The World Golf Village recently welcomed the community’s 500th family - Don and Barbara Poppleton of Pittsburgh. After visiting the Village two years ago on a time-share, the couple decided to live here full-time.
“I play golf every day unless it’s raining,” said Don Poppleton, a retired bank president who was in the industry for 38 years.
The couple moved into their five-bedroom, five-bathroom estate home in the Heritage Cove neighborhood.
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Since opening for sales on September 3, The Plaza Condominium at Berkman Plaza and Marina has exceeded expectations. Since the announcement of The Plaza’s conversion from luxury apartments to condominiums, over 30 people have contracted to purchase residences in the Downtown tower, while over 125 have added their names to a priority wait list.
“We are pleased, but not surprised at how well the homes have been selling,” said Will Stolz of McRae and Stolz, the owner of The Plaza. “We anticipated great interest, but initial interest has exceeded our predictions. So much has been happening in the revival of Downtown Jacksonville.
“The city has been extremely aggressive in redeveloping Downtown, through initiatives like the Better Jacksonville Plan. New restaurants and shops are popping up everyday. The historical societies are preserving the great architecture, and even the Jacksonville Landing is getting a facelift.
“People have just been waiting for the opportunity for a true, urban lifestyle and The Plaza is able to give it to them, right now.”
The Plaza Condominium at Berkman Plaza and Marina includes lobby-level retail and service shops, 24-hour concierge, dry cleaning service, and salon and spa services.
There are 206 condominium homes on 22 floors, many with views of the river or city. Homes range from the $200’s to the $800’s.
Sales and marketing for The Plaza is handled by Coldwell Banker The Condo Store, in affiliation with Coldwell Banker Florida.
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Taylor Woodrow’s newest realtor incentive for Orange Park Country Club will reward agents with a $2,000 prepaid VISA gift card for homes that contract by the end of the year and close by March 31
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Ryland Homes, which is active in four neighborhoods at OakLeaf Plantation, the master planned community located off Old Middleburg Rd., south of Argyle Forest Blvd., near its intersection with Brannan-Field Chaffee Rd. in northern Clay County, will start presales at a new neighborhood there before the end of the year.
Jeff Agar, president of Ryland Homes in Jacksonville, said the homebuilder plans to build some 50 homes at Nature’s Hammock in OakLeaf Plantation priced from the $160s.
Ryland is expanding its operations in the south Duval County region, Agar said. The firm has 45 additional home sites under contract near Bartram
Springs, off Race Track Road between I-95 and U.S. 1 in Jacksonville. At Bartram Springs, Ryland sold out all 29 homesites in the first phase in just 90 days and a second phase will be ready in November
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Atlanta-based Morrison Homes’ new Signature Selection Center is now open in Jacksonville. Located at 5220 Shad Road near The Avenues Mall, the center offers new homebuyers an array of choices in one location.
“One of the advantages of purchasing a new home is the ability to personalize it by selecting the finishes and upgrades that compliment the buyer’s taste and preferences,” said Area Sales Manager Lori Girton. “Our new Signature Selection Center provides buyers with the opportunity to add their personal signature to their new home with the convenience of making all the selections in one location.”
A wide variety of cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, fixtures, appliances and other new home items are on display at the center. A professional design coordinator will guide homeowners through a comprehensive selection process, including interior colors, tiles, wall treatments, and floor coverings.
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Area builder and developer Mitch Montgomery is building his new personal residence within Reed Island Estates, a gated community of 34 homesites on a peninsular bordering the St. Johns River in Ft. Caroline.
The traditional Cape Cod-styled custom home will have 4,300 square feet of living space with an additional 2,000 sq. ft. of porches and terraces.
Montgomery, who will live in the house with his daughter Christen, age 19, and son Mitch, age 21. They are enrolled in college at the University of
Central Florida and Florida Atlantic University, respectively.
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Prudential Network Realty and GarageTek of the First Coast have teamed up to provide Prudential clients with a one-stop garage organization solution. At a recent sales meeting, Prudential President Linda Sherrer announced that GarageTek is now the Official Garage Organization Solution of Prudential Network Realty.
