From our friends at www.EustisRoofing.com, by: Cheryl Reisman

Please take the time to read the following tips on what to look for in a roofing contractor.  I have had quite an education working in the office of Eustis Roofing Co for the past 30+ years and have heard many a horror story  so I’ve compiled a list of what to look for in a Roofing Contractor to hopefully save an unsuspecting homeowner of having to tell their own story of lessons learned AFTER the fact.  I hope this is helpful to you!

• Always hire a Licensed and Insured contractor.  Don’t just take their word for it!  Ask for a copy of their license and verify it  with the FL Department of Professional Business Regulations.  Any roofing contractor working in the State of FL must have a FLORIDA DPBR license.    Ask for Certificates of Insurance.  This is  KEY:  The Insurance Certificates must come directly from the Insurance Carriers — NOT a copy provided by the contractor.  Ask for  Certificates of Insurance for Workmen’s Compensation and Liability Insurance.  Ask the Roofing Contractor if he will be subcontracting out your roof job.  If so, you will need a Certificate of Insurance from the Subcontractor too!  And make sure the Subcontractor has been paid before you pay for your roof job by asking your roofing contractor for a lien release from the Subcontractor.   If you do not receive this release you are risking the subcontractor filing a lien on your home for the monies they are owed by the roofing contractor.  Also — very important:  Call the Insurance carrier direct when you have been given a Subcontractor’s Certificate of Insurance.  Many, many times in the past we have had crews stop in our office looking for work.  We ask for their Insurance Certificate –and guess what!  Their Insurance coverage DID NOT INCLUDE ROOFING!  By the way – Eustis Roofing Company does not subcontract out our work – we know better!  Do you want to know WHY??  Crews like this come and go — they are not trained by us – we have no control over their quality of workmanship. These crews come and go between companies wherever the work is.  They are not dedicated to stay at any one company.  They just follow the $$ trail until it runs out – then move onto the next one……….
• Do not hire out of town companies!  If a company has a solid reputation in their own back yard they will not have to venture out further. Especially be careful after  a storm.   There are hail reports and other bad weather reports that are easily obtainable to storm chasers.  They come not only from out of town but also out of state.  Why does this matter??  Because they do not care about their reputation.  They’ll do your job, take your money and good luck finding them if you should ever have a problem with their work…..use a contractor where you can walk in their office and talk to someone face to face!
• Do not put money down!   A reputatable contractor should only ask for money up front if it is a very large dollar job.   A reputable contractor will have a good credit rating with their local suppliers and will not need your money up front.  I’ve heard too many stories of money being paid with no work ever being completed – or of liens being placed because the contractor didn’t pay his supply bill.  Did you know the supply company can lien your home for supplies that were not paid for by the contractor that ordered them??  So think of this….you paid the contractor but the contractor didn’t pay for the materials installed on your roof – now you will have to pay AGAIN to satisfy a lien.  Don’t risk paying twice.
• Do not open your door to solicitors!  After working here – I don’t open my door to ANY solicitor!   A reputable business  will not need to solicit!
• Handle your own Insurance claim!  A contractor who says they can get your roof covered for free – or they are a “claims specialist” or can “handle your insurance claim” – beware!  It is not legal for a contractor to act on behalf of the homeowner when negotiating an insurance claim.  To get around this – an unscrupulous contractor will ask you to sign a form.  They will usually tell you to sign their form before they can get on your roof — any licensed and insured roofing contractor is covered to get on your roof with your permission.  An honest & reputable roofing contractor does not need you to sign anything to give an estimate or to look at the condition of your roof!  What most homeowners don’t know is this is most probably an Assignment of Benefits form or an A.O.B. form.  Signing an AOB form now takes you right out of the picture and you no longer have the authority to choose who ever steps foot on your roof — you’ve assigned it over to the contractor who had you sign the form.  All benefits from your Insurance Company will now go directly to this contractor.  Research an AOB – or Assignment of Benefits form!  Check it out yourself.  Bottom line to remember:  NEVER SIGN A FORM THAT THE CONTRACTOR TELLS YOU MUST BE SIGNED BEFORE HE CAN GET ON YOUR ROOF.  This is simply not true.  You can read more about an AOB for here.   Also, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to pay their deductible.  Any contractor who makes the claim that they can handle your repair without having you pay your insurance deductible is commiting insurance fraud and endangering you the homeowner!  The deductible is the responsibility of the insured and the contractor should not be inflating their estimate to cover the part of the deductible.  Flat out fraud.
• NEVER make payment to any contractor by making the check payable to a personal name!  Always make the check out to the full company name!  If the Roofing Company is a person’s name – always include the full company name.  For example:   John Doe Roofing or John Doe Roofing LLC or John Doe, Inc.  NEVER JUST JOHN DOE!
• You DO need a permit and you are not the one responsible for pulling it!  NEVER EVER EVER let a “contractor” talk you into pulling your owner permit!  A legit licensed reputatable roofing contractor will pull the permit themselves.  Guess who is responsible for the job including all local and state codes and regulations — THE ONE WHO PULLS THE PERMIT!
• Do not give into pressure!  Any contractor who pressures you to make a decision fast or out of a fear tactic should be escorted right out the front door!  Don’t ever make a decision out of fear or pressure is good advice in almost every situation in life – including who you decide to hire to install your new roof!
• Why wait for a company that has a wait list?  Many reasons! Let me just sum it up right quick.  Do you want to be the volunteer homeowner who wants us to send the subcontracting crew that showed up looking for a job Monday morning that may – or may not – have adequate Insurances?  OR the new hires that we haven’t had adequate training installing your new roof??  Naw, didn’t think so!  Take your turn in line – get what you’re paying for!
• Research!  Check out reviews and ratings on companies you’re considering.  Check their rating with the  Better Business Bureau.  Stay away from contractors who don’t even exist on the BBB.  Either they don’t qualify or they’ve received a poor rating and did not renew their subscription.  How long has the company been in business?  A workmanship warranty that is issued by the roofing company is only as good as the company.  If the company goes out of business — your warranty is gone with them.  If a contractor installs a roof incorrectly it may take months or even a few years for the poor install to start showing the signs – insurance will not pay for this!  If the contractor cannot be found because they’ve already left the area – or worse is out of business — YOU will have to pay out of your own pocket for their mistakes to have your roof repaired.  I once had a homeowner call after the first year of having her roof installed by an out of state contractor with SEVEN LEAKS!
• Ask your friends and neighbors, co-workers – people who you value their opinion for a referral to a reputable contractor.   Word of mouth is a good source most times.  Most people either know of someone to use…..or not to use 🙂

