Sandy Maier has been named the sales associate for The Bluffs on Plummers Cove, an exclusive riverfront community by elacora offering new homes in Old Mandarin.

“We are thrilled to have Sandy leading our sales efforts in this spectacular new community,” said Victoria Robbins, exclusive agent for elacora Northeast Florida. “Sandy is an accomplished sales professional and has done a tremendous job for elacora in Madeira at St. Augustine. Her leadership and experience will be highly beneficial as we welcome prospective buyers to our newest community in Northeast Florida.”

In her role, Maier will promote and sell the exceptional homes and lifestyle that elacora offers at The Bluffs on Plummers Cove. The community has 21 executive homesites, averaging 90 feet in width, including three homesites that are located directly on the St. Johns River and have private docks. The Bluffs sits atop an elevated bluff overlooking the St. Johns River. The community site is richly wooded and filled with mature oak trees.

Homes by elacora at The Bluffs on Plummers Cove range in size from approximately 2,200 square feet to more than 4,000 square feet. elacora is offering six new single-family home plans including four plans designed specifically for The Bluffs. Homes by elacora are expertly crafted with wonderfully designed living areas featuring gourmet kitchens with furniture-quality cabinetry and stainless steel appliances and gracious outdoor living areas.

The open and spacious plans include three-car garages and unique customizable options – including additional bedrooms, sunrooms, extended lanais and bonus space – so that buyers can select a floor plan designed to best suit their lifestyle. All of elacora’s homes at The Bluffs on Plummers Cove offer a choice of exterior elevation and are designed with tile roofs, paver driveways and environmentally responsible building practices. Homes at The Bluffs are priced from the mid-$400,000s to $1.6 million.

The Bluffs on Plummers Cove is located on Scott Mill Road just north of the Interstate 295 overpass. The Bluffs will provide quick and easy access to major roads, employment centers and neighborhood shopping and dining amenities.

Along with opening for sales, elacora has opened its first model at The Bluffs on Plummers Cove. The model is furnished and decorated by Barbara Ondo Design Group. Located at 2767 Chapman Oak Drive in Jacksonville, elacora’s model and sales center is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and by appointment.

To visit The Bluffs, head south on San Jose Blvd. (SR 13), turn right on Oak Bluff Road, left on Scott Mill Road for ½ mile to The Bluffs on Plummers Cove on the right. For more information, call (904) 899-0115 or visit www.elacora.com.

When Janis and Richard Postlethwait wanted to downsize from their large home and move closer to their kids and grandkids, they thought they had a tall order — a friendly low-maintenance community with great amenities, beautiful views and all the comforts of a residential neighborhood. They were pleasantly surprised to find all this and more at The Palazzo on St Johns, a new condominium community located near the Jacksonville areas of San Jose and Mandarin.

“The Palazzo has been an amazing place to live” said Janis Postlethwait. “The people here are wonderful, and all the neighbors watch out for each other. We also adore our beautiful home and views. When we watch manatees and birds and other wildlife from our balcony, we feel like we are in another world far from the city.”

The Postlethwaits have also found their move to The Palazzo to be beneficial economically.

“When you add up all the things we were paying for separately when we had our house, and consider that these things are now all included in our association fee, we are saving money by living here,” Postlethwait added. “My husband is retired, so this move was a no-brainer.”

Residents at The Palazzo regularly get together for pot-luck dinners and parties at the beautiful resort-style pool and summer kitchen, said Postlethwait. The Postlethwaits also take advantage of being within walking distance of nearby shops and restaurants, routinely meeting friends for dinner at a nearby restaurant, running an errand or renting a movie. The experience has exceeded their expectations, the couple said, and they do not regret their decision to move to The Palazzo.

 “We are pleased that our residents are enjoying life at The Palazzo and are feeling the unique sense of community that is part of this special place,” said Michael Bugg, Principal, The Condo Group. The Condo Group, powered by RE/MAX WaterMarke, is managing sales and marketing activities for The Palazzo on St. Johns.  “If there are buyers out there like the Postlethwaits who are looking for the convenience of a single-family home with the freedom of a ‘lock and leave’ lifestyle, with the added perks of being on the water and within minutes of great shopping and dining, they need to visit The Palazzo.”

