Extreme Customization: Laurel Golf Cottage Gets Magnified

Enlarged Laurel at Private Residence

Throughout London Bay Homes’ 20 years of service, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting a number of families with clear ideas as to what details should be incorporated in their home design.  From the placement of a 16-ft tall pipe organ in the center of a great room to waterfalls that flow to the tune of Disney classics, our custom homes have illustrated the passions of their owners through our customer-centric, team-oriented approach to homebuilding.

Laurel Elevation

At The Founders Club, one prime example of the amount of customization that can go into a residence is a home design that began with a Laurel Golf Cottage floor plan.  The floor plan for the Laurel consists of 2,505 sq. ft. with three bedrooms, three baths, and a den.  Once the clients and the architectural team were finished with it, the floor plan had been flipped and enlarged to 5,710 sq ft with a second story addition, five bedrooms, a game room, an enlarged kitchen, and a grand living room.  Two different staircases were added, one for the interior and one located at the exterior of the home so the family and their guests could lounge by the pool and then head straight upstairs to play pool in the game room.

The outdoor living area was also expanded upon, leaving a stunning pool area, a large veranda on the second floor, and a beautiful courtyard set off to the side of the garage.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing a home that is as unique as the people living in it and London Bay Homes is equipped with team members more than capable of taking on any challenge.

Set an appointment to customize the house of your dreams.

For more information on the Laurel, click here.

 

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It’s Not Too Late to Take Advantage of The Founders Club Summer Membership Offer

Summer has arrived and what better way to bask in the Florida sunshine than to take advantage of the amazing membership opportunity provided by The Founders Club?

On May 1, 2013, The Founders Club began their summer membership program, which allowed prospective members the opportunity to enjoy five months of golfing for only $1000.   Members of the Founders Golf and Social Club are able to have unlimited use of the Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course with absolutely no need for a tee time EVER, take advantage of Sarasota’s only traditional, professional Caddie program, and gain access to the state-of-the-art practice facilities utilizing Trackman® Technology.

After your exhilarating round of golf, have a drink and relax in the grand, 24,000-square-foot Golf Hall which  includes a fine dining room, bar and grille, private dining room, and outdoor verandah overlooking an oak hammock and the 18th green.

Not an avid golfer? The Founders Golf and Social Club also hosts a full calendar of social, sport, and wellness activities from joining a card club to playing tennis or grooving along in a dance fitness class.  This is the ideal opportunity to experience all of the wonderful amenities offered at The Founders Club and test drive our traditional Scottish Links golf course.

The Founders Golf Club

The Summer Membership program runs until October 31, 2013, but members interested in upgrading to a full membership may apply their original $1000 fee to the annual cost! This offer is limited to the first 60 applicants (new members only) and expected to sell out quickly, so we highly encourage you joining us at The Founders Golf and Social Club.

To learn more about this exceptional opportunity, contact The Founders Golf and Social Club General Manager Hugh O’Donnell. If you want to get an idea where you’ll be spending your summer days, view more images of our stunning Golf Course here.

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The Founders Club Names Chris Adams as Head Golf Professional

The Founders Club would like to welcome Chris Adams as the New Head Golf Professional at the member-owned Founders Golf and Social Club, which offers 18 holes of championship golf by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and features the area’s only traditional caddie program.

Chris graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor of Science in community health education and also completed three PGA of America professional golf management program levels.  He has over 14 years’ experience in his field and was most recently the head golf professional at the Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Fla.  Chris is married to Bethanie and has three boys to keep him busy off the golf course.

At The Founders Golf and Social Club, golfers are allowed to walk the course with the company of a caddie, and membership is limited to just 275 to ensure members enjoy year-round golf with no tee time required.  Training fcilities include two putting greens, a short game area, and state-of-the-art TrackMan radar technology which is offered through the Florida Golf Performance Center.

The 24,000-square-foot Golf Hall, overlooking an oak hammock and the 18th hole, offers a main dining room, bar and grille, outdoor verandah, and private dining room for casual and fine dining. The facility also has a professionally staffed and fully stocked golf pro shop, state-of-the-art fitness center, and men’s and women’s locker rooms and lounges.

For more information on The Founders Club’s Golf and Social Club, please visit http://thefoundersclub.com/community-amenities.php.

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Activities for even the youngest Founders Club members

 

We boast a lot about all of the events and activities that regularly take place at The Founders Golf and Social Club (rightfully so, our schedule is always full!), and we pride ourselves on the camaraderie that our members share being a part of our incredible Club. Weekly men’s and women’s organized golf games, themed events, a packed tennis schedule, holiday celebrations, trivia nights, dinners and happy hour’s, fitness classes including yoga, Pilates, and aerobics,  monthly mixers, we could go on and on.

One of the many aspects we are even more proud of is the activities that we offer for our younger members. We provide a variety of events that are kid-friendly, and even offer events exclusively for our youngest members.

