Category: Neal Team

Southwest Florida’s Neal Communities Recognized During 19th Annual National Avid Awards

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier homebuilder, announced its southern division received an Avid Benchmark Award and several employees throughout the company received Annual Service Awards from Avid Ratings.

Avid Ratings offers a software industry solution that home industry professionals use to measure, understand, and improve their performance at every customer touchpoint. The 19^th Annual Avid Awards program recognized homebuilders throughout the U.S. for scoring highest with their customers on homebuying experience surveys.

Award winners are chosen based on results received from some of the largest publicly traded NYSE/NASDAQ builders, North America’s largest private builders and hundreds of small volume and custom builders from coast to coast. This year’s program had 437 qualifying builders from all over the United States and Canada and covers homebuyer data from January to December 2021.

“We are proud to announce our Avid Award-winning customers this year and congratulate them on their commitment to providing exceptional customer experience. Although the homebuilding industry continued to face challenges in labor and supply shortages this past year, our customers were determined to provide high-quality service for their buyers,” said Aaron Everson, CEO of Avid Ratings. “Their perseverance in difficult times and dedication to service excellence are clearly reflected in their well-deserved honors.”

Neal Communities’ Southern Division oversees the construction of communities in Lee and Collier Counties.

Neal Communities’ employees also were recognized during the awards programs. The 9^th Annual Avid Service Awards honored employees who receive exemplary customer satisfaction scores amongst the thousands of employees rated in Avid Ratings’ AvidCX platform. The Avid Service Awards are widely considered to be the premier awards for homebuilding professionals.

Sales Representatives Lisa Marie Halady (Southern Division), Matthew Turczyn (Southern Division), and David McKenna (Southwest Florida Division) received Avid Service Awards. Construction Representatives Gabriel Kempski (Southwest Florida Division) and Marshall Kutz (Southwest Florida Division) also received Avid Service Awards.

“Receiving an Avid Benchmark Award is a reflection of the fact that we continue to make beautiful communities that people enjoy,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “We are proud of our employees and their accomplishments.”

For more information about Neal Communities visit NealCommunities.com.

May 12, 2022
Get To Know Our Staff: Christina Potts

Going the extra mile in the journey – this is the mission statement Christina lives by in her role at Neal. As a Sales Associate, she knows that many of her customers might be first-time homebuyers, starting to chart their course through the waters of homeownership. Christina enjoys supporting her customers by being their cheerleader and navigator, reminding them to celebrate each homebuilding milestone.

“I’m a people person. Everyone’s at different places in their lives with homeownership and I love being part of that journey,” she says. “My favorite part of the job is seeing the moments when my customers find joy in the community they’ve chosen to live in.”

What’s Christina’s favorite floorplan? She is a huge fan of the Sea Mist, particularly drawn to the L-shaped lanai that offers plenty of space for outdoor relaxation. As a passionate cook who loves creating new dishes, she also loves this model’s large gourmet kitchen, which gives plenty of space for cooking up some five-star cuisine.

In her off-time, Christina loves being outside with her husband and two energetic Australian Shepherds, playing a game of frisbee or going on runs. She also enjoys taking advantage of the Florida lifestyle, ranging from unwinding at the beach to trying new restaurants!

Learn more about how Christina and our team can help you find your dream home by making an appointment to visit one of our beautiful communities.

February 14, 2022
Get To Know Our Team: Darice Levasseur

Since 2015, Darice Levasseur has been in the business of home matchmaking as a New Home Sales Associate at Neal. Her favorite part about her job is creating personal relationships with her customers, allowing her to match their personalities and wants to a dream home.

In catering to a wide variety of clientele, Darice enjoys how she always learns something new about the world. She’s had the opportunity to guide a variety of people, from teachers and entertainers to doctors and lawyers through their homebuying journeys. Becoming a homeowner is an exciting adventure, and she enjoys sharing her insight and passion for homebuilding with buyers.

“I’m a new home consultant. I don’t sell, I help put people together with homes,” she says. “The job I have in being a consultant is so impactful. I’m consulting people through one of the biggest purchases in their lives.”

Darice’s favorite floorplan to date is the Kiawah, a perfect home for families. As a dedicated mother of five, she appreciates how this home offers plenty of space for everyone as well as an expansive covered lanai area meant for entertainment and unforgettable family memories.

In her free time, Darice is a creator – she loves sewing and as advocate for self-care, also develops her own skincare and haircare products. And – as a self-proclaimed rockstar, she also enjoys making music!

Get to know Darice and the rest of our team by making an appointment to visit one of our stunning communities.

January 24, 2022
Neal Communities makes $5,000 donation to support Sisters Sowing Seeds

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (June 3, 2021) – Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, has made a $5,000 donation to support Sisters Sowing Seeds, a nonprofit organization that empowers teen girls in the community.

The organization was founded in 2015 by Monica Donley, a senior accountant with Neal Communities. It offers mentoring programs and other services to help teen girls and young women succeed both in school and life and strengthen their self-esteem.

The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging for the nonprofit, which had to shift from in-person to online meetups. “I missed that personal touch, but we were still able to meet through Zoom,” said Donley.

