The Palazzo

Wanted to share with you a successful Open House we had these prior two weekends. Have had in excess of 30 tours of these new “Free Standing  Townhomes” being introduced at the Fairways. They include such features as:

• Private Courtyards with entertaining options
• Open sun-filled living
• Elegant kitchen islands and granite counters
• Cathedral ceilings
• Home sizes ranging from 1500 to 2000 square feet
• Home prices range from $249,900 to $299,900

2010 is shaping up to be a great year at the Fairways. Have had 5 new contracts to commence the year and only have 4 homes left in inventory. Please contact Lindy for questions and more detail.

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Frank Curran is a Principal of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters an Epcon Community, one of the leading developers and franchise operators of condo/ townhome developments nationwide. He can be reached at 912-450-9876, or via e-mail at frankcurran@fairways-sq.com or review at www.fairways-sq.com

The Fairways, a low maintenance townhome community located in gated Westbrook just outside Savannah Georgia, provides carefree condominium style living on the Greg Norman designed golf course at the Savannah Quarters Country Club. Please visit our site www.condosinsavannahga.com

The annual Savannah Music Festival March 18th – April 3rd is just around corner and I want to make sure you buy your tickets early. Last year I was closed out of the shows I really wanted to see because as a newbie to the area I was unaware of the popularity of the events. So don’t wait and be disappointed, buy your tickets now!

Gary Turnbull – COO

The Fairways at Savannah Quarters

For all my friends back in Ohio I need to let you know that is going to be 78 and sunny today.    Just read the following from the Columbus Dispatch.

Season’s big blow

Top gusts of 60 mph are possible, forecasters say, and the temperature is heading into the 20s. The cold front that has wreaked havoc across much of the Midwest is expected to hit here today.

Hold onto your plastic rooftop Santas — some mighty gusts are blowing our way.

Weather experts say gusts of up to 60 mph could delay air travel and knock down power lines across central Ohio today.

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Frank Curran is a Principal of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters an Epcon Community, one of the leading developers and franchise operators of condo/ townhome developments nationwide. He can be reached at 912-450-9876, or via e-mail at frankcurran@fairways-sq.com or review at www.fairways-sq.com

Gary Turnbull

Gary Turnbull is the COO of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters, a low maintenace townhome community in Westbrook. He can be reached at 912-450-9876 or garyturnbull@fairways-sq.com .

The beautiful weather this past Saturday was perfect for the Cruisin’ in the Country century in nearby Claxton, Georgia.  Cool in the morning and warming at midday into the 70s is perfect for a five hour ride in the beautiful farmlands near Claxton. A century is a bicycle ride of 100 miles or more and the Claxton event is one of the most popular rides in the area drawing over seven hundred people from across the state, especially a great number of riders from Atlanta. The event is known for the great food at the rest stops and didn’t disappoint. Cookies, cakes, hotdogs, fruit, pasta, and the riders favorite, PB&Js filled the tables for sustenance to see us through the ride. The hospitality of the volunteers and the organization of the ride has not been surpassed by any other ride I’ve participated in, thanks to all who helped.

The Savannah contingent was about twelve cyclists strong and represented our city well. While not a race, we all want to make a good showing. Thanks to Jason, Sri, Andy, Dave, and Rick for making the ride a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday in November.

Gary Turnbull

Gary Turnbull is the COO of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters, a low maintenace townhome community in Westbrook. He can be reached at 912-450-9876 or garyturnbull@fairways-sq.com .

