Homebuilder hammers closings record

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Neal Communities, one of the largest locally based homebuilders on the Gulf Coast, reported 97 closings in June, an all-time high for closings in a month.

The Lakewood Ranch-based firm, founded in 1970, also had 62 sales in June, according to a release. It now has 445 sales in 2014, through the end of June.

“Our record sales numbers this year certainly help sustain our rapid growth pattern,” Neal Communities President Michael Storey says in the statement. “As the market continues to hold steady, we are forging ahead with new product, new communities and plenty of inventory for home buyers ready to purchase and move in immediately.”

Neal Communities builds in 16 communities, from the Sarasota-Bradenton market to Fort Myers-Naples. The firm has built more than 9,000 homes.