Meritage Homes Acquires 45 Home Sites at the Preserve at Black Hammock in Oviedo

ORLANDO - Meritage Homes has acquired 45 home sites at the Preserve at Black Hammock, located off S.R. 434 and DeLeon Road in Oviedo.

Brian Kittle, director of sales, said Meritage Homes is building four, five, six, seven and eight-bedroom homes at the Preserve at Black Hammock ranging in size from 1,994 square feet of living space to 5,111 square feet priced from $249,990.

For more information contact:
Brian Kittle, Director of Sales, Meritage Homes-Orlando, 407-712-8669; Brian.Kittle@meritagehomes.com;
Jim Bagley, Division President, Meritage Homes-Orlando 407-712-8669, Jm.Bagley@meritagehomes.com

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Posts Sale of $800,000 Luxury Condominium at Vizcaya in Southwest Orlando

ORLANDO - Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in Orlando recently reported the $800,000 sale of a four-bedroom, three-bath luxury penthouse condominium at Vizcaya, located off Sand Lake Road and S.R. 535 in southwest Orlando.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Rolf Nonnast of the firm’s Windermere/Dr. Phillips office negotiated the sale.

The condominium, Unit 37 in The Esplanade, offers 3,515, square feet of living space and a lakefront view. The unit was formerly listed at $849,000.

“Exceptional luxury homes and condominiums have been less affected by the real estate downturn than the middle price ranges,” Soderstrom explained. “Sales and listings have slowed somewhat, but luxury property transactions are still taking place,” he said.

Nonnast recently posted a new listing in the same area — a 4,373-square foot luxury home at 8718 Southern Breeze Drive in The Estates at Phillips Landing, a gated luxury community off Dr. Phillips Blvd. in southwest Orlando. The five-bedroom, four-bath home features two-story Mediterranean architecture with a private tropical pool and spa listed for $1.055 million.

For more information contact:
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-581-7890

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty: Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, commercial, property management, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates three performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com

Only 10 Home Sites Remain For Sale by Mattamy Homes at English Trails in Fort Mill, Homes Qualify For $8,000 Tax Credit Incentive

CHARLOTTE - Mattamy Homes has only 10 home sites and two completed homes remaining for sale at English Trails, located in Fort Mill, S.C. off Flint Hill Rd. and Carowinds Blvd/US 21 near 1-77 Exit 90.

Bill Kiselick, president of Mattamy Homes in the Charlotte region, said four and five-bedroom homes at English Trails range in size from 1,725 square feet of living space to 2,870 square feet priced from the $180s.

Two homes at English Trails qualify for the $8,000 and $6,500 U.S. tax credit incentives, Kiselick said. The deadline to take advantage of these tax credit incentives is April 30.

For more information contact:
Bill Kiselick, Division President Mattamy Homes US Group-Charlotte 704-375-9373 Bill.Kiselick@mattamyhomes.com

Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida Names James C. Moler, CCIM Senior Vice President of Office Group

TAMPA - Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida recently named James C. Moler, CCIM, senior vice president of the firm’s Office Group in the Tampa Bay region.

Jeff Sweeney, SIOR, president of Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida, said Moler earned his B.S. Degree in Economics and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and has more than 18 years of experience in commercial real estate.

Moler will provide leasing and investment property services to local, regional and national ownerships in the Tampa Bay region, Sweeney said. Moler relocated to the Tampa Bay region from Chicago in 2005 and served a client portfolio that totaled more than 1.8 million square feet of office space.

“James Moler brings a wealth of experience to our Tampa Bay Office Group and we expect him to play an integral role in our continued growth with Office Group colleagues Paula Buffa, CCIM, and Maria Camarinos Hall,” Sweeney said.

About Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida: Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida is an affiliated commercial real estate services firm specializing in the leasing and sale of office, industrial, retail, land and investment properties. Currently Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida has 30 brokers divided among its Tampa, Orlando and Melbourne offices which serve the entire mid-Florida marketplace. Visit http://www.commercialfl.com/.

