Hello John,
About 20 years ago, we chose to live in Lakewood Ranch, a part of which (Edgewater) was a fairly new and upcoming neighborhood consisting of three sections... the Cove, the Sound, and the Pointe. As we drove around, there were many bulldozers doing earthwork, and development was happening at a pretty frenzied pace; however, the lot we eyed wasn't for sale (yet) and wouldn't be for at least another 6 - 12 months. But, my husband persisted in his desire for that particular piece of property, talking to the four or five builders who owned the lots in the Edgewater Pointe neighborhood; yet, only you had the foresight to understand his determination and so you offered to purchase from or trade that lot for a lot owned by or assigned to one of those other builders. In addition, you promised to contact us as soon as the development of that block of lots was ready for, pricing and development. So, thanks to your persistence and our patience, within six or so months' time, that coveted lot became our building site, you became our developer/builder, and the rest is history!
Twenty years have passed and you and your building business have grown (and obviously: flourished), while we have continued to love this spot, our home, and your workmanship! We've also aged and now foresee a future time when another lucky person or couple will buy (perhaps remodel?) the house, but in the process, own the best building site in all of Lakewood Ranch-set back from the road, overlooking Lake Uihlein, where we watch beautiful sunsets and enjoy the quiet, sleepy Village of Edgewater, seemingly far from the hustle-bustle of the UTC Mall, the noise of the freeway, and even the Country Club with its maze of roads and golf-named communities and developments that have grown up (and continue to sprout up) around us.
John, of all those million-dollar homes you've built (and are still building), this one, this lot, this place, should take first prize, as did your expertise and that of your crew of assistants. You have no idea how often we hear people (including service people) marvel over it. We hear, time and again, "this has to be the nicest, best spot/house in Lakewood Ranch."
So ... sometime in the future when we have to leave it, we plan to first advise you, just in case you want to re-develop/remodel this little bit of heaven on earth! Meanwhile, we congratulate you on your not-surprising success story depicted in The Business Week article of recent date. We're thankful for having met and worked with you 'way back then... 1998-1999-having migrated, like you, from Pure Michigan (we, Grand Rapids) where we still spend our summers!
Best wishes,
FK & MK
Photo Credit: James Edition
