The Southwest Florida homebuilding market continues to offer some of the finest new real estate anywhere-evident in the area's continued dominance of the 12-state Southeast Building Conference Aurora Awards program. Homes in Southwest Florida claimed more than one-third of the Aurora Awards this summer in categories like product design, landscaping, interior merchandising and communities. Forty-three of the 122 winners hailed from Southwest Florida, including seven of the 15 Grand Aurora winners-given to the top project in each category.

Coordinators for the Aurora Awards and the Sand Dollar and Pinnacle programs, which are presented locally by the Collier and Lee building industry associations, report a growing number of entries each year, making it ever more daunting for judges to select a winner. The quality of interior and product design is rising as well. Consider, for example, the three-way tie for the CBIA's Sand Dollar for product design in the $7-million-and-up category.

For consumers, this all boils down to one thing: incredible homebuying opportunities and the chance to tell your friends and family you live in an award-winning home!

AURORA AWARDS

Attached Home

$300,001-$500,000

WCI Communities, Spinnaker model at Tarpon Bay

Over $500,000

Aurora, Grand Aurora: WCI Communities, Penthouse 1807, Montenero at Pelican Bay

Detached Single-Family Home

$750,000-$1,000,000

Empire Builders, The Veranda at Olde Cypress

$1,500,001-$2,000,000

Damon Custom Structures, The Damascus at Barefoot Bay

Over $3,000,001

Gulfshore Homes/The Decorators Unlimited, model at Mediterra

Harwick Homes, The Velano at Mediterra

Custom Home (one of a kind, built for a client)

$2,000,001-$3,000,000

Aurora, Grand Aurora: Harwick Homes, Craig residence in Bonita Bay

Over $3,000,001

Aurora, Grand Aurora: Harwick Homes, Seavitt residence in Port Royal

London Bay Homes, private residence in Port Royal

Godfrey Design Consultants/Boran Craig Barber Homes, private residence in Bay Colony Golf Estates

McGarvey Custom Homes, private residence in The Estates at Bay Colony Golf Club

Best Kitchen

$500,001-$1,000,000

Collins & DuPont Interiors/DeAngelis Diamond Construction, DuPont residence in Bonita Springs

$2,000,001-$3,000,000

Harwick Homes/Collins & DuPont Interiors, Craig residence in Bonita Bay

Over $3,000,001

Aurora, Grand Aurora: McGarvey Custom Homes/Vogue Interiors, private residence in The Estates at Bay Colony Golf Club

Vanguard Development Group, Villa Tuscany on Marco Island

Best Bath

$1,000,001-$2,000,000

Kingon Homes, The Mustique in The Brooks

Over $3,000,001

McGarvey Custom Homes/Vogue Interiors, private residence in The Estates at Bay Colony Golf Club

Romanza Interior Design/London Bay Homes, The Caterina at Mediterra

Interior Merchandising

$1,500,001-$2,000,000

Kingon Homes, The Tuscan Villa in The Brooks

$2,000,001-$3,000,000

Vince Muller Interior Design, The Ariana in The Brooks

Kingon Homes, The Villa Grande in The Brooks

Romanza Interior Design, The Tamarind at The Estuary at Grey Oaks

Over $3,000,001

Aurora, Grand Aurora: Collins & DuPont Interiors, Seavitt residence in Port Royal

Romanza Interior Design, private residence in Port Royal

Collins & DuPont Interiors, Craig residence in Bonita Bay

Gulfshore Homes/The Decorators Unlimited, model at Mediterra

Rental Apartment or Condominium

Collins & DuPont Interiors, Hoehn residence in Bonita Bay

Godfrey Design Consultants, private residence in Provence

Simonsen-Hickok Interiors, penthouse model at Montenero

Commercial/Business Use/Common Public Areas

Interior Design Associates/WCI Communities, Montenero at Pelican Bay

Residential Development

101-500 acres

The Evans Group/Wallace Homes, Lighthouse Bay at The Brooks

Over 501 acres

WCI Communities, Tiburon

The Bonita Bay Group, The Brooks

High-Rise

The Bonita Bay Group/The Lutgert Companies, Horizons at Bonita Bay

Recreational Facility

Country Club

Centex Rooney Construction/Centex Homes, Crown Colony Country Club

WCI Communities/Parker Walter Group architect/Greg Norman Golf Course/Design Masters interior merchandising, Tiburón Golf Club

