elacora marked autumn’s arrival in style by hosting a community party in Madeira at St. Augustine.

The Residents Club provided the setting for the festivities. Residents enjoyed a delicious buffet and socializing with neighbors and guests in the gathering areas surrounding the community’s swimming pool.

“It is marvelous to bring our community together for a fun afternoon,” said Victoria Robbins, exclusive agent for elacora Northeast Florida. “Our residents at Madeira share a wonderful enthusiasm for their beautiful homes, the community’s amenities and the lifestyle that is flourishing here. I invite everyone to visit elacora in Madeira at St. Augustine and see all we have to offer.”

The Madeira lifestyle revolves around the community’s spectacular amenity center, which is designed exclusively for residents. In addition to a pool with lap lanes, the Residents Club includes a clubhouse, fitness center and outdoor seating areas. Membership to the Residents Club is included with the purchase of a home at Madeira.

elacora offers two different home collections at Madeira, ranging in size from 1,797 square feet to more than 3,300 square feet and are priced starting from the mid-$200,000s. Designed with the Florida homebuyer in mind, elacora’s plans offer multiple options to customize the home to fit the buyer’s individual lifestyle. All elacora homes include energy-efficient features as standards.

Visitors to the community are invited to tour elacora’s two award-winning model homes decorated by Barbara Ondo Design Group. In addition to the models, Madeira has several move-in ready homes available for prospective buyers to tour.

Madeira is located along U.S. 1 in northern St. Johns County. The community is districted for top-rated St. Johns County schools. For more information, call (904) 484-9024 or visit www.elacora.com.

ICI Homes’ Egret V model at Oakmont

ICI Homes has announced that its newest master-planned community, Oakmont, will participate in the 2015 Builders Association of North Central Florida Parade of Homes. The event, Oct. 10 – 11 and Oct. 17 – 18, from noon to 6 p.m., invites prospective homebuyers to tour merchandised model homes throughout the Alachua County area.

“Oakmont has received tremendous interest from the surrounding community and we anticipate a positive turnout for the Parade of Homes,” said David Haas, Chief Development Officer at Oakmont. “The Parade of Homes allows prospective buyers a unique opportunity to visit homes that are decorated with today’s trends in mind, while showcasing the features each home has to offer.”

The Egret V model by ICI Homes is a one story, four-bedroom, three-bathroom home boasting more than 3,000 square feet. The Egret V’s open floor plan features a two-car garage, covered lanai, plenty of storage and an owner’s suite and is priced from the high-$400,000s.

Amenities at Oakmont are arranged around an impressive Resident Club, which will house a state-of-the-art fitness center and grand gathering room, as well as tennis courts, an amphitheater, a basketball court, resort-style swimming pool with lap lanes and a multi-purpose field.

Oakmont features homes by six builders including Arthur Rutenberg Homes; Barry Bullard Homes; Jeffrey M. Wilde; Tommy Waters Custom Homes; Tommy Williams Homes; and ICI Homes. Each homebuilder offers unique floorplans, allowing prospective homeowners to have a choice in home sites that range in size from single family to one-acre estate-sized lots.  Plans range in size from 1,500 square feet to 10,000-square feet. Single family homes start from the low $200s and custom estate homes start from the low $400s to more than $2 million. For more information, visit www.oakmontfl.com.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty ranked at the top of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women-Owned Businesses list, earning the No. 1 ranking in the 2015 list.

The Northeast Florida real estate firm, which operates under the leadership of Founder, President and CEO Linda H. Sherrer and Executive Vice President Christy Budnick, reported 2014 revenue of more than $27 million to take the top spot.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as the top women-owned business in Northeast Florida,” said Sherrer. “Our company is committed to unmatched excellence and customer satisfaction, as well as being innovators in our industry and enthusiastic leaders in our community.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty earned the same No. 1 ranking in the 2014 Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women-Owned Businesses list. The company has a team of more than 300 real estate professionals in eight branch offices throughout Northeast Florida.