I hope you have learned something!    Most people don’t know until they find out the hard way – don’t just take my word for it –  research!   I have tried to cover the most important facts – please call if you have any other questions or need us to clarify any of these points.  We will be most happy to help you!

Two years ago we decided that we would move to Florida when we retired. Our plan was to retire in July 2017. We knew we needed to sell our house before we could considered a move. We wanted a 55+ gated community and searched the internet for a realtor. We were impressed with Florida Plus Realty.

In July 2016 we came to Florida to view the different 55+ communities that had homes in our price range. From our research we were impressed with the Leesburg area. We were shown several communities and a number of homes. We let John Greenslade know that we would not be purchasing at that time but that had no bearing on the professional treatment we experienced. John asked questions to determine our interests as he showed us around.

When we returned home communications with Florida Plus Realty continued. Each week we received houses to review that were in our price range.

We sold our house in April 2017 and knew we would be heading to Florida in July to find a house to purchase. At that time we decided to find a rental in the Leesburg area for a couple of months while we looked for a house.

We contacted Florida Plus Realty for a furnished house that we could rent. We needed a furnished house as we were not ready to transport our furniture yet. Sharon found us a three bedroom, spacious house in Plantation. It was furnished and met all of our needs. They readily accommodated our needs which gave us time to look for a house to purchase.

In July 2017 we came to Florida to look at houses. Again Florida Plus Realty was there to show us houses. We had a list of houses we wanted to see. Our list was developed based upon information sent to us by Florida Plus Realty. and our own research. John showed us the houses we prioritized on our list. The fifth house we went through met all our needs and we are now living there.

