I had the privilege of flying down to Greenville, South Carolina on a private plane Friday with the guys from Cliffs Communities. They have been wanting Peter and me to see their wellness communities ever since we all first met.

I think it was about two years ago when I was in my office working late one evening when I received a call from someone who turned out to be a very nice southern gentleman asking me some questions about spa lifestyle real estate – an up and coming trend Spa Finder had just identified. He told me a bit about what the Cliffs Communities was doing and how his father, Jim Anthony, had this passion for health and wellness, and had begun a program called ZestQuest which assisted kids in area schools with becoming more fit. He went on to explain that although they were famous for their six golfing communities set among the Carolina Preserve, they were increasingly putting more and more emphasis on wellness facilities and activities for their communities.

I shared with him some of the research Spa Finder had conducted, showing how aging baby boomers were attracted to these spa-lifestyle living communities and how major areas of interest were outdoor hiking and biking trails, organized activities and healthy nutrition, all to be enjoyed with other like-minded people. It seemed like their research showed very much the same thing. I learned that the lots and homes in their communities were selling briskly and that the wellness aspect had become a major draw. It was the beginning of what has now become a great business partnership and a delightful friendship.

Sitting in the Citation, which they use routinely to fly interested clients to South Carolina, I was really looking forward to seeing the blue ridge mountains, the dense greenery and bountiful lakes which their gorgeous collateral material showcases. I had spent some time in this very area about 15 years ago and remember it fondly. I also knew that most people who the Cliffs’ fly down to South Carolina end up buying a home or lot, and was hoping that Peter wouldn’t get impulsive – which he is known to do at times – as I was not ready to have yet one more reason to travel.

I was in for a real adventure.