Priced from the low $400,000s and ranging from just under 2,000 square feet to more than 3,200 square feet, condominium homes at The Palazzo are available with three or four bedrooms and feature private elevators, hand-scraped wood floors, nine foot ceilings, gas fireplaces and luxury kitchen and bath finishes. The community also has an entry gate with controlled community access, private parking garage and an electric vehicle charging station. There are only a few homes remaining in Phase 1 ready for immediate move-in.

Phase 2 of The Palazzo is now open for sales and features two new fully-decorated model homes. The community is a short drive from I-95 and many of Jacksonville’s finest attractions, cultural sites, medical facilities and entertainment venues.

For more information about The Palazzo on St. Johns, visit www.PalazzoOnStJohns.com or call (904) 627-4762. The Palazzo on St. Johns is located at 3958 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, Fla. and its Sales Center is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Few Opportunities Remain for the elacora’s New Construction Homes

elacora is enjoying tremendous success at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach. Since sales opened in 2015, the company has sold 30 percent of its available homes. Limited opportunities remain for buyers to select their homesite, exterior elevation and build a new elacora home in this one-of-a-kind resort-style community.

“We are very pleased with the sales success we have achieved at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach,” said Victoria Robbins, exclusive agent for elacora Northeast Florida. “We have experienced high demand for our exceptional quality new homes at The Plantation. Our buyers appreciate the benefits of new construction and they also recognize the excellent value of living in an esteemed and established Ponte Vedra Beach community. With shrinking opportunities, now is the time to buy if you want to purchase a new home by elacora at The Plantation.”

With limited new home construction in Ponte Vedra Beach, news about elacora’s homes in The Plantation has spread quickly. The company has completed six homes that demonstrate all of its floor plans. With landscaping in place and the homes completed, the streetscape is beautiful. Homes by elacora are energy efficient and designed to meet the needs of today’s lifestyle.

Buyers at The Plantation enjoy the many advantages of living in a premier residential neighborhood with luxury amenities. The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach is the only equity membership community in Northeast Florida where a home or lot purchase provides membership to a luxury lifestyle. Residents enjoy membership to a championship golf course, private beach club, tennis facility, community park, fitness center and a clubhouse with dining and social activities for all ages.

Croquet Court

Originally established in the mid-1980s, The Plantation is a pristinely manicured community in a beautiful section of Ponte Vedra Beach with an impressive array of lifestyle and recreational amenities. The newest addition is the community park, Plantation Commons. Located near elacora’s homes, the park includes a full-size croquet court, playground, pavilion and open space for sports and activities. Plantation Commons is the first of three amenity improvement initiatives to be completed at The Plantation, which is currently updating its Beach Club and undergoing a $6 million golf course revitalization.

The community’s amenities are a wonderful complement to elacora’s homes, which appeal to professionals, couples and families. Homes by elacora are expertly designed with open and flexible spaces for living and entertaining. They feature spacious gourmet kitchens with furniture-quality cabinetry and stainless steel appliances, designer bathrooms, spectacular outdoor living areas and three-car garages.

All of elacora’s plans at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach have been designed specifically for the community. They include numerous luxurious features as standards and offer abundant personalization options for adding bonus space for additional bedrooms, an office or a game or media room.

With limited elacora homesites remaining, interested home buyers are encouraged to visit The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach soon and see the company’s available homes, including the Arcadia showhome furnished and decorated by Barbara Ondo Design Group. In addition to the Arcadia showhome, elacora has several move-in ready homes available for purchase. Homes by elacora at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach are priced starting at $549,900. For more information, call (904) 484-9023 or visit www.elacora.com.

1948 Melrose Plantation Drive, Jacksonville  

Miles of waterfront along the St. Johns River, quiet neighborhoods framed by magnificent Live Oak trees, beautiful parks and rich history. For these reasons and more, Mandarin has become one of the fastest-growing communities in Northeast Florida.

Located south of San Marco in the southernmost portion of Jacksonville, Mandarin boasts some of the best views of the St. Johns River. The popular area offers something for everyone including riverfront and equestrian estates, gated communities, subdivisions, condominiums, townhomes, and starter homes. Also, Mandarin is one of the few places in Jacksonville where acreage is available.

