There might be no better way to sell new custom Florida homes than by living in the community where you make your living. That’s the case for ICI Homes sales associate Richard Southwick (Rick for short), a proud resident of Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach. Rick Southwick enjoys living and working on the same turf.

“It’s a great community,” he says. “I don’t have any desire to live anywhere else.”

Plus, that back-of-the-hand knowledge is an advantage for prospective Plantation Bay customers.

A New York native and former Washington D.C. resident, Rick Southwick comes from a general real estate background. He’s lived, played golf, and sold new ICI homes in Plantation Bay for five years.

“I am a scratch golfer,” Southwick admits. “But I’m also very dedicated to my clients and I consistently do very well with customer satisfaction surveys.”

Here’s why!

Rick Southwick goes the extra mile

Interpersonal skills, first-hand knowledge of life in Plantation Bay, and a true desire to be an expert in his field are what sets Rick Southwick apart.

“If I don’t know it, there’s a good chance not many people do,” Southwick says, referring to the time he has spent researching and knowing our plans, homesites and options. He is able to give customers all the possibilities when they are interested in building or buying a new ICI home in Plantation Bay.

And those interpersonal skills? The current global health crisis takes effort on everyone’s part, and Southwick recalls recently assisting one couple on their search for a new home.

The man was noticeably cautious, being careful to not touch surfaces or shake hands with Southwick. Through their time together though, Rick continued to wipe doors, knobs and vehicles as they continued looking at homes.

“We became good, close friends within the hour,” Southwick says of earning his customer’s trust. “I think he just felt comfortable enough with the steps I took to keep he and his wife as safe as possible.”

Plantation Bay is versatile

As one of ICI Homes’ signature master-planned communities, it contains 45 holes of golf, two clubhouses, a wellness center with a full-service spa, fitness center, swimming pools and basketball, tennis and pickleball courts.

Its 3,600 acres supports townhomes, all sizes of single-family homes, and estate homes.

“My tagline is if you like the community and want to live here, chances are I can figure out the home and where you want to be,” Rick Southwick says

He encourages customers to have a new-home budget in mind and to, “Tell me what they want as well as what they don’t like. That way I can think through my plans and find something that can fit their budget.”

Some prospective customers may look at the “Golf & Country Club” part of the name and be wary of mandatory memberships. Not so! All Plantation Bay memberships are optional.

“There are various levels of membership depending on your levels of interest,” Southwick says, adding the community attracts many new residents who don’t partake in memberships. “They just like the fact that it’s a private, beautiful, gated community.”

Ready for your Plantation Bay lifestyle? Click here to schedule an appointment with Rick Southwick.