Showcase and Model Homes Available in Terra Vista - Updated 21OCT16

SEE OUR SHOWCASE AND MODEL HOMES AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY.

Set atop the highest point in Citrus Hills – and one of the highest elevations in all of Florida – is Terra Vista, the pinnacle in refined resort-style living.

Its impressive gated entry and lush landscaped boulevards reveal immediately to visitors the kind of lifestyle Terra Vista embodies. This is a neighborhood focused on a relaxed way of life and a commitment to comfort. Unlike some Florida developments where homeowners feel right on top of their neighbors, Terra Vista’s distinct villages of architecturally compatible homes create an atmosphere of privacy. Sprinkled throughout are the many club amenities, available to all residents, which promote a lifestyle filled with recreational fun and diverse social activity.

http://blog.citrushills.com/blog/12-top-reasons-why-youll-love-citrus-hills

THE ST. JAMES - SHOWCASE

THE ROSETTI - MODEL

Our Move-In ready Showcase and Model Homes are perfect for those who have sold their homes, or know their homes will sell quickly and are ready to relocate, or those looking for a new home without going through the construction process.

These finely crafted new homes feature our time-tested floor plans and popular designs. Loaded with extras that people love, our Showcase Homes also offer standard features that are considered upgrades at other communities. For value, luxury, and style our Showcase and Model Homes should be seen and considered.

 THE DALI - MODEL

Homes Currently Available*

*Inventory of new Showcase and Models Homes is updated as new homes are constructed.

*Pricing below includes homesite and home.  

• St. James - $399,900 - 2 Bedrooms, Study, 2 Baths

• Rosetti - $800,341 - 3 Bedrooms, Study, 2.5 Baths

• Dali - $798,719 - 2 Bedrooms, Study, 2.5 Baths

Drop The Puck: Your Tampa Bay Lightning Season Preview

After what has felt like one of the shortest summers ever, the Tampa Bay Lightning are back in action when the puck dropped on Thursday, October 13. And after falling just one game short of the Stanley Cup Finals last spring, that game didn’t come soon enough.  

The team that fell just short of beating the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins will be bringing back almost the exact same lineup this season, with a few notable upgrades. As long as they can stay healthy, there is championship upside in Tampa Bay next spring.  

Key Players to Watch This Year 

Steven Stamkos - After skating through trade rumors for more than a season now, Stamkos chose to stay with the Lightning and signed a massive free agent deal during the offseason. Look for the captain to be back in action anchoring the top line.  

Jonathan Drouin - Set to become a restricted free agent following this upcoming season, there is a lot of money to be made if Drouin can put together an entire season of scoring like he did in the playoffs last year.

Nikita Kucherov - As a restricted free agent that didn’t agree to a deal all summer, we have to worry that the status of Kucherov’s contract is creating a distraction in the locker room. It’s also possible that general manager Steve Yzerman could ship him out of town because of it.  

Tyler Johnson - TJ scored nearly 30 goals just two seasons ago, but something wasn’t quite right for pretty much the duration of the 2015-2016 season. He says that it was a lingering wrist injury and that all systems are go to get back to scoring goals for the second line this season.   

Ben Bishop - Expect Bishop to get the Stamkos treatment as this year’s “player in the last year of his contract.” Rumors are going to fly all season long, but as long as Ben is healthy and productive in the net, expect him to be the goaltender the Bolts look to in the playoffs.

Andrei Vasilevskiy - The Lightning’s uber-talented backup goaltender showed impressive form after taking over for an injured Bishop in the conference finals last spring. He then signed a 3-year extension this offseason. If anything happens to Bishop, this young goalie is more than capable of stepping up.

 Storylines to Watch 

In addition to the storylines that are related to individual players, there are three key things that are going to make or break the upcoming season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.  

First and foremost, the team needs to be more explosive with scoring, particularly on the power play. Tyler Johnson returning to form could be a big factor there, but look to see if the rest of the team can chip in as well.

The second major story to watch this season will be whether or not the Bolts are able to get any impact from their youngest players. Slater Koekkoek is the guy most people expect to contribute in his first full season, but watch for other young players to come up from their farm team, the Syracuse Crunch, over the year.  

Finally, the Lightning are going to have to do something about the fact that they have two outstanding goalies and the expansion draft is looming following the season. If the team is playing well, they likely will keep Bishop for another playoff run and risk losing Vasilevskiy in the draft. But if injuries slow this team down, there is a good chance Bishop gets traded for more young talent.  

Barring any major injuries, this Tampa Bay Lightning team is going to be a slight improvement on the outstanding team that took the Penguins to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. They should be thrilling to watch and make a run deep into the playoffs…so get ready for plenty of hockey nights in Tampa!

