Real Estate Briefs
REIS ‘Real Estate Symposium’ Oct. 2
Following the success of last year’s sold-out event, the Real Estate Investment Society’s “2015 Real Estate Symposium” has moved to the ballroom on the second floor of the Cohen Center at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The half-day workshop takes place Friday, Oct. 2, and promises a program rich with information to help local governments, landowners, developers, lenders, attorneys, planners, brokers and design and construction professionals understand the dynamics of Southwest Florida’s real estate market.
The symposium is presented by REIS in cooperation with the Lutgert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University and American Planning Association, Florida Chapter. The event is sponsored by ROETZEL, VIP Realty – Commercial, LandQwest Property Management, Neal Communities, IBERIABANK, KW Property Management and Waldrop Engineering.
The program will feature insight from government, economic development and business leaders. Acclaimed speakers will share their knowledge of changes taking place in business and real estate markets, and panel discussions and Q&A sessions will address specific issues.
“National and International Economic Trends” will be presented by Dr. Randy Anderson, Ph.D., CRE, president of Griffin Capital Asset Management. “State Economic Trends” will be discussed by Dr. Jerry D. Parrish, Ph.D., chief economist and Director of Research at the Florida Chamber Foundation. “Regional Economic Trends & Growth” will be addressed by Dr. Robert Beatty, DBA, dean of Lutgert College of Business at FGCU.
Local trends and issues will be discussed by a panel of industry experts. Adam Palmer, CCIM, of LandQwest Commercial, will provide the broker’s perspective and Mark Stevens, president of Stevens Construction, will present the builder’s perspective.
The developer’s perspective will be provided by Blake Gable, president of Real Estate Development – Barron Collier Companies, and Michael Greenberg, Southwest Florida regional president of Neal Communities.
The half-day workshop will begin with registration at 7:30 a.m. and the program at 8 a.m. at FGCU. Admission is $25 for members of REIS and APA, $15 for active college students, and $45 for all other interested persons. Admission includes a campus parking pass and refreshments. Continuing Education Credits for certified planners are pending approval. Seating is limited and reservations are required by Sept.30. Reservations may be made online at www.reis-swfl.org.
First two models
near completion
at Cypress Walk
The first two model homes near completion at Cypress Walk, Neal Communities’ newest gated community in Fort Myers, announced Diane Kerper, director of sales and marketing for Neal Communities South Region based in Bonita Springs. Planned to open in October 2015, the sales center will be located at 11573 Gray Egret Circle, Fort Myers.
Cypress Walk is a 50-acre community located two miles north of Daniels Parkway at the intersection of Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Penzance Boulevard. Neal Communities will build 114 single-family homes.
The Applause model is a one-story, single-family home with 2,110 square feet of living space with a master bedroom, a guest suite, an additional guest bedroom and three full baths. A great room opens to the kitchen and dining room and a separate leisure room can be used as a den, office or hobby room, and a two-car garage provides enough space for storage. A screened-in lanai opens from the great room.
The Tribute is a two-story, single-family home with 2,390 square feet of living space and a two-car garage. Located on the ground floor is the master bedroom and bath overlooking the screened in lanai and pool. An open kitchen overlooks the great room and a corner cafe for less formal meals. A separate dining room toward the front of the home provides a venue for a more formal dining experience. A one-half bath powder room is accessible through the foyer as well. Upstairs are two separate bedrooms with an open loft available for a variety of uses. A full bathroom is available to all in the upstairs area.
The models are two of the five distinctive floor plans Neal Communities is offering at Cypress Walk from its Inspiration Series that range in size from 1,772 to 2,577 square feet of air-conditioned living space. Buyers can choose from one- and two-story designs with three elevations influenced by Mediterranean, Spanish and Island architecture.
Cypress Walk joins other Lee and Collier county communities where Neal Communities builds: Coastal Key, Watermark and the upcoming Daniels Place in Fort Myers; Estero Place and the upcoming Oaks of Estero in Estero; and Canopy and Reflection Lakes in Naples. Additionally, Neal Communities will open multiple new communities in Lee and Collier counties in 2016.
For further information, call (888) 720-9788. Online at nealcommunities.com
Neal Communities
welcomes Smedes
to Coastal Key
Jack Smedes has joined Neal Communities as a new home sales associate at Coastal Key in south Fort Myers, announced Diane Kerper, director of sales and marketing for Neal Communities South Region based in Bonita Springs.
Smedes is responsible for introducing prospective homebuyers to the lifestyle and benefits of living at Coastal Key and helping them with the purchase of a new home of their choice.
Smedes’ real estate career includes being a broker and owner of Hudson River Realty in Coxsackie, New York; sales director of Avatar Properties; and president of New Home Network Realty Services in Southwest Florida.
When completed, this 48-acre natural-gas community will have 112 single-family homes with lake or preserve views, 10 acres of lakes, more than 65 acres of wetland preserve and a tranquil park area.
