Thank you to our past, present, and future clients! 

We are delighted and honored to announce that, with your trust in us as your team, Rebecca has won the Golden B.E.A.R. Sales Excellence Award for the 3rd year in a row. 

Less than 10% of agents within our board receive this honorable recognition.

We are 2 out of 16,098 agents in our Southwest Florida Multiple Listing Service. The fact that you chose us to represent you means the world to us. We are deeply grateful for this recognition - and also for our shiny new trophy. 

Whether you've worked with us, have referred your friends and family to us, or just follow us online - it is your continued support that makes this recognition possible!

To show our appreciation, we sent out a prepaid Starbucks barcode this morning that is only available to our weekly email subscribers. If you received that email, first of all thank you for allowing us into your inbox on a weekly basis, and secondly, simply print or scan the barcode below at your local Starbucks to pay for your order.

If you aren’t on our email list and didn’t get the code - what are you waiting for?! go to FloridaHeritageTeam.com/email to sign up. Signing up will ensure you start getting goodies like this that are reserved only for our subscribers, as well as Ft. Myers area lifestyle and real estate related resources like checklists, short how-to guides, cheat sheets, quality lists of tips, secrets, area insights, and local recommendations delivered to your inbox weekly!

FREE DOWNLOAD FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:

Our Trusted Local Vendor List for Home Repairs and Maintenance. You can download it here.

When was the last time you walked into your home and decided to look up? We mean really took a good look up? At your ceiling, around your A/C vents, or even inside your attic? 

Well.... your answer is probably, "not since I bought the place!" 

Remember when you were first walking through your soon to be new home/condo, and you likely took a good look at every last nook and cranny - especially the ceiling? We tend to forget doing that once we've moved in. 

NOW is the best time of the year to do so - at the beginning on Florida's official rainy season. That started on May 15th. 

Don't let the Florida weather rain on your parade! Let us explain why: 

The kiss of death in our line of work is walking into a home, looking up, and seeing a brown water spot. This almost always means a roof leak, and potentially even mold. NOT something you want to deal with in Florida.

What's an easy fix to prevent this catastrophe? Doing your annual roof inspection!

Why should you care? Because if you own property in Florida, or you are thinking about buying a place here, you owe it to yourself to ensure that your biggest asset, likely your home, is protected from water damage and leaks via a roof free of any issues. 

>>Episode 19: 🌧️ Do This to Protect your Roof From Rainy Season Leaks

On today's episode, we're talking about: 

1. What is a roof inspection and what does it entail?
2. How long does it take?
3. How do I choose an inspector?
4. When is a roof inspection needed?
5. How much does it cost?
6. Who pays for it?

FREE DOWNLOAD FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:

Our Trusted Local Vendor List for Home Repairs and Maintenance. You can download it here.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S FREEBIE: THE ULTIMATE HOUSE HUNTING CHECKLIST

Think moving 6 times in 7 years ourselves has influenced & shaped how we guide and support our buyer clients? You bet it has… and what kind of real estate agents would we be if we didn’t go through the torture that is moving (over and over again) ourselves? We've made many mistakes along the way, and we hope we can save you some of the heartache!

>>Episode 12: How 6 Moves in 7 Years Shaped the Way We Work with Our Buyers

Listen in on today’s episode to learn:

• The #1 tool we use to ensure our buyers can easily pinpoint the exact neighborhood best suited for them between an area as large as Naples to Cape Coral.
• Why it’s AOK to rent for a while even though every other agent is probably telling you to commit to a house right away to "save money"
• The exact checklist we wish we had when we were house hunting (a room-by-room house hunting report card that allows you to quickly “grade” each home you see)
• The top mistakes we made building 3 new construction homes (we built a house next to a major road just because it was a great deal and regretted it to say the least)

FREEBIE FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:

Our Local SWFL Gift Guide - Download it here.

Some of you may or may not know that we spent several years living in Charleston, South Carolina, where Brad was working for Boeing Aviation at the time. 

One of Charleston's most famous concepts is "SUPPORT LOCAL!" This is something we really took to heart when we lived there, and we try to do this here in SWFL, too.