Stone Crab Season - October 15 to May 15

Florida stone crabs are known around the world for their delicious claw meat. But did you know that many of the stone crabs on menus around the country come from right here near the Villages of Citrus Hills?

Whether you prefer them served cold with mustard sauce or warm with drawn butter, the experience of cracking and eating these crab claws is something you will never forget!

About Stone Crabs 

One of the most interesting aspects of Florida stone crabs is that they are actually a renewable resource. When the crabs are caught in the traps of professional stone crabbers, the crabbers only take one claw from each crab and the crabs are then returned to the water. As a defense mechanism, stone crabs are able to survive losing a claw and then regenerate that claw in about a year. 

The average stone crab has a lifespan of 8-9 years, and they are generally found in sandy ocean bottoms and seagrass beds along Citrus County’s coastline out to a depth of about 20 feet. Large stone crabs can weigh as much as one pound. They feed on oysters, snails, and various other small marine life. Female stone crabs can spawn as many as six times each year, producing up to one million fertilized eggs each time. In addition to humans, stone crabs can also find themselves being hunted by octopuses and grouper.

Catching Stone Crabs 

The Florida stone crab harvesting season lasts seven months each year from October 15 through May 15. During this time, many amateur fishermen also hunt for stone crabs. 

Amateur crabbers are required to hold a salt water fishing license from the state of Florida,

and they must adhere to certain regulations. They are limited to a total of five traps, and they cannot catch more than one gallon of claws per day. The claws must all be a minimum of 2-3/4 inches. 

Eating Stone Crab

While some find enjoyment in catching their own stone crab, many others prefer to let the professionals do the catching and simply focus on the eating.  Probably the most popular place for stone crab near the Villages of Citrus Hills is Charlie’s Fish House & Seafood Market in Crystal River.

The restaurant was originally started as an oyster bar by Charlie Kofmehl all the way back in 1960. The oyster bar was an immediate success, serving the best fresh fish and seafood in Citrus County. In the early seventies, Charlie turned the oyster bar over to his two sons, Jimmy and Phil.

After years of continuing to grow the business, Jimmy and Phil decided to build a brand new restaurant in 1990. The new waterfront restaurant had seating for 160 guests compared to seating for 30 in the old oyster bar. In honor of their father, Jimmy and Phil changed the name to Charlie’s Fish House. Since then, the family business has continued to grow and guests can now find a third generation of Kofmehls working there. 

The restaurant menu at Charlie’s Fish House features a chilled stone crab appetizer with a mustard dipping sauce. There is also a 1-1/4 pound warm stone crab entree. In addition to stone crab, the menu features plenty of other local seafood favorites like oysters, grouper, shrimp, and scallops. If you prefer to cook your own seafood, Charlie’s Seafood Market sells fresh stone crab claws, as well as fresh caught grouper, mullet, red snapper, and even oysters. They can even ship stone crab to anyone you like across the country!

Saturday, November 5th Downtown Crystal River

Charlie’s also sponsors the Stone Crab Jam Music and Food Festival every fall in Crystal River. The festival is a fun-filled day of live music, exciting exhibits, and tons of stone crab.

Whether you are a seafood nut, or just looking for a fun experience to share with your family, catching or eating Florida stone crab is a fantastic option. When you live in the Villages of Citrus Hills, you can choose to catch your own, cook your own, or let a place like Charlie’s take care of everything for you!

Tax-Friendly Florida: The Hidden Discount That Comes with Living in Paradise

Everyone knows that Florida is one of the most popular retirement destinations in the country, and most people attribute that fact to our ideal climate, beautiful white sand beaches, and the plethora of outstanding retirement communities that have sprung up across the state.

However, one often overlooked factor that makes Florida a great retirement destination is all of the tax advantages that are offered to our residents. Those benefits start with the fact that we have no state income tax, but the savings actually go much deeper than that. 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the many tax-friendly aspects of life in Florida! 

No State Income Tax 

Income tax rates vary dramatically as you move from state-to-state across the country. The average person in Pennsylvania pays a modest 3.07% in state income taxes, while the same person in California is staring down the barrel of 13.3%. 

That number falls to zero here in Florida. So if you plan on earning any income at all during your retirement years, there are some serious financial advantages to living in the Sunshine State.  

Reasonable State Sales Tax

Operating without a state income tax is just the tip of the tax-friendly iceberg here in Florida. We also have a very modest 6% state sales tax that applies to all purchased goods outside of food, as well as prescription and non-prescription drugs.  

The difference of a few percent in sales tax might not seem like a big deal, but when you calculate how much it adds up to over the course of a few decades of retirement, we end up talking about some pretty big numbers.

