Category: Seashore Real Estate

Excellent advice from The McMahon Agency- a local insurance company:

The weather forecast next week calls for plummeting temperatures with winds blowing 15-20 miles an hour. This is a recipe for broken pipes! It’s crucial to prepare your property—whether it’s your primary home, secondary residence, or commercial building.

If you have a secondary home, your house is probably already winterized, but if not, you need to get to your home or have a friend who can stop by, to prepare the building. Don’t forget any outdoor water lines, like outdoor showers, to make sure they are off.  

Frozen pipe claims are not fun; neither is coming to the shore in the middle of the winter to have to repair your house due to costly water damage. Here are a few simple steps can help you avoid unnecessary stress and expenses.

How to prevent frozen pipes:

• Maintain indoor temperatures at 65°F or higher, even if the property is unoccupied.
• Turn off water in secondary homes and don’t forget to turn off your hot water heater as well.
• Keep garage doors closed, especially if you have water supply lines in the garage.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.
• Seal air leaks near pipes and insulate pipes in attics, crawl spaces and pipes close to outside walls.
• Disconnect outdoor hoses and shut off exterior water supply lines.

What to do if a pipe bursts:

• Turn off the main water supply immediately. It’s a good idea to locate this valve ahead of time.
• Move valuables and electronics away from the affected area to prevent further damage.
• Contact a plumber to assess and repair the damage.

My sisters and I rented a home in Marco Island last week to celebrate milestone birthdays.

Because I have managed vacation rentals for (gulp!) 45 years, I value opportunities to experience a home as a tenant.

This perspective helps me as both a landlord, and rental agent.

Of course, cleanliness is top priority. Overall, our house was in good shape, but the ceiling fans and AC return vents needed some attention. I realize this is challenging with a long rental season.

The amenities and supplies were plentiful. It was obvious the owners enjoy the house with their family based on the baby equipment, pool toys, beach items, etc.

2 minor pet peeves: the lack of bathroom towel racks, and full length mirrors in the bedrooms. There were only 4 of us in a 4 bedroom home, yet we all noted these shortcomings.

Towel racks benefit the property owner- fewer damp towels tossed over a door or the shower curtain. Mildew grows quickly in a damp environment!

And full length mirrors are inexpensive and easy to install.

Ample room to install a towel racks.

The one full length mirror in the house. Could be easily hung on the wall rather than propped in a corner!

A rare find!

80′ X 110′ lot – situated just 6 homes from the beach entrance.

Unground wiring and no poles on the block for unobstructed views!

$5,200,000.

Link for MLS details and photos: 190 76th Street MLS details

Questions? ann.delaney@tksir.com

Thank you for your interest!

I’m thrilled to announce a new initiative from our office, Tim Kerr Sotheby’s International Realty, specifically designed for our rental properties. We’re creating online digital property books for all our rental homes, providing a comprehensive resource for our guests. Additionally, we’ll offer a support platform where guests can easily get answers to any questions or address any issues during their stay.

The new digital property book will include essential information about each rental home, such as check-in and check-out times, Wi-Fi details, coffee maker type, special property instructions, local area information, and more. If owners have any specific instructions for their property, we will include them in our online guestbook, too.

For additional details, feel free to reach out to me: ann.delaney@tksir.com or 609-967-7950