Category — Press Releases

J.D. Power and Associates announced July 28 that the Prudential Real Estate Network ranked “Highest Overall Satisfaction for Home Sellers among National Full Service Real Estate Firms” in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Home Buyer/Seller Study. This marks the second time in three years that the Network ranked highest in seller satisfaction.

The annual study measures customer satisfaction of home sellers and buyers with major national real estate companies. Overall satisfaction is determined by examining four factors for the home-selling experience: agent (44%); marketing (30%); office (15%); and services (11%). Among home sellers, Prudential Real Estate scored highest on a 1,000-point scale and received particularly high ratings from customers in the marketing and agent factors.

PRERS Chairman Jim Mallozzi said the award speaks for the quality and consistency of the Prudential Real Estate Network. “Affiliate to affiliate, our sales professionals are the local-market experts who market and price homes right, while providing attentive service,” Mallozzi said.

The Willard Companies announced recent management changes at two of its golf course and country club communities located at Smith Mountain Lake.

Scott Cooper has joined the company as new club manager for The Westlake Golf and Country Club. Scott brings over twenty five years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Prior to joining The Westlake Golf and Country Club, Scott owned All Occasions Catering and worked as Area Chef at Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney World, Florida.  Scott, a native of Southwest Virginia, graduated from Johnson and Wales with a degree in Culinary Arts and was hand chosen to attend the Disney Management Development Program.  Cooper also served a tour in the Marines.

The company also is pleased to announce Mickey Martin has been promoted to new Club Manager for The Waterfront Country Club, a private golf and country club community located in Moneta, Virginia at Smith Mountain Lake. Prior to joining The Waterfront Country Club, Martin was the Club Manger at The Westlake Golf and Country Club. Martin brings over twenty years of experience in the food, beverage and resort industry. Previously, Martin worked as the Food and Beverage Director for The Reserve Golf Club of Pawley’s Island as well as Club Manager for The Country Club of Charleston, both located in South Carolina. Mickey, a native of Southwest Virginia, graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Business Management.

Prudential Waterfront Properties presents ‘After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake’, a new three-part outdoor summer concert series, that will kick-off Thursday, June 3, 2010 with “The Domino Band” performing at Westlake Towne Center, next to Kroger.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with live music getting underway at 5:30 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the United Way of Franklin County. ‘After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake’ is sponsored by Prudential Waterfront Properties, Verizon Wireless, Smith Mountain Building Supply, Kroger, WDBJ-7 and Coca-Cola.

Dates for the 2010 ‘After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake’ concerts series are as follows:   

• Thursday, June 3
  “The Domino Band”
  5 – 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, July 1
  “The Kings”
  5 – 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 5
  “The Part Time Party Time Band”
  5 – 8:30 p.m.

According to Christopher Finley, event coordinator, “The goal of the ‘After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake’ concert series is to provide an additional entertainment option for local residents, draw visitors to the region, and provide an attraction for vacationers while at the same time generating proceeds that will benefit the United Way of Franklin County whose 18 partner agencies serve a comprehensive range of human needs.”

Admission for Adults is $5, children 10 and under are admitted free. Valid ID required for 21 and older. There will be a children’s play area including inflatable slides and moonwalk, face painting and other activities.

Participating food and drink vendors include Homestead Creamery, Hot Shots, Brooks Mill Winery, Budweiser and Coca-Cola. Lawn chairs welcome. No coolers, outside food or drinks, rollerblades, skateboards or pets are allowed on the premises.

Events are subject to cancellation and possible rescheduling due to inclement weather.  “We are excited to bring the ‘After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake’ concert series to the Smith Mountain Lake community. We will continue to offer more activities each year as the program evolves,” added Finley.

-Sara Elizabeth Timmins, Producer

I am happy to announce that Lake Effects has officially green lighted and will be produced in the Fall of 2010. 

I feel so honored to have such a wonderful group of investors who believe in this film and for the abundance of community support we have received over the last year.

Every investor we have has gone above and beyond to help guide and support me and make sure that this film happens… and it has just amazed me!  I am especially thankful for Bart and Lynn Wilner, who were the first to jump on board with financial support.  Without their leadership and belief I don’t know that we would be making this announcement today, so I am very grateful for them. 

