Gran Paradiso: West Villages Growth

Well, in case you missed it, there is some new information about upcoming growth in the West Villages Improvement District. In brief article posted on Friday, it was said that nearly 10,000 acres was purchased and approved for over 11,000 new homes! This HUGE parcel is adjacent to Gran Paradiso and Islandwalk sprawling out south-southeast of the communities. This is just another indicator that now is the time to beat the rush that will drive up prices and take advantage of the ground-floor pricing in Gran Paradiso.

Additionally, the article mentions that the new home sales in this area represents a whopping 25% of new home sales in the entire region! That is a phenomenal figure. And, if you have been following my blogs, you will remember that I already discussed what a huge proportion of the sales in the area were in Gran Paradiso compared to the other longer established communities. So, considering that proportion of the regional 25% is truly outstanding. It just goes to show, once again, what a popular and phenomenal value is recognized in Gran Paradiso.

If you didn’t read the previous blog, check it out. Click Here. And, check out older posts to learn about the history and the grand re-opening it has had since last October.

If you are considering purchasing a home in this community, please let me assist you. My services and resources are of no cost to you, and in most instances, I am able to save home buyers some money. I do not work for any of the three wonderful builders in Gran Paradiso. My services and information (including the resources provided at www.GranParadisoVillage.com) are wholly independent of these developers. No other independent professional is more knowledgeable about this community, and enlisting me to assist with your transaction serves to fund these resources to keep them available for you and others on an ongoing basis.

 

Please, check out my website, and contact me for more information!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Ali

 

Aileen “Ali” Johnston, MHA

Realtor®, Hoover Realty

Mobile: 941-539-5771

Gran Paradiso Entrance Traffic Light

Much of previous discussions were revisited during the last West Villages Improvement District Meeting, as would be expected. As the last post discussed, seat number 5 will be occupied by a resident elected to the position with an election being held in June. See that blog post for details. That was not the only big news from the meeting, though. The results from the traffic light warrant study were shared. It was determined that a traffic light on 41/Tamiami Trail at the entrances of Gran Paradiso and Islandwalk communities can be justified due to traffic volume. The warrant study does not mean certain approval, however, next step is for the District to request the installation of a traffic light from FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation).

 

Still, this is exciting news on two levels. Obviously, getting a traffic light will make entering and exiting the communities even easier. But also, being justified by volume of traffic is a sign of the communities’ growth and a first indicator that dedicated community services to the district are on the horizon for future. Check out the traffic light warrant study, and stay tuned for the next blog later this week which will truly put into perspective the growth that Gran Paradiso is experiencing.

 

 

 

 

If you are considering purchasing a home in this community, please let me assist you. My services and resources are of no cost to you, and in most instances, I am able to save home buyers some money. I do not work for any of the three wonderful builders in Gran Paradiso. My services and information (including the resources provided at http://www.GranParadisoVillage.com) are wholly independent of these developers. No other independent professional is more knowledgeable about this community, and enlisting me to assist with your transaction serves to fund these resources to keep them available for you and others on an ongoing basis.

 

Please, check out my website, and contact me for more information!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Ali

 

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Gran Paradiso / WVID Resident Supervisor Seat Candidacy and Election

 

Previous blogs have mentioned that one of the seats of the West Villages Improvement District [WVID] board of supervisors was determined to be an elected position from among district resident candidates. Well, information has been finalized and posted regarding the qualifying period, election date, and official location for voting.

The qualifying period for candidates for the Seat No. 5 qualified elector office of Supervisor of the WVID begins at noon on April 14, 2014, and ends at noon on April 18, 2014. Candidates must qualify for this office of Supervisor with the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections located at The Terrace Building, 101 S. Washington Boulevard, Sarasota, Florida.

Voting will occur on June 24, 2014, at the Islandwalk clubhouse (address and times below).

For additional information about the process and/or to become a qualified candidate, please review the document links, website links, and information below.

– Notice of Qualifying Period

– Qualified Elector Election Procedures

– Memorandum on Referendum Procedure

– Presentation of Urban Area Map – Section 189.4051, Florida Statutes

 

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website

 

West Villages Improvement District board website:

The West Villages Improvement District was created by Special Act of the Florida Legislature pursuant to and under Florida Statutes Chapter 189 Special Purpose Local Government Act to assure timely, cost-effective, and high-quality design and implementation of infrastructure for the District located in City of North Port in Sarasota County.

WVID is a limited, single and specialized purpose Local Government whose purpose is to provide infrastructure, including community development systems, facilities, services, projects, and improvements to the District. The area governed by the District is approximately 8000 acres.

A five-person Board of Supervisors governs the District and members must be United States citizens. In addition to the general powers that allow the Board to conduct its work, its Special Powers include: provision for utilities, maintenance, construction and waste collection. The District may borrow money, issue bonds, and levy taxes and/or special assessments, user fees and charges.

