First Green Bank President Paul Rountree is Celebrity Dancer at Stepping Out For Education Gala to Benefit Educational Foundation of Lake County

MOUNT DORA, Fla. --- What would it take to get a bank president to endure 20 hours of dance lessons and then showcase his new tango, fox trot, rumba, cha cha and swing skills with professional dance partners at a gala dinner in front of some of the most influential people in Lake County? For Paul Rountree, president of First Green Bank in Mount Dora, the answer is education. Rountree plans to dance his way through the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat at 2013 Stepping out for Education, a gala dinner and dance exhibition to benefit the Educational Foundation of Lake County on Saturday, July 27 at Lake Receptions in Mount Dora. To purchase tickets for the 5:30 p.m. event -- $125 for general seating and $150 for preferred seating – which includes a five-course gourmet dinner, call 352-326-1265. Rountree is one of more than a dozen local celebrity dancers who will compete in a Dancing with The Stars format, no doubt to the delight of dinner guests. Rountree, who admits his dance skills are improving, said he plans to unveil a few new moves at Stepping Out for Education. “The wonderful thing about community service is that you can sometimes make a complete fool of yourself, have a great time doing it, and achieve something of real value anyway,” Rountree said. After 20 hours of dance lessons, Rountree said he’s up for the competition. “I’ve learned that dancing with a practiced partner is a lot different from watching someone dance. Once you learn the steps and commit them to muscle memory, it’s really kind of fun,” Rountree said. Rountree said he isn’t worried about missteps. “First of all, our partners are professional ballroom dancers, so they’ll help us look good. And second, celebrity ballroom dancing is a lot safer than celebrity bull riding,” Rountree said.

Ryland Homes Alexander model town home under construction at Six Fifty Six Coleman in Mount Pleasant

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- Ryland Homes has started construction of a new luxury model townhome called the Alexander at Six Fifty Six Coleman, an exclusive community located at 656 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. Gayle Jinks, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Charleston region, said the Alexander model will offer 2,414 square feet of living area with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths plus a two-car garage and covered porch priced from $364,000. Jinks said Ryland has only 22 home sites remaining at Six Fifty Six Coleman for the three- level luxury townhomes that range from 2,100 to 2,414 square feet, priced from $335,000 to $364,000. Some special features Ryland Homes offers at Six Fifty Six Coleman include chef’s kitchen, energy efficient appliances, premium cabinetry, counters and faucetry, hardwood and tile floorings, covered porch, optional private elevator, bonus room and loft.

Integrity Home Loan hosting, sponsoring Sunday afternoon Radio Program on Mortgage Rates, home owner Strategies

LAKE MARY, Fla. — Integrity Home Loan of Central Florida, which ranks as the state’s largest privately-owned, Florida based residential mortgage company, is hosting and sponsoring “The Real Estate Debate” on WDBO AM 540 Radio airing Sundays from 1 to 2 p.m., featuring Matt Malloy, president of Integrity Home Loan and occasional guests. Malloy, whose company provided more than 2,700 mortgage loans last year that totaled more than $600 million from 11 offices in Jacksonville, Lake Mary, Orlando, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Tampa, Clearwater, West Palm Beach, Coral Springs and Southfield, Michigan, said mortgage interest rates and residential mortgage strategies are an important component of the national economy. “For most people who own their home or plan to buy a home, mortgage interest rates become critical information, and refinancing an existing mortgage can substantially improve a family’s financial picture,” Malloy said. “The Real Estate Debate” covers all the ways families are planning their futures around their homes, whether buying, selling or refinancing,” Malloy said. Malloy projects Integrity will serve up more than 3,200 residential mortgage loans in 2013.

Top Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Associate Undertakes Holy, Historic Pilgrimage to Santiago De Compostella in Spain

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Marketing Specialist Lori Humbarger and husband David of Lake Mary recently embarked on the final leg of a historic Christian pilgrimage in Galicia, the autonomous state at the northwest tip of Spain about 20 miles from the Portuguese border. “The Way of St. James is a religious pilgrimage that has been undertaken since the 11th century A.D.,” Humbarger explained. “By the early 12th century the pilgrimage was a highly organized affair,” she said. The historic route, an ancient Roman trading road to Cape Finisterre, the Latin word for “end of the earth,” starts near Paris and meanders through the Pyrenees mountains and across Spain’s Basque region to the town of Santiago de Compostella, reputed to be the final resting place of St. James, one of Christ’s Apostles. “Traditionally, The Way of St. James starts at the pilgrim’s front door,” Humbarger said. The couple is traveling the final seven-day, 75-mile leg of the journey by train with back packs, resting in communal inns and walking through medieval villages, she said. “We’ve been training with full packs for weeks,” Humbarger said. “There is great merit to the pilgrimage and those of culture understand its value,” she said. Many athletes make this pilgrimage but most are ordinary people, and everyone does it for a different reason. Self fulfillment or spiritual fulfillment, whatever the reason, the end result is a feeling of achievement and great satisfaction,” Humbarger explained. “It was truely organic.” Humbarger, a luxury home specialist with Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is a 29-year industry veteran.

