Secure Your Tampa Bay Home: A Realtor’s Guide to Hurricane Preparedness 

As a seasoned realtor in Tampa Bay, I understand the importance of preparing for hurricane season. You may be considering a move to the Tampa community, have become a recent resident, or have lived in the area for years. Whether you’ve been through ten hurricanes or haven’t yet encountered a large storm, summer is an excellent time to ensure you’re ready if a storm comes our way. 

The safety of your family and the security of your Tampa Bay property are absolutely essential. This guide provides vital tips to help you protect your investment and ensure peace of mind as we approach hurricane season.

1. Understand Your Risk:

First, know your home’s vulnerability to storm surges, flooding, and wind. Check Hillsborough County’s flood zone maps provided by FEMA to learn your flood zone designation and understand the potential flood risks in your area.

2. Ensure You Have Proper Insurance:

Ensure that your insurance policies cover hurricane damage, including floods. Reviewing your policy annually to understand your coverage limits and ensure they meet your current needs is crucial. Also, use this resource to review how to make a hurricane damage claim. Hopefully, you’ll never need to take this step, but understanding hurricane claims ahead of a storm can help you mitigate a stressful situation with more ease. 

3. Schedule a Home Inspection:

Home inspections aren’t just for home buyers. You can schedule a professional home inspector to examine your home’s roof, windows, and doors to ensure they can withstand high winds and heavy rain. For added protection, consider installing hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows.

4. Secure Outdoor Areas:

Remove or securely anchor items that could become projectiles in high winds, such as patio furniture, garden tools, and trash cans. Trim trees and shrubs to prevent branches from breaking off and damaging your home or vehicle.

5. Gather Your Emergency Supplies:

Assemble an emergency kit with essentials such as water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit. Also, essential documents like insurance policies, identification, and bank records should be placed in a waterproof container. If you need to evacuate fast, you’ll want everything in one secure container, so you can grab it and go. 

6. Make an Evacuation Plan:

Know your evacuation routes and have a plan in place. Decide where you will go if you need to evacuate and how you will communicate with family members if separated. And if you have a furry family member, keep this list of pet-friendly hotel chains. 

7. Protect Your Investment:

As a homeowner, consider long-term investments like elevating your property, installing a sump pump, or retrofitting your home to improve its resilience against storms.

8. Stay Informed:

Keep track of weather updates and alerts through local news, the National Weather Service, or mobile alert apps. Staying informed helps you make timely decisions during a hurricane.

Use These Tips to Be Hurricane Ready in Tampa Bay

Hurricane preparedness is crucial in Tampa Bay. As your local real estate professional, I’m here to help you find your dream home and ensure it remains safe and secure throughout the hurricane season. Remember, preparation today can prevent the losses of tomorrow. Stay safe, and don’t hesitate to reach out to Elena VIP Homes for any real estate needs or further advice on protecting your property.