2014 Election Info:

Date: June 24, 2014

Time:  8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Location: Islandwalk Clubhouse, 13605 Tantinto Blvd., Venice, FL 34293

 

 

 

 

If you are considering purchasing a home in this community, please let me assist you. My services and resources are of no cost to you, and in most instances, I am able to save home buyers some money. I do not work for any of the three wonderful builders in Gran Paradiso. My services and information (including the resources provided at http://www.GranParadisoVillage.com) are wholly independent of these developers. No other independent professional is more knowledgeable about this community, and enlisting me to assist with your transaction serves to fund these resources to keep them available for you and others on an ongoing basis.

Please, check out my website, and contact me for more information!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Ali

 

Aileen “Ali” Johnston, MHA

Realtor®, Hoover Realty

Mobile: 941-539-5771

 

Gran Paradiso Builders: Custom, Packages, and Everything’s Included

The three builders offering home products in Gran Paradiso at the West Villages (Arthur Rutenberg, Sam Rodgers, and Lennar) each work a little differently in terms of pricing and customization. Which to choose would depend on both your budget and some particular personal preferences. There are definitely specific benefits attributable to each of the builder’s system of offerings.

Arthur Rutenberg Homes, for instance, is entirely custom. It is what most people would associate with luxury new-home construction. There is a base price according to plan, a price for each particular lot, plan options, and then you choose all of your features from the design center. The sky is the limit for personalization of an exclusive Rutenberg domocile. This is, at least in part, why these homes are also at the highest price-point in the community.

Sam Rodgers Properties follows a popular trend in the new construction industry. They make the ultimate cost more predictable, while still offering many selections, through offering upgrades according to packaged levels. There is a separate lot premium and some plan variation options that you can choose, but each plan has three potential prices with the selected level upgrades. They call their categorized upgrades silver, gold, and platinum packages. It reduces likelihood of pricing surprises, yet it allows for much individual personalization.

Lennar calls their system “Everything’s Included.” There is a lot premium, a plan price, and just a couple of choices to make. There are no upgrades. Features and fixtures have been chosen already by Lennar’s designers to have widespread appeal and to help ensure the highest market value is retained in their product. They do actually have three features packages, but each package is associated with a specific product line. The Villas and Executive category homes get the Aviano Series inclusions, the Manor homes are upgraded to the Celano Series inclusions, and the Estate homes include the Diamante Series of fixtures and appliances. The are only a couple possible choices to be made on each plan. Tile flooring throughout is an upgrade option available, some plans have an extended lanai option, and whether or not to purchase the home with a pool or pool with spa are options you will find with Lennar. All personalization is left to the homeowners after closing. The real benefit of this system is that Lennar is able to reduce costs and pass savings on to the buyer. Many people do also find the process less stressful as a result of reduced decision-making and set pricing as well.

Whichever builder’s approach and plan is right for you, if you are considering a home in this community, please let me assist you. My services and resources are of no cost to you, and in most instances, I am able to save home buyers some money. I do not work for any of the three wonderful builders in Gran Paradiso. My services and information (including the resources provided at www.GranParadisoVillage.com) are wholly independent of these developers. No other independent professional is more knowledgeable about this community, and enlisting me to assist with your transaction serves to fund these resources to keep them available for you and others on an ongoing basis.

Please, check out my website, and contact me for more information!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Ali

 

Aileen “Ali” Johnston, MHA

Realtor®, Hoover Realty

Mobile: 941-539-5771

 

email: ali@granparadisovillage.com

Gran Paradiso Updates March 10, 2014

– Breaking ground for the resort-style community pool is currently awaiting permitting, but the clubhouse in Gran Paradiso is definitely nearing culmination. Stone flooring and carpeting are installed, and the stone floors are really just beautiful. So, it seems that finishing touches and some furnishings are all that remain for completion.

– The Arthur Rutenberg Homes model (Messina plan) has also come a long way. Interior framing is in progress, and the roof trusses went up last week. Though there is still a substantial amount of work to be done before completion, it is already obvious that this will be a stunning structure once production has concluded.

– Word has definitely gotten out about the outlook and worth of this exceptional community. Prices and values are both on the rise. Lennar’s third price increase since opening went into effect today, and there are undoubtedly more coming in the foreseeable future. The pre-construction, extreme discount pricing is systematically being phased out. This is particularly true of their Estate product line. They have sold over 60 homes now (from all product lines) and are quickly running out of estate-sized lots in their first phase development area. Lennar will not at this time specify a timeline for when the second-phase area of lots will be released. They build out entire sections at a time to minimize span of disruption from construction to their homeowners. I can tell you, though, that interest has already been expressed by buyers to be put on a waiting list for phase two lake view estate lots when they too become available.

Check out my website, and feel free to call me for more information!

***Also to point out, I do not work for Lennar, Sam Rodgers, or Arthur Rutenberg. My real estate services and the information that I provide, including the website GranParadisoVillage.com, are independent of these developers. If you are considering a home in this community, please, let me assist you. My services and resources do not cost you, and in most instances, I am able to save home buyers some money.

