The festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. at Gator Harley-Davidson with a pancake breakfast, and kickstands will go up at 11:30 a.m. for a police escorted ride to Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson in Clermont. There will be live music and drawings for prizes throughout the day.

The cost is $15 a rider and $10 a passenger. The first 350 people registered will receive breakfast, lunch dog tag and entry to win a $1,000 Gator/Stormy Hill gift card!

We are a proud sponsor of the gift bags given out at the event and also donated a tent to keep the festivities shaded.

So, take a ride over to Gator this weekend and support the Salute and Disabled American Veterans.  You can register for the ride and learn more on the Gator Harley-Davidson website.

When you are in the Leesburg area, stop by and tour our Orlando new homes at Whitemarsh. Located in Leesburg, just 11 miles from Gator off of Hwy 27 and Florida’s Turnpike, Whitemarsh features three, four and five bedroom plans priced from the $120,000s. Be sure to ask us about a special incentive at Whitemarsh just for Harley riders!

For more information about Highland Homes and Whitemarsh, visit our website.

Orlando isn’t the only Florida city seeing an uptick in new home prices. Recently, we told you that the Tampa Tribune is also reporting an increase in prices for Tampa new homes as well.

This is significant news: we’ve seen home prices increase on a monthly basis, but this is the first time in four years that we’ve seen a year-over-year increase, which experts say is more accurate in determining market trends. The Florida home market is looking up. So, if you’re interested in investing in your future and achieving the dream of homeownership, now is the time to act.

We have several new home communities in the Orlando area for buyers looking to make their move, including Andover, Mystery Ridge, Deer Creek and Whitemarsh. These communities offer Orlando new homes with quality features, in peaceful Florida settings with convenient city access.

Plus, with popular features such as covered lanais, spacious family rooms and luxurious master suites, as well as new home prices starting in the low-$100,000s, you’ll find that you are able to purchase the Highland home of your dream at a price that fits your budget.

Hurry in to make your new home investment at today’s low prices.  For more information about our beautiful Orlando new homes, visit our website.

If you’re a homebuyer looking for a new home that won’t break the bank, turn to Highland Homes. We’re an Orlando home builder with more than a decade of experience and a solid reputation as Central Florida’s value leader.

We offer new homes for every style and budget. Buyers have more than 30 floor plans to choose from with options such as covered lanais, garden tubs and walk-in closets. Plus, with new home prices starting in the low-$100,000s and our $99 Moves You In offer, everyone is sure to find the home of their dreams at a price they can afford.

For more information about Highland Homes and our affordable new homes, visit our website.

Below are some hurricane safety tips to help you protect yourself and your home.

Develop a family disaster plan: When the hurricane hits, where will you go, how will you get there and how will you care for your pets? The disaster plan will help you answer these and other questions.

Build a disaster supply kit: This should include everything your family will need for three days (as long as it may take disaster relief workers to reach you with supplies). Suggested items include water, food, medicine, important legal documents, clothing, pet supplies, flashlights, extra batteries and something to keep you entertained such as non-electronic games.

Once you have your plan and supply kit in place, then next thing you should do is make sure that your home was constructed by Central Florida home builder Highland Homes. Our homes are built to the latest building codes for hurricane safety and include the following features:

• Hurricane straps on the roof connections
• Windows meet current design pressures required by the Florida Building Code
• Shingles meet ASTM standards for wind resistance required by the Florida Building Code, and also often are covered by a longer warranty (25 or 30 years) than older shingles
• Stem wall foundation: Raises the home above ground level for less chance of water intrusion and creates a more stable foundation.
• Lot and driveway elevated to drain away from the home
• Reinforced concrete block construction
• Reinforced garage doors
• Specially engineered roof trusses
• Underground power lines

These are just some of the hurricane safety benefits of a new home versus an older home. Keep in mind that homes built prior to 1994 are especially at risk because the high wind building code was not standard at that time.

Make sure your family is safe this hurricane season. For more information, visit the Highland Homes website.

For more information about protecting your home, visit the following websites:

International Code Council

Florida Division of Emergency Management

Florida Department of Community Affairs

So, what makes Highland Homes the Florida new home value leader? Our commitment to providing affordable homes with prices starting in the low-$100,000s, a variety of finance options, our $99 Moves You In special offer, and a variety of single-family home floor plans to suit every buyer’s needs. Not to mention the experience that comes with constructing more than 12,000 new homes throughout the years, and the fact that we are the only locally based builder on Builder Magazine’s Top 100 Builders of 2010.

But don’t take our word for it. Come see for yourself what makes our homes so special. We construct Lakeland, Winter Haven, Orlando, Tampa and Davenport new homes, so you’re sure to find the perfect home in the perfect location.

