When Cheryl Budd and her husband, Steve, were relocating from New York City fifteen years ago, they were not quite sure the type of community in which to live. They would drive by the Glades Road entrance to Boca Grove Plantation regularly without even knowing of the community’s existence. After seeing properties in other area country clubs, they decided to see a home in Boca Grove and knew immediately that they had found the right place! Since then, it has been full steam ahead. Cheryl is chief communications officer of Boca-based NCCI Holdings, the nation’s largest provider of workers compensation insurance and employee injury data and statistics, where she is responsible for marketing research, PR and advertising, media
relations, public affairs, and creative services. When given a brief tour of the 310,000 square foot building on Congress Ave., we were greatly impressed with a company culture that offers so much to its employees including freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, child daycare, a health oriented employee cafeteria, dry cleaning services, and a free YMCA fitness center. Besides being a highly technical company with deep IT and actuarial expertise, the 90-year-old enterprise fosters a strong corporate social responsibility ethic that – among other things - encourages all employees not only to perform community service, but also to bring their personal favorite charities to the attention of executives for cooperative fundraising opportunities.
Cheryl lives this creed in her personal life. In addition to serving on the board of the Boca
Raton Airport Authority for nearly two years, and serving on the advisory board of the Palm
Beach County Literacy Coalition, this accomplished marathon runner volunteers with Boca
Helping Hands and, with her nearly 1,000 coworkers, regularly participates in various philanthropic activities such as working with Horses for the Handicapped, bowling for Junior
Achievement, and walking for March of Dimes. An amateur chef, Cheryl loves to cook for
large gatherings, including a recent party at her home for 90!
Cheryl ‘s involvement and dedication to the area has culminated in her election as the Chair
of the Board of Directors of the Boca Chamber of Commerce. She is excited that Boca Raton
will be in the national spotlight next year with the Presidential debate being held at Lynn
University. She is also working to expose Boca Grove to members of the Chamber of
Commerce by hosting various events at the club in the upcoming year. Cheryl and Steve have
both been active within the Boca Grove community and we are fortunate to have them as
members of the club.
Friday, January 6, 2012
We KNOW! It’s the People!
Although we sell homes in many country clubs, the one remark we hear over and over again from Boca Grove residents is the reason they love living here is the people—their neighbors whom have become close friends. Many of our residents are or were CEOs of major corporations and civic leaders, the movers and shakers that enjoy living a life of luxury in our understated elegant community. After in depth interviews with personnel who make things happen in Boca Grove, we thought our residents would enjoy getting to know some of the neighbors who
also make things happen! With so many choices, we came across a resident who not only is a top executive of a Fortune 500 company, but also has risen through the ranks and is now the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Boca Chamber of Commerce. Please see Page Three for a glimpse into the life of Cheryl Budd.....
Also, for those of you just getting back to town, you are in for a great green surprise with the completion of the newly renovated golf course. There are many great upcoming opportunities in which to take part with various tournaments and events. And, if you haven’t golfed in a while or ever before, this may be the perfect opportunity to begin NOW! We have heard from some of the top players that their game has become a bit more challenging with the new surfaces and design of the course. Newcomers to golf might actually have an edge!
As always, please email or call us on personal home valuations, real estate activity here and as well as other country clubs. Please remember, BocaExecutive.com is easy to use and gives you great details on not only individual residences but also community information.
Wishing you an absolutely Sensational Holiday Season and New Year as we say goodbye to 2011 — with great hopes for 2012!
Best Wishes: Rich, Marla & Charles - Your Premier Selling Team in Boca Grove
also make things happen! With so many choices, we came across a resident who not only is a top executive of a Fortune 500 company, but also has risen through the ranks and is now the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Boca Chamber of Commerce. Please see Page Three for a glimpse into the life of Cheryl Budd.....
Also, for those of you just getting back to town, you are in for a great green surprise with the completion of the newly renovated golf course. There are many great upcoming opportunities in which to take part with various tournaments and events. And, if you haven’t golfed in a while or ever before, this may be the perfect opportunity to begin NOW! We have heard from some of the top players that their game has become a bit more challenging with the new surfaces and design of the course. Newcomers to golf might actually have an edge!
As always, please email or call us on personal home valuations, real estate activity here and as well as other country clubs. Please remember, BocaExecutive.com is easy to use and gives you great details on not only individual residences but also community information.
Wishing you an absolutely Sensational Holiday Season and New Year as we say goodbye to 2011 — with great hopes for 2012!