Low Property Taxes

Another area where Florida residents are able to save money is when those annual property taxes come due. A Florida home that is $400,000, depending on where that home is located, it’s owners can generally expect to pay about $4,100 in property taxes.

On top of those already low property taxes, Florida also offers a fantastic Homestead Exemption Program that can reduce that tax burden even further for anyone who claims their Florida home as their primary residence.  

Even More Tax Benefits

Still not impressed? That’s ok. We’ve got even more tax benefits to talk about! 

Florida residents also benefit from lower gas taxes than many other states. They also find that the 6% state sales tax can make a big difference when purchasing a vehicle. So at the end of the day, all of your vehicle expenses are going to be lower here in Florida.  

In one popular publication, Florida was ranked third behind only Wyoming and Alaska for the most tax-friendly state. So when you combine those tax advantages with our warm climate, picture-perfect beaches, and all of the great choices of communities, it’s hard not to see the value in retiring to Florida. 

Bird's Underwater: A Highly Rated Local Tour Company

If you are looking for a tour company to take you and a group of friends out swimming with manatees or on a scalloping adventure, you are probably going to start your search using a website like Yelp or TripAdvisor.

Because those types of sites tend to attract people who are looking to complain more often than complement, we have all learned over the years that we have to take negative reviews with a grain of salt. But what if there was a company that had hardly any negative reviews? Wouldn’t that be the one you wanted to hire?

 Bird’s Underwater in Crystal River is that company!

At the time of this writing, they are rated 5 stars on both Yelp and TripAdvisor with virtually no negative reviews. In today’s eager-to-complain environment, that is really something special! 

About Bird’s Underwater Dive Center

Bird’s Underwater Dive Center is located right on Kings Bay in Crystal River. Bill “Bird” Oestreich and his wife Diane started it back in 1989. They have since grown the business to include a number of certified and insured “captains” that lead all kinds of tours, training classes, and other adventures.

In addition to being popular among local residents and regular vacationers, Bird’s Underwater has also been featured on TV shows like Small Planet, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, Lonely Planet, and The 700 Club.

But being featured on those shows is nothing compared to the way that customers talk about Bird’s Underwater. Here is what Kayecee G. had to say about her recent scalloping trip on Yelp: 

“I can't say enough good things about our trip."

Scalloping with Bird's Underwater was an amazing experience. On our drive home we had already decided we will be making a yearly trip from Daytona to Crystal River to go scalloping with Bird's Underwater.

Captain Cody was absolutely amazing! He even got in the water to help us since it was our first time. He went above and beyond by taking us out where the grassy beds drop off and we were able to see a huge variety of fish and coral that you don't find in the grassy area where you find scallops. As long as he is there we will always request to go out with him! He has made lifetime customers out of us!” 

Manatee Tours & Scalloping Trips

Swimming with manatees is probably the most sought after experience in the Crystal River area, and nobody delivers on that experience quite like Bird’s Underwater. They have tours leaving daily that seat anywhere from 6-11 passengers. You can also book private tours for parties of 6.

During scalloping season, another popular option is to head out on a Bird’s Underwater charter so that you can catch your fill of scallops without having to worry about getting a fishing license or bringing any equipment. Bird’s Underwater takes care of everything for you.  

Manatee tours can be booked right from their website, and scalloping tours can be booked over the phone during scalloping season.

The Dive Center

On top of delivering amazing tour experience, Bird’s Underwater is also your one-stop shop for all things diving in Crystal River.

Never been scuba diving before? That’s no problem, because Bill “Bird” Ostreich himself teaches regular dive classes right at the facility. With dive experience dating back to the early 1970s, Bird is a wealth of information and an excellent teacher.  

Devils Den

Bird’s Underwater also offers guided dives that will allow you to experience some of the best dive spots in Citrus County with a local expert guiding you through to all of the best underwater spots. If you are tired of hearing about places like Blue Grotto and Devil’s Den and are ready to see them for yourself, this is a great way to get there! 

As for any diving equipment needs, Bird’s is a Scubapro Platinum Dealer and an authorized Scubapro Service Center. So if you are already an experienced diver, they can fix you up with the best of the best equipment and make sure it is always in tip-top shape.  

Bird’s House Rentals 

If you are looking to really take your Bird’s Underwater experience to the next level, you might want to consider booking one of their two rental properties to stay at during one of their multiple day dive tours.  

One of the houses is located right on the Homosassa River, and the other is on the Halls River. Both of the Bird’s rental houses come with kayaks, TV and internet, and fully equipped kitchens.  

No matter what your level of experience, Bird’s Underwater has an amazing adventure that is perfect for you. So the next time you find yourself thinking about manatees, scallops, or scuba diving, stop thinking about it and book a tour with Bird’s. According to the hundreds of satisfied customers on Yelp and TripAdvisor, you will not be disappointed.