Neal Communities Creates Local Recovery - So Far In 2011: Businesses Added, People Hired, 152 Homes Sold

SARASOTA, Fla., June 1, 2011 – Neal Communities signed 44 contracts in May, making this the second biggest month, so far, in a year of exemplary sales success. Neal’s performance in May 2011 shows a 95% increase over May 2010. The company has not only sold new homes, it has also added new divisions and hired more professional staff. Additionally, Neal has started developing new communities in Manatee and Sarasota, creating hundreds of affiliated jobs.

During a time that home prices nationwide have declined, Neal Communities’ sales prices have actually increased over the year before. Also during 2011, sales in February hit levels previously unseen in the company’s 41-year history. In March 2011, sales posted a 100% increase over March 2010. Homes have sold across price ranges and the number of visitors remains strong—indicating future sales success.

“The current sales success is a tribute to the unshakable commitment of our staff to ushering in a long-term, sustainable estate market. We are creating a recovery that benefits not only those directly in the real estate industry, but also those who live and work here,” says Neal Communities President Pat Neal. “We didn’t have time to wait for the recovery, so we created one. This is something that goes beyond simple optimistic thinking. This is an organized strategy of recovery.”

 

New Positions and New Staff

As part of the economic recovery, Neal Communities has recently added four new positions. Joy DuPree has joined the team as Area Sales Manager. “Our sales are so strong, that we needed someone of Joy’s skill and experience to help our sales staff do what they do best—sell homes,” explains Neal Communities’ Sales Director David Hunihan.

DuPree  has extensive experience in home sales and real estate development. She has worked with major national builders in local communities including Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Naples, and Ft. Myers. She was recognized as “Rookie of the Year” and “Florida’s Top Producer” in two of her previous real estate sales positions.

Mike Kramer has been promoted to a new position as Custom Design Manager with Neal Signature Homes, a division of Neal Communities. This is a new position for NSH to better compete in the custom home marketplace.  Kramer will play an integral part working directly with the customers developing and drawing custom design features, and coordinating all pre-construction activities.

Jean Fox has joined the team as a Design Consultant with Neal Communities. Her career has included real estate sales, interior design and merchandising. She has worked for a local home builder as well as a luxury home furnishings company. She excels at customer service and creative design, making her an ideal fit for Neal Communities.

With the additional new communities coming on line, the marketing department has also expanded. Kelsey Wilson has joined Neal Communities as a Marketing Coordinator to better enhance advertising and public relations for all divisions within the Neal Communities family of businesses.

 

New Communities and New Opportunities

While demand has remained strong in the communities of Forest Creek, River Sound, and The Country Club at Lakewood Ranch, in the last year, Neal Communities has brought new neighborhoods and communities on line. Central Park at Lakewood Ranch opened in July 2010, and has already sold more than 115 homes.

“This is much more than a simple blip on a chart or a little luck,” says Pat Neal. “We have created the kind of community where people want to live and are willing to invest. They need good homes for their families, and they’re not going to wait for someone else to declare the market has turned around. They too, are creating their own recoveries.”

Neal Communities has begun developing Canoe Creek in Parrish, Woodbrook in Manatee, Arlington Cove in Englewood, and Blackburn Creek in Venice. Each of these new communities will hire subcontractors, contractors, engineers, landscapers, site developers, and planners. It’s estimated that Neal Communities now directly and indirectly contributes to more than 800 jobs in the community.

There were 8 contracts in Central Park at Lakewood Ranch, 10 in Belleisle at Country Club East, 9 in The Lakewood Ranch Country Club (3 in Silverwood, 3 in Edenmore, and 2 in Greystone), 4 in Forest Creek, 1 in Miramar, 2 in Wisteria Park, 4 in River Sound, 1 in Presidio, 1 in Harborage, 1 in Mandalay, and 3 in Sawgrass in Venice.

Neal Communities is ranked #94 nationally among home builders by BUILDER Magazine and ranked #1 locally by HBW Inc., Metrostudy and HanleyWood Market Intelligence based on number of permits issued and homes sold in 2010. As the area’s largest and most established locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities’ innovative home building, pool construction, interior design, development operations and quality customer service standards all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. With 8,000 homes built in Southwest Florida, Neal Communities’ honors and accolades include 37 Parade of Homes 2001 Awards, 44 Aurora Awards, five Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, visit nealcommunities.com.