The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A ‘winter wonderland of trees’

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Customers flocked to the Christmas tree stand, on the west side of The Shops at Wiregrass parking lot, off of Bruce B. Downs, in Wesley Chapel, to look for a perfect tree for their home for the holidays. Stand owner/operator James Diebold said the Fraser firs are the most popular. Diebold estimates that he will have had around 500 trees come through his tent this season. His trees come freshly cut from Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee, and they come in many different varieties, such as Douglas firs, Balsam firs, Fraser firs, Black Hills spruce, and a hybrid tree called a Fralsam fir, which is a cross between a Balsam and a Fraser.

After dining at The Shops at Wiregrass during a recent evening out, the Squires family from New Tampa decided to take a stroll through the wonderland of trees, in a parking lot on the west side of the mall. Mom Stephanie touches the needles of a 7-foot Fraser fir, as her husband Brent, left, and daughters 13-year-old Samantha, center, and 8-year-old Siena look on. (Christine Holtzman)
Readying a tree to put on display, James Diebold, the owner and operator of the tree stand at The Shops at Wiregrass, uses a chainsaw to trim the trunk of the 5-foot Fraser fir in order to get it to fit its stand properly. Diebold and his wife, Jennifer, recently sold their Lutz home in order to live and travel in their R.V. In addition to Christmas trees, they are also the owner/operators of a fireworks stand during the New Years and Fourth of July holidays.
Corey Durham, an employee at the Christmas tree stand, carries a 7-foot Balsam fir for customer Cindy Brookins, of Tampa. Since Brookins, who is a nurse at nearby Florida Hospital, was working that evening, she took advantage of the stand’s delivery service to have her tree delivered to her home on the following day.

Finding the perfect Christmas tree

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Shoppers at Mike’s Christmas Trees, 2131 Brinson Road in Lutz, could look through a variety of Christmas trees to find the right one for their home. Manager Earl Van Haitsma, who travels from his home in Michigan to manage the stand, estimates that he will have had 1,500 trees come through his tent before the last day of business on Dec. 20. The stand sells trees that have been harvested in Michigan. They come in many varieties, such as the Douglas fir, White pine, Black Hills spruce, Concolors, and the traditional Fraser fir.

Searching for this year’s perfect Christmas tree, Theresa Mulroney, left, and Joyce Richardson, both from Lutz, thoroughly inspect a 7 ½-foot frosted white Black Hills spruce Christmas tree on a recent evening at Mike’s Christmas Trees stand located at 2131 Brinson Road in Lutz. (Christine Holtzman)
The Jones family, of Lutz, made a trip to the tree lot to find a tree to give a festive holiday feel to their home. They are, from left, 11-year-old twins Pierson and Parker, and parents Terry and Melissa. Melissa knew what she wanted: A tree between 8 feet and 9 feet tall, with soft needles and perfect, full shape. Oh, and most important of all: It must be fresh and smell wonderful.
Using twine, employees of Mike’s Christmas Trees stand Eddie Ferraro, left, and Jason Parzy, who both live in Lutz, secure a tree to a customer’s car to insure its safe journey home. Both men are working hard at the tree stand this season to earn extra money for the holidays.

 

God’s Will Leads to Episcopal Ministry

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The Rev. Adrienne Hymes

Long before the Rev. Adrienne Hymes entered the priesthood, she was following her dream of becoming an actress and stand-up comedian in Los Angeles. But, when she was laid off from her six-figure public relations job, she used that layoff as an opportunity to serve the Lord in a more meaningful way.

“I was gifted with the layoff,” Hymes said.  “I was miserable, and felt that God had a more purposeful life for me that would optimally serve Him and his people. I struggled with saying, ‘Yes,’ to God because I didn’t have the courage to step away from the money.

“It was exactly what I had prayed for.  This whole priestly journey—I really didn’t do that.  I went to Los Angeles to be Oprah, and now I’m the church lady.  It’s all about acceptance.  It really comes down to accepting God’s will for your life, and what that truly means, which can be really hard.”

Hymes has since graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary, became a clinically trained chaplain, and is a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida.  As the Missioner for Church Extension, she has been tasked by the bishop to expand the diocese’s ministry into Wesley Chapel.

“What we do as church leaders is jump into the energy that the Holy Spirit has already started,” Hymes said.  “We prayerfully listen for direction, and do our part as ministers. The Holy Spirit does the rest.  All I have to do is be present to receive all of the souls that are going to be led to us.”

