I'm in South Florida and we just take care of our homes like normal people :)

• Monthly pest control - either with a pest control company or self service. I would stay away from the big franchises like Terminix or Orkin. Go with a mom and pop local to your daughter's new place
• Termite inspections can be done by a reputable pest control company - again, go local and not a national franchise
• It is best if the property has wind storm protection such as impact windows or hurricane shutters. Plywood isn't really suitable.
• Mold and mildew are housekeeping issues or water intrusion issues. If there is a leak, get it repaired and cleaned up.
• Run the A/C even if it is set at 77 or 78.
• Don't leave food sitting out. It belongs in the refrigerator.
• Don't feed alligators :)

I can't think of anything else at the moment.

That's helpful, even if it seems obvious to you! :>D We don't do monthly termite inspections...in fact, I think our last pest treatment was 20 years ago. That's what Indiana winters will do to bugs! But termites are not unheard of here.

We do monthly or bi-monthly pest control NOT monthly termite inspections. Sorry if I wasn't clear. The termite inspections are only (usually) when buying or selling a home. Unless you notice a termite swarm for instance or frass on a window sill.

They can throw away their snow shovels and buy sun screen and flip flops! Welcome to Florida! And no state income tax!

Unless they are buying out in a Cypress stand most snakes they may come across will be beneficial. Really. Love bugs (2x yearly) and mosquitoes are more an annoyance then any other critters.

I'm in Central Florida. We have the exterior of our stucco home washed once a year. Those in the area with vinyl clad exteriors usually do an exterior wash twice a year. Never did such or even heard of such a thing when I lived in the north. There are companies that do this for a reasonable fee.

Stax are you saying that normal people don't take care of their homes? :)

I'm saying for those of us that do take care of our homes, there isn't anything unusual that needs to be done. However, juneroses has a different POV. I have never lived in a home with a vinyl clad exterior as it is unusual here in S. Fl.

Denita: "Unusual" is what I found when I bought a house in FL. I find that house maintenance in FL is more work than in Northeast and is a continual year-round issue. FL maintenance people: pool guy, weekly lawn mowing, termite guy twice a year, inside and outside pest control monthly, outside plant health monthly, careful lawn and garden watering due to winter water restrictions, a/c maintenance year round. In Northeast, we mow from April or May through September. Inside bugs are treated same 5 months. Snow plow maybe 4 times a winter season. Annually, the electric bill to cool/heat my FL house is several times the amount I pay to heat/cool my Northeast house. The home/auto/liability/flood insurance bill in FL is much higher than in the north. The FL philosophy of soak the tourists and the new transplants means I don't have an income tax, but they tax anything else.

Normal people? LOL. One's with screens over their Swimming Pools, huge mosquitoes, alligators, Boas and other snakes, cockroaches, humidity out the roof, massive utility bills, talking funny, termites, etc, etc.

Lisa, I see your point. I guess I have been used to it.

I agree with you on the home/auto/liability/flood insurance bills here. Extremely high for all of us.

Stax....lol.

My home/auto/liability bill is lower than it was in the NE. Flood insurance is higher and my electric bills are less. I'm in SW FL.

I guess it depends where in the northeast you were. In west central FL, I have 1/2 the house and 2X the insurance premium compared to greater NYC area. Gasoline is cheaper, though people in NYC rarely drive so that doesn't amount to much. My real estate taxes are lower in FL, but then again I only have 1/2 the house.

Be sure to get a dehumidifier and run it all the time. Or use the air conditioning and make sure it's always set to on, even if it's 77 degrees. The mold and mildew build up fast, especially in the bathroom. And if they are moving into an older home that doesn't have an exhaust vent already in the bathroom, the mold situation could grow fast unless taken care of with preventative measures (exhaust fan to the outside of the house, not into the attic), running A/C, etc.