We are reminded every day that without this community, the making of Lake Effects would not be possible and so we will continue to promote local businesses, incorporate Virginia professionals and encourage people to participate hands on in the creation of this film,which will showcase the beauty of this region.

Our next step is to attach recognizable talent to the lead roles which is a key factor in the film’s success.  We will also continue to work with the community and begin to secure the many resources needed to produce the film.

Although local casting for speaking roles will not occur until after the summer and closer to the start date, we have begun collecting information for locals interested in volunteering and being extras.

We encourage anyone who is interested in getting involved, receiving the newsletter or making a resource or service donation to sign up on the Life Out Loud Films website at www.lifeoutloudfilms.com.

I hope you all reach for the stars and never let any one crush your dreams because you can make anything happen if you have passion, preparation, integrity and persistence.

DARE to Live Life Out Loud!  Dream, Act, Risk, Embrace!!

Congratulations to six Smith Mountain Lake Prudential Waterfront Properties Realtors who won Prudential Real Estate awards!

Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE:PRU] company, announced its 2009 Sales Professional award winners at its annual convention in Austin, Texas.

The following six Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® were recognized for exemplifying great sales measures in closed residential GCI, commercial GCI or closed residential units for 2009. A breakdown of the awards winners are as follows:

Chairman’s Circle Platinum
Vicki Millehan

Chairman’s Circle Gold
Jane Sullivan Horne
Debbie Shelton

Leading Edge
Tom Fansler
Eric Fansler

Honor Society Award
Dana Montgomery

Prudential Waterfront Properties is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company and Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Prudential Waterfront Properties markets property throughout Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding areas. As members of the Multiple Listing Service, Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are able to assist buyers and sellers with all listed properties in a variety of price ranges and locations throughout the lake and surrounding areas. Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are consistent leaders in sales as well as customer and client service. www.smithmtnlake.com. 

Building on a tradition of excellence with careful attention placed on preserving the quality of Smith Mountain Lake and the environment for future generations, The Willard Companies announced its newest residential development, Hammock Pointe at a formal groundbreaking ceremony earlier today. Hammock Pointe will feature 17 waterfront cottages located in The Farm residential community on Rt. 616 Scruggs Road in Moneta, Virginia.

According to Ron Willard II, Vice President of The Willard Companies, “Hammock Pointe homes will be constructed in accordance to the Earth Craft House^TM green building program. These new waterfront homes will be some of the most energy efficient homes in our region. Our goal is to create a healthy living environment for our customers and deliver cost savings through energy efficiency.”

Hammock Pointe will be the second all residential community at Smith Mountain Lake built in accordance to the The Earth Craft House^TM program built by The Willard Companies. The EarthCraft House^TM is a green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthy comfortable homes that addresses energy efficiency, durability, indoor air quality, resource efficiency, waste management, and water conservation.

Starting at $584,000, Hammock Pointe, a maintenance-free community, will offer three different open living architectural plans to choose from. The cottages, ranging from 1,950 – 3,034 sq. ft., are named “The Azalea”, “The Boxwood” and “The Crepe Myrtle”. Each style features HardiPlank® siding exteriors, MARVIN® windows and doors, cupolas and covered porches. The interiors include trey ceilings, gas fireplace, Rinnai tankless water heater, spacious master suites, and ENERGY STAR certified state-of-the-art appliances.

Amenities within the community will include a picnic pavilion, pool, community dock, and community boat storage area. Homeowners at Hammock Pointe will each have a covered boat slip. In addition, ownership offers the opportunity to join The Waterfront Country Club with no initiation fee where championship golf, tennis, swimming, fitness facility, fine dining and social activities are only a short drive away.

The Farm community overall features a total of 63 properties including 33 lots, and 13 estate lots ranging from1.7 to 5.4 acres in size. The lots and estate lots are water access via a community boat ramp and are also available for purchase.

For more than 30 years, The Willard Companies has pioneered and exemplified excellence in the construction, planning and development of premier golf and country club communities at Smith Mountain Lake. With a commitment to the highest standards of quality and customer service, The Willard Companies has produced the most exceptional residential communities in the region, including The Waterfront, The Water’s Edge and The Boardwalk. The Willard Companies is nationally recognized as both ENERGY STAR and Earth Craft House^TM certified builders.

