You find yourself year after year dreading going back up north and Extending your stay a few more weeks each time. Which mean it’s probably time to focus on buying or upgrading a home here in Naples.

Although you know you need to make a move, the process seems daunting, especially when you live out of state and are hundreds of miles away from Florida.

And now you’re stuck in a repetitive pattern where you constantly discuss that it’s time to move, upgrade, downgrade or pull the trigger to finally get that Florida home. If you don’t pull the trigger, these conversations are going to keep happening year after year, and the prices will keep going up, along with your frustration.

Watching this video is the first step. I wanted to give you my top tips for what to consider.

1. How much time will you spend in Naples?

This to me is key. Be honest with yourself. Are you realistically going to get down here 6 times a year or be able to spend a few months. Are you buying now with the intention to slow down and then fully retire in the next 5 years or so. What are you going to do with the home when you’re not here? Let friends stay, rent out to friends and family or rent it to strangers. One thing you need to know is that about 90% of communities in Naples have restrictions on rentals. So you if you’re planned on airbnb’ing it when you’re not here, this MIGHT not be an option, but we will talk about this when you call.

2. Consider your lifestyle

Most people want to move to Naples for the beach and the weather. So typically they’re drawn to the water, whether its the beach or waterfront. And that might be the best fit for you, but the first thing we’ll discuss is what does a typical day look like? What do you like to do? Are you walking on the beach every morning, or you start each day on the golf course? Are you someone who loves to cook at home or you go out to eat every single night? These lifestyle factors will help both you and me understand what you’re really looking for in a location and amenities. 

3. Is it all about location?

We’ve all heard locate, location location but is that true? In one way, yes. Of course. Location is always going to be a top determining factor for price and value. The beach and water will ALWAYS be the first to rise in value. But is it something you REALLY need? Or is it ok that you are within a 15 min driving distance if you get a free beach parking space? This all goes back to the lifestyle question. If you want a community to connect to others, or you want to be on 2 acres with chickens and growing a garden. There are the perfect locations for different lifestyles, its just what you’re looking for.

4. Your Financial Goals

Real estate is so personal. It’s a personal pet peeve of mine when agent’s say all year round, it’s a great time to sell, it’s a great time to buy!” Why? Because I know that Each family’s goals are different. The right time for your neighbor to sell might not be the right time for you. It all depends on when you bought it, what you paid for it, what you put into it and what are your goals for selling it? At the end of this video, I’ll mention my Lavish Lifestyle Signature Process that I created that takes the guesswork out. It helps you determine the time that’s perfect for YOU to buy or sell your home!

Real estate can be a huge tool for growing your wealth. It just takes some strategy. It usually is not the quick flips that you see on HGTV that will garner that wealth. But if you buy a home at the right price, providing your family what they need and getting the life you want from it, then that’s priceless. Once you buy, we will keep in touch too as your life goals shift to know when the best time to sell for top dollar actually is. We’ll determine this together.

To add to the financial aspect, I had a client tell me once that they were tax refugees seeking to claim residency in Florida. And I love that phrase because it sums up a lot of my clients. We all know Florida doesn’t pay State income tax, making it appealing, but did you know that Collier county has one of the lowest property taxes in Florida? If you do claim residency, you will also be able to homestead your property, meaning, you automatically get $50k off your appraised home’s value so you get a tax break. There are other exemptions too, I don’t have time to go over, but we can discuss on our call to see if you qualify. PLUS an added benefit to homesteading your home is that your tax rate will only increase up to 3% annually. So if you pay $500k for your house today but in 3 years it’s worth over a million, you’re still paying at the $500k rate with a slight increase, not double the taxes. 

5. Worry Free living 

Some people think the only way to have worry free living is to be in a condo. The good news is in Naples, that’s not the case. Most gated communities also offer a lot of amenities The good thing about Naples is that since the majority of the people are seasonal residents / second, third time home buyers there is no shortage of companies that

Provide property management, landscaping, pool etc. Everything you need. 

 **Here’s a few personal tips** Find a reliable and thorough property manager. They not only will check on your house for leaks, etc. but they usually also offer handy man services to keep your home working while you’re gone. If you don’t have hurricane impact glass, be sure to ask them if this is included, or what their rates are. When a storm comes, people scramble to hire folks to help them, and you want to ensure that you’re top of your property managers list. Consider cameras or a ring door bell to access your home when you’re out of State. You can also use apps on your phone to monitor the pool, the ac and so much more.

6. Added Expenses & Upkeep

The extra expenses of a second or third home is obvious. But I want to mention something not as obvious. That’s community fees. Since all condos and most single family homes are within communities that comes with additional fees. The key to this is understanding WHAT these fees include. They may look steep on paper but you need to breakdown what does it offer. Some barely offer anything while others include cable, internet, lawn & landscaping, irrigation and pest control. When you break down what you would pay if you contracted them individually then you realize you’re actually saving money by being apart of a community.

What about a car? Are you going to drive down to Florida every year or fly? If you’re not the type who likes road trips, consider hiring a car carrier company to bring your car down. Others like the sense of knowing a car is parked in their garage so they have the ease of flying down all year round and not having to deal with the hassle.

I know this is a lot to process, but I have simplified it with my 5 step system, my Lavish Lifestyle Signature Process, where I break down each task one at a time, so you’re not overwhelmed. Including giving you access to my trusted team of professionals for everything you’re going to need. You can progress forward without feeling dread or increased stress. In fact, you’ll feel a sense of relief knowing that you’ve started the process.