New Sotheby's International Realty® Website Makes Finding Luxury Homes Faster and Easier

ORLANDO, Fla. — Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, the area's luxury real estate firm, said the brand’s newly redesigned, multilingual website helps consumers find the home of their dreams faster and easier by utilizing more search options and delivering a wealth of information and imagery about each listing.

The new http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng utilizes technologies to enhance the user experience including search capabilities employing the most advanced and versatile search options available that allow users to define and refine how they want to search, whether by lifestyle or amenity.

“The Sotheby's International Realty brand has redefined the way consumers search for real estate,” said Wendy Purvey, chief marketing officer, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. “Our home page notably displays a rotation of some of our network’s most striking homes. When users mouse over the image, interactive boxes with additional information about the property appear.”

Each listing features a video "slide show" that allows viewers to listen to a narration in their preferred language. Also the property list price is displayed in dozens of currencies, all updated daily with the latest exchange rates. The website is viewable in many languages and dialects including traditional and simplified Chinese, English, Canadian and European French, German, Italian, Brazilian and European Portuguese, American and European Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and Russian, with more to come.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in Orlando, said the new Sotheby’s International web site will have a special appeal for buyers in international markets who are interested in Central Florida homes and properties.

“The new Sotheby’s International web site offers a tremendous advantage to home owners and home buyers because it translates ‘for sale’ information into multiple languages, making it much easier for affluent international buyers to learn more about Central Florida luxury homes and unique properties,” Soderstrom said.

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.

About Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC
Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sotheby’s International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. In February 2004, Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services, entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby’s, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby’s International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system by Realogy’s subsidiary, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby’s auction house, established in 1744. For more information, visit www.sothebysrealty.com.

Crossman & Company Negotiates Long Term Restaurant Lease at Northbridge at Millenia Lake

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Crossman & Company, one of the largest retail leasing, management and development firms in the Southeast, recently completed a lease agreement for a new pizza restaurant at 4902 Millenia Blvd. in southwest Orlando.

Senior Leasing Associate Daniel Germano and Associate Whitaker Leonhardt negotiated the three-year lease on behalf of the landlord Northbridge at Millennium Partners, a subsidiary of Concord Management Ltd., for 750 square feet at Northbridge at Millenia Lake near the Mall at Millennia.

The tenant, Pizza Napolitana is now open and operating as Genova Pizza.

About Crossman & Company:
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Crossman & Company is a commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in the retail industry. Currently their portfolio under leasing and/or management exceeds 150 shopping centers throughout the Southeastern US. Founded in 1990, Crossman & Company focuses solely on landlord representation and serves clients including Publix, PREIT, and GE. Please visit www.crossmanco.com, or call 407-423-5400 for more information.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Offers New Incentive in Investor Sale of Lake County Home Sites: Prepaid School, Transportation Impacts

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is offering a new incentive on the sale of 84 investor/builder home sites in three desirable Lake County communities: prepaid transportation and school impact fees.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said in addition to the lots being sharply discounted, pre-paid impact fees are also being offered as an unusual marketing incentive that will appeal to builders and investors.

“Transportation and school impact fees can total as much as $11,513 per home site and that can add dramatically to the cost of a new home,” Soderstrom said.

Altogether, Stirling Sotheby’s is marketing six finished home sites at Addison Place, located off Wolf Branch Rd. at Wolf Ridge Lane in Mount Dora; 58 finished home sites at Grand Island Oaks, located off S.R. 44 at Chain of Lakes Rd. in Grand Island; and 20 finished home sites at Sleepy Hollow, located south of S.R. 44 on Sleepy Hollow Rd. in Leesburg.

“All three established neighborhoods are in excellent locations, and these home sites represent an excellent private investment and even more valuable inventory for an established home builder,” said Troy Fletcher, the Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty agent representing the property.

Showcase Homes of Florida is the seller.

Fletcher said Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is offering the finished home sites in bulk or by community.

“These home sites were initially offered with pricing that was discounted by 40 percent,” Soderstrom said. “The seller is now discounting the prices even further to make them available for immediate sale,” he said.

“I don’t know of another offering in the Leesburg Chain of Lakes region that promises a better deal for a home builder or an investor,” Fletcher said.

