Vincent Glick wanted to be a part of the entire homebuilding process.
From visiting the model home and picking out his bedroom to selecting design elements and finishing touches to meet his family’s taste, Vincent wanted his handprint on everything from start to finish — even if that meant waiting an extra week to sign the contract.
His parents, Alexander and Martyna Glick, were scheduled to meet with Neal Communities sales associate Christina Potts on Aug. 5 to sign the contract for their new home in Grand Palm.
But Vincent had other ideas. He was ready to make his arrival.
Instead of heading out to sign paperwork, Martyna and Alexander, who live an hour away from Sarasota Memorial Hospital, began gathering up their bags to head to the hospital. At 3:47 a.m., Martyna and Alexander welcomed Vincent into the world — just eight hours before his parents were scheduled to meet with Christina.
“He’s amazing and just a joy to have,” says Martyna. “He’s changing every day. I can’t believe it. It’s great.”
The news came as a heartwarming surprise to Christina, who received a text message from Alexander a few hours after Vincent was born asking to reschedule.
“I was absolutely thrilled for them,” says Christina. “I was pretty surprised as well because they had shared with me the due date, and the baby definitely came a little earlier than expected. I had to laugh. He just didn’t want to be left out of the home buying experience.”
A week after Vincent made his arrival, Martyna and Alexander, who are still admittedly learning the ropes when it comes to sleep patterns and feedings, brought their son to Grand Palm for the first time.
“It was very surreal,” says Martyna. “We kept telling him this is where he’s going to grow up and play. We showed him his room. It was very cool.”
It also gave Christina and the rest of the Grand Palm sales team an opportunity to see the baby they had heard so much about.
“I was so excited,” says Christina. “He’s so tiny, and I loved that they took him back through the model, so he could see his home. All my coworkers knew the story, and we were all anxious to see the new baby.”
After moving to Florida from Michigan following their honeymoon in July 2016, the Glicks, who were renting a home, immediately began searching for a place of their own. The couple spent nearly a year driving around looking at different neighborhoods before pulling into Grand Palm for the first time last month.
It was during their initial visit to the neighborhood that the Glicks met Christina and took a tour of the model homes and the community’s amenities. The Glicks came back the following week and their excitement continued to grow. As the couple drove around Grand Palm and began seeing couples pushing strollers and children out riding their bikes, the Glicks realized Grand Palm would be the perfect place to raise their son.
Christina stood alongside the Glicks every step of the way helping them get a better feel for Grand Palm. The couple made several trips to Grand Palm before making their final decision on which plan would work best for them and their growing family, allowing Christina to get to know them on a personal level.
By the end of July, the Glicks had picked out their home site and selected the Kiawah model. The Kiawah model features four bedrooms and a den, three bathrooms, a three-car garage and a large covered lanai. The Glicks also plan to build a pool.
“The biggest attraction for us was the open concept feeling of the whole home,” says Martyna. “You can see so much and not feel cramped. The kitchen is also beautiful, comfortable and matches our style.”
Three weeks after Vincent was born, the Glicks were scheduled to meet at the design center to make the final decisions for their home. Once the design ideas and permits are in place, Neal Communities will break ground on the Glick’s new home, which will take approximately six months to build. Just a little shorter than it took to build Vincent, but, now they can all watch it come together as a family of three.
“I still can’t believe we are going through this and will have a home designed for our taste,” says Martyna. “It probably won’t hit me until I see the process and the actual structure going up. Right now, I’m still dreaming about the home.”