Animal Blessing Ceremony

The members of Wesley Chapel Episcopal currently rent a worship space from an existing church and are faithfully working to nurture their worship community to the next level.

“For many years, the diocese has felt called to nurture a new faith community in the growing, vibrant Wesley Chapel area,” Hymes said.  “We seek to be a safe place for questioning and meaning-making through Holy Scripture, the sacraments and our rich, ancient liturgy.  The gift of the Episcopal Church, in a changing world that longs to be rooted in a foundation, is that we are ever ancient, ever new.”

Hymes also sees the church as a means to rescue people from difficult times and situations in their lives.

“We are the Episcopal branch of what our presiding bishop calls the Jesus Movement,” Hymes said. “Our branch is something that people can reach for and hold onto when they need it, like in those old movies where the hero holds the branch out to the person sinking in quicksand.

“There are so many people who don’t know they’re in quicksand.  If the branch is there—present, if you will – they can reach out to it. Without the branch, eventually the quicksand overtakes them.”

Hymes would also like to emphasize the home blessings offered as an instrument of outreach and hospitality by Wesley Chapel Episcopal, a practice seldom recognized anymore.

“Most people have never seen a home being blessed, and remark how surprised they are by the sacred blessing done with such reverence,” Hymes said. “It’s important for us that we are present to the needs of our neighbors. One way that we do that is to share a liturgy in their home where we, together, affirm that God’s not only there, but is present in all aspects of their life.  We walk through every room saying prayers, while I sprinkle holy water throughout the structure.”

Wesley Chapel Episcopal offers worship services in the form of Holy Eucharist and Evening Prayer.  Christian education programming is offered at various times of the year.  Home blessings are available by appointment.

“Whoever you are, and wherever you find yourself in your journey of faith, the Episcopal Church welcomes you,” Hymes said.

3758 Maryweather Lane, Wesley Chapel 33544 • 813-418-1281 • www.wcepiscopalchurch.org.

 

Published 12/5/18

Holiday Open House at Dance Gear Etc.

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By William Jacko

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Dance Gear Etc., a Lutz boutique store specializing in shoes, attire and accessories for just about every technique of dance, is hosting a Holiday Open House on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 24 from 10a.m. – 5p.m.

Owner Carolyn Jackson invites you to visit her store, located at 1705 Dale Mabry Highway in Paradise Square Plaza, just before the U.S. 41 apex. Refreshments will be served, new dance fashions will be modeled and shoppers will receive generous discounts.

“We carry dancewear from basics to high fashion, for dancers of all ages for ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acrobatics, flamenco, gymnastics, cheerleading and ballroom. We even stock sensory approved tights for children with those needs,” said Jaskson. As a special-needs mom herself, Jackson understands the need for inclusivity in the dance studio.

Trained by master fitters from Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, England and New York, Jackson has been fitting pointe shoes for more than 10 years and is exceptionally qualified as now a master fitter herself to size dancers with the correct shoe and perfect fit.

“There is probably no more important decision in ballet than the purchase of a first pointe shoe. An ill-fitted shoe can lead to injury temporarily or permanent.” said Jackson.

The pointe shoe has to fit perfectly, Jackson explains, because if the shank is broken, aka ‘a dead shoe,’ a dancer could roll her ankle also leading to shortening her career.

“I get to know the shape, style and dimensions of your foot, and how the foot works going from flat to demi-pointe to pointe,” said Jackson.

Dance Gear can also accommodate custom shoe orders for sizes wider or longer than the normal, we even can size pointe shoes for boys/men.

Jackson enjoys getting to know her customers and educating them so they understand the fitting process and the importance of a properly fitted dance shoes.

“Parents appreciate how I follow their children as they grow, mature and advance in each level of dance. This personal knowledge helps me fit their child for their next shoe or garment,” said Jackson. As a dance mom herself, she knows from personal experience how knowledge helped her children become better dancers.

Jackson believes in giving back to her community and local schools, and participates in the Youth America Grand Prix scholarship competition program when given the opportunity.

“Sometimes a dancer’s family may not be able to buy new tights or shoes for a performance,” she said.  “I have inventory that isn’t always going to sell, which I give to local schools to help a child whose family cannot afford to buy those items.”

Jackson encourages everyone to give ballet a try.

“Any adult can try ballet if they can find an appropriate class,” said Jackson. “Ballet is about flexibility, balance and being well-centered.