Lennar's Isabella model at Twin Eagles in Naples is open and Ready for Viewing

Naples, Fla. --- Lennar Homes recently opened its three-bedroom Isabella model home at Twin Eagles, the award-winning golf course community located seven miles east of I-75 off Immokalee Rd. in Naples. Matt Devereaux, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar’s Southwest Florida Division, said the 2,246 square foot Isabella is among Lennar’s Executive Series of new home designs with a popular Florida-inspired open floor plan. Located at 12509 Fenhurst Way in Naples, the Isabella offers a sweeping flow from the covered entry through a wide foyer into a massive open family living area that includes an island kitchen, formal dining area and huge family room that opens onto a 24-foot screened lanai. The master suite is large too with walk-in closets and luxurious master bath. Lennar’s Executive Series homes at Twin Eagles offer four distinctive single-family floor plans including the two-bedroom/den Victoria, the three-bedroom Nina and four-bedroom Sophia. “The Isabella floor plan is spectacular and the ultimate reflection of the Twin Eagles environment,” Devereaux said. “The community boasts more than 1,115 acres of preserves, lakes and miles of biking, jogging and walking paths, with gorgeous preserve and golf course views,” Devereaux said. Lennar has some 30 home sites remaining at Twin Eagles for new homes that range from 1,649 square feet of living space to 2,246 square feet, priced from the $400s. Each new Lennar-built home at Twin Eagles comes with Lennar’s Everything’s Included pledge: a wide variety of appliances, special features, designer materials and upgrades at one Lennar price. “That price also includes a golf course membership which is a very special value,” Devereaux said. Twin Eagles offers 36 holes of championship golf and a glamorous 47,000 square foot clubhouse with casual and fine dining. The master-planned community also offers Har-Tru tennis courts and a state-of-the art exercise and aerobics area.

Lennar’s New Verandas at Treviso Bay Showcase Provincial Italian Architecture with Distinctly American Features

Naples, Fla. --- Provincial Treviso in Italy is best known as birthplace of tiramisu and home of the finest radicchios grown anywhere in the world. Now Lennar Homes is upping the ante at Treviso Bay, the spectacular golf course community on Tamiami Trail between St. Andrews and Collier Blvds. in Naples. The energetic architectural style of Lennar’s elegant new Verandas at Treviso Bay draws its inspiration from the northern Italian province. And, says Matt Devereaux, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar in southwest Florida, Lennar’s three new floor plans add a distinctly modern---and American---sense of space, energy-efficient engineering and value. Priced from the mid-$200s, Lennar’s two-bedroom, two-bath Verandas at Treviso Bay include a den and range in size from 1,414 square feet of living space to 1,661 square feet. In the Arabella, priced from $272,990, Lennar’s sweeping design maximizes living space with a living and dining room served by a pass-through, dine-in kitchen that opens onto a screened and covered lanai to let the outdoors in. The Arabella’s huge master bedroom suite features his-and-her walk-in closets, a corner bath, a corner shower and double sinks. With the purchase of a Lennar home at The Verandas at Treviso Bay, homebuyers automatically become a member of the golf club with no dues or fees. “The Verandas at Treviso Bay were designed for social living with a distinctly Naples style,” Devereaux said. “That means maintenance-free, with Lennar’s Everything’s Included pledge – a selection upgrades added all for the one Lennar price – one of the highest-rated energy efficiency packages in the industry, and all the spectacular amenities you can enjoy in a truly breathtaking community,” Devereaux explained. At the heart of Treviso Bay is the planned Champions Clubhouse. In addition to the amenities associated with world-class golf – the Arthur Hills-designed golf course is a PGA Tour Tournament Players' Club (TPC) course – members will enjoy a tennis center with pro shop, health club/spa/fitness center, aerobics and palates studios, bocce courts, resort-style pool with beach entry and adult area lap lanes, beach front lake area, and a year-round social calendar.

ICI Homes appoints Andrea Johnson Sales Associate at St. Johns Forest

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- ICI Homes has appointed Andrea Meide Johnson a New Home Sales Consultant at St. Johns Forest, a luxury community located off I-95 and C.R. 210 in northwest St. Johns County. ICI Homes Corporate Marketing Manager Lisa Egle said Johnson is a fourth-generation Jacksonville native who earned her B.S. Degree in Finance at Florida State University and her Florida Real Estate license in 2000. Johnson formerly served as a sales associate at Lennar Homes.

Cuhaci & Peterson completes design work on new 16,000 square foot office building for D’Argent Properties

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners completed design work for a new 16,000 square foot office building located on NW 8000 Rd. in Andrews, Texas. Commercial real estate developer D’Argent Properties awarded the building design contract.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects completes design of new Publix in Sarasota County

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, Engineers, Planners based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently completed the design of a new Publix supermarket located off U.S. 41 and Laurel Road in Nokomis in Sarasota county. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci and Peterson, said the new Publix will offer 45,000 square feet of space and is part of the redevelopment of a center that had an older Publix. Construction should be complete by the end of the year. The developer of the facility is the Sembler Company

CUHACI & PETERSON COMPLETES DESIGN WORK ON TWO PROJECTS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners completed design work on two projects in the state of New York. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson, said the two projects include: • Design work on renovation a 30,000 square foot Price Chopper grocery store and 10,000 square feet of adjacent retail space in Alexandra Bay, New York. • Design of a new Ale House in Queens, N.Y. (Rego Park) -- 9,700 square feet;