The Coastal Key Sales Center is located in the Starlight model at 17841 Spanish Harbour Court, Fort Myers. For more information, call (239) 437-4853 or visit www.nealcommunities.com.
New model opens, three more under construction in Portofino at Miromar Lakes
The luxury waterfront villas of Portofino by London Bay Homes offer a unique combination of maintenance-free living in a single-family home at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. The designer-decorated Carina model, recently opened for viewing, exemplifies how buyers can enjoy the size, comfort and privacy of a whole house, yet feel secure when they leave for any length of time, knowing that the exterior, landscaping, and pool are automatically looked after in their absence.
The three-bedroom, plus den, three- and one-half bath Carina model features a transitional interior design and rich, dark-stained furniture. Offering 4,505 total square feet with 3,281 square feet of air-conditioned living space and a covered lanai with outdoor kitchen, pool and spa, the Carina’s open floor plan emphasizes a connection between indoor and alfresco living spaces.
The great room offers both formal and casual gathering spaces, including a living room, separate dining room, and a family room plus outdoor living, providing ample space for family get-togethers and entertaining. The home wraps around the outdoor living space with double door access in the master bedroom and sliding glass doors that pocket and recess in the living room, kitchen and family room for a seamless integration of the indoors with an outdoor living room, dining area, a summer kitchen, and pool deck featuring shell-stone concrete pavers.
The kitchen includes GE Monogram stainless steel appliances and a freestanding island with attached peninsula breakfast bar featuring seating for four. The pantry, which connects to the dining room, also doubles as a butler’s pantry and wine bar with cabinetry and an under-counter wine refrigerator.
The Carina’s master suite is separated from the master bath with his-and-her walk-in closets. The master bath offers a large walk-in shower, soaking tub and double vanities. Each of the Carina’s guest rooms has a walk-in closet and private full bath.
Interior finishes include gray-toned marble flooring with a brushed finish in the foyer, great room and kitchen, and wide-planked hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room, den and master bedroom. Various shades of gray reappear throughout the home in stained and painted cabinetry finishes, art pieces, accents and bedding. Additional features of the model include tray ceilings with crown molding, beamed ceilings with wallpaper inlays in the den and dining room, and quartz countertops for kitchen and bathroom cabinetry.
A private enclave of only 20 luxury estate homes, Portofino has an old world ambiance reflected in the use of fountains and stonework throughout. Each home is set on a waterfront site with an optional boat dock. Homes feature Spanish-influenced architecture, with custom iron double entry doors and terracotta barrel roof tile against clean white stucco exteriors.
The Carina has been sold on leaseback, but it is available for viewing. Another Carina is currently under construction along with two additional models: the Benita and the Cilento. A total of eight floorplan choices are available in Portofino ranging from 3,694 to 5,481 total square feet. Each is a variation on a one-story, three bedroom home with three or three-and-a-half bathrooms, a two or three-car garage and a multitude of floorplan configuration options to customize the residences to individual preferences. Homes including home sites in Portofino range from approximately $1.7 to over $2.5 million.
Portofino is being built exclusively by London Bay Homes, a leader in the Southwest Florida luxury home market for 25 years. London Bay Homes was one of only two companies named America’s Best Builder by Builder Magazine in 2008.
Located on the exclusive Peninsula at Miromar Lakes, each home site in Portofino offers waterfront views and boat access to Miromar’s 700 acres of freshwater lake. Residents can water-ski, fish or take a leisurely cruise right from their doorstep. Portofino is located near the Marina on the Peninsula which includes a parterre garden, a round-about garden centered with the signature sculpture “Dare to Be,” bocce courts, fitness stations, boat slips, a fire pit and entertainment pavilions.
Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club has received more than 145 local, regional, national and international awards including the Gold Award for #1 Community in the United States from the National Association of Home Builders and #1 Clubhouse in the United States. Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club is the only Florida community to win this prestigious award in the 34 year history of the NAHB National Awards program.
The private resort-style community has 700 acres of freshwater lake, three miles of private white sandy beach, a full service European Spa and Fitness Center, a 10,000 square foot zero edge pool, two marinas, a dynamic social scene, 3 restaurants, 7 Har-Tru Tennis Courts and golf course, all within one luxurious location. The European-style Spa offers both a full-service beauty salon and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center with a Pilates Studio and Aerobics Room. Other Beach Club amenities include Concierge Services and Marine Services. For the avid golfer, the Miromar Lakes Golf Club has the only Arthur Hills “Signature” championship golf course in Southwest Florida, a 2015 Golfweek’s Best Residential Course of Distinction.
New homes priced from the $500s to over $5 million are available in several other neighborhoods in Miromar Lakes, including condominiums, single family, estate and grand estate home designs. Availability ranges from furnished models and inventory homes under construction to home sites for totally customized designs.
Contact the sales center at (239) 425-2340 or (877) 809-9444, or visit MiromarLakes.com.