“Our achievements are directly related to the collective contributions of our agents, leadership team and support staff,” said Budnick. “Their passion, dedication and commitment has allowed us to climb the ranks in Northeast Florida.”

The CREW Jacksonville chapter is joining forces with the Society for Marketing Professional Services North Florida chapter to host “Women to Watch in Health Care Facility Management” on Tuesday, Nov. 10 beginning at 11:15 a.m. at the River Club at 1 Independent Drive, Suite 3500.

A panel of healthcare facility experts will be moderated by Teresa Durand-Stuebben, Auld & White Constructors. The panelists will include Gale Sipe, Baptist Health; Joyce Adams, UF Health; Dee McKrow, St. Vincent’s HealthCare; and Kelly Hoover, Brooks Rehabilitation. They will be discussing their prescription for success.

Registration and more information is now open at the CREW Jacksonville website.

Lunch tickets are $35 for members by Nov. 1; $50 for non-members and walk-ups. Table sponsorships are available and includes seating for six, table signage, and logo mentions.

It was recently reported in the Orlando Sentinel that Florida drivers spend less on gas, but more than residents of almost every other state on insurance per year, according to a report released by Bankrate.com.

The study found that Florida drivers spend an average of $563 on gas per year and pay $1,138 per year on insurance.

The national average for gas expenditures is $939 per year. On average, drivers pay $911 in insurance annually.

For more statistics, visit the Bankrate.com.

Wembley Stadium in London will be the site of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills NFL football game Oct. 25.

The NFL has chosen the Jacksonville Jaguars-Buffalo Bills contest in London on Oct. 25 as its first game to be globally live streamed. The game, part of the NFL’s International Series, will be available free through Yahoo properties globally, including Yahoo.com and Yahoo Sports.

The  game will be streamed live from London at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. This is the first time viewers won’t be charged and it will be available around the world.

The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) and the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) are joining forces to host the 36th Annual Realtor-Builder Trade Show on Friday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of North Florida University Center at 12000 Alumni Drive.

Carrying a “Wild Wild Jacksonville theme,” the event  is the biggest Realtor – Builder event of the year.  NEFAR and NEFBA are bringing together members in a fun networking opportunity.   The annual event includes booths by a wide variety of companies including builders, lenders, vendors and more.  Enjoy food, drink, festivities and loads of fun.

For more information, visit the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council webpage here.

Connections are made at the 2014 Realty Builder Tradeshow.

Awards for Excellence recipients receive a custom bronze sculpture designed exclusively for ULI by local craftsman David Ponsler.

The Urban Land Institute North Florida Council is hosting the 2015 Awards for Excellence Ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Jessie Ball duPont Center at 40 East Adams Street from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Awards for Excellence recognizes real estate development projects throughout North Florida and  identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The awards recognize the full development process of a project including Planning, Construction, Economic Vitality and Management, as well as Design. The Award Categories are: New Development; Public Sector/Open Space/Non-Profit; Downtown; Interior; and Reuse/Repurpose.

The winning submissions were reviewed by a panel of independent judges from the local and national development community. To view a list of previous recipients, click here. 

The event will also celebrate the North Florida Council’s 10th Anniversary. To register for the celebration, click here.

HabiJax ReStore General Manager Rod Borom with HabiJax CEO and President Mary Kay O’Rourke

To commemorate the work that Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville, Inc. (HabiJax) does throughout the Jacksonville community, the City of Jacksonville has declared Sept. 28 to Oct. 5, 2015, HabiJax & Habitat for Humanity ReStore Appreciation Week.

“HabiJax is very flattered to receive this great honor from the city where we live and work to provide safe and affordable housing,” said O’Rourke. “Recognizing Sept. 28 is Good Neighbor Day and Oct. 5 is World Habitat Day, we are especially humbled to be acknowledged within the same week of such fitting days for our organization.”