“Mandarin’s home prices are just as diverse as the style of available homes, ranging from the $90,000s to more than $4 million,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty Founder, President and CEO Linda Sherrer. “We continue to see increasing interest from buyers who are drawn to Mandarin’s wide array of home choices, family oriented quality of life and historic appeal.”

The community’s role in Northeast Florida history runs deep. Named for the Mandarin orange, the area was once an important river port for shipping oranges and other citrus fruit northward. Former resident Harriet Beecher Stowe, best known as author of Uncle’s Tom Cabin, referred to the area as a tropical paradise. Over the years, Mandarin has flourished, offering homebuyers abundant shopping and dining choices, top-rated public and private schools, copious recreational opportunities and easy access to all parts of the Northeast Florida region including downtown and the beaches.

“Mandarin offers residents an incredible way of life,” said Broker/Executive Vice President Christy Budnick. “There is such a strong sense of community and so many things to do. The area provides a scenic backdrop for walking, running, biking and boating, and hosts one of the region’s most popular arts festivals.”

With so much to offer, the demand for homes in Mandarin is strong. Homes are selling at a faster rate than the number of new homes coming to the market.

Contact Realtor Paula Miller (904) 891-6133

“This is an excellent time to sell because inventory is low and home prices continue to climb,” said Christine Scalf, broker/manager of the Mandarin/St. Johns office. “We are experiencing listings selling very quickly with multiple offers in many cases with some properties selling above the list price.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, which operates a full service branch office on San Jose Boulevard, is home to the area’s most successful real estate agents who work hard to deliver an exceptional client experience and the most positive real estate results. Connect with the best at www.FloridaNetworkRealty.com.

Save the date! The Monique Burr Foundation for Children has announced the 14th annual A Night at Roy’s will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, at Roy’s Restaurant in Jacksonville Beach.

A Night at Roy’s, which has become one of Northeast Florida’s most widely attended charity events, features signature Hawaiian fusion cuisine, tropical libations, entertainment and more.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call the Monique Burr Foundation at (904) 642-0210 or visit the website at www.moniqueburrfoundation.org.

Stay connected for more details about this and other Monique Burr Foundation events through Facebook and Twitter.

Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville, Inc. (HabiJax) invites golfers to the 5^th annual Golf Fore Homes on Monday, March 7, at San Jose Country Club.

The tournament is hosted by the HabiJax Board of Directors and check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m. The golf benefit will be a scramble format and conclude with a luncheon and prize presentation.

Golf Fore Homes will benefit HabiJax’s mission of providing affordable housing in Duval County.

“The Golf Fore Homes event raises needed funds for our organization,” said Mary Kay O’Rourke, president and CEO of HabiJax. “The participants enjoy great camaraderie while knowing that event proceeds will directly help local families.”

To register for the event, visit http://habijax.org/golf/.

The largest affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International in the U.S., HabiJax has provided housing services to more than 2,000 families since 1988. In order to make a greater impact in Jacksonville neighborhoods, HabiJax has committed its experience, housing products and services to revitalizing the historic neighborhood of New Town and is a partner in the New Town Success Zone. HabiJax has built more than 250 homes to date in New Town and HabiJax has invested $16 million to complete more than 400 homeownership and rehabilitation projects in the area and is on track to meet its goal.

During its 27 years of building communities with its partners, HabiJax has improved the city of Jacksonville with high-quality affordable homes and enhanced neighborhoods, providing a better quality of life for homeowners and their children in five areas of the Urban Core of Jacksonville.

For more information about HabiJax or to learn about its mission, volunteer opportunities and more, visit www.HabiJax.org.

The Condo Group LLC has been selected by WGV Residential Ventures I, LLC as its Northeast Florida partner to represent La Fontana at World Golf Village, a new condominium community in the premier golf course community of World Golf Village.

La Fontana offers low maintenance luxury golf course living with three- and four-bedroom condominium residences starting at $280,000.