As part of the relationship, all Prudential Network Realty clients, whether buying or selling a home, will be given an exclusive price on a GarageTek system. Prudential Network Realty will be including GarageTek materials in all of its closing packages to clients and promoting the organization company to the builders and developers with whom they work.
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Taylor Woodrow, the Florida homebuilder and community developer, is offering several incentives designed to bring homebuyers straight to Orange Park Country Club.
The newest incentive to attract homebuyers is to pay up to $5,000 of the closing costs on all available homes in Orange Park Country Club that are placed under contract by December 31 and close by March 31, 2004.
In addition to paying up to $5,000 of the closing costs, Taylor Woodrow is also including a one-year pre-paid golf membership with the purchase of one of the remaining inventory homes in Orange Park Country Club on or before December 31.
“The pre-paid golf membership also includes access to the tennis club, swim club, fitness center and of course dining and activities at the club house,” said Geri Groenert, Taylor Woodrow sales agent. “Taylor Woodrow will cover the initiation fee, which is valued at $5,000, and pre-pay dues at the highest level of membership, which is inclusive of all the amenities. The dues for this full golf membership are currently $225.00 per month, which we pay for the first twelve months. Our new homeowners play golf for a cart fee of $19 a round for the first year.”
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Activity remains steady and swift in River Hills Reserve neighborhood in Fleming Island Plantation. According to the sales specialists at Victoria Robbins Realty, the first house is now under construction in the community‚s second phase.
Upon completion, River Hills Reserve will have 99 homes. The neighborhood offers lots priced from the $80s to the mid $100s with homes available from the mid $200s. Individuals may select the builder of their choice.
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Watson Realty Corp. will offer a 7-day trip to Beunos Aires, Argentina, for all associates qualifying during the Fall Incentive Program presently underway. The trip will take place in Spring 2004.
The trip will include all air and ground transportation, lodging at a 5-star hotel, private reception and city tour. Three trip extensions will also be offered to participants, including 2 nights in Iguazu Falls, 3 nights in Santiago, Chile, and 3 nights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Associates may qualify as an individual, and may also qualify to bring a guest.
In past years, Watson has offered incentive trips to London, Vancouver, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, St. Thomas, and St. Marteen, among others.
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Mercedes Homes is introducing three new model homes in the Highland Mill community of OakLeaf Plantation. The Eva Cove, Crystal Bay and Pace Manor model homes now are open to visitors.
The Eva Cove has 1,780 square feet of living space and features either three bedrooms and a study, or a fourth bedroom, two baths and a two-car garage. An optional bonus room with a bath is shown on the model home, which increases the homes’ living space to 2,338 square feet.
The Crystal Bay has 1,274 square feet of living space. In this four-bedroom, two-bath design, the fourth bedroom can serve as an office, study, media room or formal dining room. There is an optional covered back porch. This home also features a two-car garage. Pricing on the Crystal Bay starts from $132,990.
The Pace Manor is a two-story home with 2,339 square feet of living space. Interior features include three bedrooms plus three baths. The gourmet kitchen features Whirlpool appliances and an island with a sink. There is an upstairs laundry room, as well as loft space. A downstairs study can be converted into a home theater, media room or peaceful guest suite. It’s priced from $177,990.
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Steve Johnson, Inc. recently broke ground on a 2,290 square-foot model home in Clay County’s newest waterfront community, Paradise Moorings. The complete furnished model is expected to open in January.
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Providence Homes by Bill Cellar has purchased all of the remaining 17 homesites in Royal Pines at World Golf Village. The company will soon begin construction on a model home and two spec homes, which are scheduled for completion by spring 2004.
Royal Pines at World Golf Village is a single-family neighborhood of custom, estate-sized homes and homesites located along a mile of lakefront or on wooded preservation lands.
Homes in the neighborhood range from $348,940 to more than $800,000.
Providence Homes will be joining the following builders in Royal Pines:
Arthur Rutenberg Homes, J.A. Long, Inc., The Vintage Group, Inc. and North Florida Builders.