Those Zoom sessions included events such as trivia games and virtual themed parties to help the girls de-stress from the difficulties of the last year, as well as a group session with a therapist who offered advice and assistance on navigating the pandemic and all the changes it brought. Tutoring sessions were available for students who needed extra help.

Donley also delivered frequent care packages to the 25 middle and high school students working with Sisters Sowing Seeds. They contained everything from personal items to useful supplies like journals to gift cards to help the girls and their families with necessities.

“It was important to keep doing what we do because of the time that I had spent cultivating relationships with these young ladies,” said Donley. “You don’t want to leave them when they’re in a difficult time; you want to make sure you’re able to stand by the words you have given them and the commitment you made to them to be a part of their lives. So of course I wanted to be a part of their lives when times got difficult. I didn’t want them to be out there by themselves.”

Over the past several years, she’s witnessed how the organization affects the girls it serves—and how important it is to be there for them. “These girls are changing and finding out who they’re becoming,” said Donley. “We get an opportunity to have an impact in that early stage of self-exploration. We can be there as a positive influence to let them know they are valuable. We can show them they’re capable of doing things they didn’t think they could.”

The $5,000 donation from Neal Communities will help Donley purchase supplies for upcoming Sisters Sowing Seeds efforts, which include a book club and a return to in-person community events. Neal Communities previously made a $1,000 donation to Sisters Sowing Seeds in 2019 and a $3,000 donation in 2020. Donley is truly grateful for the support she is getting from her employer for a cause so near to her heart.

“I think the community means a lot to my employer, and I think that’s important,” she said. “It feels good to work at a place that cares not only about your working for them and being able to achieve their goals, but that is also looking out for the community. They saw that this meant something to me, and they were willing to invest in it. And that means the world to me.”

“We’re honored to be able to both give back to the community and support one of our valued employees in her efforts to make a difference,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “Monica is doing life-changing work through Sisters Sowing Seeds, and we’re happy to help support her efforts to empower the local girls and young women her organization serves.”

For more information about Sisters Sowing Seeds, visit www.sisterssowingseeds.org.

June 24, 2021
5 Reasons Why You Should Work at Neal Communities

Neal Communities is hiring, and we invite you to apply at www.nealcareers.com to become a part of the Neal team.

As you look at the job opportunities available, you’ll find a variety of ways you can build a rewarding future as part of a growing company. Taking a position at Neal Communities – one of the Herald Tribune’s Best Places to Work for 2019 and 2020 in Sarasota and Manatee Counties – is a way to begin a fulfilling career at a company that values its employees and their contributions.

Here are five reasons why employees love being a part of the Neal Communities team and why the company is a great place to work:

1. We recruit smartly.

Building a strong team and corporate culture starts with our recruitment process. We’re intentionally rigorous and use a collaborative selection process so that both the manager and the applicant feel confident in their decision to move forward. We want the position to be good fit for the applicant and for the applicant to be a good fit for the department they’d be joining.

2. We care about what we do.

At Neal Communities, we’re passionate about building beautiful, thriving communities that residents love to call home. We are all ambassadors of the brand and no matter what department we may fall into, employees at Neal Communities are excited to come to work each day and to play their role in building vibrant communities for families, active adults and anyone else interested in living on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

3. We value our employees and the connection we have with them.

All employees at Neal Communities have a voice that is listened to and appreciated. We all share a building, and many employees see Pat Neal, chairman and founder of Neal Communities, every day.

And every year we take time to celebrate the commitment and success of our team members through initiatives like our Years of Service recognition or our annual Guiding Principles Award, which honors an employee who illuminates the principles that guide us at Neal Communities.

4. We’re not a corporate builder.

Neal Communities is a family-owned business, so we don’t get lost in corporate red tape. The company doesn’t have to answer to stockholders or board members, and employees don’t have to worry about hitting numbers dictated by executives in another state.

Instead, we are empowered to Do The Right Thing and Neal employees still have plenty of great opportunities for compensation growth, bonuses and career advancement, all while working on rewarding projects.

5. We care about the communities in which our employees live and work.

Neal Communities has a long history of community involvement, and we’ve donated time or funds to local schools and community organizations including the Pace Center for Girls, Boys & Girls Clubs and the Salvation Army. We also support causes that are important to our employees, and we listen when they let us know about a need in the community. For example, the company recently made a donation to Sisters Sowing Seeds, a nonprofit supporting the empowerment of young women that was started by a Neal employee. We also contributed funds to the North Port Mustangs Pop Warner organization after an employee involved with the organization told us about their needs for safe, new equipment for their young players.

June 14, 2021
Appreciation and a Second Neal Home in Boca Royale

Dear Mr. Neal,

Oftentimes, we are remiss in expressing our appreciation to individuals who go beyond their duties and responsibilities to provide outstanding service. The purpose of this communications is to acknowledge one of your team Construction Managers, Todd Ortlieb. Mr. Ortlieb has provided outstanding customer service during the building of our second Neal community home. It is the direct result of Mr. Ortlieb’s time and efforts as well as your other Boca Royale construction managers that we elected to purchase a second Neal home.