Best Wishes: Rich, Marla & Charles - Your Premier Selling Team in Boca Grove
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Reasons to live in Boca Grove
Elaine of Campo Florido - “With several of my best & closest friends residing in Boca Grove for over 30 years, I finally moved here myself 7 years ago and couldn’t be happier. Besides my original close friends, I have met lovely people and feel the ambiance and serenity of the community are absolutely wonderful.”
Larry of Valencia shares - “The smaller size of the community plus the unique custom homes coupled with the nice people I have met makes the luxury lifestyle of Boca Grove.”
Sonny of Campo Florido - “In the past 16 years of living here, I must commend the staff as they are so helpful & make everything very pleasant. Roland especially is wonderful.”
Evelyn of Greenwood - “People really get to know each other. It’s a true community and has made my 18 years here great!”
Patsy of Hamlin - “Boca Grove is small enough so it’s easy to meet people. In my 10 years of living here, I find it very friendly, not pretentious, people always say Hello and, I have great neighbors.”
Rex & Carol of Valencia - “We find a strong sense of community...very welcoming. The activities here are key as there is always something going on with tennis, fitness, golf. With sidewalks throughout & great security, we are comfortable with our children visiting the Clubhouse & find the residents very welcoming to children.”
Ilona of Greenwood - “The size of the community is small enough so you really get to know your neighbors & other residents throughout the community.”
Roger of Mandarin - “This is a small community that has no resource problems. No tee times, no waiting to play tennis or use the fitness center. This, along with the mixed age group, is priceless in a South Florida Community.”
Orrine of Frontenac - “ With only 400 families, I have found my 26 years here to be great because it’s easy to use the great amenities including tennis, golf (no tee times!), even Fitness is not crowded and the food is great!”
Carolyn of Mandarin - “In my 5 years here, I have found this to be the Best Kept Secret. It’s beautiful here. Small enough to get to know others but big enough so there is a good mix of people.”
Harold of Orangewood - “ It’s like staying at a five star resort, partaking in all the amenities and fine food, and then you get to return to your home, instead of a room!”
Larry of Valencia shares - “The smaller size of the community plus the unique custom homes coupled with the nice people I have met makes the luxury lifestyle of Boca Grove.”
Sonny of Campo Florido - “In the past 16 years of living here, I must commend the staff as they are so helpful & make everything very pleasant. Roland especially is wonderful.”
Evelyn of Greenwood - “People really get to know each other. It’s a true community and has made my 18 years here great!”
Patsy of Hamlin - “Boca Grove is small enough so it’s easy to meet people. In my 10 years of living here, I find it very friendly, not pretentious, people always say Hello and, I have great neighbors.”
Rex & Carol of Valencia - “We find a strong sense of community...very welcoming. The activities here are key as there is always something going on with tennis, fitness, golf. With sidewalks throughout & great security, we are comfortable with our children visiting the Clubhouse & find the residents very welcoming to children.”
Ilona of Greenwood - “The size of the community is small enough so you really get to know your neighbors & other residents throughout the community.”
Roger of Mandarin - “This is a small community that has no resource problems. No tee times, no waiting to play tennis or use the fitness center. This, along with the mixed age group, is priceless in a South Florida Community.”
Orrine of Frontenac - “ With only 400 families, I have found my 26 years here to be great because it’s easy to use the great amenities including tennis, golf (no tee times!), even Fitness is not crowded and the food is great!”
Carolyn of Mandarin - “In my 5 years here, I have found this to be the Best Kept Secret. It’s beautiful here. Small enough to get to know others but big enough so there is a good mix of people.”
Harold of Orangewood - “ It’s like staying at a five star resort, partaking in all the amenities and fine food, and then you get to return to your home, instead of a room!”
Friday, August 19, 2011
Real Estate Market Update
Finally! Wherever you go, no matter if it’s a country club, gated community, condo or fabulous oceanfront mansion, the Buyers are buying and the lenders are starting to relax the purse strings on their stringent mortgage regulations. The only thing that potential buyers are keeping an eye on is the fact that without permanent residency in Florida, their taxes can and will swoop up as the market values begin to increase; hopefully, in the next year or two.
Optimism is now not only the keyword but inherently motivating the strong sales. Of course, we all knew that the short sales and foreclosures needed to be sold and that, too, is beginning to happen. The number of new distressed properties is low and will no longer negatively impact the market to the extent it has in recent years.
The rest of our Country may not be doing as well, but Mother Nature certainly lent us a big hand this year with most of the other States dealing with frigid temps mixed with ice and snow storms to bring loaded planes filled with “we-have-had-it-with-Winter” Ready, Willing & Able Buyers to our shores.
