by Michele Gillis
Staff Writer
When Karen Palmer found out that her position at Davidson Realty was eliminated in July, she did what most people did...she looked for a new job. Little did she know her dream job was right underneath her home in Laterra Links in the World Golf Village.
Palmer was the first one to move into a coach home in Laterra Links in 2007 and she is now the general sales manager and vice president of the development’s owner, Homes by Deltona, so her office today is just downstairs.
In her new role, Palmer manages the company’s sales offices at its communities of San Savino and Portofino at The Villages of Tuscany in St. Augustine Shores, Laterra Links at World Golf Village and Deltona Realty’s two general real estate offices.
Deltona acquired Laterra Links in a foreclosure auction. The original developers, Naples-based Bateman and Martin Development, left a reported $14.5 million debt at Regions Bank. Deltona bought the property at a 2009 auction for an undisclosed sum, believed to be substantially less that the debt.
“I knew Tony Gram, the owner of Deltona Homes,” said Palmer. “I was actually at the auction, as a homeowner, when he bought Laterra Links. I talked with him about selling it under Davidson Realty. He decided he wanted to stay with the people that were already here.”
Palmer originally had applied to manage the two general real estate offices of Deltona Realty, but it turned into so much more.
“In the course of my applying, Tony Gram asked if I would take on Laterra Links,” said Palmer. “I told him I would have to be the manager. Also, he had two other community projects, San Savino and Portofino, and two Deltona Realty offices. Each had their own advertising and stuff going on and none was working together. I said the only way I’ll do it is if I take it all on and that’s what happened.”
She currently oversees 13 agents and is hiring more.
Palmer has worked in real estate for more than 35 years, the last 10 in the St. Augustine area. Her previous experience includes vice president of residential sales at Davidson Realty, site agent for The Legends of Saint Johns and sales agent at Prudential Network Realty’s St. Augustine office and sales agent for Sotherby’s Oxford Realty in Winter Park.
“This new position takes advantage of all of my previous experience,” said Palmer.
The Ocala-based Homes by Deltona is a subsidiary of The Deltona Corporation, which was started in 1962.
Deltona has developed and sold eight other Florida communities since it was founded in 1962 by the Mackle family, including Deltona (now a city) and Marco Island. A group of European investors — including Gram, who lives in Belgium — acquired a controlling interest of the then debt-laden firm in 1992. Gram took Deltona private in 2004.
Laterra Links at World Golf Village is a 29-acre coach home community, which will have 38 buildings with four units in each for a total of 152 units at buildout. Units start in the mid $300’s.
San Savino at The Shores is a single-family home neighborhood that will have 157 homes at buildout. Home prices range from $235,000 to $600,000.
Portofino at The Shores is a condominium community with 10 buildings, with 14 units each, and prices currently start at $285,000.