Some of the fun events that take place for The Founders Club’s youngest members include:

  • Monthly Family BBQs with all sorts of Kids Activities
  • Summer Golf Kids Camps in June and July – Our Pros set up a FUN week long Kids Golf Camp in June and July that not only helps their golf games but also entertains as well. It is a great way for our Founders Families to meet!
  • Junior Golf Clinic – a complimentary clinic for the younger Founders Club members offered every Saturday at 10:30
  • Fitness and Fun Friday – every Friday from 3:30 – 5:00 PM at the Recreation Center, our Founders Club members ages 4 and up can enjoy a variety of fitness activities in the form of fun, from tennis, lawn games, and basketball
  • Kids Klub – the last Saturday of every month from 11:30 – 2:30 PM

In fact, you can take a peek at one of our most recent Kid Kamp events in a photo gallery here. We love our members, both young and young at heart!  To learn more about the amenities available at The Founders Club, click here.

 

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The Founders Club Sales Center welcomes increasing number of visitors

The Founders Club experienced nearly double the visitor traffic at the Sales Center from this time last year.

Mounting interest in The Founders Club’s exquisite luxury homes, exceptional community amenities and features, and superior Clubhouse activities is undeniable. With a 94% increase in visitor traffic at The Founders Club Sales Center from April 2012 to April 2013, the community interest directly correlates with not only the record-setting number of new memberships at The Founders Golf and Social Hall over the last year (which we blogged about here), but also the escalating activity in the local real estate market.

We recently wrote an update on the Sarasota Real Estate Market discussing the strong activity and historical numbers throughout the area. Since then, more recent numbers have been released and they even further support a strengthening market. The Sarasota Association of Realtors reported March 2013 experienced the highest number of sales since August 2005. Over the last couple of years our area has witnessed a trend in homebuyers lingering after “season,” and this year is proving to be no different. This can be seen in the number of pending sales (which often indicates future closed sales): the number of pending sales is at the highest level in the last seven years. So we should continue to see positive activity even if “season” has already come and gone.

We encourage you to contact us to visit The Founders Club, and see what the excitement is all about. We look forward to showing you around because we know that you will find the community as welcoming and memorable as we do. There truly is no other way to fully comprehend the beauty and lifestyle comes with living at The Founders Club than visiting first hand.

 

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Guests Wine and Dine at the Winemaker dinner at The Founders Club

 

Featured as one of the opening night dinners for the 2013 Florida Wine and Balloon Festival, London Bay Homes and The Founders Club welcomed guests to sit back, relax, and indulge in some of life’s little luxuries.

The Founders Club offered the perfect intimate setting as the one of the exclusive Winemaker Dinner locations, with its alluring Golf Hall ambiance and breathtaking backdrop of the Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course. Guests had the chance to sips luscious wines courtesy of Merryvale, a family-owned Napa Valley Vineyard, while relishing in a delectable gourmet dining experience. A wine-and-dine aficionado’s dream! The evening also showcased fashion and jewelry from Saks Fifth Avenue and Porsche automobiles presented by Suncoast Motorsports, with live music and giveaways.

The Founders Club’s Executive Chef Marco Marini prepared a 5-course gourmet dinner, each course perfectly complemented by select Merryvale wine pairings.  From Olive Oil Poached Organic Salmon paired with Merryvale Chardonnay to Braised Veal Cheek paired with Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon, the menu offered an impeccable balance to assure each guest’s palette was satisfied.

With all profits of the evening benefiting charities helping children in need, this luxurious evening was made possible by London Bay Homes and The Founders Club, together with Saks Fifth Avenue and Suncoast Motorsports of Sarasota.

Take a peek at some of the guests of the evening:

Dubbed the “America’s friendliest Winefest,” the 2013 Florida Wine and Balloon Festival took place April 4-6, with proceeds from the events to benefit children’s programs throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Since its inaugural year in 1991, The Sarasota Winefest & Auction has raised over $7.7 million for local children’s charities.

 

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On par at The Founders Club golf course – Hole 17 Feature

 

While The Founders Club offers a variety of events, activities, and amenities for all members to enjoy, the championship Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course and accompanying golf activities are at the heart of The Founders Club community. After all, the game of golf is where we got our name (you can read its origin in one of our previous blogs here).

Offering Sarasota’s only traditional caddie program, the traditional Scottish Links course seamlessly conforms to the gently rolling lush terrain. Each hole is sculpted in harmony with the natural beauty of the landscape to elevate the challenge and exhilaration of play.

In fact, ABC-7’s WWSB My Sun Coast recently came out to The Founders Club to take on Hole #17 for their weekly Dream 18.

Hole #17’s short par-3 threads the needle between a stand of large oaks, but don’t let the 140 yards of length fool you into thinking this hole won’t challenge you. The small green guarded in front by an expansive bunker will be intricately contoured. The player with a deft touch and precise shot-making will enjoy success.