1705 Dale Mabry Hwy. Lutz, FL 33548 • 813-428-6989 • dancegearetc.com

Published 11/21/19

 

Giving thanks

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On Nov. 22, about 90 people were in the community center celebrating Thanksgiving Day.

Dave and Joan Lawrence (Courtesy of Helene Rubenstein)

The center was filled with residents and friends talking among themselves and having a wonderful time.

A fruit cup was placed in front of each person attending. Before the meal was served, Dave Heim said grace, while we bowed our heads in silence. He did a fine job.

After grace, tables were called to get their meal, which consisted of turkey (white or dark meat), mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, gravy, roll and butter.  There also was coffee and/or tea, plus dessert, which included apple pie, pumpkin pie or vanilla cake.

Linda Rogers and Andy Castonguay

There was enough food if anyone wanted seconds, but most people found one portion more than enough.

The turkey was so moist, and I heard that the gravy was delicious. Everything was superb and simply delightful. One thing was better than the next.

The dinner was hosted by Mary and Dave Heim, while Andy Castonguay was teaching. Andy and his wife, Margaret, had headed this for years and they had much experience that they handed down to Dave and Mary.

The elves that were helping out were Paul and Norma Oi, Carol and Clayton George, Rosie Semian, Linda Rogers, Andy and Margaret Castonguay, and Dave and Mary Heim. They made a great team.

Everything ran so smoothly, as each person had a specific job, and it was done to perfection. Our sincere thanks go out to all who helped.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

Pauline Wright and Bob Rebarkoff
Paul Oi (Norma Oi in background) and Dave Heim
Don and Haraldi Coombs

 

Cardel Homes Introduces The Enclave At Lake Padgett

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There are more lakes in Land O’ Lakes than anywhere else in Pasco County. And, of its dozens of lakes, none is more desirable than Lake Padgett, a spring-fed, 200-acre lake that is the largest in central Pasco.

Lake Padgett has been home to beautiful waterfront homes for over 50 years, where residents enjoy boating, water skiing and long views of cypress-lined shores, and stunning sunrises and sunsets.

There are only a handful of homesites remaining on Lake Padgett, which is why Cardel Homes is so excited to be introducing the Enclave At Lake Padgett.

“It’s almost unheard of to find new home construction on Lake Padgett,” said Brian Phillips, vice president of sales and marketing at Cardel Homes. “We’re thrilled to be offering eight beautiful lots directly on the Lagoon, all that are large in size.”

The Enclave At Lake Padgett is a secluded, gated community of just 18 homesites, with easy access off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard (U.S. 41). All of Cardel’s homes will back up to a natural lagoon that flows into Lake Padgett.

“All of our homesites can be permitted for docks that are large enough for fishing, waterski and pontoon boats,” said Phillips. “Plus, none of our docks are shared between homeowners.”

Homes in the Enclave At Lake Padgett must be a minimum 3,000 square feet, and Cardel’s floor plans are as large as 4,260 square feet.

For families looking for a new home, Cardel has an inventory home that is available now — the elegant one-story St. Lucia, which has 3,336 square feet and offers four bedrooms, three baths and a three-car garage.

“Our St. Lucia model has an open floor plan that is very attractive to families of all sizes,” said Phillips.

This one-story beauty features 12-foot ceilings, a den off the entry, formal dining room with coffered ceiling, expansive great room, huge bonus room, and a master suite with a sitting area and private lanai at the back of the house. Interior features are fabulous, and include white cabinetry, quartz countertops, wood-plank tile throughout, and tray ceilings in the foyer, bonus room and master bedroom.

The home is on a wooded lot and has a large front porch, and covered lanai in the back. An oversized dock is just steps away from the backyard, and is perfect to dock a boat and enjoy the natural backyard setting.

“This home is ideal for the family wanting to move up to an exclusive, private community with no CDD,” said Phillips.

“It’s the best of both worlds — enjoying all the recreation that Lake Padgett offers, without the boat noise and traffic directly in your backyard. If you want to start the new year in a beautiful new home, this is one of the best waterfront values in all of Tampa Bay,” he adds.

The St. Lucia inventory home, including its waterfront dock, is listed at just $650,000.

If you prefer to choose your homesite and select a floor plan, colors and finishes, currently, Cardel is offering buyers up to $50,000 off in its design center, for homes contracted before the end of the year. A Cardel home in the Enclave begins at $494,900.

Many families want to live in Land O’ Lakes because of its excellent schools. The Enclave is assigned to top-rated Sunlake High, Charles Rushe Middle and Lake Myrtle Elementary.

