes at the Preserve at Corkscrew will range in size from 1,340 square feet to 3,257 square feet priced from $266,990. The two-story, five-bedroom Monte Carlo model home features a three-car tandem garage. The Tivoli model home features four bedrooms and three baths in 2,267 square feet of living space with a three-car garage. Devereaux added that all Lennar built homes at The Preserve at Corkscrew come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: Extras such as granite kitchen countertops, wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, crown molding and tile are all included in the Lennar Homes price. Visit www.lennar.com.

Lifestyle opportunities for seniors, Active Adults Will Lead Housing Recovery in Florida, Sunbelt Markets, says Leading Real Estate Veteran

MAITLAND, Fla. --- Older Americans’ demand for more, better and more affordable lifestyle opportunities will likely drive the housing industry recovery in Florida and other regions that appeal to seniors, according to longtime regional real estate investment expert George Livingston. Livingston, chairman of Green Global Investments in Maitland, said longtime demographic trends point to a wave of demand for senior housing opportunities as the population ages. “More than 10,000 Americans reach retirement age every day.” Livingston said. “The population of senior adults aged 85 or more in the U.S. is growing faster than our population as a whole, and it will increase by 20 percent through 2024. With little new development underway, supply is restricted, Livingston explained. “Current new development of senior housing is modest at best, and currently property valuations are below normal despite low interest rates,” Livingston said. Those factors point to powerful opportunities for investors in senior housing as risk capital comes off the sidelines. Demand is strongest for specialized housing such as assisted living facilities. “Assets with dementia units are especially in high demand,” Livingston said. “More than five million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and a new case is diagnosed every 60 seconds in the U.S.” “Cap rates for properties that include dementia units range as high as seven percent,” Livingston said. Nationwide, independent living facilities are about 85 percent occupied, substantially below past highs of about 92 percent. But occupancy has been on the rise through the past seven quarters and is expected to improve through 2013. Rents are projected to increase by 3.5 percent. The graying of the baby boom generation will result in a greening of the housing industry,” Livingston said.

SOUTHWEST ORLANDO MILLION DOLLAR LUXURY HOUSING MARKET STABLE, GROWTH EXPECTED IN 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. --- A new market trends study by Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty shows that $1 million plus luxury housing sales in the southwest Orlando area, which stretches from Windermere to Disney, have stabilized and points to a substantial uptick in sales in 2013. Vicky McVay-Froom, International Marketing Expert with Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s Dr. Phillips Marketing Center, said 78 million-dollar plus homes sold in the southwest Orlando quadrant through the third quarter of 2012, up from 74 million-dollar plus homes during the same period last year. McVay-Froom, who conducted the study, said the average sale price was just under $1.7 million, down from an average of just over $1.8 million in 2011. The surprise market was Golden Oak, Walt Disney World Resorts’ new mega luxury community, which posted 10 sales through the third quarter with an average sale price of $2.5 million or $520 per square foot. “Listing activity was down by 29 percent through the third quarter in 2012. The overall average sale price is down, and sales are stable,” McVay-Froom said. “Those three indicators are relevant,” said Roger Soderstrom founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty. “The market has bottomed out. Demand is increasing, supply has decreased, and we anticipate that sales will increase in 2013 as well as sale prices,” he said.

Ashton Woods Homes Has Six Move-in Ready Townhomes at Crenshaw Reserve in Lutz

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes has completed six new ready-to-move-in three and four-bedroom townhomes at Crenshaw Reserve, located off S.R. 19 in Lutz. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said new townhomes at Crenshaw Reserve range in size from 1,791 square feet of living space to 2,315 square feet and are priced from $219,990. Amenities at Crenshaw Reserve include a community clubhouse and swimming pool. 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 Starts Construction of 51 Town Estate Homes at Grand Hampton in New Tampa, First model ready in January

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar has started construction of 51 new Town Estate Homes at Grand Hampton, located on Grand Vista Lane off County Line Rd. in New Tampa. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said three and four-bedroom floor plans will be available at Grand Hampton Town Estates priced from under $200,000. Lennar’s first model at Grand Hampton will open in January, Metheny said. Town Estate Home floor plans will include: The Begonia floor plan offering three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a loft in 1,930 square feet of living space with a two-car garage, priced from $198,990; The Azalea with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths with a loft in 2,056 square feet of living space with a two-car garage, priced from $203,990; and The Camellia, a four-bedroom design with two-and-a-half baths a loft in 2,466 square feet of living space with a two-car garage. Grand Hampton is a gated, master-planned community that boasts Old Florida-style living amongst stately oaks with a clubhouse, swimming pools and hiking trails among its amenities. Visit www.LennarTampa.com.

Royal Oak Homes Starts presales of 81 new homes priced from $135,000 at Barrington Estates in Clermont

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, has started presales of 81 new homes priced from $135,000 at Barrington Estates, a gated community just south of the intersection of Log House Road and CR. 561. Matt Orosz, vice president of operations at Royal Oak Homes, said the home builder has already sold five new homes at Barrington Estates. Royal Oak Homes has started construction of the Monica model home at Barrington Estates with four bedrooms and two baths in 1,927 square feet of living space priced from $154,999. New three, four and five-bedroom homes at Barrington Estates will range in size from 1,500 square feet of living space to 3,251 square feet. Barrington Estates is located directly next to Pine Ridge Elementary and only three miles from Royal Oak's successful Hammock Reserve development. Currently, Royal Oak Homes builds single-family homes in 10 Central Florida communities.