 

West Villages Improvement District [WVID] meeting February 25: part II

Continuing on with the topics covered during Tuesday’s West Villages Improvement District [WVID] meeting, the WVID district manager, Todd Wodraska, reviewed a PowerPoint presentation of finances related to the district’s Operations and Maintenance [OM] accounts. Currently, there are three district units that have budgets established. Unit one pertains to items regarding the entire district. Unit two includes IslandWalk, Gran Paradiso, and the future Town Center. Unit three pertains to Gran Paradiso only.

Other than unit three, the district is struggling with budgetary shortfalls. Mr. Wodraska said that the district is owed about $100million, with unit one particularly “way in the hole.” This unit includes funds for infrastructure service facilities such as fire station, police station, and park lands. However, it was noted that there are not enough residents of the district yet to warrant the building of those facilities at this time anyway.

Still, do not take this shortfall as meaning that the district is in jeopardy. In fact, all signs point to the contrary. Mr. Wodraska was quoted in a recent Herald Tribune article about the district’s rebounding as saying, “Clearly, this area is in play.” The article, from February 21^st, also states that there were 40 homes sold in Gran Paradiso since it was reopened for sales by Lennar. Actually, as of this past Friday, the number of homes sold in the community since reopening was 56. Additionally, at the WVID meeting, permission was approved to move forward with filing to place liens for collections of outstanding debt. So, all in all, the outlook regarding the district is exceptionally positive.

Unit two was said to be “almost flush”. This unit includes IslandWalk, Gran Paradiso, and the Publix Town Center project. It was estimated that there would be project decisions in 12 to 18 months, but it was also pointed out that Publix decides on opening store locations purely on the basis of counting rooftops. So, a more precise time frame for this project initiation cannot yet be established.

In his budgetary review, Mr. Wodraska did say that Lennar has brought unit 3 current. Lennar closed on the Gran Paradiso clubhouse early this month (as noted in a previous blog), and as a result of the purchase >$7million was redeemed for the district. This also means turnover to Lennar of district maintenance contract and the cancellation of district insurance coverage on the facility. The insurance premium return alone was about $20k. Mr. Wodraska said that they need an estimated new lot count for a new methodology report, but that this means that existing homes will likely see a reduction in their assessments. He added that some funds have already been moved as a start toward those reductions as well.

 WVID Meeting Book for Feb. 25, 2014

Check out My Gran Paradiso website, and please, contact me any time to assist with your real estate needs!

Thanks,

Ali

 

Aileen “Ali” Johnston, MHA

Realtor® / Hoover Realty LLC

mobile: 941-539-5771

www.Sarasearch.com

West Villages Improvement District [WVID] Meeting February 25: Part I

Despite a bit of lingering flu, I really enjoyed the West Villages Improvement District meeting yesterday. A lot of ground was covered. Unfortunately, the traffic-light study report was not ready for the meeting, but it was said that a draft of the results is currently under review. Still, that was not the end of discussion on traffic. The purchase and installation of new stop signs (the kind with solar-powered, flashing LED lights) for the intersection of West Villages Parkway and 41/Tamiami Trail was approved. Regarding landscaping, there were also again some discussions on sod replacement along 41 as well as inconsistencies in public landscaping and pedestrian nodes on the IslandWalk side of the district versus what is already in place for Gran Paradiso. No point of discussion in these veins was either groundbreaking or decisive at this point, though. Some landscaping routine maintenance concerns have been corrected, and overall, the traffic and landscaping interests seem to be moving forward nicely.

A particular item of note from the meeting was actually announced at the January meeting but given more time and several clarifications yesterday. That item is that one of the five seats of the Board of Supervisors for the West Villages Improvement District is to be an elected seat from among resident candidates. Minutes of the January meeting (from WVID Meeting Book for Feb. 25, 2014), state that “Mr. Wodraska presented the results of the Election Referendum held on December 10th, 2013…[and] the referendum to hold an election for one seat this coming November passed.” At Tuesday’s meeting, however, it was clarified that the election cannot wait until November’s election. It is required to be within a particular time frame, so it has been determined that it will be held at the Annual Landowner’s Meeting which is held each June.

In order to ensure that aspiring candidates have enough time to begin the entry process within the qualifying period, a date for the June meeting was set. It is to be held on Tuesday, June 24^th of this year, but the location still has yet to be determined. It was said at the meeting that it may have to be held at a public facility, like North Port City Hall, due to the election process and the rules regarding them. This elicited some concern from at least one meeting attendee who felt that the driving distance may be prohibitive for some residents. It seems, in past, that the meeting was held at the IslandWalk clubhouse. In response, the IslandWalk HOA manager offered to open the community clubhouse to all district residents for voting purposes that day. The discussion was left with the acknowledgment that the Board would need to review all of the rules and various location options prior to making a final determination.

NEXT BLOG: District finance, future development, and some good news for current homeowners. Keep checking in or subscribe for notification.

www.GranParadisoVillage.com

My Gran Paradiso website

North Port City Hall Building