Ranch adds two new builders

Two new homebuilders — Minto Communities and Paradise Homes of Sarasota — will offer models in Lakewood Ranch, LWR Communities LLC announced this afternoon.

Minto will be building two model homes in the Hazeltine neighborhood of the Country Club East village, a private, gated community built with home sites around lakes, nature preserves, and 18 holes of Rick Robbins designed golf. Paradise Homes of Sarasota will begin construction on their model home in the Leopard Creek neighborhood of Country Club East.

Both builders anticipate completion of their model homes in plenty of time for seasonal traffic.

“In addition to new builders, Hazeltine and Leopard Creek are adding amenities to some of the reasons we believe that customers will want to call them home,” said  Milt Flinn, president of Lakewood Ranch Communities.

Hazeltine will have a pool, cabana and butterfly garden by the year’s end and Leopard Creek will feature a lakefront gazebo, puppy path and nature observation area.

A family-owned Canadian-based firm, Minto built its first home in 1955. Since then, it has grown into an integrated real estate development, construction and management company that provides many products and services throughout Canada and Florida. Minto’s offerings include new homes in resort-style master-planned and custom home communities; low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums; rental apartments, furnished suites and homes, office, retail and industrial spaces and a luxury suite hotel. Its Florida operations have been headquartered in Palm Beach for the last 25 years.

“Lakewood Ranch is an ideal fit for us and for the high standards we have for home building,” said Michael Belmont, Minto’s executive vice president. “We focus on truly customizing each home to the buyer’s exact needs and wants. It’s a formula that works well, and we are very enthusiastic about bringing our product to Lakewood Ranch. “Based on what we are seeing in the Lakewood Ranch real estate market, it is time to get in and be ready for the selling season.”

Paradise Homes is a division of Extreme Remodelers of Sarasota LLC. Its concept of “single source construction” allows clients to view and select all products required for new construction in one location. Customers  choose from one of three levels of finishes. Uhat can be viewed and selected include interior finishes, exterior finishes, doors, windows, roofing, pavers, appliances, fixtures and accessories.

“Of course we always have the ability to design a custom build from scratch if that is desired,” said Jim Butler, president of Paradise Homes. “But most people prefer the value that our simple process provides."