You should read more about HOME-ZONE. It is very popular among Canadians who own properties in FL

These are all great answers, but the one thing I noticed that needs to be addressed in more detail is the pool. Never drain your pool, unless a pro is doing it or you really know what you are doing. On most pools here we have a pipe ( usually 2") coming out of the ground from the deep end, usually with some others, that goes to a stone area UNDER your pool. This pipe is used to drain the water from underneath your pool before lowering the pool water level. If you do not suck the water from that pipe FIRST, your pool WILL lift out of the ground, YES LIFT. The pressure under your pool of water pushing up can be much greater then the pool, even concrete pool with water to the top, and it will cause your pool to lift, thereby breaking the pool, the pool plumbing, the decking, the sreen enclosure, even gutters and soffits where the screen attaches to the home. BEFORE you drain your pool, be sure to call a PRO, or be sure you know exactly what you are doing.
I would say your best bet is to find yourself a maintenance free community, that will handle most of the exterior issues for you and be able to keep an eye on things. Good Luck

Good morning Norma,

For starters, find yourself a quality home warranty ... good ones will cover everything from roofs to dishwashers and air conditioners to bathrooms, plus the electrical and pools ..

--- It is written ~~ "the only time anything breaks is when you're not there ." ..l.o.l.. ..

Depending on the size and the area they run "around" $400ish a year, great peace of mind and cheap insurance.

You'll need to run your air when you're not there, nothing is nicer than clothes that have been sitting in a closet at 91 degrees with the humidity to make them even nicer... humidity kills everything from microwaves to tv's (welcome to Florida) .

Exterminators only need to come out 3 or 4 times a year, once every 90 days or so unless there's been much more rain than usual or your neighbor is a crackpot and feeds the raccoons everyday from her doorstep.. anything more than that is a waste of $$.

You'll need a full time pool service that comes weekly and the same goes for the landscaper/lawn service, so check around and ask your neighbors ... some of the best deals and service is found in those little weekly papers that come during the week, for half the price.

Mold is mold, I can remember 20 years ago when it wasn't even a topic .. I'm sure there is a quality HVAC company in the area that will inspect your dwelling before the closing.

Good luck and welcome to Florida.

Every new comer to Florida worried about the same issues when it comes to absentee ownership....we did! You will soon come to understand the magnitude of the service industry and willingness of people to offer their assistance and the problem will solve itself....

The best case sinerio, we have found, is to identify someone in your neighborbood and contract them to take care of your lawn. Since they live in the neighborhood each time they drive past the home they will be checking on the condition of the lawn and noticing your house. If you feel comfortable enough with the individual, provide them with a key and ask them to check inside from time to time. This service might cost you in the range of $75 to $125 depending on the size of the lawn and services you request.

There are other factors to consider that include:

1. Always turn off the water source coming into the home when away for a long period

2. Have a humidastat installed-this will save on energy costs and minimize inside moisture

3. Unplug all appliances and leave the refrigerator door ajar

4. Set a couple lights on different timers

5. While away keep your closet doors open for air circulation.

6. Keep your air conditioning on... set it higher but don't shut it down

7. Contract a pool company to care for the pool or use your neighborhood lawn guy/gal

8. Have a pest control company spray for bugs-normally every 3 months

9. Consider a "service contract" for your A.C. that will require a service every 6 months

10. When you leave storm proof- put up shutters, store outdoor furniture, secure lose items etc.

We hope you find this helpful.

If you consider the West Coast, DO NOT overlook the Venice area. It's known by residents as Paradise....
We would be glad to help.

The "Ekler Team"
Century 21 Almar & Associates
Venice, Fl 34285
941-408-5363

Norma, This is a great question. In South Florida in the Summer the mold and the mildew can grow fast. I would make sure you leave the ac on. (just raise up the temp). In addition I would look into a house sitter. They will go by the home and make sure everything is ok. Also if a Hurricane does hit during the summer many times these companies will make sure your shutters are up and everything is safe.

Norma,

If you purchase a Single Family home in South Florida, there are several things you can do to maintain the home in your absence.

First, DO NOT shut off the air conditioner. Leave it at about 75-78 degrees when you leave. If you shut it off, you will wind up with a mold issue. You may wish to get a maintenance contract for your major appliances (that is a good idea even if you lived here year round) so that those can be properly maintained and fixed if need be. Generally, you will not need to have someone check on it when you are not here.

We personally have a pest control company that services the OUTSIDE of the home once a month preventing any bugs from entering the home. We have not seen any little critters in the house whatsoever using this method.

Shut off the water valve to the house when you leave the property to prevent any issues.

If you have a pool, you will need a pool company to service it to keep everything working properly - do not drain it as it will cost you more money just filling it back up (and there is a water shortage) and it is really not necessary.

Grass grows rather quickly in the summer time. It definitely needs cutting every seven to ten days. You can have the lawn company cut it every 2 weeks while you are gone and that should suffice. That needs to be monitored though because you do not want your yard looking overgrown. If it begins to look that way, you will need to have the lawn cut more often.

While you are not here, have all post forwarded to you in Canada. Make friends in the community. There are wonderful people here in South Florida and a neighbor can definitely watch the place for you and let you know with a phone call what is going on with the property.

We live in a wonderful community here in East Boca and we LOVE our neighbors. When we go on holiday, they watch our home for us and vice versa. Including taking the post and newspapers for us so we do not have everything stacked up. We also have a key to each others prospective homes in case of emergency.

If you buy a condo, however, all you need to do is turn off the water and lock the doors (maybe close the hurricane shutters) and then come back in September/October/November to what you left. The Association usually has the pest control company come in and fumigate when you are not home. They also maintain the pool, lawn, etc.

I hope some of the above helps.

Best regards,

Gia

1. Get a house sitter for when you are away. Most communities have a resident in that business. They can let in a pest inspector, check things for you (give them a list including checking all ceilings for leaks or signs of mold, including garage), and take care of any deliveries.

2. Is there a nearby airline that flies direct to the city that your main home is in, or to the nearest airport? Check out PBI, FLL, MIA.

3. Check with your pool company. I doubt that you should drain the pool, but they will know and advise you .
4. You may want to leave on the a/c.

Regards,
Marilyn Jacobs
marilynfjacobs@gmail.com
561-988-0070