About Grubb & Ellis: Named to The Global Outsourcing 100™ in 2009 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals™, Grubb & Ellis Company (NYSE: GBE) is one of the largest and most respected commercial real estate services and investment companies in the world. Our 6,000 professionals in more than 130 company-owned and affiliate offices draw from a unique platform of real estate services, practice groups and investment products to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions to real estate owners, tenants and investors. The firm’s transaction, management, consulting and investment services are supported by highly regarded proprietary market research and extensive local expertise. Through Grubb & Ellis Realty Investors, the company is a leading sponsor of real estate investment programs that provide individuals and institutions the opportunity to invest in a broad range of real estate investment vehicles, including public non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), tenant-in-common (TIC) investments suitable for tax-deferred 1031 exchanges and other real estate investment funds. For more information, visit http://www.grubb-ellis.com/.

Two Associates at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Report 15 Sales in Nov-Dec totaling over $6.6 Million

ORLANDO - Two associates at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty serving Volusia County reported sales of 15 homes that total more than $6.6 million in November and December of last year.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said associates Rachel McGrath and Debby Keilin sold 15 properties during the two-month period covering the Spruce Creek and Port Orange markets.

Both McGrath and Keilin joined Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in June 2009.

For more information contact:
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-581-7890

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty: Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, commercial, property management, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates three performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com.

Obama Administration Should Expand Small Business Administration Lending to Spur Economic Recovery, Mercantile Capital Corp. CEO says

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS - The Obama Administration’s proposal to funnel $30 billion in TARP receipts to community banks to spur lending to small businesses could do more to help the economy if it focused on the U.S. Small Business Administration lending programs themselves, says Christopher G. Hurn, chief executive officer of Mercantile Capital Corporation in Altamonte Springs.

Hurn, whose company ranks as one of the leading providers of SBA 504 commercial loans to small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities, said changes in SBA lending could go a long way toward growing the national economy.

“One of the things I’ve been saying for a few years is that the SBA 504 program should be used to refinance commercial real estate as well,” Hurn said. “You can’t do that with the program right now,” Hurn explained. “But as of Friday the 5th, the President seems to be on board with my proposal. We’ll see how quickly this solution can be put in place.”

Hurn gave the Obama administration high mark for its plan to eliminate capital gains tax on investments in small business.

“That’s phenomenal,” Hurn said. “We’ve finally seen a free market solution out of this President and this one actually would be good. That would be the kind of thing that will stimulate equity investments in the small business sector,” he said.

Hurn said many Obama administration proposals are problematic.

“The small business lending proposals are going to have mixed results,” Hurn explained. “Most community banks that have survived over the past 18 months have better capital ratios than large national banks, are relatively flush with capital and yet they’re lending less of their capital.

“Providing them up to five percent of their weighted assets to lend to small business customers at interest rates in the low fives to seven percent, doesn’t provide enough profit to cover the banks’ overhead. The only community banks that will be interested in this program are the ones that aren’t doing as well,” Hurn said. “Healthy community banks probably aren’t going to participate,” he said.

The $5,000 jobs credit is also troublesome, Hurn said. “If you’re a smart business person you’re not going to hire somebody for a position for something that you don’t have a demand for in your products and services just in order to get the job credit,” Hurn said.

The plan may benefit companies that are already expanding, but too few companies are expanding in this economy, he said.

“Expense reductions for equipment purchases also falls flat,” Hurn said.

“If you are a company that’s buying equipment, it helps you, but it doesn’t really get to the underlying problem affecting most small businesses in America that are struggling right now,” he said.
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For more information about this press release contact:

Chris Hurn, CEO, Mercantile Capital Corporation, 407-786-5040 or Geof Longstaff, Chairman, Mercantile Capital Corporation, 407-786-5040

BDG Construction Services Awarded Contract to Build Orange County Recreation Facility at Barnett Park

WINTER SPRINGS - BDG Construction Services, LLC based in Winter Springs, was recently awarded a design-build contract from Orange County worth $273,318 to build a public “splash park” at Barnett Park off S.R. 50 in Orlando.

Kevin Guffee, principal at BDG Construction Services, LLC, said the facility will include a 1,900 square foot water play area and 2,000 square feet of surrounding hardscape. Most of the facility will be built underground.

