Florida's Response to Seasonal Home Ownership

The construction and real estate industry has been a booming industry in Florida for years. The consistent trend of a growing population, combined with other factors that make Florida a desirable place to call home, push it to the front of the national market for new construction - continuing the cycle of population growth. It's no surprise, then, that the markets for supporting industries like realty (Florida has more real estate licensees per 1,000 residents than any other state), mortgage brokerage (the majority of U.S. mortgage brokers are located in Miami and Tampa, and Florida is the hottest state on the Mortgage Broker Heat Map), and property management (1 property manager for every 378 residents) are also saturated. And other industries have taken note.

Insurance Policies Favor Full-time Residents

Protecting the investment in your Florida property is a big deal, so it's important to familiarize yourself with your homeowner insurance policy. While all insurance policies list exclusions and limitations, time-sensitive restrictions become especially significant to part-time residents. For instance, one common exclusion is for damage from water intrusion that occurred over a period of 14 days or more. For seasonal residents who spend months at a time away from their Florida home, meeting a 14-day window is a challenge.

Hurricanes/Disasters

June 1st officially marks the beginning of Hurricane Season in the Atlantic, and in 2022 Mother Nature wasted no time testing the storm readiness of Gulf coast residents. Potential Tropical Cyclone 1 blew into town June 3rd. Thankfully the impacts were minimal, but it did offer a good trial run for our home watch clients.

We made several visits to help ensure homes were ready. In addition to mounting hurricane shutters, basic preparations for absent homeowners include clearing any outdoor items that aren't tied down. Should you find yourself in town during an approaching storm, review the All Hazards Disaster Preparedness Guide and other materials published by Sarasota County government.

Crime Prevention & Detection in Unoccupied Homes

Recent statistics from the FBI indicate approximately 2 of every 100 inhabitants will be victims of property crime each year. Even though the presence of home security systems may deter 60% of burglars, that still leaves 40% who are undeterred. Whether or not you have a home security system, it's important to exercise simple crime prevention strategies.

Mail Forwarding

Not only is it frustrating for stacks of mail to pile up at a seasonal home, it's also a telltale sign that the house is unoccupied -  don't forget to forward your mail, and be diligent about checking for important letters! The United States Postal Service classifies mail forwarding for less than 6 months as a temporary change of address. The mail forwarding request can be completed online for a nominal fee. As with any shipping service, letters do sometimes get lost - if you're waiting for a piece of mail and it hasn't yet arrived, be pro-active in your communications with USPS. Don't wait until you return to your other address to see if it was delivered there. Of course, as a Home Watch provider we are happy to empty your mailbox and send photos of any envelopes.

Florida Humidity & Air Conditioning

Florida is the most humid state in the nation. Unfortunately indoor relative humidity levels above 60% create favorable conditions for mold growth. Molds produce allergens and irritants, and can exacerbate asthma symptoms. They also gradually destroy the items they grow on. The longer mold grows, the more damage it can cause.

According to the Florida Department of Health, all mold should be removed. While the homeowner may remove mold in some situations, large jobs and jobs in which the HVAC system is compromised should involve a professional.

Air conditioners remove both warmth and humidity from the air. Even if you are not in your Florida home, it is important to keep the A/C running to maintain humidity levels.

Recommended Settings for Florida Air Conditioners

Florida Power and Light (FPL) recommends several settings for air conditioning units in unoccupied Florida homes. Programmable thermostats should be set to run at 72 degrees for two hours each morning before sunrise, and at 88 degrees for the remainder of the day. They recommend non-programmable thermostats be set at 80 degrees in single-family homes, or 77 degrees in in condos/apartments.

Preventing Water Leaks

You're likely aware that undetected water leaks can mean big problems in any home. According to BobVilla.com, water leaks are common (even in newer homes) and it's likely that every house will suffer at least one. Monitoring the water bill is one way be vigilant about catching unanticipated increases in water usage. Other methods - like documenting water meter readings or checking for extra green patches of grass - require someone to be on site.

Post-storm Roof Check

Florida is known for hurricanes and other significant storm systems. We're the lightning capital of the country. Our state government uses plain language like "FloridaStorms.org" and "FloridaDisaster.org" to help residents prepare for such events. While everyone watches as the next big weather event approaches, it's easy to overlook the impacts that can come from smaller events. It doesn't take tropical storm force winds or a limb through the roof to cause major damage to your home. These simple post-storm observation techniques can help to prevent and identify situations that lead to leaks. Call a roofing professional if you see something that concerns you.

Florida Animals & Pests

Florida is home to its fair share of unwanted house guests - and we're not just talking about those sunseeking visitors who missed their flight home. Palm rats tend to find their way out of palm trees and into roofs. Palmetto bugs may not sound offensive, until you realize it's just a colloquial name for cockroach. Frogs, lizards, snakes... we'll stop there because we do want you to spend time here! 

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. There are four principles that are applied in a variety of conditions, from agricultural to household use. Level of toxicity escalates as needed. In layman's terms, they are 1) identify, monitor, and educate yourself on the pest, 2) remove access to factors that are attractive to the enemy, 3) use less toxic elimination measures like traps or bait before moving on to 4) apply chemicals as a last resort, using targeted (rather than universal) application. The University of Florida offers example IPM strategies for several species.

Snakes of Red, Black, and Yellow

This weekend we had a bit of excitement at our garage door: a small snake with black, red, and yellow rings! But uh-oh... Floridians beware that those colors on a snake might indicate trouble. The rings could belong to either the Harlequin Coralsnake or the Scarlet Kingsnake.

The first is notoriously venomous; the second is harmless. There is a very old rhyme (with many variations) to help humans distinguish between the two snakes: "Red next to yellow will kill a fellow; red next to black is a friend of Jack." We've never found this rhyme particularly helpful, because it requires remembering the order of the colors and whether it's the fellow or Jack who meets an untimely end.

Here's a different rhyme: These words will help a Florida fellow who sees a snake of red, black, yellow: Scarlet Kingsnake, scarlet nose, gentle as a wild red rose. Harlequin Coralsnake, nose of black, harmful venom, take steps back. Of course, regardless of which snake it is, your best plan of action is to let the snake be! Neither attacks unless provoked.

Mosquitos

Local transmissions of malaria have occurred in the past month in northern Sarasota County (posted: July 2023). The Department of Health continues encouraging residents to "drain and cover" for the best protection against mosquito bites. Drain standing water from your yard, cover containers or shallow areas where water may pool, and cover yourself with clothing when outside. Other tips are to avoid being outside between dusk and dawn and wear EPA approved mosquito repellents. View this video and/or visit scgov.net/mosquito for information on actions taken by Sarasota County and the Health Department to monitor and mitigate transmissions

Additional Considerations

Maintenance Drives for Personal Vehicles

Cars.com recommends cars should generally be driven at least once every two to three weeks. Check your auto owner's manual or with the manufacturer for information specific to your vehicle. Maintenance drives help to prevent dead batteries, flat spotted tires and other vehicle issues faced by seasonal homeowners.