Florida Plus Realty helped us through the process of finding a place to retire. We always felt they listened to what we said we wanted, and they maintained a weekly communication of what houses were available and made us feel important during the rental and purchase process. We would definitely recommend Florida Plus Realty to others.

The Santrys, October 2017

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuzDQ-KfLhU&t=2s[/embed]

Recognizing how critical the weather events are to our customers in Central Florida, Florida Plus Realty keeps an eye on our communities and homes on behalf of our customers at all times—before, during, and after a weather event, should one occur. It is one of the primary reasons we offer our Home Watch service to all our customers who travel during the summer, have a rental home, or are just away for a brief period of time!  Please see our website here for more information.

One of the key reasons for choosing Central Florida as a destination Florida location, is its distance from the more vulnerable coastal areas. This minimizes personal danger, home damage, and all the expense associated with weather events. Although there has been notable impact to certain isolated areas in Central Florida, we are pleased with Leesburg’s ranking as the #1 safest city in Florida for hurricanes and floods .

Florida Plus Realty’s Home Watch team is pleased to report that after driving through the 55+ communities in Central Florida, we feel gratitude to live and work in these beautiful communities where there was no flooding and very minimal damages and debris.

Our hearts go out to the many people and cities that have been devastated by this storm. We feel very fortunate within our Central Florida 55+ communities. Winter Garden, Leesburg, and the Orlando area are recognized as some of the safest cities in Florida for hurricane and flood damage, according to this article. Some of us lost power, and we lost trees, but thankfully, being farthest inland, we didn’t incur near the damage as our beach-side neighbors.

Hurricane Irma powered her way through the Caribbean, making landfall on South West Florida with force. She continued up across the state diagonally, from west coast to east coast, leaving unfortunate destruction on many coastal cities. She was a category 2 while she swept over Central Florida, and although we experienced very harsh winds and lots of rain, the results confirm that it’s good to live in Central Florida.

Florida Plus Realty wants our customers to know that, despite certain generalized media portrayal that can be somewhat misleading for our 55+ communities, Orange County, Lake County and Sumter County escaped the harsher aspects of the storm! Thankfully, as you can see in the video above, our local 55+ communities took very little damage. Norma Sebert, one of our Home Watch customers and owner in The Plantation at Leesburg community said, “It looks like all of Plantation came though pretty good. We didn't know what to expect - especially when we see those horrible images of South Florida.”

While this type of natural disaster is sometimes a part of Floridian life, there is always an aspect of living in any state that poses potential impact by Mother Nature: California has earthquakes, Kansas and the mid-west have tornadoes, our northern friends have blizzards and biting cold!  It is the many positive aspects of Central Florida living that keep us enchanted—sunny days, gorgeous landscape, parks, beautiful beaches you can go to even in the winter, and the list goes on!

For the few weather events we experience in Florida, we have THOUSANDS of beautiful sunny days. In fact, with proper storm preparation, there is very little to worry about. Between hurricane fabric or impact windows (which can save you money all year round) and hiring a reliable Home Watch team to look after your home in your absence, YOU will be the calm before, during, and after the storm.

To see more about hurricanes, check out our article here.

To the amazing team of Central Florida 55 Plus,

We especially want to thank Nicky, Lesley, Sharon, Amanda, Vic, (and everyone else involved) in providing the best realtor service we have ever experienced. In addition to being very knowledgeable and expedient, they came to our home the first day I called and the next day, provided us with a comparative market analysis.

The property management service they offered was also a real "plus" for us.  Everyone on the the team was very proficient, knowledgeable and demonstrated good judgement in all matters.

Finally, the customer service was excellent. They made us feel that our wishes and needs were a top priority for them. They even extended personal service after the sale. We would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a positive real estate experience.

