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REAL ESTATE:

LUXURY LIVING IN THE SOUTHEAST

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to buy real estate in the Southeast, don’t wait any longer. There’s never been a better time to buy in this region.

This buying opportunity is due to many factors, including: historically low interest rates; a very competitive (and cooperative) lending environment for primary and vacation homes; more options than ever throughout a state known for superb real estate opportunities; and a general search for a simpler life in the sun. If you’re ready to buy, then we have some great places to try!

THE WATERS PALM BEACH

The Palm Beach tradition has always defined consummate luxury living and, now, for the first time in more than a decade, there's a new oceanfront condominium that continues the tradition, infused with an exciting new variation on an elegant theme.

The Waters Palm Beach features 30 ultra-luxurious residences nestled on a stretch of beachfront paradise at 3000 South Ocean Boulevard. At The Waters, the ocean and lake are each steps from home, enveloping residents in a tropical splendor like none other--classically Palm Beach yet designed to meet today's needs.

Once the gate guard waves you through, you will enter a world steeped in elegance and grace. As a prelude to the twin, five-story buildings, there will be vaulted porte-cocheres beckoning owners and their guests into sumptuous, marble-clad lobbies hosting 24-hour concierge and valet services. Private keyed elevators then ascend to spacious residences, sized from 4,300 square feet to more than 5,000 square feet.

Soaring ceilings of nearly 11 feet (almost 12 feet in penthouses) and floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors define each floor plan as bright and breathtakingly designed, wrapped by sunrise and sunset terraces. At every turn are luxury standards such as oversized bedrooms, marble-drenched bathrooms, and sleek kitchens with Siematic cabinets and Miele and Sub-Zero appliances. To further indulge, one can opt for a breakfast bar in the master suite.

Pleasures and pastimes at The Waters are as spectacular as they are numerous. They include a refreshing plunge in a seaside, Olympic-length pool bordered by an expansive resort deck and cabanas (available for purchase). Tennis will be served up on Har-Tru(r) courts, while leisurely strolls along meandering paths will be taken amid thick, island landscaping--sun drenched by day, moon swept by night, accompanied by Atlantic breezes around the clock.

In each building, friends and neighbors will gather in the card room. At the same time, others will adjourn to the game parlor for some billiards or refreshments at the wet bar, all complemented by a wide-screen entertainment center. For pastimes of a more physical nature, there are a fully equipped fitness room and a spa lounge, with sauna and steam room.

The Waters has taken things a step beyond the expected with a variety of conveniences which only the most sophisticated of homeowners would appreciate: household storage rooms, fur storage facilities, and private wine cellars, all temperature-controlled, secure, and monitored. Secure parking and video surveillance continue the developer's unyielding commitment to safety and peace of mind.

Yes, it's been ten years since the Town of Palm Beach has permitted the construction of an oceanfront condominium development. It's only befitting that the ‘new generation’ of luxury living is ushered in by a time-honored lifestyle as classically Palm Beach as The Waters. Preconstruction prices for these palatial residences range from just under $3 million to over $5 million.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, VISIT www.thewaterspalmbeach.com OR CALL (561) 588-1744.

ARVIDA

If you want to live in a premium place in one of several top Florida locations, then an Arvida community can be the perfect answer. Arvida’s parent firm, The St. Joe Company, owns nearly one million acres of land in the Sunshine State (mostly in Northwest Florida), featuring almost five miles of beachfront and more than 200 miles of frontage on some of the most beautiful rivers and bays in the country.

St. Joe is one of the southeast’s leading real estate operating companies and is continuing Arvida’s mission of planning, developing, building, and operating master-planned residential and resort communities for a wide range of people. Arvida creates communities for varied income levels and needs, ranging from first-time buyers to retirees.

With more than a dozen unique communities in Florida, Arvida has the perfect choice for anyone. They offer a great range of locations, prices, styles, features, and more, including both new and mature communities that are close to cultural centers, but far from big city hassles.

This certainly shows in Northwest Florida, where Arvida has created and is creating some of the state’s top communities. Arvida’s spectacular Florida Panhandle options include: WaterColor (Seagrove Beach); WaterSound (Santa Rosa Beach); WindMark Beach (Port St. Joe); and SouthWood (Tallahassee).

WaterColor is typical of what Arvida has brought to the Florida real estate scene. The 499-acre residential and resort community is located right on the Gulf of Mexico, just west of famed Seaside. Amenities include a beach club, lakes, nature trails, bike paths, canoeing, dining, a fitness center, tennis, golf at the Fazio-designed Camp Creek Golf Club, a town center, the acclaimed 60-room WaterColor Inn, and many other features.

WaterSound is another very special Northwest Florida find, including a dazzling white beach, a coastal dune lake, nearby Camp Creek golf, beach club, a marina, tennis, a town center, and so much more. WindMark Beach welcomes owners with similar amenities, featuring the undiscovered coastline of St. Joseph’s Bay, lush woodlands, creeks, and rivers, golf, and a beachfront community that’s reminiscent of earlier times.

Up in Tallahassee, SouthWood is a charming, yet progressive, 3,200-acre community in an historic and culturally rich city. SouthWood combines the natural beauty of rolling hills and lakes with things residents want close to home--the Village Center with dining and shopping, a Fred Couples-designed golf course, schools, office space, and more. There’s even a proposed beach club down on the nearby Gulf.

Anywhere Arvida goes, they have earned a reputation as community planners who attend to detail, demand quality, and act responsibly as stewards of the environment. Along with developing one-of-a-kind communities, their abilities and experience create places that flourish.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, VISIT www.arvida.com.