In Florida for Boomers you’ll not only learn about buying a home, but also about other aspects of moving to Florida. Taxes, financing, new home construction, where to take the kids and grandkids when they come to visit, what museums to go see, festivals to experience, and more.
I’m a big consumer of information books. My bookshelf is lined with “for Dummies” books. I think reference books like these are one of the best ways to learn about any subject and I’ve written Florida for Boomers to do the same for folks trying to learn about Florida retirement communities and real estate.
A few years ago I was selling homes in one of the many Florida retirement communities and I wanted to see if there was a book that I could recommend to folks I met that could teach them everything I was telling them about retirement communities and Florida real estate.
Well, I found a book that had this, but not that. Travel, but not real estate. Real estate, but not financing. And so on.
Well, the proverbial light bulb went off, and Florida for Boomers was born. I’ve combined all my knowledge, and all the knowledge I could find from other great sources, into an easy to use, easy to read, guide for baby boomers (and really anyone else) thinking about heading to Florida. I hope you enjoy reading it and learning from it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it (which…by the way…took me over 2 years, even with all that I already knew!)
Here’s an idea of what you’ll find in my book:
- How to get to the bottom of the question, “who does my agent really represent?”
- Why you should use a Buyer’s Agent to help you find a Florida community…but only if they eliminate this from their contract.
- I’ll show you line by line…and in plain English… how to read and understand the most commonly used “standard” FAR/BAR Florida real estate contract.
- Then there are the 4 most important keys to negotiating with Florida homesellers.
- I’ll also explain your Florida real estate closing costs, to help you avoid any last minute surprises at the closing table.
- In Florida for Boomers you will discover the 5 critical steps to finding a city and a Florida community you’ll enjoy for years to come.
- You’ll also discover a “little-known” tool that shows you where “your” best bets are for places to buy.
Florida’s New Home Construction Process
Maybe you’d like to have a new home built in Florida. There are over 60 critical steps in the new home construction process detailed…with over 20 photos of an actual home under construction in Florida.
new home in florida
With this information you will know exactly what’s going on at each stage of construction… and what’s coming next. Just think how confident you’ll feel during conversations with your builder. Also, your Florida home builder might prefer you didn’t read Chapter 14: “Your new home walkthrough, start to finish”.
Not all Florida real estate contracts are the same. Don’t sign a contract with a builder until you read “Florida home builder contract clauses revealed…and how to protect yourself”.
Some of you buying a home in Florida will want to have a new swimming pool built right along with your new home…and I’ve got you covered there too in Chapter 15.
Florida HOA’s Revealed and Questions Answered…
Many of the communities you’ll look at in Florida have a Homeowners’ Association. I’ve lived in HOA’s all my life, so I’ll tell you all the ins and outs that are involved. I’ll also teach you how to read and understand a Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Budget. Plus show you two very important things to look for when considering a Florida community with a Homeowners’ Association.
Here’s more you’ll learn…
- How should you take title to your new home in Florida? Find out what’s best for your situation.
- The only REAL ways to save money on your Florida property tax bill.
- Follow this advice to save on your Florida homeowner’s insurance.
- A type of insurance policy that you need to have in Florida (and it can be cheap!)…but most people neglect to get it and suffer.
- What the most “vulnerable” point of a home is during a hurricane…and how to protect it (Hint: It’s not your roof!)
- How to buy your Florida “dream home” without selling your current home first.
- What you need to know about buying or building your Florida home near the ocean.
- How to keep a “virtual” eye on your second home or vacation home no matter if you’re in Hoboken or Hong Kong…for about a dollar a day!
- What you absolutely need to know about CDD’s in Florida, as well as how to find them.
- Is a manufactured home really a safe choice when you buy real estate in Florida?…The answer might surprise you.
- Why your financial advisor might not want you to buy a 2nd home or retire in Florida.
- The type of community agents and experts agree is virtually guaranteed to appreciate in value faster than most others.
- Thinking of buying a Florida home “as-is”…read this before you sign.
- Don’t play golf? Here’s why you might want to avoid a country club community altogether.
- Considering living in Florida just part-time? Learn how this common scenario could play havoc with your retirement fund.
- I’ve even teamed up with South Florida’s # 1 Condo Realtor, featured on the Today Show, 20/20, and the Wall Street Journal for an interview on the luxury condo lifestyle you won’t want to miss.
Starting your search for real estate in Florida on the web? Let me get you headed in the right direction…
There’s nothing wrong with starting your Florida real estate research on the web, in fact I encourage you to do so. But how long do you think it would take you to sort through nearly 6 million web pages on the subject? Not to worry, I’ve done the work for you. In Florida for Boomers I give you my hand-picked list of the best sources for Florida community information on the web. Links to these resources are also provided for owners of the book on the Florida Resources page. In the book, I also give you a list of print publications and a few other resources you should check out.