We wish you all much continued success,

Dave & Linda Regan

Now that Hurricane Irma has passed and curfew has been lifted, people are back on the roads. However, power isn't back on in every area, so it's very likely, in the next couple of days, that you'll approach a traffic signal blinking red. When this happens, it seems like the population is divided into drivers who are confident and uncertain in the rules of the road, while everyone is anxious to proceed.

Your safety is important to us, so we want to share with you the correct way to maneuver a traffic light that's not working, according to Florida law.

Florida Statute 316.1235 states as follows:

Vehicle approaching intersection in which traffic lights are inoperative.—The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection in which the traffic lights are inoperative shall stop in the manner indicated in s. 316.123(2) [see below] for approaching a stop intersection. In the event that only some of the traffic lights within an intersection are inoperative, the driver of a vehicle approaching an inoperative light shall stop in the above-prescribed manner. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.

Florida Statute 316.123(2) states:

(b) At a four-way stop intersection, the driver of the first vehicle to stop at the intersection shall be the first to proceed. If two or more vehicles reach the four-way stop intersection at the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.

Thank you for all your efforts in selling our Mom and Dad's home. They loved their time in this home and community. I am sure the new homeowners will be quite happy there as well. Wishing you many new homes sales in the future. You did a wonderful job and we appreciate the many things you did for us to make it easier on us. Warm Regards!

Mrs. Diane Reeves - August 2017

When my wife and I decided to visit Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards in Clermont, Florida, we weren’t expecting much in the way of a typical winery experience.

Not that we have much experience, but we have been in wine country in other states. When I think of wine country, I think of gently rolling hills and well-dressed warehouses encompassed by outstretched vineyards that seem to invite you to stop the car and have “a taste” — a mural that does not align with my native Floridian experiences (I was born and raised in St. Petersburg).

Florida brings to mind fishing trips, beaches, palm trees, cows (yes, cows), orange groves, trips to theme parks, and old tourist attractions. However, I do not think of vineyards and wineries

Apparently, I do not know as much about Florida as I thought.

Upon our drive up the entrance to the Lakeridge Winery compound, we encountered exactly what I was expecting notto encounter: rolling hills, a well-dressed warehouse and, of course, outstretched vineyards. Although the day was hot, I almost got lost in a sentimental feeling of being on my honeymoon again, making several stops at wineries in upstate New York.

In other words, I forgot I was in Florida.

Florida is a top ten wine making state.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDOA), there are over 40 certified wineries and vineyards in the State of Florida. Where does that leave Florida, among other states, in overall wine production? Number eight. That’s right, in 2012 Florida produced 1.9 million gallons of wine, making it the eighth ranked producer of wine in the United States (Los Angeles Times, October 31, 2013).

In fact, Florida has been making wine since before the Pilgrims arrived.

Click the image to view a map of Florida wineries courtesy of Fresh From Florida.

Florida was the name given by Spanish explorers in recognition of the state’s beautiful fruits and flowers. Among that rich vegetation, native grapevines were discovered on Florida’s east coast. Spanish settlers harvested the wild grapes and, applying the same traditions of their homeland, converted Florida’s wild muscadine into the first American wine (source: FreshfromFlorida.com a division of the FDOA).

Winery events — bring the kids, too!

The day we visited Lakeridge Winery there was a festival called the Annual Harvest Grape Stomp. So, it was a bit more crowded than usual. However, there was a band, tons of great food, fun activities (like grape stomping), and, of course, wine tasting. My wife and I walked away with a bottle of the Cuvée Noir Reserve (a red) and a bottle of the Sunblush (a white). It was a test of our will power not to purchase more bottles. Most everything we tasted was refined, delicious, and very affordable.

And did I mention we had our three-year-old daughter with us? The festival had lots of great activities for kids too. As far as the winery, my daughter partook in some of the finest grape juice sampling this side of the Mississippi.

Get the details for the 2017 Annual Harvest Stomp here!

Another winery, anyone?

After a few hours at the festival, it was a welcomed-relief to hop in the car and turn on the air conditioning. And as we drove home we heard an ad on the radio, promoting Walt Disney World.

Maybe we can go to Disney next weekend, I thought.

Or maybe another winery.