“The splash park incorporates a complex of pumps and drains to create a healthy, exciting water-themed recreational facility for young people,” Guffee explained.

BDG renovates and builds commercial facilities throughout Florida. Recent clients include Lillibridge Healthcare Services, The City of Winter Springs, Jones Lang LaSalle, Scottrade and Wal-mart Stores of Bentonville, Ark.

BDG Construction is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program located at the Seminole County/Winter Springs Incubator on E. State Road 434 in Winter Springs.
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For more information, contact:
Kevin Guffee, Principal, BDG Construction Services, LLC, 407-951-7451, kguffee@bdgcs.comEsther Vargas-Davis, Site Manager, UCF Incubator-Seminole County, 407-278-4881, evargasd@mail.ucf.edu

About the UCF Incubation Program: Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 130 emerging companies (including nearly 80 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With six facilities open across the Greater Orlando community and one more underway, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Named Exclusive Sales, Marketing Agents for Private Estate near Heathrow

ORLANDO - Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been named exclusive sales and marketing agents for a private luxury estate on a one-acre lakefront home site at gated Lake Markham Preserve near Heathrow in North Seminole County.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said Stirling associate Mary Ann Hartmann of the firm’s Lake Mary-Heathrow office negotiated the exclusive representation and serves as principal contact for the property.

The two-story water front estate home, on a ski lake, features European-style architectural elements enhanced with the latest in travertine flooring, custom wood cabinetry and millwork.

The 6,711 square foot home with a gourmet kitchen with nine-foot island, new outdoor summer kitchen, a heated lagoon-style swimming pool, a home theater, game room with kitchenette, four bedroom suites with private baths, and a separate suite for nanny/caregiver is priced at $2,199,000.
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For more information contact:
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-581-7890

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty: Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, commercial, property management, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates three performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com

Centex Homes begins Construction of Magnolia Park Central Amenity Center in Riverview

TAMPA - Pulte Homes, the nation’s largest homebuilder, said their Centex Homes brand recently started construction of a second amenity center at Magnolia Park, its community of single-family homes located off Falkenberg Rd. in Riverview.

Sean Strickler, vice president of sales and marketing for Pulte Homes, said the new central amenity center, which will be complete by July 4, features lush landscaping, a playground, basketball court and a zero entry swimming pool with splash zone.

Centex Homes recently introduced the village homes at Magnolia Park priced from $89,900. New homes at Magnolia Park range in size from 1,250 square feet of living space to 3,280 square feet.

The Vienna, a two-bedroom, two-bath village home model was recently opened at Magnolia Park, Strickler said.
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For more information about this press release, contact:
Lyndsey Clarke, Gulf Coast Area Marketing Manager, Pulte Homes Inc., 407-661-2150 ext 1416; lyndsey.clarke@pulte.com; Sean C. Strickler, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Pulte Group 407-661-1461 sstrickler@pulte.com

About Pulte: Pulte Homes, Inc., based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is one of America’s largest home building companies with operations in 69 markets, 29 states and the District of Columbia. The Company has an unmatched capacity to meet the needs of all buyer segments through its brand portfolio that includes Pulte Homes, Centex and Del Webb, as well as its regional brands of DiVosta Homes (Florida) and Fox & Jacobs (Texas). In 2009, Pulte Homes brands received more top rankings than any other homebuilder in the annual J.D. Power and Associates 2009 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Studysm. Pulte Mortgage LLC is a nationwide lender offering Pulte customers a variety of loan products and superior service.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Awarded Contracts to Design Renovations for J.H. Harvey Supermarkets in Florida, Georgia

ORLANDO - Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, was recently awarded contracts to design renovations of three J.H. Harvey supermarkets in Havana and Tallahassee, Fla. and in Lakeland, Ga.

Jed Downs, president of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, said each supermarket facility totals 30,000 square feet of retail space.

J.H. Harvey is a Nashville, Ga.-based, privately owned supermarket chain.
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For more information, contact: Lonnie Peterson, Chairman Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, 407-661-9100; Jed Downs, President Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC, 407-661-9100