Builders from all over the Southeastern U.S. submitted 400 entries in 55 categories for the 36th annual Aurora Awards, sponsored by the Southeast Building Conference.
It’s a national trend: 60-something retired homeowners downsizing, escaping the frustrating maintenance of a big house and choosing something compact and carefree.
But that’s not for retired businessman Alan Kesten.
Three years ago, he sold a spacious University Park home and did something unexpected. He bought a coveted parcel of waterfront property on Steven’s Point in the established neighborhood of Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores, near the Ringling Museum. He took down a 1960s...
John Cannon, a home builder since the 1980s, doesn’t seem to be getting tired of doing what he does best.
For the third year in a row, Cannon led the field in the 2016 Parade of Homes design awards competition with four “best overall” awards. We published the results in Saturday’s Real Estate section. They also are online at heraldtribune.com.
John Cannon Homes was the co-leader in both 2014 and 2015 with three “best overall”...
SARASOTA, Fla., March 4, 2016 -- John Cannon Homes was the most recognized home builder in this year's Parade of Homes, sweeping the competition with sixteen awards including four in the category of "Best Overall," in a presentation held Thursday by the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association.
John Cannon Homes was awarded Best Overall for The Akarra III in The Vineyards at The Lake Club; The Avianna at The Concession; The Caaren, in The Links at Rosedale; and The Kiandra...
John Cannon Homes won “Best Of Design” on Houzz, the leading platform for custom home building design and home remodeling.
The Sarasota-based custom home builder was chosen by the more than 35 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 1 million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.
The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: design, customer...
New home construction on Southwest Florida's barrier islands hardly took a breath during the Great Recession, but the economic recovery has sparked a new burst of activity.
Unlike larger housing developments on the mainland that were shelved during the downturn, some for years, many builders of custom luxury homes continued to find work — though at a much slower pace — on the region's keys.
"We definitely went through a slow time, but not nearly as bad as the tract home...
Tennessee resident used $5.4 million mortgage to fund purchase
LONGBOAT KEY -- A Longboat Key mansion that stands as the highest-priced island property in more than two years was sold to a FedEx executive and his wife.
Manatee County court records revealed this week that Alan B. Graf Jr., executive vice president and chief financial officer, and his wife, Susan Graf, purchased the 7,000-square-foot mansion July 31 for $6.8 million.
The home at 6001 Gulf of Mexico Drive...
LONGBOAT KEY – A new construction estate on the sandy shores of Longboat Key sold Wednesday for $6.8 million – the most lucrative deal on the island in two years and one of the most expensive homes built since the market’s collapse.
The 6,959-square-foot mansion on the Manatee County side of Longboat Key becomes the fourth island residence owned by the buyers, who are originally for Tennessee. The baby boomers already own three beachfront condos, but they wanted some extra space for...
Home builders nationwide and in Southwest Florida are feeling more confident about their business than they have in the past seven years.
The latest National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index suggests that single-family home construction will accelerate in the months ahead, a trend Southwest Florida builders are already seeing.
The index, released last week, climbed to 57 from a revised 51 in June, its third straight monthly advance and the highest...
New home construction across Southwest Florida has climbed to its highest level since the Great Recession began battering the industry seven years ago.
Builders in the region enjoyed an uptick in May, amid pent-up demand from buyers and a shortage of existing single-family homes for sale.
As a result, builders are breaking ground on new homes at a pace not seen since the housing boom in the mid-2000s.
"We're ramping up, and I still don't think we have seen the peak at...