BusinessWire - Taylor Morrison has been named the top private home builder in the United States in the "Builder 100" rankings, published annually by Builder magazine.

The company, which has communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Texas, closed more than 3,300 homes in 2009, generating $1.3 billion in revenue.

Taylor Morrison has a long history of homebuilding success and customer satisfaction. The company's homes and communities reflect the generations of experience that Taylor Morrison has accrued over the past 125 years.

The company's vibrant designs and carefully constructed neighborhoods are the reasons Taylor Morrison has been inducted into both the Builder magazine Hall of Fame and the Best in American Living Award (BALA) Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders.

"The heritage of our company has always been that we build homes which benefit and reflect what homeowners want," said Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison President and CEO. "We take that responsibility very seriously."

No other builder has more BALA statues (36) than Taylor Morrison. In addition, the company's southern California division has received 15 Builder's Choice Awards from Builder magazine.

Consistently a top-five finisher in customer-satisfaction surveys, Taylor Morrison has been recognized with numerous J.D. Power & Associates awards, the latest being a 2009 New Home Quality Study award bestowed on Taylor Morrison's Sacramento division.

Taylor Morrison's work also graces iconic American destinations. The Innoventions Dream Home exhibit located at the Disneyland(R) Park was developed by the Disneyland(R) Resort in collaboration with Taylor Morrison, Microsoft(R) and HP.

To find your closest Taylor Morrison community, please visit www.taylormorrison.com.

About Taylor Morrison

Taylor Morrison is one of the top home builders in North America, building a wide range of product for discerning home buyers across the country. With more than 150 communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Texas, Taylor Morrison offers first-time, mid-market and mid-to-upscale housing in both master-planned communities and urban infill neighborhoods. The company also operates under the Monarch brand in Ontario, Canada, where it builds single-family homes and high-rise condominiums. Taylor Morrison, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Taylor Wimpey plc (LON: TW), a home building company with 125 years of experience and operations in the United Kingdom, North America and Spain. For more information, visit www.taylormorrison.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Dec. 7, 2009) – Taylor Morrison has extended its popular “Stimu-plus” program after the government announced the extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit, which provides a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time homebuyers and up to $6,500 for existing homeowners who qualify.

            Taylor Morrison’s “Stimu-Plus” program is a combination of the government’s tax credit program and a package offered exclusively by Taylor Morrison. First-time homebuyers and buyers who haven’t owned a home in three years will receive up to a $16,000 credit – $8,000 from the government stimulus tax credit package and up to $8,000 from Taylor Morrison – toward the purchase of a new home. Existing homebuyers will still receive up to $8,000 “Stimu-Plus” credit from Taylor Morrison in addition to the $6,500 government tax credit if qualified. Depending on the community, the Taylor Morrison credits can be used on upgrades, options, closing costs, discounts and buy downs.

            “The extension of the government’s tax credit plan inspired us to extend our program as well and help homebuyers save up to $16,000 on the purchase of a new home,” said Kristin Vuckovic, sales and marketing manager for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “I encourage interested homebuyers to visit one of our Northeast Florida communities today and learn more

about our program.”

            Interested homebuyers can visit any of Taylor Morrison’s four communities, including:

·         Austin Park at Nocatee, 15 Kenmore Avenue, Ponte Vedra, FL 32801, (904) 436-6000

·         Kindlewood, 3337 New Beginnings Lane, Middleburg, FL 32086, (904) 282-0904

·         Lakeside Townhomes, 6809 Misty View Drive, Jacksonville FL 32210, (904) 446-9538

·         St. Johns Forest, 200 Flores Way, Jacksonville, FL 32259, (904) 819-6868

About Taylor Morrison
            Throughout the Jacksonville area, Taylor Morrison offers four new home communities starting from the $90,000s. They include Lakeside Townhomes in Jacksonville; St. Johns Forest in St. Johns County; Austin Park at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra and Kindlewood in Middleburg.

            Renters can rejoice with Taylor Morrison’s new Renter Rewards program that credits new homebuyers with $100 a month for every month they have rented their current residence up to $2,400 or 24 months.

            “If you have been renting, then you have been saving with our new Renter Rewards program,” said Tim Stapleton, division president for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “This is a great incentive for many renters who have been debating whether or not this is the right time to purchase a new home. We are rewarding them for their patience and encouraging them that now is definitely the time to take advantage of great savings.”

            But that’s not all the national homebuilder is doing for first-time homebuyers, according to Stapleton. In addition to the Renter Rewards program, Taylor Morrison is reminding buyers that they have a limited time to cash in on the government’s $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit that ends Nov. 30. Taylor Morrison will match the government’s tax credit with up to an additional $8,000 credit toward closing costs, bringing the total amount of savings on a new Taylor Morrison home up to $18,400.

