Matthew Fiterman has a solid reputation as an outstanding home builder in Southwest Florida. Construction industry, luxury home tours and design awards aside, what makes Fiterman most proud of his role leading Distinctive Residential Construction are the smiles from his clients when they enter their new completed home.
Currently building 10 homes at the exclusive Enclave of Distinction in North Naples, Fiterman credits his experience in multiple aspects of community development and residential home construction from site selection to a background in residential renovations and real estate sales.
“I love the construction process – all the bits and pieces that go into creating something from the ground up. I get my greatest pleasure from happy clients at the end of the project,” said Fiterman. “When the client moves in, and they absolutely love their home and are tickled about all the decisions they made and how it transformed from a sketch on paper to something they can touch and feel—that defines success.”
Fiterman was trained by builder/developer David Sturdyvin, whom he calls his mentor. “Dave and my Dad, Steve, go back more than twenty-five years, said Matthew Fiterman. I worked with both for the first 10 years after I arrived in Naples in 1999. That gave me exposure to all the various areas of the construction process. We were building custom homes in Marsala at Tiburon, Terrabella at Pelican Marsh, Wild Orchid in Old Cypress, and Caprini at Miromar Lakes.”
Meanwhile, Fiterman obtained his Florida Real Estate Brokers License, and his Florida Contractor’s License, so he was well prepared in 2009 when the real estate market had turned away from new construction, he recalled. “I started doing renovations and did very well during the recession. Then in 2014, Distinctive Communities built two homes in Wild Orchid at Olde Cypress and that’s where I got back into new construction.”
Particularly proud of the two custom homes he built in Olde Cypress, Fiterman credits the homeowners with having good taste in modern design. “They were ahead of the coastal contemporary design trend, way ahead of the curve, and went more modern, away from the heavy Mediterranean design. It was different from the homes around it, but still fit well in the community. I like to think that was the start of a slightly more modern look in Olde Cypress that the community is now starting to embrace.”
Location, location, location is still the most important factor to consider when building a new home, says Fiterman. “It gives you the freedom to be exactly where you want to be. Then he advises selecting a builder who’s willing to build a house to your vision.” Fiterman adds that the standards at Distinctive Communities are higher than most and evident in the model and completed homes at The Enclave of Distinctive.