Visit http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/agents/tfletcher/tf.html

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.

Mattamy Homes US Group names Matt Gibbons New Homes Counselor at Lake Burden and Tuscany Place in Orlando Region

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Mattamy Homes US Group, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest home builder, has appointed Matt Gibbons as new home counselor at Lake Burden in Windermere and Tuscany Place near Millennia Mall.

Steve Parker, president of Mattamy Homes US Group, said Gibbons has five years of experience in the real estate industry. He was most recently a sales executive with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Winter Park.

Gibbons holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Cazenovia College in New York and is a resident of Windermere.

About Mattamy Homes:
Mattamy Homes, www.mattamyhomes.com, expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and is headquartered in Winter Park, FL with divisions in Orlando, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Minneapolis, MN; and Charlotte, NC. The homebuilder, the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion, was ranked among the highest of all homebuilders in the greater Toronto and Ottawa areas in a nationwide customer satisfaction survey conducted by J.D. Power Associates.

Lennar’s Central Florida Division Opening, Now Selling at New Townhome Community of Treviso in Sanford

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division is opening its newest community, Treviso Townhomes in Sanford off Airport Blvd. and Sanford Ave. within walking distance of the Orlando Sanford International Airport.

David Parker, director of sales and marketing for Lennar in Orlando, said Lennar is building 150 new two and three bedroom townhomes at Treviso that range in size from 1,371 square feet of living space to 1,564 square feet with two-and-a-half baths.

New townhomes at Treviso are priced from the low $100s.

An amenity center is underway at Treviso with a swimming pool and cabana slated for opening in July.

Visit www.Lennar.com.

Volusia Law Firm to help sponsor “Denim and Diamonds” Ball to benefit America Cancer Society

DAYTONA BEACH – The Port Orange-based law firm of Rue & Ziffra is a gold sponsor of the inaugural Cattle Baron’s Denim and Diamonds Ball set for June 18 in Daytona Beach.

A fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, the five-hour event begins at 6 p.m. at the Daytona 500 Club, inside the Daytona International Speedway at 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd.

Organized by a volunteer committee, the annual ball is hosted by the Volusia-Flagler Unit Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society.

Highlights will include a performance by country music recording artist Heidi Newfield, food created by the Daytona 500 Club chef, dancing, exciting casino games and two auctions.

During both live and silent auctions, guests may place their bid for a BMW or other valuable items donated to the organization by generous sponsors, according to Allan L. Ziffra, president of the personal-injury law firm.

“We’re very happy to be a sponsor of an exciting event for the community that also helps a great organization like the American Cancer Society,” said Ziffra, whose firm also helps sponsor other ACS events like the annual Relay for Life run.

Leslye Gale of Magic 107.7 FM and Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson will share hosting duties. Paul Hoover of Florida Hospital and Marisol Moreno of Homewood Suites are Cattle Baron Ball chairs, Dr. Beverly Grissom is co-chairman, and Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood is honorary chairman.

Proceeds from the ball will be used for research, advocacy, education and patient services throughout the American Cancer Society. Funds received during the live auction will benefit ROCK (Reaching Out to Cancer Kids).

Tickets for the event are $100 per person. For more information, contact Robin Mozingo at 386-561-1695, 386-274-3274, ext. 5851, or Robin.Mozingo@cancer.org, or visit www.TheBaronsBall.com.

About Rue & Ziffra: Founded by John D. Rue and Allan L. Ziffra, the personal-injury law firm of Rue & Ziffra has served the Central Florida community for more than 25 years. The firm’s commitment to its profession and its clients has earned it a reputation as one of the top personal-injury law firms in Central Florida. Known for handling everything from automobile and motorcycle accidents to medical malpractice, wrongful death, and social security and disability cases, Rue & Ziffra has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients and their families. With a staff of nine attorneys, the firm maintains offices in Port Orange and Orange City. For more information, visit www.rueziffra.com.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Expansion Lease with The Nemours Foundation at La Vina Marketplace in Southeast Orlando

MAITLAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated an expansion lease agreement with The Nemours Foundation for 9,037 square feet of office space at La Vina Marketplace, 9145 Narcoossee Rd. in southeast Orlando.