            To learn more about the Renter Rewards program and the first-time homebuyer tax credits, visit www.TaylorMorrisonRewards.com.

             Taylor Morrison is offering “Super Hero Savings” to the men and women who make a difference in the lives of others on a daily basis. The national homebuilder recently unveiled its Hometown Heroes program that offers up to $5,000 in savings on a new Taylor Morrison home to teachers and medical professionals as well as fire, police and military personnel.

            “We rarely get the opportunity to thank the heroes in our community, so we have created this program to do just that,” said Tim Stapleton, division president for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “The best way we can show our appreciation is to provide discounts on our new homes throughout the community.”

            The Hometown Heroes program is available in all Taylor Morrison communities and will be applied to all homes contracted by March 31, 2010. The discounts can also be applied toward current home incentives offered at each community. Restrictions apply, visit www.TaylorMorrisonHeroes.com for more details.

            Taylor Morrison’s North Florida Division has something to be proud of in the way of charitable giving. The division was recently recognized by Taylor Morrison’s corporate office as the East Region Volunteer of the Quarter for its work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides walks that took place in May.

            “I am so proud of our team for their efforts and dedication to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and they all deserve to be rewarded with this honor from our national office,” said Tim Stapleton, division president for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “Debra Riggs, our office and HR manager, and Denise Patricolo, a sales associate, took the lead for this charitable adventure and really rallied our walking teams to raise more than $2,000 for the foundation.”

            As a result of winning the Volunteer of the Quarter Award, the North Florida division was able to present a $500 check to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in addition to the money it raised during the Great Strides walks. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis, a life shortening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. Great Strides is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest national fund-raising event. Every year, tens of thousands of people across the United States walk for a cure during the national events. In 2008, nearly $37 million was raised to support cystic fibrosis programs through the Great Strides walks.

            Each quarter, Taylor Morrison awards a Volunteer of the Quarter to a team member or division for their charitable work. Those who are selected receive a $500 check to donate to the charity of their choice. In addition to the check, the winners have their name entered on the “Wall of Fame” plaque located in Taylor Morrison’s corporate office as well as the “Wall of Fame” on the company’s Intranet.

            The lifestyle at St. Johns Forest continues to get better as Taylor Morrison unveils a new home series to complement its existing award-winning designs in the community. The national home builder and developer of the prestigious community introduces its new Estate Series featuring home designs ranging in size from 2,833 square feet to 3,857 with prices starting from the low-$300,000s.

            “St. Johns Forest is a well-designed, lifestyle-oriented community and we believe our new home collection will blend well with the existing homes while providing buyers with a vast amount of new opportunities,” said Jeb Koury, vice president of sales and marketing for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “The new collection puts a strong emphasis on outdoor living with relaxing courtyards and summer kitchens the entire family can enjoy.”

            To showcase the new collection of homes, Taylor Morrison recently completed a model home – the Madison II – which is part of the Estate Series. The Madison II is a Mediterranean-inspired home featuring an open courtyard with a summer kitchen and fire place. A separate casita is located off the courtyard and provides an ideal place for a home office, mother-in-law suite or additional guest room. With 2,908 square feet, the home features three bedrooms, three baths, a three-car garage, spacious owner’s retreat and bonus room. Two additional homes are available in the Estate Series, including the Coventry and Savannah designs.

            Homebuyers looking for an active community where amenities and family-friendly events abound need look no further than St. Johns Forest, located in the heart of St. Johns County. The community has long been known for creating lively events for all ages, and as summer heats up, the activities only get better.

            “We have seen record resident participation at our community events in the past several months,” Yeoman said. “Especially during the summer, families are taking part in our swim lessons, adult and youth yoga, personal training, summer camps and tennis programs.”

            In the coming months, St. Johns Forest will host several community events including an ice cream social, blood drive, water slide party, doggie parade and contest, watermelon eating contest, family Bingo and new resident meet and greet event. During the summer months in particular, Yeoman said the community emphasizes activities for children to keep them active while they are out of school. Currently, the community offers summer camps, swimming lessons, youth yoga, roller hockey, imagination stations, and tennis, volleyball, basketball and soccer programs.

            “St. Johns Forest truly is a vibrant neighborhood where residents and their children have access to a host of community activities,” said Jeb Koury, vice president of sales and marketing for Taylor Morrison in North Florida. “Our residents enjoy free activities at our clubhouse, sports field, and pool nearly every day of the week.”

            In addition to an active amenity director, St. Johns Forest has an array of recreational offerings, including a community clubhouse and resort-style swimming pool with fountains and a two-story tower slide that rises 17 feet above pool level. The recreation complex includes a fully equipped fitness center, a roller hockey court, tennis courts, full and half basketball courts, a tot lot and multi-purpose sporting field.