Month: July 2021

LAKEWOOD RANCH’S 3-D DIGITAL MAP WINS GOLD AWARD

Lakewood Ranch’s 3-D “community Xplorer map” was awarded gold for best innovative use of technology at the Southeast Building Conference’s 42^nd annual Aurora Awards. The map is a centerpiece of the community’s website, lakewoodranch.com. Winners were determined after evaluation by a panel of judges, including designers, planners, and builders.

The map was developed by LWR Communities, in partnership with Cecilian Partners, a company that specializes in the customer service experience for community developers, home builders, and home buyers.

“We’re really setting the standard for how customers will explore communities like Lakewood Ranch in the future,” said Phil Worland, chief strategy officer at Cecilian Partners.

The map is completely interactive and searchable. There are built-in filters to assist the user with a list of villages that might be a good fit for them. In addition, in one view, a user can see all of the villages, product types and prices ranges in relation to their location near shopping, schools, parks, and other community amenities. There is also a regional map that highlights the beaches, arts, shopping districts and other conveniences and attractions outside of The Ranch, allowing for a full perspective of the area.

“Lakewood Ranch was looking for a way to show prospects everything the community has to offer, without them having to be at The Ranch in person,” said Rachel Gray, marketing manager for LWR Communities. “This was something we were searching for pre-pandemic, but the pandemic changed consumer behavior and it became an even more important tool than we could’ve imagined.”

Feedback has been notably positive. “Users appreciate that they can see everything in the same place; they no longer need to bounce from the village page on the Lakewood Ranch website to a Google map page to get their bearings,” Gray said. “Many people want to be close to a specific area – for instance, near the interstate for an easy commute to work – and this has given them the ability to find what they want or need. Other users appreciate that they are able to plan their visit to The Ranch in advance by using the map; they know what is here before arriving, so they can be sure to see everything that interests them.”

Earlier this week, Lakewood Ranch was recognized as the best-selling community in the U.S., according to national real estate consulting firm RCLCO’s 2021 mid-year survey.

“Our insistence on innovation to make the homebuying journey as productive and enjoyable as possible has paid dividends in generating home sales,“ said Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities. “This week was very rewarding in that our efforts to build a first-class community and to share its benefits through our marketing platform is being recognized and is resonating with a broad audience.”

For more information about Cecilian Partners, visit cecilianpartners.com.

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Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 50,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

LAKEWOOD RANCH IS THE BEST-SELLING COMMUNITY IN THE NATION

Lakewood Ranch is the best-selling community in the U.S., according to national real estate consulting firm RCLCO’s 2021 mid-year survey. The Ranch secured 1,535 new home sales through the end of June of 2021, beating last year’s numbers by 83% percent. Although Lakewood Ranch has been the best-selling multi-generational master-planned community in the U.S. for the past three years, the 2021 mid-year report marks the first time it’s ranked No. 1 overall.

Lakewood Ranch was primed to meet the increased number of relocations spurred by the pandemic, according to Laura Cole, executive vice president of LWR Communities.  “The Ranch’s maturity, locational assets, and multi-generational appeal drew buyers and their extended families (and friends) from all corners of the U.S.,” Cole said. “Five new villages opened during the pandemic, offering greater home choices at all price points with outstanding amenities and access to open space and trails — key criteria sought by buyers fleeing more urban locations.

“Buyers say they are looking to move close to family and friends, downsizing, or accelerating retirement. Year-over-year, we experienced the largest sales gains in the Entry/First Move-up segment (84% growth over prior year) which generally leans towards millennials. The Empty Nest/Active Adult market jumped by 71% during this period, and Second Home Move-up/Luxury buyers increased by 57%.”

Lakewood Ranch’s first place position put it among the top-selling master-planned communities (MPCs) in the country for 10 consecutive years. Rex Jensen, president and CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Inc., developer of Lakewood Ranch, said that planning and execution continue to keep the community –  which has been owned and guided by the same family since its inception over 25 years ago – at the top.

“Lakewood Ranch has been a perennial pack leader by delivering the features which epitomize top selling MPCs: consumer centric homes, well integrated natural areas, abundant amenities and a vast array of lifestyle offerings,” Jensen said.

There is no doubt Lakewood Ranch is seeing a “pursuit of quality of life,” Cole said.  “Buyers across the demographic and geographic spectrum are attracted to the qualities and conveniences of our established community with the added benefit of resort-level amenities in their neighborhood. Lakewood Ranch has three town centers, five neighborhood shopping centers, the award-winning Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, A-Rated schools, over 120 miles of trails, a parks and recreation program, 60+ clubs, the Premier Sports Campus, Sarasota Polo Club, and more than 1,400 businesses.”

Waterside Place, The Ranch’s newest town center – and its first in Sarasota County – will open this fall with a wide array of shopping, dining, and wellness opportunities. The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch will make Waterside Place its permanent home later this fall, and numerous events, sports leagues, and musical performances are scheduled throughout each month.

The robust sales have caused heightened demand, and Ranch builders are working to increase availability. Two new villages, Star Farms and Sweetwater, will be added to the 21 new home villages by year-end. There remain plenty of opportunities to buy in Lakewood Ranch.

“As the market has become more competitive,” Cole continued, “we feel it is essential to recognize the pressures confronting buyers and help them navigate options in the for-sale or rental space.”

RCLCO has been ranking master-planned communities since 1994; for more information, visit www.rclco.com.

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Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 50,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

DATE: July 5, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ideal-LIVING Magazine Honors “The Top 100 Planned Communities”

Wilmington, NC – ideal-LIVING magazine is pleased to announce the Top 100 Planned Communities as featured in the summer issue of Ideal-LIVING magazine’s Best Places to Live. The honorees are also revealed on www.ideal-LIVING.com/bestplaces. 

A special editorial committee assembled by the publication reviewed the qualifications of each nominee and selected the winners.

“Each year we survey our readers to determine the most popular destinations and amenities. We’ve researched communities from our readers’ most-desired areas based on survey results.The destinations featured in this special issue are representative of those desires,” says Kelly Godbey, ideal-LIVING editor. These planned communities are walkable with lots of open spaces and and have promote a real sense of community. Overall health and wellness is promoted by the myriad of amenities and clubs that allow a new homeowner to dive into a healthy, active lifestyle. Residents might enjoy some or all of the following amenities: golf, walking and biking trails, fitness centers, spas and health clubs, community gardens, marinas, boating, and watersports, as well as tennis and pickleball.

For more than 30 years, ideal-LIVING magazine has been a leading national publication  for readers who are nearing retirement age or who are interested in the benefits of relocating their families or businesses. From its headquarters in Wilmington, North Carolina, each edition of the quarterly publication is currently delivered to more than 80,000 homes. The magazine’s parent company, RPI Media, also distributes other publications like the comprehensive ideal-LIVING Choose Your Ideal Place Guide and sponsors the company’s signature ideal-LIVING Real Estate Shows each year. For more information, go to the website at www.ideal-LIVING.com.