The Evergreen, a Gold-Level LEED certified home by Phil Kean Designs in Winter Park.
Take Note: New-Home Community and Builder News
Maronda Homes closed the most sales in Lake/Northeast Polk counties in 2008. The builder sold 274 homes for a 14.1 percent share of the market. The average sales price of the homes was $184,000.
Lennar Homes has released new floorplans at Legends and Heritage Hills in Clermont. The builder has also announced a summer grand opening of its clubhouse at Heritage Hills.
ORANGE COUNTY
A Phil Kean Designs home dubbed The Evergreen has received a Gold Level LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. There are currently only eight homes certified at the Gold Level or above in Florida. The Evergreen, located in Winter Park, will be open to the public during this year’s Parade of Homes.?
Royal Palm Homes has opened three luxury condominiums at Fairview Grande, overlooking Lake Fairview in Orlando" target=_blank>Orlando. Fifty, two- and three-bedroom condos are planned for the project’s first phase. Units range in size from 1,600 to 2,200 square feet and are priced from $299,990.??
Casa de las Flores, a custom home by Hardwick General Contracting, will receive FGBC, NAHB, Energy Star and Florida Water Star certifications. The home, in historic Orwin Manor, has 3,700 square feet of living space with aging-in-place features such as wide doors, ramps, an elevator, lever-handle hardware and pre-framed blocking for grab bars.
Mattamy Homes is building 120 two- and three-bedroom townhomes at Mediterranean Villas at Lake Burden in Windermere. The units, priced from the $170s, feature two-car, rear-entry garages. Mattamy also has started construction on 46 single-family homes priced from the low $200s at Lake Jean in East Orlando" target=_blank>Orlando.
Ashton Woods Homes has opened two new model homes at Lakeside Condominiums in Windermere. Units have two and three bedrooms and two bathrooms and range in size from 1,161 to 1,455 square feet. Prices range from $129,900 to $168,900.
OSCEOLA COUNTY
KB Home has introduced three new floorplans in its Hammock Trails community in Kissimmee. The new plans are part of KB’s introduction of “The Open Series,” which offers homes so affordable that they compete with resale and foreclosure homes. Hammock Trails offers single-family homes, ranging in size from 1,266 to 3,007 square feet with three to five bedrooms and two to two-and-a-half bathrooms. Prices start at $115,000.
SEMINOLE COUNTY
Kolter Homes is offering luxury condominiums in a three-story, eight-unit building at Grande Oaks at Heathrow. Units range in size from 1,857 to 2,138 square feet with prices starting at $305,000. A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony drew nearly 100 visitors and VIP guests who toured the project. Ashton Woods Homes is building 209 townhomes at Savannah Park at Heathrow. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom units are priced from $189,900 and range in size from 1,520 to 1,941 square feet. All have two-car garages.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Shea Homes has two new model homes in Victoria Gardens in DeLand. The Hyacinth, at 1,681 square feet, and the Shiraz, at 2,128 square feet, are from the company’s Trellis and Vineyard collections. Prices start in the $200s. Shea is also offering Garden Villas in duplex floorplans: the Iris (1,409 square feet) and the Lily (1,556 square feet) are priced starting in the $170s.
INCENTIVES
Lennar’s Central Florida Division has teamed up with more than 30 major area retailers and service providers to launch “Lennar Rewards,” which offers a wide range of special discounts and benefits to anyone who registers at www.lennar.com. Visitors simply click on the “Get Rewarded” button, create a portfolio and gain instant access to savings with participating retailers.
PEOPLE
James C. Lucia? of Lucia, Kassik & Monday has been selected as the residential designer for Terra Verde, a sustainable renovation project in Marion County for Dr. Anna Marie, a popular Weather Channel personality. Terra Verde will be featured as part of GreenovationTV.com, a new online channel that will showcase green remodeling.
Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Tampa" target=_blank>Tampa Bay Division since 2006, has been appointed president of the company’s Central Florida Division. Metheny now oversees development, construction and sales in 32 Lennar communities in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Osceola, Orange, Lake, Seminole and Brevard counties. The Central Florida Division will be headquartered at Lennar’s corporate offices in Tampa" target=_blank>Tampa with an Orlando" target=_blank>Orlando-area office in Clermont.
AWARDS
Highland Homes recently held its annual sales awards banquet where the Lakeland-based company celebrated closing nearly 400 homes in 2008. The Sales Manager of the Year Award went to Cindy Weatherly, who enjoyed a $13 million year. In other awards: Top Onsite Salesperson was Carmen Arbizu, Rookie of the Year was Denise Abercrombie and Top Sales Associate was Kay Hough.