“The Condo Group LLC provides great knowledge and expertise of the Northeast Florida real estate market, with particular understanding of the unique attributes of World Golf Village and the historic St. Augustine region,” said Troy White, Principal of WGV Residential Ventures. “We are pleased The Condo Group LLC will be showing buyers La Fontana’s ideal location, spacious floor plans and appealing amenities, and we encourage everyone to visit La Fontana to experience this wonderful community.”

Established in 2015 by Jacksonville real estate veterans Michael Bugg and Kathy Browning, who together have 26 years of experience in the multi-family market, The Condo Group LLC excels in numerous aspects of real estate sales and marketing.

“La Fontana is one of the only new condominium communities in highly desirable St. Johns County, and this has great appeal for area buyers,” said Michael Bugg, Principal, The Condo Group LLC. “With the feel of stand-alone homes, residences at La Fontana offer golf course frontage, amazing amenities and close proximity to many area attractions and entertainment venues.”

Features and amenities at La Fontana include:

• Private single-car detached garage
• Direct elevator access to each home
• Covered lanai
• Olympic-size swimming pool and Jacuzzi
• Beautiful clubhouse and state-of-the-art workout facility
• Access to 2,700 acres of nature preserve
• Amenities of World Golf Village, including two championship golf courses, the PGA Tour Academy and IMAX 3D Experience Theater

For more information about La Fontana, visit LaFontanaFL.com or call (904) 460-2938. La Fontana is located at 90 Champions Way, St. Augustine, Fla. 32092. Its Sales Center is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

If you’re looking for the ultimate Florida lifestyle while living steps from the Atlantic Ocean, good news! Your dream is easily within reach.

The Aruba Condominium, a new oceanfront development in Daytona Beach Shores by Aruba Ventures, LLC, is offering major savings with its pre-construction pricing. Interested buyers should act quickly as this limited-time offer ends on April 1, 2016.

“We are thrilled to offer significant savings to those helping us launch this community,” said Grady Miars, President of GreenPointe Communities, which manages The Aruba. “The Aruba is the first new condominium development for Daytona Beach Shores in more than seven years, and already 60 percent of our homes are under reservation.”

Located on South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores, the new oceanfront luxury condominium community recently received unanimous approval from the Daytona Beach Shores Planning and Zoning Board and final site plan approval from the Daytona Beach Shores City Council. Construction of The Aruba is slated to begin in June 2016.

Rising 12 stories, The Aruba will house 60 condominium homes offering unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as 24 homes that offer spectacular ocean and Halifax River views. The Aruba’s thoughtfully designed floor plans range in size from approximately 1,400 square feet to more than 1,800 square feet. The spacious three- and four-bedroom plans all include a private covered wrap-around balcony showcasing expansive ocean and river views. Priced starting from the $300,000s, each residence will include luxurious interior appointments, designer bathrooms and gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, designer wood cabinetry and beautifully crafted solid surface countertops.

From its upscale conveniences to its magnificent sun-drenched setting, The Aruba’s impressive amenities have been carefully planned. The community is steps from the beach and will feature an oceanfront resort-style pool with a copious sundeck. Residents will enjoy a state-of-the-art fitness center and a designer-decorated clubroom. Homeowners have numerous conveniences including on-site storage and secure, assigned under-building parking.

The Aruba Condominium is ideal for second home buyers. Not only does it offer a lock and leave lifestyle, the community also permits weekly rental opportunities.

Daytona Beach Shores is one of the hottest new resort areas in Florida. With the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west, the community is known for its pristine beach, perfect for walking, bicycling, shelling, sunning or surf fishing. The area is a haven for boating and fishing, near shopping and dining, and is a short drive from the theme parks of Disney, SeaWorld, Epcot, Universal and more in Orlando.

“If a beach home has been on your horizon, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for,” said Jim Mack, sales director for The Aruba Condominium. “But don’t delay. Our pre-construction pricing ends on April 1. You don’t want to miss out on this terrific opportunity.”

The Aruba Condominium sales office, located at 3162 South Atlantic Ave. in Daytona Beach Shores, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday and by appointment. For more information, call (407) 333-1559 or visit www.TheArubaCondos.com.