You can check out their experience on Hole 17 here:

The “core” design of the course lets you truly lose yourself in the game and your surroundings, with homes set back away from the course and no need to cross roadways. The Founders Club golf course offers a challenging yet enjoyable experience you’ll be sure to consider one of your favorite golfing experiences in Sarasota. Click here to view images of Sarasota’s finest golf experience in the private gated community of The Founders Club.

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Sarasota’s Real Estate Market continues upward

 

There is only positive news to report on the local real estate market from the Sarasota Association of Realtors (SAR). With 2012 already in the books as the fourth highest sales year in Sarasota’s history, 2013 numbers for January and February of this year are even more promising than last. In fact, January experienced a 22% increase in the number of sales from January of 2012, while February experienced an increase of 24% in total number of sales from February of 2012.

The median sale price in addition to the number of pending sales in February were also up from January, indicating we may witness a continual upward trend in sales as those pending homes close in the coming months.

National figures support SAR’s statistics, though on a subtler level, as reported by the National Association of Realtors in their February report.  NAR reports that existing home sales and median home prices have increased year-over-year for 20 consecutive months and 12 consecutive months respectively.

An interesting discrepancy between national and local statistic appears in our inventory levels.  NAR reports an increase in the nation’s total housing inventory from January to February while local inventory continued to decline near decade-low levels.  As a new home community, these tightening inventory levels are notable statistics, with a 17.4% decrease in the number of homes for sale from February of 2012 to 2013.

Tightening inventory is causing many buyers to opt to build new homes versus buy existing homes.  After all, with a limited number of choices (fewer homes to choose from), wouldn’t you prefer to build a home that can be tailor-suited to your every want and need? There could be no better solution than to select the features and amenities that fit your lifestyle as opposed to choosing from a shrinking number of options. And that is precisely what London Bay Homes offers at The Founders Club – ensuring every new home built is as unique as each of our residents.  You can select from one of the new move-in ready homes, or build your own home.

To learn more about the series of new homes available at The Founders Club, download our brochure here.

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London Bay Homes’ Laurel sweeps category 2013 Parade of Homes

 

London Bay Homes at The Founders Club recently participated in the 2013 Parade of Homes by the Home Builders Association Manatee-Sarasota Counties, which showcased new home communities and more than 65 fully furnished model homes throughout the area.  We’re excited to share London Bay Homes’ Laurel Cottage model took home all five “best of” awards, in addition to the best overall award, in its category.

The Laurel won the following awards in the Single Family Category in its price range:

  • Best Curb Appeal
  • Best Kitchen
  • Best Master Suite
  • Best Floor Plan
  • Best Architectural Detail

Upon winning these individual awards, the Parade of Homes judges selected The Laurel with the Best Overall Award in its category.

We want to wish the London Bay Homes team a sincere “Congratulations” on all of their hard work, and an incredible addition to The Founders Club community.  To say we’re delighted to have such a jewel right here behind The Founders Club gates is an understatement. In fact, London Bay is also in the process of building another Golf Cottage, The Belita, which you can view here.

The Laurel, one of London Bay Homes’ Golf Cottages, offers maintenance-free living at The Founders Club in Sarasota Florida. It features 2,505 square feet of under air living space, 3 bedrooms + den, 3 bathrooms, expansive outdoor living area, and several additional features on an open floor plan.  The Laurel is offered fully furnished at $995,000.

Take a tour now:

You may also tour The Laurel Cottage in person by visiting our Sales Gallery just outside the front gate of The Founders Club community. To schedule an appointment for a Private Tour, click here.

 

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The Founders Club limited-time Summer Membership offer

 

For a limited time, The Founders Club is offering a special rate for summer membership at The Founders Golf and Social Club in Sarasota, Florida.   For $1000, you can enjoy membership at The Golf and Social Club from May 1 through October 31, 2013. This rare opportunity includes:

  • unlimited use of our Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course (with no tee times, ever)
  • Sarasota’s only traditional, professional Caddie Program
  • access to our state-of-the-art practice facilities with Trackman® Technology
  • amenities at our Golf Hall & Club House
  • locker and Golf bag storage

This is the ideal opportunity to experience all of the wonderful amenities offered at The Founders Club and test drive our traditional Scottish Links golf course.

And the best part? When the summer has come to an “end” on October 31, you may use the $1,000 summer membership initiation to upgrade to a more permanent membership!  This offer is limited to the first 60 applicants (new members only) and expected to sell out quickly, so we highly encourage you joining us at The Founders Golf and Social Club.

The Founders Golf Club

To learn more about this exceptional opportunity, contact The Founders Golf and Social Club General Manager Hugh O’Donnell.  If you want to get an idea where you’ll be spending your summer days, view more images of our stunning Golf Course here.

 

 

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