Last week it was the Founders Club. This week it's that other exclusive bastion of high-end, high-square-footage luxury homes -- The Lake Club -- that opens its gates to the masses in the hopes of attracting a bevy of designer-clad buyers.

Situated just east of Lakewood Ranch's Country Club entrance, The Lake Club features 1500 acres of pristine landscaping, scenic lakes and one-of-a-kind custom designed luxury homes. Home sites start at one-quarter acre and go up to a full acre and all feature water, preserve or landscaped views. The Lake Club is within minutes of the Sarasota Polo Club and the shops of Lakewood Ranch's Main Street.

With home plans from 10 estate homebuilders, amenities include a day spa and concierge service. Home sites from the low $200's. Homes with home sites start at $1 million.

The gates are open this Sunday, October 7 from 1PM to 4PM.

With an expanding resale inventory base (30 Listings as of this morning, according to the Sarasota Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service), The Founders Club is opening its gates again this weekend (third month in a row) for a special community-wide showcase open house event.

With homes from many of Sarasota's premier builders, including John Cannon Homes, Todd Johnston Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, Pruett Builders, and Taylor Woodrow Homes, Sunday's showcase is a rare opportunity to tour The Founders Club at your leisure, visit the clubhouse and see the award-winning models, available builder inventory homes, and individual resales. The gates are open from 1:00PM to 3:00PM on Sunday, September 30.

It's been almost two years since Nicklaus Manor was first announced for the Concession Golf Club & Residences, the highly visible luxury country club community east of Lakewood Ranch & The Lake Club. The first model, The Muirfield , priced at $3,795,000 fully furnished, is now open for business. With interiors by the developer's design group, Landmark Design, the Muirfield features clean lines, a palette of greens and chocolates and big, bold fixtures.

Included in the purchase price of any Nicklaus Manor home is a golf-club membership, which is currently going for $125,000. Nicklaus Manor is exclusively marketed and sold by family-owned Golden Bear Realty. [Sarasota Herald Tribune]

The Founders Club, the exclusive gated golf community just east of I-75, has released 30 new homesites in The Fairway Collection.

The home collection, with lots starting at $300,000 and residences at $675,000 are available on deep sites and form a unique neighborhood within The Founders Club. Home Plans begin at 3,200 square feet and feature up to 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

Residents will receive an equity membership in The Founders Golf Club, with golfing privileges from May to October, the option to dine in the clubhouse's dining room, in the bar/grill, or on the southern-styled veranda; access to the fitness facilities, use of the business center with another dining area; and all social functions of the golf club.

Continue reading "The Fairway Collection at Founders Club"

Summer Cove on Siesta Key is scheduled to be topped off this week, marking the halfway point in the condominium development's construction. Located on the site of the old Summerhouse restaurant on the bay side Siesta Key (GMAP), Summer Cove features 45 three- and four-bedroom residences, priced from just under $1 million. There are currently 9 units left.

So, when the Sarasota Herald Tribune runs out of gloom-and-doom real estate stories to talk about, what does it do? It comes up with a story about a secret society of area realtors. I guess the jig is up...because when something makes the front page of the week's business section...well, then it's really not so secret anymore, now is it? And even though most of it's alleged members--the Pinnacle of the area's top real estate agents (minus a few who were...ahem...not invited to join)--aren't spilling the beans...there must be something to all the talk. They even have secret meetings:

On the first Monday of the month, full moon or not, members of the Pinnacle gather, usually at elegant seaside estates, to discuss who knows what while wining and dining in secluded splendor.

It's all very Skull-and-Bones meets Barbara Corcoran, isn't it?

Together, they've closed over a billion dollars in residential transactions--well, maybe together is a strong word as we still don't know who they are--many of those interviewed for the story still aren't talking, but a few are, and claim it's a great business collaboration network. I wonder if they have a secret handshake?

Secret society draws in some heavy hitters [Sarasota Herald Tribune]

Located right in the heart of Downtown Sarasota (GMAP) at the confluence of Main Street and Central and Pineapple Avenues, and with only 50 condominium units, The Plaza at Five Points was one of the first of Sarasota's new wave of high-rise condo residences/retail complexes to complete construction. The building features 4 penthouse residences and "breathtaking vistas of Sarasota Bay." Since January 1st of this year, there have been 10 sales in the building ranging from a low of $767,500 for 12th floor unit to a high of $1,950,000 for one of the four 3500+ square foot penthouses. There are currently only 2 resales available.

With a $100K membership fee, The 700-acre Founders Club with its Robert Trent Jones, Jr-designed course obviously isn't for everyone. It's a private club and only open to 275 members. Last week, the first residents started moving into the uber country-club community (emphasis on country, the club is located east of I-75 off Fruitville Road--GMAP). We certainly wouldn't think of intruding on moving day, but you can take a peek vicariously as the very first move-ins are toasted before the door to their new home.

In addition to the builders models which have been opening on a staggered schedule since February, in mid-April Founders announced the ground-breaking of 13 maintenance-free, 3000+ square-foot, $2,000,000+ golf cottages.

These homes are cottages in the sense that turn-of-the-century mansions in Newport were called cottages, although not nearly as extravagant or ostentatious.

Just for a point of reference, The Breakers, Cornelius Vanderbilt's Newport "cottage", boasts 70+ rooms and over 130,000 square feet.

Founders Club, Models Open [Luxury Sarasota Living]
Founders Club News [Founders Club]
Our First Residents [Founders Club]

One of the last pieces of developable Sarasota land West of I-75 has been bought by British-based homebuilder Taylor Woodrow. The 80 acre site is currently being used for agriculture. Taylor Woodrow plans to build 360 high-end homes on the property in a "Tuscan-Italian" style community.

Taylor Woodrow, with its U.S. headquarters in Bradenton, said the as-yet-unnamed project will be among its top five in North America.

The average home price is slated at $750,000. The property's sale price, $40 million, at $500,000 per acre is one of the highest ever for residential property in Southwest Florida.

The Concession Golf Club & Residences has just introduced Nicklaus Manor, an "enclave" of 33 homes located within The Concession. Located on the border of Sarasota and Bradenton, just 3 miles east of I-75 and less than 1 hour south of Tampa Bay on Florida's Gulf Coast, The Concession's signature golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin as a tribute to one of the greatest moments in sports history.

One half-acre home sites and four distinct floor plans of 3,800-5,600 square feet will showcase the pristine surroundings of the native Florida landscape with majestic oaks and tranquil lakes. An abundance of outdoor spaces and refined architectural elements coupled with the convenience of concierge services make Nicklaus Manor the ultimate in carefree luxury living.