Lindy and I have lived in Savannah now for almost two years and have greatly enjoyed the arts community in the area. From the Jepson Center to the many local galleries and the vibrant music scene, we’ve found plenty to enjoy. While we continue to take advantage of all of the opportunities to explore various genres of art in the Lowcountry, we also take advantage of exhibits in Atlanta only 3 1/2 hours away. Recently, while visiting Atlanta for a wedding, we took in the Moore in America exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden which has been extended through the end of the year.What a treat! I’ve long been a fan of Henry Moore, the English sculptor, as there are a number of his pieces on public display in Columbus, Ohio my hometown, but the chance to see 20 pieces being exhibited in the beautiful gardens in Piedmont Park was simply breathtaking. The monumental scale of these bronze pieces is amazing but even more amazing is the expression of humanity in what can sometimes be seen as a cold medium. Moore, who often focused on mother and child themes, created a certain warmth with many of these pieces enhanced by the setting in the lush spaces of the garden. I highly recommend a visit before the end of the year as this is probably a lifetime opportunity to view sculpture at this level in the southeast.

Gary Turnbull

Gary Turnbull is the COO of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters, a maintenance free community located in Savannah Georgia. He can be reached at 912-450-9876 or by email at garyturnbull@fairways-sq.com or view the community at fairways-sq.com .

Hello from Frank at the Fairways

Terry our friend

This morning we  took Joanna’s best friend Terry to the airport, for her return to Columbus, after having a delightful week of sharing our love for her and reminiscing about all the good times we had together before her beloved husband and my friend died suddenly this year after we all had just returned from vacation in Mexico.

Sunny Savannah

Weather could not have been any more cooperative as the Chamber of Commerce rolled out sun and 70’s ! Fall is a special time of the year with cooler mornings and bright sunny afternoons.

Having fun in the city

We took Terry to Mass at what has become our favorite Savannah church The Cathedral of St John the Baptist an incredible national treasure built in the 1800’s and similar to old world cathedrals of Europe. It seats over 1000 for services where you are surrounded by stained glass windows  that were built and installed by master craftsman from Austria creating a wonderful glowing visionary atmosphere in this holy place. We had dinner at “The Olde Pink House” the oldest standing mansion in Savannah, circa 1771, on Thursday night.  I have now been to this restaurant twice and each time have been impressed with the quality of the service and food. The restaurant is rated as one of the top five restaurants in the city. The night we had dinner at the Pink House movie actress Claire Danes and her husband actor Hugh Dancy was at the table next to us. Numerous actors and actresses have been in the city for the Savannah Film Festival. We took a walking tour of the city with Savannah Dan. Savannah Dan is well worth any visitors trip to Savannah as he is a charming, humorous southern gentleman well versed in the history of the city and its beautiful squares and mansions. See Savannah Dan.  Dan’s tour is  highly ranked by Trip Advisors.

The girls also went to the Outlet stores in Bluffton, near Hilton Head Island, for some early Christmas shopping.

We topped off her visit by joining in a fun Friday evening at Happy Hour at the Savannah Quarters Country Club for a few cocktails and appetizers followed by dinner with some new friends from Philadelphia that we have met. The Club was a hoppin’ with folks out enjoying the camaraderie of the membership.

All visitors to our beautiful area especially need to consider these venues on their trips.

By the way……for all of you Buckeye fans I just wrote this as our team dismantled and dominated Penn State……….YEA….GO BUCKS!     IOWA is next.

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Frank Curran is a Principal of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters an Epcon Community, one of the leading developers and franchise operators of condo/ townhome developments nationwide. He can be reached at 912-450-9876, or via e-mail at frankcurran@fairways-sq.com or review at www.fairways-sq.com

The reason to study history is to learn from it.

The last time the federal government offered a homebuyer tax credit – 1975 – the housing market recovered in a little more than a year.

Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson didn’t need to crack a book or search the Internet to recall the $2,000 incentive the federal government gave homebuyers back then. He was a young real estate agent in Atlanta and witnessed the impact first-hand.

That experience prompted him to champion an extension and expansion of the tax credit originally part of the federal stimulus package passed earlier this year. The new legislation would extend the $8,000 credit for first-time buyers and create a $6,500 credit for others so long as they have owned a home for at least five consecutive years since 2001.