For more information about our history or homes, visit the Highland Homes website.

Builder Magazine annually ranks homebuilders based on their closings, and we were recognized for our 247 closings in 2010 and made the list right at the #100 spot. For a local builder who builds in just six counties, being ranked against national companies who build homes throughout the United States, it is quite an honor to make the list. For more information about the Top 100 Builders of 2010, visit the Builder Magazine website.

Come see for yourself what makes Highland Homes one of the top homebuilders in the country. Our affordable pricing, variety of finance options, and $99 Moves You In special offer make purchasing a home affordable to Central Florida homebuyers. Our beautiful, single-family homes feature three to five bedrooms and span in size from 1,210 to 2,827 square feet. Couple that with the hundreds of options available for you to design your home, and we have the perfect home for first-time or move-up buyers.

The perfect home at an affordable payment – that’s a winning combination

For more information, visit the Highland Homes website.

If you are looking for Orlando new homes in Leesburg, we have great news for you – Whitemarsh has limited time, lower pricing on some of our most popular floor plans!

Whitemarsh is one of Lake County’s fastest growing new home communities, and with the new pricing and our great $99 Moves You In program, we are excited to see lots of new faces in the neighborhood this summer.  This all-ages community has a little something for everyone with over 30 floor plans to choose from, perfect for first-time buyers or if you are looking to move up or down in size.

Whitemarsh is located in Leesburg off Highway 27, just north of the Turnpike.  With less than a 30-minute drive to downtown Orlando and the theme parks, it’s a great home for commuters who want to get out of the city but still have easy city access.

The Leesburg, FL homes at Whitemarsh are adjacent to the Dilly Marsh for beautiful, conservation views, and the oversized ¼ acre lots mean you can enjoy a nice sized yard and privacy from adjacent homes.

With discounts of more than $10,000 on some floor plans, Whitemarsh’s limited time pricing will not be available for long. So, visit the Highland Homes website to learn more about the community, and hurry in to snap up your Leesburg new home from the low $100’s!

Now, the St. Petersburg Times has more positive news: “Florida home sales surge in March,” showing that Florida’s housing market continues to distance itself from the negative effects of the recent market crash.

Are you ready to return to the housing market? We can make your transition into a new home easy and affordable. We offer more than 30 floor plans that can be upgraded with the finishes and features that you love.

Plus, now is a great time to buy a Highland Home. Professionals, retirees and veterans of the healthcare and education industries and the police and armed forces still have time to take advantage of our Heroes month offer of $3,000 in free upgrades for the Orlando, Tampa or Lakeland homes purchased in May.

We are also offering special incentives at Wind Meadows in Bartow to celebrate the move of Highland Homes sales veteran Doug Pike to this wonderful community. So, visit a sales center today to learn how you can take advantage

For more information about Highland Homes, visit our website.

Utility and Value: New home shoppers are searching for a value, not extra frills. Instead of looking at a home as an investment to be sold in a year, buyers want real estate that they will live in for an extended period of time. At Highland Homes, we offer affordable homes priced from the low-$100,000s with only $99 out-of-pocket. With more than 30 floor plans to choose from, you’re sure to find the life-long home of your dreams. Plus, with a Highland Home, you can still afford the extras such as covered lanais, garden tubs and large, walk-in closets.

Energy Efficient Materials: Buyers, especially in light of the recent recession, are continually looking for ways to save money on heating and cooling bills. While most are not quite ready to add solar panel to their roofs, homebuyers are still interested in energy efficient materials. We recognize the importance of energy efficiency in new home building. That’s why we offer green options such as Foam Injected Wall Block, Radiant Barrier, Double Pane Windows and Level 1 Mohawk® recycled carpet to name a few in the Lakeland, Tampa and Orlando new homes that we build.

We continue to strive to meet the demands of new homebuyers. For more information, visit the Highland Homes website.

If you’re ready to take advantage of Tampa’s affordable home prices and low interest rates, then stop by a Highland Homes sales center today. We’re a Tampa home builder with many beautiful home options. We offer more than 30 floor plans to choose from with prices starting in the low-$100,000s, so there’s a home for every buyer. With features such as covered lanais, garden tubs and walk-in closets, and a little help from our Personal Selection Studio, you can design the home that you’ve always wanted.

Plus, we’re offering a special incentive in honor of Heroes Month. Professionals, retirees and veterans of the healthcare and education industries and police and armed forces who purchase Orlando, Tampa or Lakeland new homes in May will receive $3,000 in FREE upgrades.

As always, qualified buyers can move into their dream homes for only $99 out-of-pocket. For more information about Highland Homes, visit our website.