Hello, Friends on the Emerald Coast of Florida!  It’s that time of year again.  For what? Well, maybe… a hurricane? I hope not, but hurricane season officially began June 1 and ends November 30.  The last major hurricane in Northwest Florida was Hurricane Michael, seven years ago.  How long do you think we will remain lucky?  NOAA predicts 8-13 hurricanes this year and 20-25 named storms.  I thought this would be a great time to post a reminder and hurricane tips to keep top-of-mind awareness. If you have any tips to add, comment below and I will update the list.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TIPS:

PETS: Cats, dogs, snakes, parakeets?  Make sure you have carriers for them  if you have to evacuate.  We actually have a van and use a small cage for our cats with room for the litter. Consider getting a blanket to cover your pets in their carriers to lessen any distress.  Procure any extra medication or tranquilizers for car trips in advance of the rush to your veterinarian.  Map out a hotel that accepts pets if you need to go.  Here is a link to search for pet friendly hotels.

INSURANCE: Take photos of all your belongings and download to a CD or thumb drive. Open all your drawers and closets and photograph the contents. You may need these for insurance claims if your property is damaged.

IMPORTANT PAPERS: Gather up your wills, powers of attorney or any legal document that may not be readily accessible online. Have them ready in a pouch to grab when you evacuate. To help you organize, here is a 20 page guide from the State of Florida on Hurricane Emergency Financial Preparedness.

ICE: If you have an automatic ice maker in your freezer, empty it and/or turn it off.  If not, you may find melted ice on your floor if you lose power for more than a day. We found that out when we returned from one of our Destin Florida hurricane evacuations!

PERISHABLES:  Limit perishables in your refrigerator or freezer.  You will have to discard spoiled food if you lose power for a few days, so why add to the mess?

PROJECTILES: Bring in your lawn chairs, tables, wind chimes, real estate signs, etc.  Prevent them from becoming air borne projectiles into your or a neighbor’s property.

HOTEL: Make hotel reservations now if you are in a threat zone.  Hotels may be booked for hundreds of miles around you. Don’t book where the hurricane is tracking after landfall. For example, if the hurricane is on a track to Atlanta, don’t plan an evacuation stay there.

GAS: Fill your car up with gas now.

MEDICATIONS: Get your refills now.  If it’s too early for a refill, many pharmacies will make an exception.  Bring a copy of your prescription with you.

COMPUTERS:  Back up your systems to a hard drive and  bring them with you. Check out Acronis or similar software to make a mirror image copy of your computer.  I’ve had to use this technology to recover computers in the past.

Florida Hurricane Tracking Map

If you have not gone through a hurricane before, please take it seriously. If you have survived a hurricane, add your hints here. Take care, my friends.

It’s Wendy… It’s Sold!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call 850-259-0422
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, sells real estate in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, 30A, Miramar Beach, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Florida.

The post Are You Ready for a Hurricane on the Emerald Coast? first appeared on Rulnick Realty.

My Safe Florida Home program gives single family homeowners in Florida financial grants for new roofs, windows, and doors, as determined by a State of Florida hurricane safety inspection. This program offers free inspections for any single family home that has the Florida homestead exemption. If hurricane protection upgrades are deemed necessary, homeowners will receive significant grants to cover two-thirds the cost of improvements, up to $10,000.

The current My Safe Florida Home funding only covers homes in the wind-borne debris regions of Florida, but legislation is expected to be approved that would increase eligibility to all homes throughout the state, and also cover townhomes. (Here are current wind-borne debris maps for Okaloosa County, and Walton County).

Still, with the updated program, homes must be homestead properties and have a construction permit issued before 2008, and with an insured value of no more than $700,000 (up from $500,000).

Covered item specifics where the grants would be applicable towards new roofs, windows, and doors are as follows:

Roofs:

• Reinforce Roof-to-Wall Connections
• Install Secondary Water Resistance for the Roof
• Upgrade Roof Covering
• Improve the Strength of Roof Deck Attachments

Openings:

• Exterior Door Upgrades
• Garage Door Upgrades
• Window Upgrades (window glass)

Lower income Florida homeowners may be eligible for up to $10,000 in grants for new roofs, windows, and doors, without the requirement to spend any of their own money. Previous grants for these Florida homeowners was limited to $5000. If signed into law, the effective date for the new program benefits would be July 1, 2023.

Apply for a free inspection to see if you are eligible for grants for new roofs, windows, and doors here.

Read about homeowners insurance issues in Florida.

The post Florida Hurricane Grants for New Roofs, Windows, Doors first appeared on Rulnick Realty.