Neal Communites Has December to Remember with Record Sales and Permits

SARASOTA, Fla., January 14, 2010 - Neal Communities had good reason to celebrate in December. The Lakewood Ranch-based homebuilder signed 17 contracts during the typically slow month and finished the year with 275 signed contracts and 295 secured building permits, setting a ten-year record of activity for the company and making Neal the top single family home builder in Southwest Florida. The last time Neal experienced so much activity was during the housing boom in 2004 when it signed 264 contracts.

"Neal Communities has been successful in this tumultuous market because they engage a proactive strategy," said Jack McCabe of Real Estate Expert Services.

McCabe explained that by owning land for the long term and creating homes in the sizes people want, Neal can price new homes at levels that are competitive to existing homes in the marketplace, including short sales.

In 2010, more than 55 percent of sales were orchestrated through Realtors®, demonstrating that the company has established strong roots with professionals in the real estate industry. Neal Communities is selling homes in all price points and neighborhoods from Sawgrass in Venice, Central Park and Country Club East in Lakewood Ranch, and Forest Creek in Parrish.

"Buyers are seeing that the bottom is behind us and with two back-to-back severe winters up north, the demand for Florida homes will rise dramatically," notes Neal Communities Director of Sales David Hunihan. "We have high expectations for 2011."

Neal Communities is ranked #1 locally by MetroStudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and #126 among home builders nationally in BUILDER Magazine’s 2009 listing based on sales. As the area’s largest and most established locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities’ innovative home building, pool construction, development operations and quality customer service standards all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. With more than 7,800 homes built in Southwest Florida, Neal Communities’ honors and accolades include 24 Awards 2010 Parade of Homes, 44 Aurora Awards, five Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, visit nealcommunities.com.

[Pictured L to R: John Neal, Charlene Neal, Pat Neal, Mark Sochar and Mike Storey]