Without hesitation. Mr. Todd Ortlieb has provided the best customer service in our experience purchasing numerous homes over the time span of forty years. Equally importantly, he is an individual that follows- thru with action in order to meet his customers needs and concerns. He is a professional, effective and efficient and gets the job done resulting in the highest quality build homes in spite of these difficult COVID times. Again. we thank you for his professional service and look forward to working with Todd as he completes our second home at Boca Royale. Truly, Todd is a great asset to your company and further enhances the superb Neal family community reputation. Please pass on to Todd our sincere appreciation for his great customer service.

Best regards,

Michael & Claudia Palella

Boca Royale Golf & Country Club

March 3, 2021
Above and Beyond the Norm

My wife and I have just started moving in to our new Neal home in Grand Palm and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Your team did a great job and we are thrilled.

I especially want to commend our project manager Brian Hill. Brian did an outstanding job of making sure that our expectations were met. We had built a home with another builder in Sarasota a few years ago and they did a nice job. But Brian made sure that our experience at Neal was above and beyond the norm. Most importantly he did a great job of being available and communicating with us.

In addition, every member of the team that we worked with including the folks at Neal Funding, Michael Kaitz and Noel Richards, were a pleasure as were Nicole Nici in Design and Michelle in Customer Service.

Thank you for a beautiful home and congratulations on a great team.

Sincerely,
John and Barb Nissen
Grand Palm

January 7, 2021
Seasonal Living by Design

Charlene Neal is President of Charlene Neal PureStyle and Vice President of Design at Neal Communities. See her work by visiting the website: www.charlenenealpurestyle.com

It’s that time of year again! Summer’s in our rearview mirror and we’re looking ahead to a new season of outdoor living during the best time of year in Southwest Florida!

It’s a subtle change here as the days become shorter and the evening breeze becomes more welcoming and we begin to dine al fresco again.

In order to make the most of Fall I also like to make subtle changes in my decor to remind me of our family traditions, and to enjoy the new season to the full. I’ll change the wreath on my front door and add a few floral accents inside my home to reflect the season. But I especially pay close attention to our outdoor spaces that will start to get more use to be sure they are clean, comfortable and a welcoming refuge at the end of the day.

If you’re getting ready to move down to Florida, your outdoor living may be an area that we can help you with immediately! As natives to the area we know what works and what doesn’t. What’s practical and can survive the constant rays of the sun and endure the humidity and still be a beautiful carefree complement to your home decor.

And though the traditional rich colors of fall may seem a little out of place here let me recommend some rich velvety jewel tones that reflect the gorgeous sunset you’re poised to enjoy. Or the varied breathtaking hues of the ocean like turquoise which is my current obsession.

With a simple conversation with one of our stylists we can begin to curate an outdoor living space that you’ll be thrilled to enjoy and share with others. Of course, when we’re planning your outdoor space we’ll take into consideration:

● Scale and space so that your outdoor living area looks inviting and not like it’s missing ‘something’.
● Care and maintenance. We want your investment to last, so choosing the right mix of function and performance fabrics will be a must and will save you time and money by making the right choice the first time.
● A cohesive look that flows seamlessly from your home to your outdoor space.

This is our favorite time of year and we’d love to welcome you to Florida and your new home with a Seasonal Design that will serve you for years to come.

September 15, 2020
We could not have imagined a more favorable experience.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Neal,

As out-of-state buyers, we decided to begin our home search approximately 2.5 years before
our target date of retirement, providing ourselves an ample timeline to thoroughly research
prospective locations and educate ourselves about local builders. That research led us to
Silverleaf.

Agent Aaron Solari’s relaxed manner and genuine interest to be of service made him stand
apart from all other agents. He was professional, informative and open, providing immediate
answers to our many questions. His transparency communicated his complete confidence in
the quality of a Neal home. Within a few months, we decided to buy from Neal.

Cherie Picerno, a highly attentive customer care representative, was instrumental in making
certain there were never any surprises or bumps in the road throughout our entire build
process. Justine Sieloff, our design consultant, navigated us through the various Neal options,
ensuring our personal style would be reflected in our home.

We had apprehensions about living 1,000+ miles away from the build of our new home. Mike
Tailerfer, our construction manager, put our concerns to rest and communicated his
uncompromising commitment to delivering us a quality-built Neal home we would love.
We are not often led to take the time to compose letters of testimony. However, on occasion
there is exceptional service that warrants acknowledgement. We could not have imagined a
more favorable experience.

With our sincerest appreciation,

Liz and Ty Bearden

Silverleaf

August 19, 2020
Grateful at Home in Silverleaf

On behalf of Chuck Dugan and I, we wanted to take a moment to send this letter and to thank you and your warranty department and team for the assistance they provided us during our first year in our new home at Silverleaf. We are grateful for all that you and your team did to make sure our house was in perfect working order. We are at the end of our warranty period and we ARE GRATEFUL for all that was done.

Please pass on our thanks to Mark Borgiasz, Thomas Adams, Steve Tanaka, the scheduling person(s) and the office staff for their assistance.

Sincerely,

Robert Labelle
Silverleaf

July 9, 2020