2016 NEFBA Laurel Awards: Crowning achievements

Proving there really is "no place like home," members of the residential building industry gathered on March 17 at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre for the 2016 Laurel Awards.

Hosted by the Sales and Marketing Council of the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), the event honored more than 100 companies and individuals for their achievements in real estate sales and marketing over the past year.

The list included homebuilders, developers, real estate agents, interior designers, marketing firms and others involved in the effort to help buyers find their dream home.

The event marked the 22nd year of the Laurel Awards, which has grown considerably since its inception, while also weathering ups and downs of a sometimes volatile market. According to Palmer Kuder, director of NEFBA's Sales and Marketing Council, the recession years - starting in 2008 - forced the program to scale back, until the economy was able to rebound.

"During the recession this event was held at the monthly breakfast programs, instead of a nighttime gala," said Kuder. "This is the second year that we have hosted the event at the Alhambra."

The Laurel Awards cover a wide number of factors associated with the sales and marketing of new homes, and some categories are further broken out into different price points. The awards for Best Floor Plan, for example, start at $275,001 (Dream Finders Homes for the Boca II model) and goes on up to more than $2 million (The Pineapple Corporation for the Pablo Creek Reserve Showcase Home).

There are also individual awards, such as Lender of the Year (Bank of England Mortgage) and Developer of the Year, which went to the Parc Group, the company behind the wildly successful Nocatee development in St. Johns County.

Other marketing award categories include recognition for advertising, social media pages, promotional events and more. Among them were Best Logo-Builder (CalAtlantic Homes) and Best Radio Commercial (Dream Finders Homes).

Dostie Homes, a third-generation homebuilder founded in Jacksonville, took home three awards for the Thoreau Americana, the builder's model home in The Ranch at Twenty Mile, a Nocatee community. The awards included Best Floor Plan and Best Elevation in the price point category of $925,001 to $950,000, along with Best Interior Merchandising in the $900,001 to $950,000 category.

Sam Clausen, vice president of product development for Dostie, expressed the team's excitement at the recognition for the Thoreau Americana.

"We worked very hard to refine this floor plan based on the open concept of living that everyone seems to be asking for," Clausen said. "This plan is very versatile and can be easily modified to accommodate the modern family and lifestyle."

Clausen pointed out that the home's exterior - a wide front porch, reclaimed brick, white lap siding and dormer windows - seemed like a timeless choice that would resonate with homeowners. The builder also added a painted brick wainscoting, an exterior design element currently trending in the industry. The award-winning interiors for the Thoreau Americana were created by Ponte Vedra Beach designer Andrew Howard, known for his keen sense of coastal interiors.

The final award of the evening, the Grand Award, was presented to the NEFBA builder or developer member for the best overall product and marketing program, and is determined by a cumulative score of all the companie's entries. For 2016, the honor went to D.R. Horton.

"I am thrilled with this recognition of our team and the excellent work they are doing to keep our family of brands top-of-mind and D.R. Horton the best selling builder in Northeast Florida," said Andy Fremento, D.R. Horton's North Florida Division president. "Winning in categories for marketing like signage, facebook page and sales office, and the many production awards garnered by our sales agents is recognition well deserved. Receiving the Grand Award just adds to the credibility of the entire North Florida Division."

Fremento added that everyone on the team is now focused on next month's Parade of Homes, and he anticipates more design awards to follow.

The awards undoubtedly provide a boost of momentum for those builders participating in the event, which showcases hundreds of new homes throughout the First Coast.

"The Laurel Awards help set the stage for the spring home buying season," said Clausen. "Our model home in The Ranch at Twenty Mile is something we are very proud of and will help to set us apart for potential buyers as they tour all the models in the Parade of Homes."

The 2017 Parade of Homes begins April 21. For more information, go to www.nefba.com.