Optimism is now not only the keyword but inherently motivating the strong sales. Of course, we all knew that the short sales and foreclosures needed to be sold and that, too, is beginning to happen. The number of new distressed properties is low and will no longer negatively impact the market to the extent it has in recent years.
The rest of our Country may not be doing as well, but Mother Nature certainly lent us a big hand this year with most of the other States dealing with frigid temps mixed with ice and snow storms to bring loaded planes filled with “we-have-had-it-with-Winter” Ready, Willing & Able Buyers to our shores.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
You Oughta Know...
As in the past, we bring to you in-depth interviews of people that have a great impacton the success of Boca Grove Plantation. In this issue we are featuring, Zev Freidus, the founder and President of Boca Executive Realty as it was his inspiration and dedication in making Boca Grove a household name when it comes to online marketing. All of us — homeowners, buyers, sellers and real estate agents - will greatly benefit from his talents that he put to use for the benefit of Boca Grove.
MH: Zev, you have been a very busy person these last 5 years building a successful real estate company in this economic climate. This is unheard of and an anomaly when other companies are either closing offices or going out of business completely. What is different about Boca Executive Realty (BER) that has allowed you to grow and continue to open new offices in this down market?
Zev: While others continue to spend their efforts and resources on soliciting sellers to list with them, we focus our efforts on generating buyers which in turn causes sellers to seek us out because we have the buyers.
RB: Why should someone list with your company?
Zev: Because for the last 5 years, we have accumulated a database of more than 100,000 prospective buyers, over 10,000 of which are specifically researching country clubs in our area.
MH: Why is your website more successful than others?
Zev: The best analogy I can offer is newspaper advertising, prior to their becoming obsolete. Back when home buyers used the newspaper to shop for homes, the value of the publication was based on the circulation, or the audience it would reach. Now, with 94% of all home searches originating online, websites must be measured by the amount of online traffic they capture. The Boca Executive Realty website was voted “#1 Broker Website in the State” by the Florida Association of Realtors and Google certifies that we are now reaching over 250,000 people on a monthly basis, which incidentally is more than the Sun-Sentinel circulation was at the height of its popularity. When selecting a listing agent to market your home, I would strongly recommend
you ask any candidate agent to quantify for you the audience they will reach through their online presence.
RB: Why is your circulation so much better than those of other companies?
Zev: This is achieved through search engine optimization (SEO).
MH: For those of us that aren’t as computer savvy and are unsure of what this means, could you simply tell us in layman’s terms: How Do You Do It?!!
Zev: Well, that’s a best kept secret but I will tell you that I was proud to be part of the process of redesigning Boca Grove’s website, adding real estate listings and through SEO, Boca Grove is now one of the first websites to pop up when buyers are searching Google for ”Boca Raton Golf Communities”. Boca Grove has always had a special place in my heart since the first few sales we generated online were homes in Boca Grove, which as you know, is how we originally met!
RB: Anything else you would like to add?
Zev: Yes. The internet has transformed how business is conducted in virtually every industry, yet Realtors have been slow to embrace its potential. Home buyers and sellers on the other hand are using the internet almost exclusively. According to statistics published by the National Association of Realtors, 94% of buyers use the internet to search for homes, yet 90% of Realtors are not generating a significant amount of business online. This striking disparity suggests that the majority of the business is now being captured by a select few Realtors. At Boca Executive Realty, wholly 60% of our sales are generated online! And because our online strategy is geared towards generating buyers, we have been fortunate in this buyers market to represent the
buyers in 70% of our transactions. This means we have approximately 2 buyers for every listing we accept. While most other firms are blaming “the market” instead of adjusting their strategy, BER enjoyed gross sales of $150 million in 2009 and is expected to exceed that number in 2010.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today and for your great time and efforts in putting Boca Grove ON THE MAP! We appreciate no longer being the Best Kept Secret as more and more Internet users are seeing Boca Grove first and foremost when searching for a great new place to call home.
MH: Zev, you have been a very busy person these last 5 years building a successful real estate company in this economic climate. This is unheard of and an anomaly when other companies are either closing offices or going out of business completely. What is different about Boca Executive Realty (BER) that has allowed you to grow and continue to open new offices in this down market?
Zev: While others continue to spend their efforts and resources on soliciting sellers to list with them, we focus our efforts on generating buyers which in turn causes sellers to seek us out because we have the buyers.