 For more information about product specifications and pricing, contact Prudential Waterfront Properties at (540) 721-8659 or visit The Farm online at www.TheFarmatSML.com.

Vicki Millehan and Jane Sullivan Horne of Prudential Waterfront Properties, Smith Mountain Lake’s premier real estate company, were honored with the prestigious Legend Award by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., a Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE:PRU] company. The Legend Award goes to top producers who have won the Chairman’s Circle Award, which represents the top two percent of the Network, five times during their association with Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc.

“Achieving record sales year after year is not an easy feat, yet Vicki Millehan and Jane Sullivan Horne have repeatedly been top producers within the Network and have been a Chairman Circle Award winners five times. These ladies have been able to build such a successful business because of their strong work ethic, high ethical standards, and exemplary customer service,” said Cathie Daniel, Principal Broker Prudential Waterfront Properties.

Millehan’s career with Prudential Waterfront Properties began in 1991. During her real estate career, Millehan has received multiple awards from Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors (RVAR) including the “Top Individual Sales Award” twice. Millehan is a member of the RVAR, Virginia Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors and Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce. Millehan also holds the Fine Homes Specialist and the Resort & Recreation professional designations. Millehan is a native of Roanoke, Virginia and has lived in and been a member of The Water’s Edge Country Club Community since 1988. She is married to her husband, Joe and they have one daughter and one grandson.

Sullivan Horne has enjoyed a successful real estate career for over 23 years. Sullivan Horne is a member the National Association of Realtors, Virginia Association of Realtors, Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors and Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce. In addition to receiving multiple awards given by the RVAR, Sullivan Horne is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and has also earned both the certified Fine Homes Specialist and the Resort & Recreation professional designations. A native of North Carolina, Sullivan Horne resides in The Water’s Edge and became the first permanent resident of the community in 1986. Sullivan Horne has a degree in Political Science from Appalachian State University. Sullivan Horne is married to Bill Horne and has one son, Trey, who attends Virginia Tech.

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Prudential Waterfront Properties markets property throughout Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding areas. As members of the Multiple Listing Service, Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are able to assist buyers and sellers with all listed properties in a variety of price ranges and locations throughout the lake and surrounding areas. Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are consistent leaders in sales as well as customer and client service. Prudential Waterfront Properties is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Visit online www.smithmtnlake.com.

Comprehensive program geared for independent real estate contractors includes access to insurance and financial services.

Prudential Waterfront Properties launched a comprehensive program that makes available insurance and financial services to its team of independent real estate contractors.

The program, called DreamBuilder, provides access to group-health insurance, individual medical insurance, dental and vision discount programs, disability-income insurance, long-term care insurance, life insurance, retirement options including owner-only 401(k) plans and simplified employee pension (SEP) plans, and even personal consultation with a licensed insurance and financial services professional.

Additional services provided by licensed financial professionals may include coverage review and strategies for education and retirement funding and estate preservation.

Cathie Daniel, broker, Prudential Waterfront Properties said DreamBuilder® was created to help sales professionals – who are typically independent contractors responsible for their own health and other benefits – gain options that might otherwise be unavailable to them, including medical insurance at group rates. “DreamBuilder® will also help Prudential Waterfront Properties recruit and retain top real estate professionals,” Daniel added.

“This type of program is unique for our industry as few companies can offer such access to a comprehensive array of insurance and financial products and services,” Daniel said. “Our sales professionals now have even more resources that can help them build their financial futures by protecting themselves and their families today while at the same time helps them focus more of their time and energy on their clients,” added Daniel.

“DreamBuilder® is a true, competitive advantage for my company, and another reason why real estate professionals should make their living with Prudential Waterfront Properties,” Daniel added. To learn more about the DreamBuilder® program or career opportunities with Prudential Waterfront Properties, contact (540) 721-8659 for a personal interview.

Prudential Waterfront Properties markets property throughout Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding areas. As members of the Multiple Listing Service, Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are able to assist buyers and sellers with all listed properties in a variety of price ranges and locations throughout the lake and surrounding areas. Prudential Waterfront Properties REALTORS® are consistent leaders in sales as well as customer and client service. Visit online at www.smithmtnlake.com.