Special Amenity Facility

Aurora, Grand Aurora: EDSA, The Registry Resort pool complex redevelopment

Landscape Design

Custom Home

Harwick Homes/Russell P. Bencaz & Associates, Craig residence in Bonita Bay

Pool Design

Vanguard Development Group, Villa Tuscany on Marco Island

Commercial Project, Best Sales Center

The Ronto Group, Palmira Golf & Country Club, Bonita Springs

Interior Detailing,

Under $3,500,000

Aurora, Grand Aurora: Collins & DuPont Interiors, Craig residence in Bonita Bay

Over $3,500,000

The Decorators Unlimited, Gulfshore Homes, model in Mediterra

Romanza Interior Design, model in Mediterra

SAND DOLLAR AWARDS

Product Design, Single-Family Home

$250,001-$570,000

WCI, The Admiral at Tarpon Bay

$570,001-$700,000

Keystone Custom Homes, St. Tropez at Rookery Pointe

$700,001-$900,000

Titan Custom Homes, Villa del Sol at Olde Cypress

$900,001-$1,250,000

Landmark Development Group, Granada at The Brooks

$1,250,001-$1,750,000

Keevan Homes, The Abaco at The Brooks

$1,750,001-$2,000,000

Keevan Homes, private residence at The Brooks

Kingon Homes, The Tuscan Villa at The Brooks

$2,000,000-$2,500,000

Cornerstone Developers, St. Thomas at Fiddler's Creek

$2,500,001-$3,500,000

Imperial Homes, Santa Ana at The Colony

$3,500,001-$4,500,000

Snell Construction, The Ashford at The Estates at TwinEagles

$4,500,000-$5,250,000

24K Homes, Vista de Flores at Quail West Golf & Country Club

McGarvey Custom Homes, private residence at Bay Colony Estates

Over $7,000,000

Florida Bay Communities, Villa D'Este at Port Royal

Vanguard Development Group LLC, Villa Tuscany on Marco Island

London Bay Homes, private residence at Port Royal

Product Design, Mid-Rise/High-Rise

Under $500,000

Vineyards Realty, The Grandeur at The Vineyards

$500,001-$1,000,000

WCI Communities, Montego #301 at Cove Towers

Over $1,000,000

WCI Communities, Montenero #1807 at Pelican Bay

Product Design, Attached Dwelling

Under $200,000

Titan Custom Homes, The Cabriolet at Briarwood

$200,001-$350,000

Lennar Homes, Willow at Forest Glen

Royal Palm Builders, Bahama at Banyan Woods

$350,000-$500,000

Bateman Communities, The Preakness at Lely Resort

Over $500,000

Toll Brothers, Key West at Palmira

Architectural Design, Single-Family Home

Under $2,500,000

Weber Design Group, Banyan Cove at The Brooks

Over $2,500,000

The Vintage Group LLC, The Reagano at Fiddler's Creek

Architectural Design, Mid-Rise/High-Rise

The Lutgert Companies, Provence

Interior Merchandising, Single-Family Home

$250,001-$500,000

Browns Interiors, The Capri at Olde Cypress

$500,001-$700,000

Nicolle Swanson Designs, Grand Captiva II at Glen Eden

$700,001-$900,000

Holland Salley Interior Design, Seville at Grandézza

$900,001-$1,250,000

Palette ~ A Design Company, Zamora at Tiburón

$1,250,001-$1,750,000

Theresa Carollo Interiors, The Valencia at The Brooks

Landmark Design, Villa Amalfi at Mediterra

$1,750,001-$2,500,000

Landmark Design, Villa La Palma at Grey Oaks

$2,500,001-$3,500,000

Landmark Design, The San Marino at Grey Oaks

$3,500,001-$4,000,000

Vogue Interiors, private residence at Pelican Marsh

$4,000,001-$5,000,000

Romanza Interior Design, The Caterina at Mediterra

$6,000,001-$7,500,000

Beasley & Henley Interior Design, The Artimino at Bay Colony Golf Estates

Novakovich & Associates, Villa Tuscany at Marco Island

Over $10,000,000

Holland Salley Interior Design, Villa D'Este at Port Royal

Interior Merchandising, Multi-family Home

$250,001-$500,000

Robb & Stucky, private residence at The Colony

Kay Green Design, Spinnaker at Tarpon Bay

$500,001-$750,000