One-of-a-Kind Community Offers Location, Luxury and Lifestyle

The master-planned community of Tamaya is celebrating its second anniversary in 2016. In just two years, the community has flourished, welcoming more than 100 families who call Tamaya home.

“We are thrilled to mark this important milestone,” said Don Wilford, North Florida division president of ICI Homes. “Tamaya is an extraordinary one-of-a-kind community, offering an unmatched combination of natural beauty, Old World-style architecture and exceptional amenities.”

Located midway between the beaches and downtown Jacksonville, Tamaya presents a lifestyle unlike any other. Construction is underway on the community’s $11 million Residents Club. Designed exclusively for Tamaya homeowners, the Residents Club will feature a resort-style pool and outdoor recreation areas, including tennis and an event lawn. The clubhouse will span 10,000 square feet and contain nearly 4,500 square feet of interior fitness space including an expansive cardio room and a separate yoga and pilates studio overlooking a garden and fountain area. The Residents Club will feature numerous social gathering places to enhance the community living experience including a spacious great room with catering kitchen, a clubroom, a covered porch and an outdoor patio. Completion of the Residents Club is anticipated in late summer 2016.

Tamaya’s new grand entrance fronting Beach Boulevard is well underway with completion anticipated in spring 2016. The community’s new grand entrance will provide a warm and inviting welcome to residents and guests, and will be the gateway to Tamaya’s beautiful parks, meandering walking trails and luxurious Mediterranean-style homes.

ICI Homes of Tamaya offers a wide variety of distinctive, flexible and customizable home designs showcasing Tuscan, Mediterranean and Spanish architectural influences. The plans feature flexible spaces for living and entertaining, spectacular outdoor living space and generous storage spaces. Homes range in size from 1,400 square feet to more than 4,000 square feet and range in price from the $300,000s to $600,000s. ICI Homes is known for its ability to completely customize a floor plan to uniquely suit the homeowner while delivering the highest quality craftsmanship, personal service and value.

As Tamaya prepares to release a new phase of homesites, ICI Homes is offering special incentives on the remaining homesites in the community’s first phase. For more information on this limited-time offer, visit the community and see a sales associate for more information. ICI Homes has eight designer-decorated model homes available at Tamaya. The community is located off Beach Boulevard, midway between Kernan and Hodges boulevards in Jacksonville, Fla.

Tamaya offers proximity to top-rated Duval County public schools – Kernan Trail Elementary, Kernan Middle School and Atlantic Coast High School. The community is located near many excellent private schools, universities and colleges. Residents also enjoy easy access to the Jacksonville area’s corporate, medical, retail and entertainment centers. For more information, call (855) 279-6053 or visit www.TamayaFL.com.

Judith Sisler Johnston, president, Sisler Johnston Interior Design, was featured in an article on the front of a recent Homes Section of the Florida Times-Union.

To see the article, click here.

The article discussed splurge-worthy home improvements to give yourself.  The article included a photo of sample books with a caption reading, “Shown are just a few of the hundreds of wallcovering sample books, stacked high on shelves in the design center at Sisler-Johnston Interior Design. According to Judith Sisler-Johnston, today’s wallcoverings are more about texture than pattern, and even classic styles have an “edgier” quality.”

Sisler Johnston Interior Design offers comprehensive interior design services for commercial and residential clients. The company specializes in marketable designs for active adult and continuing care senior lifestyle communities. Sisler Johnston Interior Design also designs community centers, builder model homes, private residences, hotel guest accommodations and office suites.

Judith Sisler Johnston

Sisler Johnston, president of Sisler Johnston Interior Design, is a licensed Interior Designer (FL ID 217) and an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the Certified Green Professional (CGP) Council and is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). She is Florida’s leading authority on designing spectacular environments that are inspiring, functional and contribute to the wellness and self-esteem of their occupants. Sisler Johnston and the company’s team of licensed, talented designers work with clients to enhance their surroundings with designs that range from traditional elegance to contemporary classic.

Sisler Johnston’s design work has been featured in numerous books, newspapers, magazines and television programs. The company has worked with clients throughout Florida for 30 years and has received more than 200 industry awards.

For more information about Sisler Johnston Interior Design, call (904) 288-0908 or visit www.sislerjohnston.com.