More info about Lakeridge Winery: www.lakeridgewinery.com

By: Doug Wise, orginally published on State27Homes. See original article HERE.

This Saturday, August 12th and Sunday, August 13, Florida Half Century is hosting their 50's Division Summer Classic Softball Tournament at The Villages!  Enjoy watching local amateur softball teams kick butt and take names on the field as they compete for the best team in the 50+ division.

Florida Half Century is an amateur softball association that has 5 divisions: 50+, 60+, 65+, 70+ and 74+. Their not for profit association is dedicated to "providing a place for more experienced softball players to continue to participate in the competitive world of softball."

Click here for more information!

If you love gardening, I'm sure you've heard of the term compost. Compost is defined as "decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer," and it's a wonderful way to get your garden producing the best results you've seen yet. Not to mention it will save you money and is great for the environment. According to MakeDirtNotWaste.Org, using compost reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the following ways:

• The greenhouse gas emissions related to fertilizer
  production are avoided.
• There is significant reduction in the use of pesticides
  (avoiding emissions associated with their production).
• Improves health and workability of soils, resulting in
  less fuel consumption to till the soil.
• Helps soils hold or sequester carbon dioxide.

I found the infograph below on The Enduring Gardener blog, where you can find TONS of great information on composting, gardening and more. Learn how to start composting today!

The following is an excerpt from Two Old Fools in Turmoil by Victoria Twead, a New York Times bestselling author. She authors the Old Fool series, that started with Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools, a book based on her and Joe's new life in a small mountain village in Spain.

Something black shot out, swooped round the room and clung sootily to a picture frame.

“Aaaagh!” I yelled. “It’s a bat!”

I’m not at all frightened of bats outside in the fresh air. I think they are wonderful creatures, and they certainly did a grand job of devouring El Hoyo’s flying insect population. I loved the way they flitted round the lamp posts, and their tiny squeaks made me smile. But I have to admit, I don’t like the idea of bats flying round my head indoors. Specially scared, sooty bats.

“Quick, open the front door,” Joe ordered.

I flung the door open but the bat was too frightened to move, and merely blinked.

“Perhaps we should throw something over it,” I suggested, using the royal ‘we’ as I had no intention of doing it myself.

“Hmmm… Good idea,” said Joe, grabbing my favourite white T-shirt which I’d foolishly left lying around.

He hurled it at the poor creature, but the bat sat tight, its tiny hands gripped around the picture frame, its eyes regarding us over its shoulder. My T-shirt slid to the floor, soot-smeared.

“I know, I’ll get the little fishing net, if I can find it. Stay there, Vicky, and watch the bat. We don’t want it hiding somewhere in the room and coming out later.”

“Can’t I go and look for the net?” I argued, but Joe had already gone.

“Right, Batty,” I said quietly. “Just you hang in there and behave until Joe comes back with a net. We’ll soon have you outside.”

But the bat was restless. To my horror, it looked around, twitched, then sprang into the air.

“Aaaagh!” I yelled, crouched down and covered my head, trying hard to follow its flightpath as it circled the ceiling.

“Beaky!”

I must have jumped a foot in the air.

“Beaky! What are you doing?”

A figure stood in the doorway, blocking out the light. I knew that voice. It was Pancho the mayor. I half-straightened, my eyes searching the ceiling, but in that fraction of a second when I’d been distracted, the bat had disappeared.

“Poor Beaky!” said Pancho, walking into the room. His English was good, but his nasal voice always made my name sound like Beaky. “Are you sick?”

“No, no!”

“You must not be afraid, there is nothing here.”

“But…”

“Why were you crouching on the floor, poor Beaky? And why do you keep rolling your eyes to the heavens?”

“I’m not rolling my eyes!”

“Poor Beaky,” said the mayor, taking my hand and raising it to his lips. “You look pale. I am thinking your husband does not look after you properly. Perhaps he would let me take you out for a soothing drive. Or a quiet drink in my office at the Town Hall.”

My mouth dropped open. Where was Joe with that wretched net?

See her full blog post and more information on her and her book series HERE.

Read a preview of Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools HERE.