Transitioning to Your New Florida Home

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Buying

Known for its great weather, Florida is a blend of many landscapes and cultures. The over 600 miles of white sand beaches are gorgeous, and on top of that, it has Miami and Disney World.  Perhaps some of these features persuaded you to become one of the many out-of-staters who relocate to Florida each year. To help you make a comfortable transition, there is some useful information that you should know.

Preparation

You may know that Florida is called the Sunshine State. However, you may not be aware of the accompanying heat and humidity. You should be prepared with the proper clothing items, appliances, and accessories. To be on the safe side, you might want to plan outdoor work and activities at cooler times of the day. You’ll also need to ensure that your home’s HVAC unit is in working order.

Preparations will also need to include purchasing new auto insurance coverage. Florida is a no-fault state, meaning that no single driver is financial liable for the damages caused in an auto accident. Because of this, Florida does not require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or bodily injury liability coverage. However, you are required to follow their 10/10 ratio, which means you must have a minimum of $10,000 in Property Damage Liability Coverage and $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection. Make sure to thoroughly compare insurance rates and policies to decide on the best auto insurance coverage for you. Once you’ve chosen a policy, you’ll need proof of issuance (which is issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) in case you ever get pulled over.

Moving in

When you finally arrive at your new Florida address, unpacking will be your first task. Essentially, it will be up to you to determine how the unpacking process will be completed. Having an organized plan will help make this job easier. You should start by unpacking essential items first. Next, you can start unpacking and arranging the key furniture and appliances. These items include the beds, washing/drying machines, kitchen table, dining room table, stove, refrigerator, living room couches, and chairs.

Once you have unpacked the main pieces, you can start on the kitchen and bathrooms. Then, you can populate the entryways, basement, and the patio. If you feel that the physical part of unpacking will be too strenuous for you, you can try to enlist friends or relatives to help you. Also, you may need to hire help, and many moving companies offer unpacking services.

Personalizing Your Home

The move-in stage presents an ideal opportunity for you to design and arrange things in a way that will make you the most comfortable in your new home. First and foremost, you should arrange your furniture and accessories in a way that will make your home easy to navigate. You can do this by mapping out the way you would like people to move about your home. This is a good time to decide which accessories and decorative items are going to complement your home and which items are going into storage.

Your color scheme is important to making your home inviting. As you decorate your home, make sure the colors of each room harmonize with the entire home environment. A change in wall paint may be necessary to achieve the overall affect you desire. It may be best to hire a painter for this task. Typically, a licensed painter will charge between $380 to $790 a room.

Exploring the Neighborhood

Once the moving process is done, you can start getting acquainted with your new surroundings by introducing yourself to your new neighbors. For starters, you could have a housewarming party.  If you have a dog, you can meet other local dog owners at the nearest dog park. Also, you may meet other people at the local coffee shop.

Keeping these suggestions in mind will help you make a happy transition. Once you’ve completed these tasks, you can start enjoying your new Florida home and all the state has to offer.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

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Mike Longsdon from ElderFreedom.net