Mother's Day is only a few days away, and if you are still looking for a last minute gift, then check out today's episode for our Local Gift Guide for Mother's Day.

We have a little something for every type of mom - from the "Foodie Mom" to the "Ultra Glam" mom. And best of all: everything we list are local SWFL businesses or artists that we love supporting!

FREEBIE FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:

Our Local SWFL Gift Guide - Download it here.

As we head into hurricane season each year (we have about a month left!), there are so many assumptions we see Florida homeowners making when it comes to their insurance (especially in the summertime) which leave them and their property completely vulnerable. 

How do we know? Because this is what many of our clients have said to us, and we’ve tried our best to educate on:

Assumption1: I don’t need flood insurance because I don’t live in a flood zone 

Assumption 2: I don’t need insurance on my condo. My HOA dues pay for that

Assumption 3: I'm automatically covered for hurricanes - it's Florida!

Well, call us crazy but as real estate agents we can say with certainty that none of those assumptions are true. In fact, the most common insurance knowledge we see that people think they have is actually riddled with complete misinformation. 

Now, we can’t and won’t blame buyers and Florida homeowners because that’s not their area of expertise… and technically it isn’t our’s, either. Which is why on today's episode, we bring you Bryce Wright, licensed insurance agent right here in Ft. Myers.

Bryce is going to help us debunk these myths once and for all, so you can keep your home safe this hurricane season! 

Why should you care? Because if you own property in Florida, or you are thinking about buying a place here, you owe it to yourself to ensure that your biggest asset, likely your home, is truly protected from natural disasters like hurricanes and floods. 

>>Episode 15: Hurricane Season is Coming: The Biggest Insurance Mistakes FL Homeowners Make

On today's episode, we're talking about: 

1. Snowbirds purchasing the wrong type of policy (we bet you didn’t know that your place might not be covered if you have a leak and aren’t here for a few months)
2. Not understanding exclusions to your policy when it comes to hurricanes (nope - pool cages and wind coverage isn’t automatically included in Florida)
3. Ways to save money on your wind insurance (have you heard of wind mitigation certificates?)
4. Not understanding what your hurricane deductible is and how it works (depending on the value of your home, you might not even want to file a claim if you have wind damage because your deductible is so high)
5. Failing to get a contents policy for your condo because you think your HOA covers that - think a leak from your upstairs neighbor ruining your stuff…)
6. Not getting insurance at all if you don’t have a mortgage (PSA: FL doesn’t require any insurance if you pay cash)
7. Thinking you don’t need flood insurance because you don’t live in a flood zone (remember that 15ft. storm surge estimated for Ft. Myers when Irma hit?
8. “Excluded Water Damage” on homes older than 35-40 years. This is a general rule that almost every insurance company here in Florida applies to older homes

Can you feel summer creeping in? Does “Florida Regret” Set in for You in the Summer? It’s not that we want to necessarily “get away” from Fort Myers (after all we love it here!) but in the Summer months, what we call “heat & humidity regret” can set in… and as the temps rise, our level of acceptance for both rapidly falls! 

Don’t despair, because you have summer getaway options aside from crawling through Disney and Bush Gardens on all fours in this summer heat. And what better summer getaway than one spent out in and on the water to cool off?! 

>>Episode 14: The Best Summer Getaway in Florida 

You see, there is the most amazing coastal summer getaway in Florida hiding just West of Gainesville. The little gem we’re referring to is called scallop season in Steinhatchee, Florida. This has quickly become an annual trip favorite for our family to take every July. It’s both relaxing and calming, and entirely exiting all at the same time. 

In today’s episode we share: 

• The most unique and hidden coastal summer getaway we’ve come across in Florida - think an epic coastal scavenger hunt that’s enjoyable for adults and older kids alike
• Where to stay - this cute little "Old FL" village of sorts will have you swooning
• When to go - yes, there’s a legal scallop season in July)
• Essentials to bring - please learn from our mistakes!
• Things to keep in mind as you prepare for this unique getaway

You can see photos, and get all of the links to where we stay and what we do here.

Can you believe we are already into the month of April? Season has kept us incredibly busy this year, and we are almost coming to the end of it. It sounds so cliché, but time really is flying... 