The Senate approved the measure as part of a larger bill late Wednesday, and it cleared the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law today.

“We have a record of success to go off of,” Isakson said in a telephone interview last week. “We saw it back then, and we’ve seen it already this year. It’s vital that the housing market keep the momentum that’s already been built.”

Savannah’s home sales have held steady throughout the summer, hovering between 300 and 350 sales a month. The average sales price has flattened near $200,000 after encountering some wild fluctuations earlier this year. The average sales price nationally was $174,900 and $153,500 in the South region in September.

“Savannah is probably better off than anywhere else in the state,” Isakson said. “But even there you’re looking for a stabilizing of home prices.”

The legislation is designed to shore up the housing market to help foster a long-term recovery, Isakson said, not provide the temporary economic boost other recent government programs such as the 2008 stimulus refund and this summer’s Cash for Clunkers did.

Consumer spending continued to slump, despite the stimulus refund, and the car industry has encountered a Cash for Clunkers hangover since the program ended Aug. 25.

“The tax credit is different, because it’s taking your money and giving it to you to build equity in an investment that will appreciate over time,” Isakson said.

Isakson stressed this extension and expansion will be the last for the tax credit. Once it expires April 30, 2010, “it’s over,” he said.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Isakson said.

Fun at the Club

Since Joanna and I have moved to the Fairways life has been very busy both socially and professionally, especially for me. Joanna returned to Columbus for the summer and I have been becoming a social butterfly and enjoying every moment. I recently began playing at the Savannah Quarters golf club in the Saturday morning Blitz, a $20 pot game based on a Stableford scoring system. It was confusing but what would you expect for the new guy. My neighbor did join me for this game and we are becoming great friends. He invited me to play another course in the area with his grandson and son-in-law. We again had a great time as the weather has been delightful if not too hot. My game is still rusty from not playing but am looking to hone it this fall and winter. I was invited to play in the annual Backus Children’s Hospital fund raiser at our club see www.MemorialHealth.com .The Chairman of this annual event is a member of our club and an institution in Savannah in raising funds for the hospital. He is a wonderful, generous and giving man who I have seen score an 80 and has had two knee replacements. I have recently been to Happy Hour at our Club at Savannah Quarters and met some great people who have chosen Savannah Quarters to retire too or just enjoy as a second home. I have even met an OSU Buckeye from Columbus.

Fun at First City Club

I have also joined the First City Club which is located downtown on Johnson Square. See www.FirstCityClub.com . First City Club has been a world wind membership so far as I have been to a networking and wine tasting event on Wednesday, a Thursday “Texas Hold Em “night and the traditional Friday night cocktail get together. For $12.95 the Friday night evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres is the best value I have experienced in many years plus about 75-100 attendees where there from all parts of the city. I met a retired PhD, a Neurologist, Oncologist, a Senior VP of Wachovia – Wells Fargo, a Realtor an Appraiser an numerous others looking for camaraderie and fellowship. Needless to say I have been impressed with this new club as I am learning I am only beginning to touch the many events for the membership. I am especially looking for the monthly happy Hour on the Johnson Square. They have a planned cruise that embarked on October 17th and a bus trip to the Jacksonville Jaguars vs Miami Dolphins game in the works. See www.FirstCityClub.com

Fun at a Neighbor’s Poker Night

Been to a couple poker games at a resident’s house  in Westbrook. Been great to meet new guys….even another Buckeye. Pot game of $25 gets you in….I have been only a contributor but have enjoyed the camaraderie of the gents I  have met. Even though I haven’t won I  am learning the game and beginning to sharpen my skills in this Texas Hold Em game.

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Frank Curran is a Principal of The Fairways at Savannah Quarters an Epcon Community, one of the leading developers and franchise operators of Condo/Townhome developments nationwide. He can be reached at 912-450-9876, or via e-mail at Frankcurran@fairways-sq.com or see www.fairways-sq.com