April, 2009 – Versailles

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NEIGHBORHOOD SCOOP

by Karen GantKaren Gant

 

Versailles, “The Diamond of Wellington”

 

Nearly eleven years ago, we packed our suitcases and left the sunny shores of Marina del Rey, California to settle in a new and unfamiliar land, Florida. When I told my California friends that we were moving to Boca Raton, they acknowledged the home of Seinfeld’s parents, NY bagels, “fashionistas” and tony country clubs with an approving nod.

Five years later, when I told my Florida friends that we were moving to Versailles in Wellington, they asked what direction that was. It is of great satisfaction to us to say that not only has the little hamlet of Wellington become a city, but the many beautiful communities that were built five or six years ago have grown and flourished.

For us, there was no choice. When we drove through the beautiful entrance of our future community, with its sparkling fountains, over a stone bridge lined with live oak trees and colorful flowers, we knew this was the place we wanted to build our new home. From that moment on, we never looked back, because we could see by the master plan of the community that we would have a home that we would enjoy for a long time.

For many, the word Versailles evokes an image of the Grand Palace in France with formal gardens and a dazzling Hall of Mirrors. For us, it means Paris has come to Wellington, and the mini French country chateaus that proliferate the rambling and verdant roads of Versailles are a symbol of comfort and rustic elegance. Louis XIV, known as “Le Roi Soleil” (The Sun King) would be truly pleased to see that his vision has arrived in Wellington, Florida.

You might say, but look what has happened. The economy is falling apart and there are empty homes everywhere. That is a truth we cannot ignore, but as a working Realtor, I see that sales are looking up. As a matter of fact, in Versailles, we have a growing number of home sales either closed or pending. Recovery is on the way, albeit a slow and tortuous path. By 2010, the numbers should be even better and balance will be more than just a hope; it will be a reality. A Versailles home.

In the meantime, we greet our neighbors on our routine walks around the community, we wave to the bikers and the dogs, we enjoy the many country club style amenities available to us and we celebrate the lifestyle that would have made Louis proud.

Karen Gant is a Realtor and a Marketer living the Wellington lifestyle with her husband Richard and her indomitable Maltese consultant, Gatsby the Great. For comments and questions, she can be reached at: www.aroundwellington.com.