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It’s summer in Florida once again, and that means sunshine, long days, and relaxation. It also means it’s about to get hot—the average high for Ocala hovers in the low 90s from June til September. Is your home equipped to both beat the heat and help you enjoy it? Here are the top 5 must-haves for your home during summer in Florida.
1: Pool
Florida’s beautiful beaches are only about an hour and a half away, but why take the drive when you could just step outside your door? A pool is great for sunbathing, cooling off, and hosting parties, with all the added comforts of home. It’s all the fun of being outdoors, with the amenities of the indoors nearby and on-demand. Not to mention, having a pool adds value to your property!
2: Outdoor kitchen
An outdoor kitchen is an excellent addition to a pool deck or patio. Having a cooking space outdoors makes entertaining during the long summer days more flexible, and helps you party on without abandoning your guests to ferry food back and forth from indoors. Your kitchen can be as simple as a grill and a sink, or more elaborate to meet all your food prep needs without sacrificing a moment of sunshine.
3: Lanai
Having a lanai gives you the best of both worlds: the beauty of the outdoors and the option of relaxing in your favorite comfy chair, safe from the sun. They can be screen-enclosed to let you enjoy the fresh summer air without pesky sunburns or mosquitoes, or glassed-in to keep you cool and comfortable no matter the weather. A lanai is sweet summer laziness incarnate: a place to chill, take a nap, read a book, or watch the world go by—without the inconvenience of getting rained on or bug-bitten.
4: Insulation
Think insulation, and what comes to mind? Probably a house somewhere up north buried underneath piles of snow. But insulation is essential not only for keeping a home warm, but for keeping it cool, too. If your house just won’t cool down, or certain parts of it feel too hot, make sure it’s adequately insulated to keep the cold air in and the hot air out. Check to make sure that your doors and windows are adequately sealed—this is also a great way to save on your energy bills!
5: AC
This one is a big one, and it’s about more than comfort—lack of AC during a Florida heatwave can threaten your health and wellbeing, as well as lead to harmful mold problems even when it’s not terribly hot outside. AC units see a lot of action in the Sunshine State, so make sure yours is always up to date and functioning properly, especially when selling your house or buying a new one.
On the hunt for a home in Florida? Be sure to talk with a Showcase realtor about finding a home with these amenities. Our agents can easily take your criteria (be as specific as you desire!) and narrow the field of houses on the market to find you the perfect home equipped for countless Florida summers to come.
Dawn Trigg
Broker Associate, REALTOR®
Dawn is a GRI REALTOR® and broker associate with Showcase, and a 30-year Ocala resident. She holds bachelor degrees in Health Science from UF and Elementary Education from Saint Leo’s University. In New York, as well as Florida, she developed a career as a dental hygienist and transitioned to education in the early 2000s. She has previously taught at Grace Christian School here in Ocala. A wife of 32 years and mother of two, Dawn enjoys being active in her community by holding memberships to several local organizations: she previously held board positions with the Junior League of Ocala and the Pioneer Garden Club, was an executive with Marion County Medical Society Auxilary, and was a board member of Grace Episcopal School. Currently, she is a member of the Ocala Marion County Board of Realtors, and attends First United Methodist Church of Ocala.
Dawn’s love of real estate stems from the social and human aspects of the profession, and she thoroughly enjoys meeting new people. Continuing her education in real estate is also crucial to her as a professional in the field. She utilizes her growing knowledge and active listening skills to help her customers achieve their goals, and brings her emphasis on personal integrity and honesty to bear on every transaction she makes.
Showcase Properties of Central Florida
352-895-8557
5780 SW 20th Street, Ocala, FL 34474