Well, speaking of flying, we have something for all of our seasonal snowbirds this week. Episode 8 of our podcast is all about what to do to prepare your home before leaving to go up north at the end of season. Other than a great episode, we also have a great checklist for you for this week's freebie.

Heading into March also means that season will be coming to an end before you know it. We love our snowbirds, and had the pleasure of working with the very best of them this year. Many of our snowbird clients are heading back north to spend Easter with the grandkids, which means we start getting the following questions right around this time: 

"What should I set my thermostat to before we leave?" 

"How do I get my house ready before heading back up north?" 

"Should I shut the water off?" 

"Do I need to make changes to my insurance policy while I'm gone?"

While we're always happy to answer these questions individually, we only felt it was fair to share our checklist with the rest of the world. So whether you're a current snowbird, want to become a snowbird, or are headed out for an extended vacation, our Ultimate Snowbird Turndown Checklist will ensure your home is well taken care of during your absence!

Can you believe we are already into the month of March? Season has kept us incredibly busy this year, and we are almost coming to the end of it. It sounds so cliché, but time really is flying... 

Well, speaking of flying, we have something for all of our seasonal snowbirds this week. Episode 8 of our podcast is all about what to do to prepare your home before leaving to go up north at the end of season. Other than a great episode, we also have a great checklist for you for this week's freebie.

To download our Ultimate Snowbird Turndown Checklist go to www.FloridaHeritageTeam.com/8

Heading into March also means that season will be coming to an end before you know it. We love our snowbirds, and had the pleasure of working with the very best of them this year. Many of our snowbird clients are heading back north to spend Easter with the grandkids, which means we start getting the following questions right around this time: 

"What should I set my thermostat to before we leave?" 

"How do I get my house ready before heading back up north?" 

"Should I shut the water off?" 

"Do I need to make changes to my insurance policy while I'm gone?"

While we're always happy to answer these questions individually, we only felt it was fair to share our checklist with the rest of the world. So whether you're a current snowbird, want to become a snowbird, or are headed out for an extended vacation, our Ultimate Snowbird Turndown Checklist will ensure your home is well taken care of during your absence!

2020 hurricane season is only 8 weeks away...! Are you prepared?

Have you heard of an asset inventory package and how it can protect your property?

Did you know this is a vital part to protecting your property and biggest assets - namely your home - from natural disasters like a hurricane? 

Fires, floods, and storms are never planned, but you can prepare for them. And by prepare we mean prepare in the ways that your insurance company needs you to, so they can help walk you through any potential type of claim. That means an inventory list, updated photos of your belongings, a floor plan, and more.

How on earth do you get that put together? Cue Bonafide Measurements!

Our guest today is Vic Elsey of Bonafide Measurements. Vic’s company offers virtual property walkthroughs, laser accurate floor plans, as well as ground and aerial photography. He’s created a package that is meant to help protect you and your biggest asset - your home - from natural disasters with an Asset Inventory Package. 

Don't want to miss next week's episode? Click here to subscribe on iTunes!

If you're feeling extra loving, Brad and I would be forever grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. These reviews help other people find our podcast, and give us valuable feedback to make sure we are putting out the content that you will love. Just click here to review, scroll to "Ratings & Reviews" and give it to us straight!

 "Hear" you next week!

www.FloridaHeritageTeam.com/11

*The Florida Heritage Team and Premiere Plus Realty, Co. do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.*

We can think of many things more fun than doing taxes... like: 

• Cleaning the windows
• Pressure washing the pool deck
• Scrubbing the bathroom

Yikes - I would even rather wash the dirty dishes by hand than do taxes. But alas... we all must do them every year. 

Is your head spinning this time of the year, too? That filing deadline is creeping up fast, and it’s also one of the busiest times of the year in terms of season here in SWFL. Lots of our clients are buying and selling, and there are some very important pieces of information your accountant will need in order to maximize your deductions.

So if you recently sold a home or are planning to in the future, you may be wondering if there are tax deductions you can take as a home seller. And the answer is: You bet!

In fact, the tax deductions available to you might be quite sizable. You will want a list of deductions prior to filing this year, so in today’s podcast episode we are talking about how to stop wasting money and start saving with 5 tax deductions for sellers.