For families wanting to build in Hillsborough County, Cardel is introducing a new community in Lutz, located close to USF and I-275.

Oakwood Reserve offers 1-acre homesites on Clement Road – a quiet, rural street tucked between Hannah Road and Livingston Avenue. Like the Enclave at Lake Padgett, only eight homesites are available.

Cardel also builds homes in Bexley, a master-planned community in Land O’ Lakes, along the State Road 54 corridor, next to the Suncoast Parkway.

“Cardel Homes is one of the few national builders to offers buyers communities of all sizes and price points — from move-up developments like Bexley that offer many desirable family amenities, to those like the Enclave At Lake Padgett and Oakwood Reserve, which offer larger lots, more privacy and high-end custom features,” said Phillips.

Visit Cardel Homes at the Enclave At Lake Padgett, or at Bexley, Mondays through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Published November 28, 2018

ICI Model Home Now For Sale in Asturia

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One of Tampa’s most preeminent builders, ICI Homes, is selling its model home in Asturia in central Pasco County.

“Our Serena model has top-of-the-line upgrades and is a tremendous value for families looking to move this year,” said Sales Manager Leah Turner.

The one-story Serena is built on a beautiful conservation lot and is loaded with elegant upgrades. At 2,217 square feet, it has four bedrooms, three baths and a two-car garage.

The Costa Mesa by ICI Homes exemplifies outdoor living with its stunning rear lanai. The company builds this open floor plan in Asturia in Odessa, and Bexley in Land O’ Lakes.

Its unique grand foyer pulls you through the house with 12-foot ceilings, and its large kitchen and great room gracefully flow onto a covered lanai that stretches along the back of the home. This exclusive model home is currently priced at $515,775.

“This home never feels crowded, whether you’re relaxing with family, playing with the kids or entertaining friends,” said Turner.

ICI Homes will soon have two, one-story inventory homes in Asturia. The Arden and Oakland plans range from 2,115 to 2,402 square feet, and have four bedrooms, three baths and two-car garages. Inventory homes, including the lot, currently begin at $392,376.

“We are ready to move quickly on all of our inventory homes, and will do everything we can to get a family settled as soon as possible,” said Ron Ferguson, division manager of the company’s West Florida Division.

Asturia Phase III
As Asturia enters its third phase, ICI Homes is excited to be introducing a new model in early 2019. The one-story Costa Mesa is under construction now.

“We’ve had tremendous success since we began building in Asturia in late 2017, and many families are looking forward to this next phase, and our pristine conservation and water lots,” said Ferguson.

ICI Homes has available 22 homesites on 55-foot lots, and another 16 sites on 65-foot lots. Homes in the third phase will begin in the low $300,000s.

“We’re very pleased to be offering families new homes in this mid-point range, which come with all the quality features, designs and construction methods that ICI Homes is known for,” said Ferguson. “Buyers are excited to get into a prestigious ICI Home at this attractive price point.”

Bexley Close-Out
This is the last chance to buy an ICI Home in Bexley, a master-planned community in Land O’ Lakes along the State Road 54 corridor, being developed by Newland Communities.

“We have three remaining homesites in Bexley, and all have been permitted and will be ready for sale in the second quarter of 2019,” said Turner.

ICI is building its most popular family homes for its Bexley inventory — the one-story Costa Mesa and Egret VII.

The Costa Mesa is 2,565 square feet, and features four bedrooms, three baths and a three-car garage. The slightly smaller Egret VII is 2,512 square feet, and features four bedrooms, three baths and a two-car garage. Both are very open plans with lots of windows and natural lighting.

Build On Your Own Lot
With so much land available in Pasco, many families want to build a new home on land they already own. ICI Homes is one of the few semi-custom builders to offer a “Build On Your Lot” program.

“Many buyers with their own lot enjoy working with ICI Homes because they can easily customize our floor plans, and walk through our models to get a real feel for what their new home will be like,” said Sales Manager Turner.

“Plus, we’re more affordable than other custom builders, who may only build four or five houses a year. There is tremendous savings working with a builder like ICI Homes, because the discounts we receive for our quantity is passed along to our ‘on your lot’ buyers,” Turner continues.

ICI Homes has built hundreds of custom “on your lot” homes, ranging from palatial estates on the St John’s River, to one-of-a-kind homes in private communities and rural areas. Since it was established in 1980, the company has built over 4,000 single-family homes in Florida and the Tampa area, and has earned several prestigious awards for design and innovation.

