Homebuilder sets new roof for pricing

LAKEWOOD RANCH — The latest sign of a luxury homebuilding rebound on the Gulf Coast comes from Nelson Homes, an independently owned Arthur Rutenberg Homes franchisee: The firm recently opened two models priced at more than $2 million each.

The Ravenna, the company's newest model, was unveiled earlier this week at The Lake Club in east Manatee County, according to a release. The other $2 million model, the Modena, is in The Concession, also in east Manatee County.

“The unveiling of these models is a direct response to the uptick of the luxury custom home market,” Derek Nelson, president of the Lakewood Ranch-based franchise, says in the release. “Discerning buyers are coming to the area looking for premium homes with luxury features, and the Ravenna and Modena definitely deliver. I'm excited about our current and future models, which have a lot of memory points and wow moments.”

The Ravenna, a 6,500-square-foot home, features four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms plus a den and clubroom with wet bar. The home, with panoramic lake views, also has a 400-square-foot casita, large lanai/cabana, resort-style pool and spa with phantom roll-down screens. The Modena, 4,228 square feet of space with an optional casita that adds an additional 1,262 square feet, is on a one-acre site, the release states. It has four bedrooms and four and half bathrooms with a den. It includes a home management center, an entry courtyard and a putting green.

Nelson launched the Rutenberg franchise in 2009, after holding leadership positions for other Rutenberg franchises in the area for 20 years. His Rutenberg franchise has sold 16 homes so far in 2014, for a total sales volume of $18.5 million.