From today’s:

ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL

Disney selling new dreams – homes

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts announced June 23 it will sell 30 single-family luxury home lots this year in a new residential community on Disney property near the Four Seasons Resort Orlando.

Homes at Golden Oak, a 450-home gated residential resort development, will be priced from $1.5 million to $8 million, said a news release. Three types of homes will be available: village homes on one-fourth-acre lots, estate homes on half-acre lots and grand estate homes on three-fourths-acre lots, the release said. The first homes are expected to be completed in 2011.

The resort community will include a private clubhouse, concierge services and Walt Disney World Resort benefits, the release said. It also features conservation areas taking up almost half of the development’s 980-acre footprint. “Golden Oak is something totally new: a residential resort community, right in the heart of the magic,” said Matt Kelly, vice president of Disney Resort Real Estate Development, in a prepared statement.

Disney Resort Real Estate Development began site work nearly two years ago on the site and the main road and gatehouse have been completed, said Marilyn Waters, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Business Development. Disney is finalizing its list of custom homebuilders for the community, which will be made up of seven experienced builders from Florida, Waters said. Home construction could begin later this year, depending on how quickly buyers are able to work with builders and architects on designing their homes, Waters said.

Golden Oak also will include the previously-announced 445-room Four Seasons Hotel Resort at Walt Disney World Resort. Community residents will likely be offered access to select Four Seasons’ future amenities, such as the spa, restaurants, golf course and event space, the release said.

The development isn’t the first residential real estate development for Disney (NYSE: DIS) in Central Florida. The company developed Celebration in the mid-1990s, a town that is now home to more than 9,000 residents. Those wanting to purchase homes must pay a $25,000 refundable deposit and sign a lot release priority agreement to secure a spot on the community’s priority reservation list, the release said.
 
The Dream Continues!

Why not let us help yours come true?

Sincerely,

Bill Cowie  President

Member: British-American Chamber of Commerce

2008 Luxury Brand Status Index Survey Rates Sotheby’s International Realty Nation’s Most Prestigious Real Estate Brand

According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, vacation homes are the wild card in Central Florida’s lodging industry — practically everyone in the travel business acknowledges their proliferation, but nobody concretely knows how many of them are out there.

The hotel industry has long suspected that the growing popularity of vacation homes has affected the occupancy levels in conventional lodging.

The homes, which look identical to year-round residents’ houses and condos, are instead used as short-term rentals, offering vacationers privacy and residential conveniences at prices that often undercut hotel rooms.

There is estimated to be around 25,000 to 30,000 vacation homes available in Central Florida – mostly in the Kissimmee and Davenport towns of Osceola and Polk County respectively.

Vacation homes are likely to suffer less than hotels because they are often more economical for families vacationing in groups and are very popular with the British, whose currency is faring unusually well against the U.S. dollar.

The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau said it wants to know more about the growing business. It is working with the Kissimmee Visitors & Convention Bureau to create a system for tracking the sector.

"I think vacation rentals are becoming increased competition for hotels, because their share continues to grow," said Orlando/Orange County CVB Research Director Daryl Cronk. "I hope this will create a more complete picture of the industry."

Staging a home is something which UK buyers and sellers are not accustomed to. It is the process whereby a home is staged by a staging company to make the home more saleable – it gives a run of the mill home a more designer home feel and is appealing to buyers. In the current market all manner of tricks are being used to ensure that homes are selling! It helps buyers see a homes potential and allows them to visualise the usage of space in the home. Staging also allows sellers to use the staging company to strategically position furniture to create focal points which pick up on the homes strengths and lessen the appearance of its weaknesses.
Most Realtors would be able to recommend a staging company in your area if you are thinking of selling.

What is interesting is that the larger the home the more help buyers need in visualising the usage of space. This could be seen as important in the British Market where the average home is between 800-1200 sq ft and where the average home here in Florida is over 2000 square feet.

So how about owning your own villa? Florida offers so much, so contact us today to let us help you find a Florida property right for you!

If you are looking for home in Florida then please give us a call:
Freephone from the UK: 0800 096 5989 or Toll-Free from the USA: 1-888-407-2748

REDUCED REUNION

Reunion at its very best. This gorgeous pool home which is priced well below similar properties.

Please feel free to look at the video above and the images below.  

It benefits from a lake view, an impressive family room with french doors opening out onto the pool area. This home is smothered in southern charm; yet offers all the modern facilities of a new family home. Built in 2005 this property will impress all who view it. It is a 4 bed 3.5 bath home with over 2,200 square feet. It is located in a prime position within Reunion.

It is ideal for the British or American Markets, it has the benefit of being located in one of the most prestigious golfing resorts in the USA, this lovely house could be a fantastic family home or rental property as it is only minutes from the Disney theme parks. This home is priced at a bargain of :

*    $519,950    *

Click here to go to our listing page for this property

Call now for more info and to request a showing:

UK: 0800-096-5989

USA: 1-888-407-2748

The MLS system, unknown to many outside of the US and Canada is now being discovered by British Buyers looking for their dream Florida home. It is one of the most popular features of the British Homes Group website, it is the one stop shop for Buying Florida Villas. The MLS System is unique as it means no trawling between real estate agents searching for property, you can do it from one easy convenient search engine.

With a favourable exchange rate at the moment now is the time to find your Florida home!

Studies indicated that 5.5million British Born live and work abroad. (One in 10 of the UK’s Population) with 800,000 resident Brits owning foreign property more are set to make the move, with Florida high on the list of destinations. Year round sunshine, a lower cost of living and a better quality of life are all reasons that Brits want to make the Sunshine State home. An estimated 400,000 already call it home, particularly in the Orlando area, while the total figure for Brits in the USA stand at 678,000.

The usage of the Florida MLS System helps people who are thinking of making the move or simply looking for a holiday home to find their perfect home in the sun.

Read the full article on bbc.co.uk about Brits Abroad