FLORIDA THE WAY YOU IMAGINED

When Palencia debuted in 2002, it was envisioned as an amenity-packed enclave for the affluent, occupying one of the most beautiful tracts of land in all of Northeast Florida. A decade later, that description could still apply — but home prices in this award-winning, master-planned community are now far more down to earth.

The real-estate downturn — and the resulting decline in land costs — means that buyers can snap up brand-new, ultra-luxurious estate homes at prices ranging from a third to a half of what similar homes would have fetched during the boom.

“New construction is back,” says Naomi Lumley, director of sales at Palencia, now home to about 1,100 families. “These days, a builder can offer a state-of-the-art new home for the price of a foreclosure or a short sale.” Troubled assets might appear to be bargains, but often come with costly problems that most buyers don’t anticipate.

Lumley notes that there are homes in Palencia that originally sold for $5 million. The top end nowadays, she says, is in the $3 million range, although there are beautiful homes available for around $300,000. 

Creating a sense of urgency – and an upsurge in traffic – is the fact that prices have stabilized and are ticking back up, in Palencia and throughout Northeast Florida.

Not quite ready to buy a new home? In Palencia, you can lock in a homesite now, at post-boom prices, and build later. The community has no time-frame requirement for construction to begin, Lumley says.

One of the most experienced and respected new-home sales professionals in the region, Lumley has been with Palencia since Day One. In fact, she recalls touring the 2,350-acre site, parts of which hugged the west bank of the Intracoastal Waterway, with representatives of Hines, the global development company responsible for transforming the heavily forested tract into of the Southeast’s most desirable communities.

“I knew it was going to be a winner and that I wanted to finish my career here,” Lumley says. “I was sold.”

Lumley, however, wasn’t the first person to be enchanted by the property, with its moss-draped hammocks and haunting tidal marshes. That distinction likely belongs to Juan Ponce de Leon, who explored the area nearly 500 years ago and named it “Pascua de Florida (feast of flowers).”

Hines knew the site, which is across from 12,000-acre Guana River State Park and world-famous Ponte Vedra Beach, was special, and approached the project accordingly. More than 300 acres of lush parks and open areas were set aside while the 40-acre Village Center and 33,000-square-foot Palencia Golf Clubhouse paid homage to St. Augustine’s Spanish heritage with its richly detailed architecture. 

The clubhouse features dining, shopping and banquet facilities, including a member’s dining room, an informal bar and grill overlooking the golf course and a public café with outdoor seating that spills onto the Village Green

Golfers are attracted by a spectacular Arthur Hills-designed championship golf course. But there are also eight lighted tennis courts, four swimming pools (including a family pool with a slide tower, a separate adult pool and a children’s wading pool) and a state-of-the-art fitness center with aerobics, cardio and strength training facilities. In addition, kids enjoy a themed “Pirate’s Playground” recreation area.

There are also multi-use sports fields, playgrounds and eight miles of inviting nature trails and raised boardwalks. The boardwalks connect neighborhoods and traverse the marshes of the Tolomato River, creating an ideal opportunity for a scenic stroll.

Of course, quality schools are a major selling point for any St. Johns County community. But Palencia has an advantage even there with the August opening of on-site Palencia Elementary, a LEED-certified “green” school boasting an environmental theme and an emphasis on healthy lifestyles for students, staffers and parents.

The school also features leading-edge technology and has patterned its programs after author Steven Covey’s “The Leader in Me” program, patterned after the author’s bestselling Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It teaches children to be leaders in their areas of interest and to respect and value one another.

The school is also adopting a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum and uses primarily digital textbooks. The media center, in fact, has approximately 30 percent of its titles available as e-books. Also in August, the Palencia Montessori Academy opened, offering child-centered education to a maximum of 44 children ages 2 through 6.

“Every home in Palencia is within walking distance of schools,” says Lumley.

Speaking of homes, Palencia does have spec homes available but hasn’t had furnished models on display in several years. That’s changing with the debut of The Bermuda, a new model by luxury builder Arthur Rutenberg Homes. The home, at more than 4,700 square feet, has already created a sensation in Southwest Florida and is expected to be just as popular when it opens in November at Palencia, 

Other approved builders in the community include Bryan Lendry Custom Homes, CornerStone Homes, The Cottage Home Company, Dostie Homes, Glenn Layton Homes, Gordon’s Castle, J.L. Linder Group and MasterCraft Builders Group.

Palencia Realty

605 Palencia Club Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32095

Real Estate Sales Office:

(904) 810-0500

Sales Toll Free Number:

(877) 245-3390

vivapalencia.com