The ICI Homes sales center for Asturia and Bexley is at 15134 Aviles Parkway in Odessa, (813) 359-0264.

Published November 28, 2018

Active Adults Love Del Webb at Bexley

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There’s a lot of excitement about Del Webb at Bexley. The active adult community is still under construction, but it’s already been named one of the top five coming soon communities by the website 55Plus.com.

The new, gated 55-plus community in Pasco County is being built on Sunlake Boulevard and Tower Road in Land O’ Lakes within Bexley, a national award-winning master-planned community.

Del Webb at Bexley was designed with today’s 55-and-over homebuyer in mind.

“We feel the Tampa area is underserved for baby boomers looking to live in a place that is designed specifically for them,” said Sean Strickler, PulteGroup division president for the west Florida region. “At Del Webb at Bexley, they can live near their children and grandchildren, but in a low maintenance, gated community that caters to their lifestyle.”

“Del Webb is the leading builder of active adult communities and we’re excited to partner with them in Bexley,” added Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley.  “We know Del Webb at Bexley is going to be a neighborhood where residents feel like family and make lifelong friendships. It’s an excellent complement to the existing Bexley community.”

Del Webb at Bexley will offer 850 single-family homes priced starting in the low $200,000s. Floor plans will range from the efficiency of the one-story, two-bedroom Steel Creek to the spaciousness of the two-story, four-bedroom, four-bath Pinnacle Grand.

The heart of the community will be a 17,000-square-foot, multimillion-dollar clubhouse. It features a large social room; café offering snacks, beer, coffee and wine; fitness area; and resort-style community pool. Other amenities include a dog park, community garden, pickle ball and tennis courts, and recreational activities planned by a full-time lifestyle director. Prospective buyers can view a virtual tour of the clubhouse online at BexleyFlorida.com/homes/del-webb.

Residents will also be able to enjoy a lakefront club and café and purchase additional access to Bexley’s many all-ages amenities including 10 miles of multi-use Avid Trails™, parks and play areas, soccer field, dog park, two resort-style pools, bike park and a robust schedule of social events.

Del Webb is one of the largest builders within Bexley, a 1,825-acre master-planned community developed by Newland Communities approximately 20 miles northwest of downtown Tampa.

The community is the first by Del Webb to be built from the ground up in the Tampa Bay area since 1960.

Pre-sales of homes at Del Webb at Bexley have already begun and six furnished model homes are expected to open in early 2019. To learn more and sign up for the Del Webb at Bexley VIP Interest List visit BexleyFlorida.com/homes/del-webb, or call (866) 230-6089.

Published November 28, 2018

Santa and his Elves Invite You To Asturia

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The third annual Holiday Festival is being hosted at Asturia — a master-planned community in Odessa — on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free and open to the public.

Youngsters will enjoy a candy cane express train, face-painting elf, balloon-artist elf, holiday carnival games, meet-and-greet surprise holiday characters, holiday treats and, of course, sitting on Santa’s lap and telling him what they want for Christmas.

And, when Holiday Festival guests are done playing, kids and their parents can tour Asturia’s beautifully decorated model homes.

Ashton Woods Homes, David Weekley Homes, ICI Homes and Ryan Homes are Asturia’s exclusive builders. Model homes are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Asturia builders provide a wide range of home sizes and architectural styles. Pricing begins in the mid $200,000s, and goes to over $600,000. A variety of product types and home configurations attract empty-nesters, first-time homebuyers, singles, young families, families with school-aged children and even multi-generational families.

Third Phase Opens
It’s been only three years since Asturia began selling homes, and already the award-winning development has moved into its third phase. More than 250 homes have been sold out of 550 planned for the community.

“Our builders have been very successful, and the demand for more homesites has driven the opening of our Phase III,” said Creighton Call, projector director for Hines, the community’s developer.

With Phase III comes the addition of Asturia’s fourth builder, Ryan Homes, which is building 108 townhomes close to the community’s Amenity Center and entrance. These affordable homes have two-car garages located in the rear and are accessed by private alleys, which leaves the front of the home open for welcoming porches, sidewalks and landscaping.

Upscale semi-custom builders, David Weekley Homes and ICI Homes, are building new single-family models on 55-foot and 65-foot homesites in Phase III. ICI has two new models planned, which will open in the second quarter of 2019.

“After Phase III is completed, there will be just 40 home sites remaining,” said Call. “People are moving to Asturia ahead of plan because of our attention to detail, the quality of life we’ve created, the excellent schools that our children attend and our convenient location to all of Tampa Bay.”