RB: Why should someone list with your company?
Zev: Because for the last 5 years, we have accumulated a database of more than 100,000 prospective buyers, over 10,000 of which are specifically researching country clubs in our area.
MH: Why is your website more successful than others?
Zev: The best analogy I can offer is newspaper advertising, prior to their becoming obsolete. Back when home buyers used the newspaper to shop for homes, the value of the publication was based on the circulation, or the audience it would reach. Now, with 94% of all home searches originating online, websites must be measured by the amount of online traffic they capture. The Boca Executive Realty website was voted “#1 Broker Website in the State” by the Florida Association of Realtors and Google certifies that we are now reaching over 250,000 people on a monthly basis, which incidentally is more than the Sun-Sentinel circulation was at the height of its popularity. When selecting a listing agent to market your home, I would strongly recommend
you ask any candidate agent to quantify for you the audience they will reach through their online presence.
RB: Why is your circulation so much better than those of other companies?
Zev: This is achieved through search engine optimization (SEO).
MH: For those of us that aren’t as computer savvy and are unsure of what this means, could you simply tell us in layman’s terms: How Do You Do It?!!
Zev: Well, that’s a best kept secret but I will tell you that I was proud to be part of the process of redesigning Boca Grove’s website, adding real estate listings and through SEO, Boca Grove is now one of the first websites to pop up when buyers are searching Google for ”Boca Raton Golf Communities”. Boca Grove has always had a special place in my heart since the first few sales we generated online were homes in Boca Grove, which as you know, is how we originally met!
RB: Anything else you would like to add?
Zev: Yes. The internet has transformed how business is conducted in virtually every industry, yet Realtors have been slow to embrace its potential. Home buyers and sellers on the other hand are using the internet almost exclusively. According to statistics published by the National Association of Realtors, 94% of buyers use the internet to search for homes, yet 90% of Realtors are not generating a significant amount of business online. This striking disparity suggests that the majority of the business is now being captured by a select few Realtors. At Boca Executive Realty, wholly 60% of our sales are generated online! And because our online strategy is geared towards generating buyers, we have been fortunate in this buyers market to represent the
buyers in 70% of our transactions. This means we have approximately 2 buyers for every listing we accept. While most other firms are blaming “the market” instead of adjusting their strategy, BER enjoyed gross sales of $150 million in 2009 and is expected to exceed that number in 2010.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today and for your great time and efforts in putting Boca Grove ON THE MAP! We appreciate no longer being the Best Kept Secret as more and more Internet users are seeing Boca Grove first and foremost when searching for a great new place to call home.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Shot on Site at Boca Grove
Goodbye Party For Coach Brian Newcomer 
Margaux Zucker, Samantha & Erica Falzone, Jeremy Buch, Eli Lenner
Steve & Kim Bronson and twin daughters
Sherry & Carl Morganstein
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Where are all the REAL Buyers?
Many of the listing agents from the various companies throughout Boca Raton’s country clubs are lamenting the fact that the people currently looking at properties are either killing time in hopes of making a killing on a house by being in the right place at the right time or are so hopelessly out of touch with reality when it comes to making realistic offers. Lowballers have descended on Boca Raton from many parts of the country in hopes of cashing in on our depressed market. While the sellers have capitulated in lowering their prices in competition with the short sales and true desperation of some sellers, the buyers don’t realize that these prices are already at bare bones levels without much negotiating room. Many of our listings inquire as to why their homes are not being shown more often. The answer is: We qualify buyers ahead of time to be certain that they have the funds to purchase the property if they do find it amenable to their tastes and lifestyle and within the price point it needs to be. In other words, we don’t waste time showing a residence priced at $1.8M to someone that wants to spend “no more than $1M!” Factoring in the Club costs is also a consideration so when we have buyers that like the 55+ communities such as the many Valencias, Vizcaya, etc., we know they are usually not going to step up to the plate on the costs of living in Boca Grove Plantation. With Summer coming, these bottom feeders will continue but we should also begin to have a new state-of-mind with Buyers understanding and realizing that the prices they are seeing on these homes are rolled back from 3 to 6 years ago in most cases and that these already are True Deals. Also, the fact that the lenders are making it easier once again for secondary home buyers to qualify for mortgages on well appraised properties certainly will help turn the market. As we have mentioned to many of you who have inquired about listing properties at this time: Why jump into this market in its downturn if you don’t have to sell immediately? If you can afford to wait, then do so and obtain what you deserve for your gorgeous estate, patio home or grande condo in Boca Grove Plantation.
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