Mediterra January sales outpace last year

Mediterra continued to contrast the sluggish real estate market locally and nationally in January, reporting 11 sales compared to two in January 2007.

Mediterra, the 1,697-acre, masterplanned community developed by Bonita Bay Group in North Naples, offers luxury coach homes, villas, single-family homesites and custom single-family estate homes.

"Mediterra is a bright spot in the local real estate market, and nationally," said Kelli Eastman, director of sales for Mediterra. "Despite all the dismal predictions we've been hearing the last few years, sales in Mediterra have continued to exceed our projections. Sales in 2007 were stronger than the previous year, and this past January we had another strong month."

Homes in Mediterra are priced from the $600,000s to more than $7 million. Single-family homesites start in the $300,000s.

Eastman said Mediterra's amenities - two Tom Fazio-designed golf courses, a private beach club along the Gulf of Mexico, a state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis complex and gourmet and casual clubhouse dining - appeal to a variety of buyers.

"Mediterra is a community where you really get to know your neighbors," she said. Young families with children, empty nesters and retirees have selected Mediterra as their primary or seasonal home. They travel together, play together and even produced a musical together."

For a limited time, Bonita Bay Group is underwriting buyer incentives at Mediterra that include golf and sports memberships along with HOA master association fees.

Mediterra has been named Community of the Year by the Collier Building Industry Association for five years, received the Award of Excellence for Open Spaces from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and has been honored with the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and Golf Digest magazine in the private course category. It has recently been named by Golf Magazine as one of The 50 Best Golf Communities in America and by Travel + Leisure Golf and Links magazines as one of the top 100 golf communities in America. It was the first-ever 36-hole course to earn Audubon International's Silver Signature Sanctuary status.

Membership in the New Leaf Wine Club is an exclusive, complimentary benefit for residents of all Bonita Bay Group communities. The Wine Club offers wine tastings, dinners, classes and excursions, as well as special pricing on an exceptional collection of wines.

Mediterra is a private, gated community. Homebuyers and Realtors can request additional information or arrange an escorted tour by visiting the Mediterra Sales and Information Center, located just inside the entrance to the community on Livingston Road two miles north of Immokalee Road in North Naples. For additional information call toll free 800-775-3560, or visit the Web site at www.mediterranaples.com.