Being a restless type with an understanding wife, I spend roughly 50-60 days per year abroad on business and a large chunk of that would be in Florida. 

  

The routine starts as follows: from Europe, I generally fly into St. Petersburg (via Tampa) and spend a few days working, strategizing and relaxing in a gorgeous townhouse at Waterside at Coquina Key with my two business partners (David Shaw & Kathryn Andrew).

 

 

 

There´s no place like home, but Waterside at Coquina Key is one of my all time favorite locations; it is an incredibly peaceful and relaxing spot (as the images above and plenty of client references will attest). 

  

Every property has a water view and the community has a huge range of on site amenities. St. Pete Beach is around the corner and the trendy bars, restaurants and clubs of St. Petersburg are 10 minutes away.

 

Orlando: What recession?

 

Two or three nights after I arrive in Florida, we leave the tranquility of St. Petersburg, hit the I4 and drive two hours north east towards Orlando. I´ve always been struck by how busy Orlando is. Visit any time of year and spend your days visiting shops, restaurants, bars, golf courses and theme parks and you´ll find absolutely no signs of a recession.

 

In Orlando, everything is packed and everything is buzzing all your round - it is by far the most visited city in the USA. New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles don´t even get a look in. 

 

This is a city with a modest population of 2.2 million which attracts 50 million visitors per year - that´s almost 1 million per week! To put that number into perspective, Spain (population 46m) attracted 53 million tourists in 2010.     

 

I love the evenings in Orlando. We tend to avoid the crazy tourist hotspots: our favorite eaterys are Maggianos, Capital Grill, Bahama Breeze and Crave (all close to I Drive). There is a ridiculously good choice of restaurants to choose from in this town, although you´ll need to book well in advance for the best ones. 

 

Although I´m in Orlando very often, I usually don´t have time to shop, golf or visit Mickey Mouse and friends. The mornings, afternoons and evenings always fly by in a flurry of activity: there are property managers, lawyers, brokers, clients, sales staff and bank managers to meet.

 

These meetings are all by products of the most important and most enjoyable activity - visiting existing projects and inspecting potential new ones ...

 

New Launch: Sun Lake, Orlando Florida

 

On the 13th October David Shaw and I spent a long sunny afternoon inspecting what is going to be our second project targeted at the short and long term residents in the Disney vacation area. 

  

 

 

Our first project in this market niche was called Tuscana. It was a beautiful resort and we (together with other promoters) sold 70-80 of the available units in a matter of weeks.

 

I´m pretty confident we´re going to see a similar flurry of activity in this community. There are a lot less than 80 units available and the good news is that our clients will be getting the first pick of them.  

 

I am providing access to the full investment details below and the best units will be reserved by those quickest to pick up the phone.  

 

 

 

This location adjacent to Disney World cannot be beaten

 

Sun Lake is located in the epicentre of the tourism business in Orlando - right off the 192, two miles from Walt Disney World and adjacent to the Formosa Gardens Shopping complex. This is quite simply the most convenient location possible for both tourists and people working in the tourist industry.

 

Before going into the details, let me illustrate just how good this location is. 

 

Look at the map opposite: the grey shaded area is Disney World. The red marker is the Sun Lake Resort. Click map to enlarge. 

 

Despite the fabulous location, this is a secluded resort with beautiful lake views surrounded by privately owned, high end vacation condos and pool home communities.

 

Originally completed in 2004, the community comprises just 112 spacious two and three bedroom units spread across 11 buildings. 

 

A low density community with less than 200 units in a top location puts it right smack in the middle of my comfort zone.   

 

Better still, these are huge and fully furnished apartments ranging in size from 1250 - 1684 sq ft and in price from a jaw dropping $74,900 - $91,400. That equates to $54-$59 per sq ft! Even with materials costing less than they used to, you still couldn´t build a development like this for less than $100 per sq ft.

 

Prices for these units peaked in late 2007 at $250,000 per unit, which means they are currently available for 30-35 cents on the dollar - i.e. a third of their former value! I´ve never seen these kinds of prices in a spacious condo in a premium location. 

 

 

These units were recently foreclosed by a bank, which makes them different from the ones we normally source directly from distressed developers. The big advantage of a situation like this is the prices - you can pick them up for a song. The disadvantage is that there are minor maintenance issues to address. Please follow the links below for full details.  

 

All of the properties we are offering can be rented short term, long term or kept as full time vacation homes.

 

Every single condo is

 

-       Incredibly spacious: 1250 - 1624 sq ft

-       Air conditioned

-       Fully furnished 

        (right down to the flat screen tv, cutlery and bed linen!)

 

On site facilities include:

 

-       Heated swimming pool

-       Large Jacuzzi

-       Lighted tennis courts

-       Club house with fitness center & pool table

 

  

  

  

Aside from having a premier location adjacent to Disney World, the location of Sun Lake provides easy access to all major central Florida attractions including Sea World, Aquatica, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens, Kennedy Space Center, Lego Land (newly opened) and a host of major golf resorts and shopping malls.

 

Walking vs Driving in Orlando

 

The most fundamental reason to purchase in the Sun Lake Resort is its proximity to shops, supermarkets and restaurants. 

 

While many developers will include a small shop or bar in a resort located several miles from the nearest retail outlet, Sun Lake is literally a 1 minute walk to the Formosa Gardens Shopping complex. 

 

Residents and vacationers can choose from a host of household names such as TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, Subway, Cracker Barrel, Carrabba´s Grill & Red Lobster. 

 

A total of 12 different Italian, Chinese, Japanese, American and Mexican restaurants are on your doorstep. Also available is a Wynn Dixie Supermarket, clothes and souvenir shops and a 36 hole crazy golf course.

 

It takes a certain type of determination (or naivety) to be a pedestrian in suburban Orlando - a simple 5 minute drive could easily equate to a complicated 25 minute walk in the baking heat. I´ve driven past more than a few flustered looking couples clutching kids and Mickey Mouse balloons at busy intersections.  


In most countries, having shops, restaurants and supermarkets within walking distance of an apartment is no big deal. It is definitely a big deal in Orlando - which is the unique selling point of Sun Lake. 

 

Let me put it another way - whoever built this shopping complex has made it a lot easier for the Sun Lake property owners to find both tenants on purchase and buyers on resale. 

 

With all of these shopping, dining, socialising amenities around the corner plus regular shuttle services to Disney World, I can guarantee you that many tourists and second home owners will choose to enjoy their time in Orlando without the usual hassle and expense of driving a car.

 

Next Steps

 

We have compiled a 22 page brochure on Sun Lake which includes:

 

 

- Development summary & history

- Area description

- Site map & availability list

- Resort Amenities & Property Features

- Photos & Floorplans

- Rental options & running costs

 

 

 

 

If you would like to beat the crowd and be among the very first receive this please click here or the download button opposite. 

 

The best units will be allocated to buyers by telephone on a first come first serve basis.