Welcome to Miami Real Estate Tips

Preparing to Shop for a Home in Miami

Hurricane Preparedness

Like flooding from rains, hurricane hazards are another South Florida natural phenomenon. We've all seen the results of giant hurricanes like Andrew and Katrina and you need to be prepared for large storms if you want to live in the Miami area. Hurricane hazards come in the following forms:

• Storm Surge
• High Winds
• Tornadoes
• Flooding.

You should have a good idea of your home's susceptibility to all of these hazards and you should know if you live in an evacuation area and where storm shelters are located. In June you should make sure you have all the supplies you need in your hurricane kit (including fresh batteries) and then just monitor the weather. You'll get plenty of warning on what you need to do but you should have a family plan that you communicate to your loved ones in case of emergency.

South Florida Utilities

A great Miami relocation tip: Identify your utility companies before you get there.

• Your electricity will be coming from Florida Power and Light.
• Water comes from the Miami Dade County Water and Sewer Department. Check their website for changing your account and for any water usage restrictions.
• For phone, Bell South is the largest provider, but you'll probably be able to use a smaller carrier if you want to.
• If you want cable television or Satellite TV, check with friends and neighbors for recommendations or hop on the internet and do a simple "Miami Cable Television" search for the various providers. Since this is a time when you have to pay a set up fee, check on prices for Satellite TV. During the hurricanes, many people lost cable for days and weeks, but Satellite TV users didn't lose service.
• Check with your local town or city hall for information about trash collection and recycling.

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Miami Newspapers

If you want to do some Miami real estate research, or investigate the Miami neighborhoods, check out the local papers. Here is a listing of the local papers in the South Florida area.

• The Miami Herald - The Miami Herald serves the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market which is the one of the nation's largest. It carries about a million readers every day with about 1.2 million on Sunday's.
• The NewTimes - The Miami New Times is known as the area's best source for news and information. They have a circulation of over 100,000 readers. The New Times prides itself on insightful coverage and for regular exposure of Miami's political life.
• Sun-Sentinel – The Sun-Sentinel serves Broward and Palm Beach counties. They reach over 600,000 readers each day and over 850,000 on Sundays.
• El Nuevo Herald - http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo/ This is the well known Spanish language paper serving South Florida.
• City Link - City Link is Miami and South Florida's best youth culture magazine. They bring pop culture, music, events and feature coverage.

Hurricane Kit

If you are relocating to Miami, you need to learn about hurricanes and be prepared. Here is a simple list of everything you need for your South Florida hurricane supply kit:

• Fresh Water – You should have at least 1 gallon per person, per day for up to one week
• Food – Non perishable and canned items for everyone up to one week. This should include foods for babies, toddlers and any elderly family members. Don't forget dry snack foods, a mechanical can opener, paper plates and plastic utensils and a non electric or gas powered grill or cooking stove.
• Pillows, Sheets, Bedding and Blankets
• Outerwear, Waterproof and Sturdy Shoes and spare underwear and socks.
• First Aid Kit that includes every day medicines and prescriptions.
• Toiletries including special needs for babies or the elderly. Baby wipes no matter what.
• Working Flashlights and Fresh Batteries (Test at the beginning of every hurricane season)
• Battery operated radio or a NOAA weather radio
• Cash Reserves
• Keys to Your Home
• Books, Cards, Games and Toys
• Important Documents – Keep your social security card, other identification and important documents with you and in a water proof bag or container.
• A set of simple tools
• Make sure all of your cars, vehicles and/or generator have full tanks of gas.
• Pet items including collar, leash, food and immunization records.