Senior Associate Mary Frances West, CCIM negotiated the transaction representing the landlord, Orlando-based Ripley’s International LLC.

The tenant, who already occupies 12,345 square feet at La Vina Marketplace, is expanding its facilities on the second floor. The expansion brings the total square footage Nemours occupies to 21,382 square feet at the La Vina Marketplace.

Mickey Hage of Mickey Hage, Inc. represented The Nemours Foundation in the transaction.

About NAI Realvest
NAI Realvest, covering 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. NAI Global is an international commercial real estate network with over 350 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built 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

Ashton Woods Homes Offering Three New Floor Plans at Palm Cove in Pasco County

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes is now offering three new floor plans at its community of Palm Cove, located in Pasco County off Boyette Rd. and S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said new floor plans will range from 1,634 square feet of living space to 2,639 square feet.

There are 25 three, four and five-bedroom single-family homes in the current phase priced from $154,900.

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. Visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING BOOKING WINDOW

Winter Garden, Fla. ..... Ask a lodging industry expert the definition of a “short-term meeting” and they’ll likely cite anything booked within 90 days of the meeting taking place. Ask 150 meeting planners and they’ll say 13 days, according to a recent survey that, for the first time ever, examined what many see as a booking trend that isn’t ending anytime soon.

In a survey commissioned by technology startup Zentila and conducted by the Y Partnership, a pool of 150 corporate meeting planners were asked to comment on their current booking activity. The results were eye-opening. Planners reported that on average, they booked 15 off-site meetings in the last 12 months with an average booking window of only about 36 days.

When asked what booking window* would constitute a “short-term” meeting, they said 13 days. How long did it take them to find a facility for this meeting? Fifty-three percent said two to three days, while 33 percent said more than four days.

“These numbers are telling and represent a fundamental shift in the meetings industry from a more planned and budgeted meetings strategy to an ad-hoc, off-budget strategy. The number of short-term meetings is a far greater percentage of overall meeting demand than we ever expected,” said Mike Mason, chief executive officer and founder of Zentila, a new hospitality technology company. “Meeting planners -- both professional and non-professional -- are being asked to do more with fewer resources and less time.

Unfortunately, the process of booking a meeting has generally remained the same. The current list of new technology has had an incremental effect, but hasn’t hit the major points of pain; the constant back and forth that occurs between the planner, hotel, or third party.” What obstacles exist inside this window? The number one challenge indicated by survey participants was “finding the right type of hotel or meeting space,” followed by a close second of “catering cost.”

“Some interesting findings began to emerge when we drilled down on this data and asked questions about how planners are addressing these obstacles,” said Mason. “And what all this amounts to is that planners play by a different set of rules when the time frame is constricted,” said Mason.

Following are a few highlights:

* Relationships are important…to a point. Ninety-seven percent cited that they are more willing
to be flexible about their short-term meeting space options, which includes about half of the
planners who said they were actually open to trying an unknown facility.

* Upscale properties are the short-term meeting go-to’s. Seventy-two percent of planners will
only consider upscale and luxury hotels for their short-term meetings, according to the survey.
And those who can’t find what they need are three times more likely to upgrade vs. downgrade
their hotel choice.

* Shorter lead time equals planner empowerment. The survey found that most planners (68
percent) have permission to sign off on their short-term meeting contracts without
management approval.

* The need for speed sometimes trumps the need to meet. Almost 20 percent of planners said
that if they can’t find the facility they need in time, they will either cancel the meeting or host it
in their own facility.


So what does it all mean?

“The amount of pressure on meeting planners to perform these days is unprecedented, “said Mason, a 25 year veteran of the hospitality industry. “This data is eye-opening on many levels, but most critical to us are the very specific needs planners have identified once they enter this short-term zone.”

For more information, visit www.zentila.com or call (407) 656-5683.

Ashton Woods Homes Names New Sales Associate

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes in Orlando has named Wanda Belair a new sales associate.

Mike Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes, said Belair has more than 20 years of experience and will work out of Ashton Woods’ Lakeside Townhomes in Windermere.

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. Visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.