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, where it has built more than 250 homes to date. Assisting with eliminating substandard housing, the HabiJax ReStore accepts donations of new and gently used items and provides an affordable option for purchasing materials for home improvement projects. HabiJax’s ReStore Deconstruction Team provides removal services of salvageable items from homes free of charge to be sold in the HabiJax ReStore and serves as an environmentally friendly way to give back to the community while supporting the HabiJax mission. The HabiJax ReStore is one of nearly 800 ReStore locations in the United States.

“HabiJax is an organization comprised of great volunteers and employees who work side by side to accomplish the same goal,” said O’Rourke. “We sincerely appreciate the recognition from Mayor Curry and look forward to our future projects in Jacksonville.”

The Swisher San Marco riverfront estate was listed and sold by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realtor Anita Vining, (904) 923-1511

The Swisher San Marco riverfront estate is a beautiful piece of Jacksonville’s history and part of Northeast Florida’s 2015 notable real estate of record.

Originally built in 1929 for John Swisher of Swisher Cigars, the home on River Road is situated high on a bluff overlooking the St. Johns River. Designed by the prestigious Marsh and Saxelbye architectural firm, the palatial Mediterranean Revival-style home has been extensively renovated over the years. It includes four bedroom suites, six-and-a-half baths, a pool, pool house, deck and covered boathouse on the St. Johns River.

The magnificent, approximately 10,000-square-foot estate represents one of the largest single-family homes sold in Duval County this year. The estate, which sold for $4.2 million in June, was listed and sold by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty Realtor Anita Vining.

“The key to our continuing success is the dedication and professionalism of our incredible sales team paired with a brand that commands respect in the luxury sector,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty Founder, President and CEO Linda Sherrer. “We have the marketing network and established relationships in place to reach buyers of luxury real estate throughout the world.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty is Northeast Florida’s luxury leader. The company has the largest market share of homes listed and sold at $500,000 and above, and commands the highest average sales price as compared to major real estate brands in Northeast Florida. Additionally, the company’s Realtors consistently outperform the market, obtaining the highest productivity of any company in Northeast Florida.

This uniquely special riverfront estate, priced at $3.9 million, is listed by Lee Elmore at (904) 699-4503 and Elizabeth Hudgins at (904) 553-2032

The company takes a fluid and flexible approach to marketing by creating innovative strategies that are carefully executed across multiple platforms to reach and influence prospective buyers. All Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty listings are automatically supplied through The Wall Street Journal at WSJ.com, Europe.WSJ.com and Asia.WSJ.com. All luxury properties priced at $1 million or higher are showcased on MansionGlobal.com.

Launched in May 2015, Mansion Global is a standalone, global luxury real estate website that brings together high-end property listings from brokerages and developers around the world with comprehensive news and data. The digital destination connects affluent buyers with luxury real estate listings, insightful articles, multimedia features, video, data analysis, syndicated content and in-depth analysis.

In addition to engaging the luxury real estate enthusiast, Mansion Global is designed to empower international buyers to make intelligent purchase decisions. The site features English, Spanish and Chinese-language editions. Mansion Global is a part of Dow Jones, but independent of The Wall Street Journal newsroom.

“Mansion Global is a game changer for the luxury real estate market, providing a global reach unlike any other,” said Broker/Executive Vice President Christy Budnick. “The site connects affluent real estate buyers with Northeast Florida’s finest homes and provides our luxury property sellers with exclusive international exposure.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty also partners with Unique Homes, the most widely recognized luxury real estate magazine in the world, and Prestige Magazine, the luxury publication for the company’s Luxury Collection Specialists.

“Our company delivers a marketing program with unparalleled exposure not offered by another Northeast Florida real estate firm,” said Budnick. “Our team is the most experienced, productive and results-oriented, and they are connected to the best opportunities in the market.”

Northeast Florida’s economy is supporting impressive growth in the upper end real estate market as the area is attracting an increasing number of high-paying executive level professionals as well as international buyers seeking upscale homes.

Those seeking the apex of luxury should turn to the real estate professionals at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty. The firm is the area’s luxury market leader and the leading real estate company for expert assistance in Northeast Florida. Connect with the best at www.FloridaNetworkRealty.com.