HOW EXCITING!!! You’ve decided the “Time is Right” for you to purchase a vacation home here in beautiful and sunny Florida! Hernando County, located along the Nature Coast, is roughly 40 minutes north of the Tampa Bay Region and offers home buyers great opportunities in both home styles and home prices! Check out our important tips to keep in mind when shopping for YOUR “Fun in the Sun” Vacation Home:

• Consider how you’ll plan to use the home – Will it just be for you, family and friends and how many times will you use it each year? OR, are you planning on offering it out to renters?
• Evaluate different locations – Are there enough amenities and attractions to keep you and/or renters coming back year after year?
• Talk to local residents – What do they love about the area? What’s it like during the off-season?
• Know local laws and/or HOA rules & regulations if you plan to offer the home as a rental – If you plan to rent the home, local rules may restrict rental periods or cap the number of days you can rent each year. Be sure you have a clear understanding of these before signing on the dotted line.
• Calculate your holding costs – Along with your mortgage, insurance, property taxes and association/amenities fees (if applicable), plan to also budget for normal wear and tear on the home. A good rule of thumb is to budget about 1.5% of the home’s value per year for reserves and maintenance. And if you intend to lease out the home, be sure to add the cost of a property manager.
• Talk to your accountant – They can advise you on such issues as the tax implications of rental income and changes in federal tax laws that could impact deductions.
• Test before you buy – Once you’ve settled on a locale, consider renting a home yourself in that locale to “test the waters” in both the busy and slow seasons.
• Work with an experienced REALTOR – Choose a full-time REALTOR who knows the area and who can offer recommendations for all the other experts you’ll need to consult.
• Take your time – Be sure to do your due diligence! Don’t let the excitement of the purchase of a Florida vacation home push you into an impulse decision to buy!

We hope you found this post to be helpful, informative and interesting…

Thinking of BUYING OR SELLING a home in the Spring Hill, Brooksville, Weeki Wachee or the Hernando Beach areas of Hernando County, Florida? If you’re new to the area, be sure to see what Hernando County has to offer you and your family! In the meantime, visit www.GailSellsFloridaHomes.com to explore our state-of-the-art MLS Map Search Feature where BUYERS can SEARCH MLS listings and SELLERS can SEE what their competition is doing!

Until then… it’s all about YOU!