Toll Brothers marketing to international buyers

The British are coming - and the Germans, the Swiss, the Austrians. In preparation for the upcoming winter season and anticipation of a strong market for European and South American visitors, Toll Brothers has created new marketing materials for its Florida West Division to introduce buyers to all of the company's real estate opportunities.

"We have created an eight-page brochure that provides an overview of Toll Brothers' Southwest Florida communities," said Ken Thirtyacre, president of Toll Brothers Florida West Division. "It outlines the types of homes available, price ranges, and amenities along with color photographs. The material also suggests some of the activities, shopping and restaurants to be enjoyed in this area."

For purchasers of Toll Brothers homes there are additional benefits, including partial reimbursement of travel expenses.

The Florida Realtor, the magazine of the Florida Association of Realtors, notes that the state is already becoming a prime location for international buyers and investors, and the Gulf Coast is a key regional market. Lower home prices are perceived as a real value, and the current exchange rate provides an added advantage for Europeans.

Ursula Weinkauff, real estate agent at Focus Real Estate, is already seeing increasing interest from European buyers.

"They are watching us closely," she said of the Southwest Florida real estate market. "Swiss and German buyers are the two active segments of the market, and I'm seeing buyers from Austria and some from England."

Ms. Weinkauff noted that past magazine articles and television news focusing on a declining real estate market in the United States slowed foreign interest in making a purchase, but a sense of stability in the Florida real estate market and an exchange rate advantageous to Europeans is shifting the focus back to Florida real estate. Recent news broadcasts overseas had segments on Florida real estate, highlighting the price points and good currency conversion.

"Investors are now renewing their interest in the market," she said. "People are seeing opportunities here." But investors are not the only ones focusing on Southwest Florida; families are seeing the area as home.

Frederik Overdijking, his wife Karen, children Kirk and Alex recently moved from Scotland to Belle Lago, a Toll Brothers community of single-family homes in Estero.

"We talked about it for a long time," Mr. Overdijking said. "We finally decided we would 'go for it.'"

The timing was good, Mr. Overdijking said, since the children were still young, the exchange rate was advantageous and Florida property values were superior. The family sold their home in Scotland and transitioned into Florida residents.

"We were greatly helped by Karen Caco of International Immigration Services in Naples," Mr. Overdijking said.

Mr. Overdijking, who owns businesses in the United Kingdom, also purchased a business here. After long months of negotiations, he became the owner of the Fifth Avenue Coffee Company in Naples.

"We looked around a lot," Overdijking said of their search for a new home. They settled on Belle Lago on Estero Parkway. "It's so central here - with Coconut Point, Gulf Coast Town Center, Miromar Outlets and the airport all nearby. We were looking for a community that is family friendly, and I wanted to buy a home with a company that has stability."

Toll Brothers' reputation as a leading luxury home builder for more than 40 years provided that assurance. The family purchased a five-bedroom, twostory home, the Diplomat design.

"It's a great family home," Mr. Overdijking said, noting that relatives were soon to arrive for a month-long visit.

Like the Overdijkings, other international buyers are finding the attraction of Toll Brothers' Southwest Florida communities.

In addition to Belle Lago, Toll Brothers Florida West Division includes The Reserve at Estero, a community of single-family villas and estate homes also on Estero Parkway priced from the upper $200,000s; and Firano at Naples, a new community of singlefamily homes off Davis Boulevard in Naples from the low $400,000s. Both communities have welcomed recent international buyers that include both full-time and part-time residents from a variety of original countries.