Jinx McDonald Designs, Montego #301 at Cove Towers

$750,001-$1,000,000

Holland Salley Interior Design, private residence at Montenero

$1,000,001-$1,750,000

Gary David Designs, Estancia #402 at Bonita Bay

$1,750,000-$2,500,000

Romanza Interior Design, private residence at Provence

$2,500,001-$3,500,000

Godfrey Design Consultants, private residence at Provence

Over $3,500,000

Robb & Stucky, Horizons Penthouse #401 at Bonita Bay

Landscape Design & Outdoor Amenity Package, Single-family Home

Under $1,000,000

Royal Palm Builders, Bayfield at Banyan Woods

$1,000,001 to $2,000,000

Busk & Associates, private residence at The Vineyards

$2,000,001 to $3,000,000

Cornerstone Developers, St. Thomas at Fiddler's Creek

$3,000,001-$5,000,000

Harbourside Custom Homes, La Bella Villa at Mediterra

Over $5,000,000

London Bay Homes, private residence at Port Royal

Community of the Year

Average price of existing homes up to $400,000

Naples Lakes Country Club

Average price of existing homes from $400,001 to $800,000

Vineyards

Average price of existing homes over $800,000

Mediterra

Best Sales Center

Palmira Golf & Country Club

Best Clubhouse

Average price of existing homes up to $400,000

Naples Lakes Country Club

Average price of existing homes from $400,001 to $800,000

The Club at Olde Cypress, Valentine & Stone Interiors

Average price of existing home over $800,000

The Colony Golf & Bay Club

Best Neighborhood Clubhouse

Vineyards Realty, Regency Reserve Clubhouse

Best Residential Remodeling Project, Single-Family Home

Under $750,000

Wm. J. Varian Construction Co., private residence

Over $750,000

Charles Metz Construction, private residence at Pine Ridge

Weber Design Group, St. Eustacius at Barefoot Beach

Best Residential Remodeling Project, Condominium

The Lykos Group, private residence at The Savoy

Best Remodeling Project, Interior Design Firm

Godfrey Design Consultants, private residence at The Terraces

Best Interior Design Commercial Project

Palette ~ A Design Company

PINNACLE AWARDS

Interior Design, Commercial

Design Works of Southwest Florida, Crown Colony Country Club

Interior Design, Residential

Under $199,999

Robb & Stucky for WCI Communities, The Milan

$300,000-$399,999

Robb & Stucky for WCI Communities, The Corsica

$400,000-$499,999

Robb & Stucky, The Roma

$500,000-$649,999

Robb & Stucky for WCI Communities, The Majorca

$1,000,000-$1,799,999

Valentine & Stone for Vision Builders, The Leonardo

$1,800,000-$2,499,999

Southern Showcase for Kingon Homes, The Villa Grande

Over $3,000,000

Romanza Interior Design for London Bay Homes, The Caterina

Commercial Product Design

Sheeley Architects, Lee Physician Group Office Building

Product Design

$200,000-$299,999

WCI Communities, The Riviera at Hidden Links

$300,000-$399,999

Marvin Development Corp., The Key Largo II

$400,000-$499,999

Centex Homes, The Kingfisher I

$500,000-$649,999

Centex Homes, The Covington

$650,000-$799,999

WCI Communities, The Zamora at Castillo

$800,000-$999,999

Vision Builders, The Leonardo

$1,000,000-$1,799,999

Damon Custom Structures, The Damascus at Barefoot Beach

$1,800,000-$2,499,999

Kingon Homes, The Villa Grande

Over $3,000,000

London Bay Homes, The Caterina at Mediterra

Best Clubhouse

Valentine & Stone for HDG, The Club at Olde Cypress

Best Sales Center

Vasari, Taylor Woodrow Community

Development Company of the Year

The Bonita Bay Group

Community of the Year

101 to 500 Acres

Centex Homes, Crown Colony Golf & Country Club

Over 501 Acres

The Bonita Bay Group, The Brooks

The News-Press Grand Award

Taylor Woodrow Communities for Vasari