By Elizabeth Hock

The Andrew Haley Memorial Junior Golf Tournament held each summer at Smith Mountain Lake makes a lot of money for charity and takes a good bit of work by members of the sponsoring Smith Mountain Lake Lions Club. But, it would raise less money and require more volunteer hours were it not for one of its honorary members.

Ron Willard, SML developer and president of The Willard Companies, for 19 years has donated the use of the golf course at The Waterfront Country Club, one of three clubs he owns, for the tournament.

For his continuing support and for the contributions he has made to the lake community, Willard was honored at the SML Lions Club’s Jan. 28 meeting at The Waterfront. He was presented with a 25-year SML Lions Club honorary membership pin by District 24-E Gov. Don Rhinehart and with a plaque by SML Lions President Larry Iceman.

The two-day Haley Tournament, also played at Mariners Landing in Huddleston, is the club’s major fundraising event and helps support its community service projects. It was established in 1991 to honor the memory of Haley, a 24-year-old golfer who died in a car wreck, and played at Mariners Landing. That same year, the first SML Lions Junior Open was held at The Waterfront. The two tournaments later merged into an event that has become one of the most prestigious tournaments in southwestern Virginia.

An avid golfer who said he plays about three times a week during the season, Willard did not take up the sport until he was 30. But that hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for the game.

“Golf builds character,” said Willard, who was the first to develop a golf course — The Waterfront — at the lake. “You can play by yourself or [as a member of] a team.”

Golf is a game that can be enjoyed at any age, he added. His son, Ron Willard II, played golf at Elon University in North Carolina.

The Waterfront was the site of the Virginia High School League’s 2009 AAA golf tournament, and the course was well-received, said Willard.

Because it is played on a challenging, well-maintained course and because it has the feel of a big-time event, the Haley is able to attract some of the best young talent within a 100-mile radius of Smith Mountain Lake, Iceman said.

It averages about 100 entries, more than half in the 16-18 age bracket, and takes more than 60 volunteers to run. It is good for business at the lake, Willard said, because parents and relatives of those playing in the tournament often return for visits or to relocate.

Past winners include area golfers Matt Chandler, Mitch Chandler, David Hudgins and Lee Jamison.

The Haley Tournament helps finance a number of Lions’ projects, including a college scholarship program for Franklin County High School seniors; eye exams and eyeglasses for those unable to afford them; Camp Too Sweet for children with diabetes; and local food pantries/soup kitchens. But the event is about more than money, said Willard.

“It’s not always about how much money you raise, but about the kids and parents you touch.”

The 20th annual SML Lions/Andrew Haley Memorial Junior Golf Tournament, 36 holes of stroke play for amateur golfers 18 and under, will begin July 12 at Mariners Landing and will conclude July 13 at The Waterfront. It awards more than $3,000 in prizes in addition to two scholarships to two participants in the 16-18 age group. For more information, contact tournament chairman John Reburn at 721-3241 or jwreburn@yahoo.com. Deadline for entries is June 11.

Jane Sullivan Horne

Jane Sullivan Horne, Realtor with Prudential Waterfront Properties, has been awarded the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

Realtors who receive the CRS designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated professional expertise in the field of residential real estate. Fewer than 38,000 Realtors nationwide have earned the credential. Home buyers and sellers can be assured that CRS designees subscribe to the strict Realtor code of ethics, have access to the latest technology and are specialists in helping clients maximize profits and minimize costs when buying or selling a home.

Sullivan Horne has enjoyed a successful real estate career for over 23 years and has remained one of Prudential Waterfront Properties top producers. Sullivan Horne is a member the National Association of Realtors, Virginia Association of Realtors, Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors and Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce. In addition to receiving multiple awards given by the RVAR, Sullivan Horne has also earned both the certified Fine Homes Specialist and the Resort & Recreation professional designations as well as placed in Prudential’s prestigious Chairman’s Circle five consecutive years.

A native of North Carolina, Sullivan Horne resides in The Water’s Edge and became the first permanent resident of the community in 1986. Sullivan Horne has a degree in Political Science from Appalachian State University. Sullivan Horne is married to Bill Horne and has one son, Trey, who attends Virginia Tech.