New Home Checklist: What to Buy For Your Florida Home

Buying or moving into a new home is an exciting milestone. It’s also a time of non-stop stress and exhaustion. One way to mitigate the moving woes is to do your research in advance — and I’m not just talking about scouring property listings or housing market reports.

It’s important to consult a new home checklist to make sure your home is equipped with the right amenities, especially in Florida.

Imagine moving into your new home only to realize that the water is hard and full of chemicals. Or that your half-a-million dollar house doesn’t come with gutters and all of your landscaping is at risk of getting washed away?

Problems like these are common to Florida newbies. I myself learned the hard way that there’s an art to buying patio furniture.

Make sure your new home in Florida is the paradise you intend it to be with this handy new home checklist that’s specifically designed for subtropical living. No more mold, no more power outages, and no more accidentally stepping on a gator. Yes, that’s really a thing.

1. A Standby Generator

When I first started watching Florida real estate Youtube videos, I had no idea why realtors went out of their way to mention whether a community had gas or not. Who cares if you have a gas stove or not, I thought. Oh what a clueless Northerner I was.

Before you buy your home, consider whether the community has gas. Then, before you invest in any big purchases for your new home, buy a standby generator.

Hurricane Milton approaches as I sit at my computer typing, and I know I don’t need to worry about filling up gas tanks for a portable generator or living without air conditioning so I can power my refrigerator. That kind of peace of mind is truly priceless.

2. Durable Patio Furniture

Don’t make the same mistake I did. When I moved to Florida, I spent a small fortune on gorgeous outdoor patio furniture — excuse me, I mean “lanai” furniture — only to see it get destroyed within a few months.

Between weather and insects, the setting is ripe for wear, tear, and horror movie-levels of mold.

Look for weather-resistant structures made from materials such as wicker, aluminum, polywood, and PVC. Never, may I repeat, never, buy fancy patio cushions unless they’re built to last.

Either get something cheap or splurge on Sunbrella fabric that’s fade resistant and mold resistant. Oh, and make sure you cover the furniture when it’s not in use. Yeah, I messed that one up too.

3. A Water Softener

As I mentioned earlier, Florida water is hard and full of chemicals. It makes your hair dry and your nails brittle, which means you have to go to the salon more often and spend money.

Why not spend that money up front with a water softener system that makes taking a shower feel like getting a lotion treatment. Plus, your counters will be spared the hard water stains, which in turn spares you from buying more cleaning products.

Granted, trips to the salon and cleaning products are small purchases. But what about the calcium and magnesium that builds up in your home’s pipes and leads to corrosion or clogs?

What about the wear and tear on your dishwasher and laundry machine? A water softener might seem like an expensive item when you’re looking to deck out your home in all new furniture; but trust me, it’s a money saver in the long run.

4. A Reverse Osmosis System

Don’t stop at the water softener. Think about it, if the water is bad for your pipes, how great can it be for your body?

A reverse osmosis system filters water through a filter material that’s so microscopically small, you might as well try looking for an atom with the naked eye. It removes organic materials, metals, and salt so your water tastes clean and refreshing. Which trust me, you’ll need if you decide to stick it out here during the summer months.

Need more perks beside taste? According to Forbes, reverse osmosis water is both safer and more environmentally friendly than bottled water. Your pets will appreciate drinking clean water, too.

And for those of you who are thinking, I’ll just use my Brita or refrigerator filter, think again. I’ve tasted water from all three, and there’s just no comparison.

5. Gutters

We’re not done talking about water yet. But this time, we’re talking about rain water. Some of you may be surprised to learn that developers like Lennar don’t put gutters on the sides or the back of the new construction homes.

Why? They’re excuse is that the rain water won’t damage the foundation of the house. Okay, maybe so. But here’s the thing, overtime, your landscaping will get washed away.

Before we got gutters installed, we used to call the giant puddle that formed behind our house “Lake Lennar.” It was a breeding ground for mosquitoes and left exposed sand everywhere.

That sand always seemed to end up in our lanai the next time it rained. Now that we have gutters, our lanai is cleaner, our mulch stays in one place, and our plants aren’t drowning in fertilizer water. Sounds like a win to me.

6. Roll-Down Hurricane Shutters

If you’ve read my first recommendation, you know that Hurricane Milton is quickly approaching. If you were to go into my living room, you’d find all of my lanai furniture crammed into the space.

You know who didn’t have to bring all of their lanai furniture into their home so they wouldn’t have flying projectiles? My friend Michelle who has roll-down hurricane shutters.

Whether you opt for a manual crank or electric motor, you’ll love how easy it is to prepare your home for life threatening storms. This is especially handy for anyone who doesn’t have hurricane-glass windows.

Preparing for a hurricane is always going to be stressful, but having roll-down hurricane shutters frees up time to go get gas and hit the grocery store. If you ask me, that’s another priceless purchase.

7. A Front Door With Glass Windows

This might seem like a strange one. Why does anyone need to see out the front door when they can just open it and look outside. Well, here’s a fun fact for you Florida newbies. Alligators and snakes like to soak up the sun (or shade) in the entryways to people’s homes.

Every few months someone on our community Facebook page posts a picture of some prehistoric reptile blocking their front door. Now imagine opening the front door and stepping outside before you even realize what’s happening.

So, if you go with a pulte model and are thinking about skipping the upgrade, think again. You need to be able to see out your front door.

And remember, if you see a gator or snake loitering on your neighbor’s property, be a mensch and give them a call. After all, we moved to Florida for the good life, not because we want to get startled by a dinosaur.

8. A Ring Camera

After reading #7, I’m sure it’s no surprise that you should also get a Ring Camera installed in your entryway. It’s not just for safety. It’s also for fun!

We love seeing all the wild life that comes to the house — especially at night. We’ve seen lizards, giant tortoises, gators, and even the occasional bobcat.

You’ll love posting videos of the sightings on social media for your friends up north. Who knows, you might even end up on the local news like this lucky (unlucky?) person.

Just remember, as cool as it is to see wildlife so close up, it’s best not to encourage it. For example, don’t be like the idiots who live down the block and leave their dog food outside.

9. A Dehumidifier

The humidity in your home should range from 40% to 50%. But if you live in Florida, that’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole. Most people don’t believe me when I tell them that I empty my dehumidifier at least once a day. When it rains, I often end up emptying it every few hours.

There’s A LOT of moisture in the air in Florida, and that moisture doesn’t stay out of your home just because the windows are closed. Too much moisture can lead to mold growth. It can also be an invitation for pesky critters like cockroaches to set up shop in your home.

As far as I’m concerned, this affordable gadget is worth the upfront cost and any increase to your energy bill. I don’t know about you, but I moved to Florida for the sunshine, not the cockroaches.

10. A Private Pool

A built-in pool is definitely a luxury item. I won’t tell you that it will save you money or prevent wear and tear in your home. But it will up the happiness factor. And that, my friend, is priceless.

Let me tell you a story. When we were first building our home, my mother convinced my husband and I to not get a pool. As she correctly pointed out, pools aren’t cheap; and we could visit the community pool whenever we wanted.

What I didn’t realize, however, is that having your own pool in Florida is nothing like having a pool up north. You will use this pool almost every day of your life.

It’s great for entertaining. It’s great for floating on a raft and reading a book in peace and quiet (community pools are noisy, after all). And lastly, it’s great for being able to enjoy a beer without getting yelled at by the HOA manager. Speaking for a friend, of course.