Asturia is designed as a walkable community with winding streets that connect to neighborhood parks, trails and recreational areas. Most homes are easy walking or biking distance to the Amenity Center, which includes a resort-style pool, a fully equipped state-of-the-art fitness center, and a contemporary clubhouse for community and family celebrations.

Every street has a mixture of homes by different builders with varying elevations that give neighborhoods a unique feel. “There are no cookie-cutter streets in Asturia. Our premier builders offer an assortment of architectural styles and customizations. We take great care in beautifully landscaping the curvilinear streets and common walkable areas,” said Call.

Asturia is a kid-friendly, family oriented lifestyle surrounded by miles of multi-use trails, interspersed with playgrounds, dog parks and pocket parks. The community has wide, meadow-like spaces, lovely ponds, thick stands of cypress and hardwood trees, and large tracts of scenic wetlands.

About Asturia
What makes Asturia stand out from other new home developments in the area is its smaller size. Other nearby planned communities are planning for between 3,000 to over 5,000 homes and are looking at several years of construction.

Asturia is located in the high-demand State Road 54 corridor in Pasco County. The community’s central location is just five minutes from the Suncoast Parkway, and also provides close proximity to U.S. 41, U.S. 19 and I-75.  Its master plan incorporates retail, office, multifamily and a mixture of single-family residential offerings.

More information can be obtained by visiting Asturia’s model homes, registering at the community’s website, AsturiaFlorida.com, or by calling (813) 227-4148.

Published November 28, 2018

16 Beautiful Ashton Woods Homes Ready For Your Family

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Ashton Woods is in its final sales phase at Asturia, with 85 percent of homesites sold since the community opened two years ago.

“We’ve had tremendous success in Asturia, selling over 100 single-family homes in this much-desired community,” said Marketing Manager Kristin Wilson. “We have under 30 homes available for sale, and expect all to be completed by the end of the year.”

Because most families want to move into their new home as soon as possible, Ashton Woods received permits from Pasco County for all of its remaining Asturia homesites.

“This saves our buyers up to three months in the building process,” said Kathy Midkiff, Ashton Woods’ community sales manager in Asturia.

“Our designers have put together beautiful combinations of flooring, countertops, design features and colors that will excite the vast majority of buyers,” she said. “Plus, we have a great combination of homes that convert flex space to extra bedrooms, add bonus rooms and extra baths, and have great outdoor living areas with front porches and extended lanais.”

Inventory Homes
Ashton Woods offers traditional one- and two-story homes in its Traditional home series.  All feature open floor plans, large living areas, beautiful master suites, high-end finishes and lots of storage. Homes have two-car garages, and many back up to private conservation homesites.

Spacious Classic Series
Five traditional, inventory homes are ready in the Classic series, including two, one-story homes. The versatile Odessa plan has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,243 square feet. The larger Naples plan offers four bedrooms, three baths in 2,321 square feet.

Also ready now are three, two-story homes with two-car garages, including the Ferrara model home at 2,890 square feet with its four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. The Milan is 2,722 square feet with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. The largest home Ashton Woods builds in Asturia is the 3,365-square-foot Athens, which boasts four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.

Affordable Heritage Series
Many first-time homebuyers and downsizing families choose the Heritage Series. Ashton Woods has two move-in ready, one-story homes available in these well-designed floor plans — the Truman at 1,961 square feet with four bedrooms and two baths; and the slightly smaller Adams plan at 1,829 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths.

Evergreen and Grove Series
Ashton Woods is the only builder in Asturia offering single-family homes with garages at the rear of the house.  There are five, quick move-in homes available in these series, all conveniently located close to Asturia’s Amenity Center.

There are three Arlington plans at 2,003 square feet, and also four Ortega plans at 2,189 square feet. These homes begin at $269,000.

Great Schools
“For families with children, Asturia is a very popular community because it is zoned for some of the best schools in Pasco County — J.W. Mitchell High, Seven Springs Middle and Odessa Elementary,” said Midkiff.

Asturia buyers prefer the community’s smaller size of just 550 homes, compared to thousands of homes being built in neighboring developments. Plus, they appreciate that construction will not be ongoing for several years.

Ashton Woods was named the 2017 Builder of the Year by Builder and Developer Magazine and, for the fourth consecutive year, has been ranked among the top three for Most Trusted Builders in America.

For more information, go to AshtonWoods.com/tampa/Asturia. You can also call the sales center at (813) 446-8362.

Published November 28, 2018