Every year, hundreds of thousands of people migrate to Florida for its tropical climate, famous beaches and favorable taxes. In fact, the Sunshine State has seen the second-largest population increase in the U.S. since 2022, welcoming more than 350,000 new residents. However, unlike seasoned homeowners in the state, many new Floridians do not know firsthand the life-changing impact hurricane season can have on the area and are unprepared for the dangers they can present, especially to their home.
Fortunately, local REALTORS® are excellent resources for storm preparedness information for both experienced and new homeowners in Florida. June marks the beginning of hurricane season for residents throughout the United States’ Atlantic Coast, and it lasts through the end of November. Because of this, May is the perfect time for Florida homeowners to start preparing for the long, stormy season ahead.
As REALTORS®, we serve as consumers’ personal resource to the communities where we live, work and play, providing local expertise. It is our responsibility to actively work to build strong communities for consumers who become our neighbors, and this includes preparing them for hurricane season.
It’s essential for homeowners to take these measures to protect their homes during hurricanes or other major storms, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they are aware.
Reinforce your home
One of the most essential precautions you can take to reduce damage to your home is to protect the most likely areas where wind and debris can enter, including your roof, windows, doors, garage doors, etc. This means potentially boarding up windows, reinforcing the bolts on your doors and testing the strength of your garage door.
Your local REALTOR® association is an invaluable source of knowledge for these types of questions and can direct you to the best local resources necessary to reinforce your home and belongings. As South Floridians, we have experienced experts who specialize in securing homes for hurricane season, and local real estate professionals can help connect consumers.
Have a plan
Preparation is key in the event of a hurricane. There are countless what-ifs that can spring on you and your family in such a short amount of time, including flooding, power outages, potential evacuation, etc., which is why it is imperative to have resources prepared for anything that might come your way.
At the Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors®, our REALTORS® help their clients prepare for hurricane season via disaster supply kit checklists. These kits remind residents to prepare medication, legal documents, identification, evacuation plans for them and loved ones (including pets) and much more.
Purchase flood insurance
New Floridians might be surprised to learn that their home insurance policy does not cover flood damage. While many mortgage providers require homeowners to purchase flood insurance in high-risk flood zones, there are no state or federal laws that require you to have flood insurance. Therefore, it’s essential to start looking into policies now as storm season quickly approaches, keeping in mind that it can take around 30 days for coverage to take effect.
These are only some of the many ways new Florida residents can prepare for the state’s infamous hurricane season. As real estate professionals, homeowners are going to be looking to us for guidance and advice during these times, and it’s our responsibility to proactively prepare them for what’s ahead.
At Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors®, we emphasize this by offering current and future homeowners information to help them prepare for the stormy season ahead. In fact, we are already equipping our REALTORS® with the information necessary to guide their clients through these trying times.
David Serle is president of Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors®.