After graduating from college, my three kids each moved to Florida.
They are all located in the Tampa area.
Until we retire, my husband and I are forced to remain in the northeastern part of the country. Whenever possible, we head south to visit the kids. We have grown to love the blue skies, white sand beaches and palm trees of Tampa. The area is absolutely gorgeous, and the sun shines nearly every day. We finally bought a small house where we can comfortably stay during our visits. I also purchased a bicycle to get around and for the sake of fitness. I appreciate the ability to step outside without worrying about bundling up in a heavy coat, hat, gloves and boots. However, maintaining two houses is a bit of a challenge. When we are in Tampa during the winter, we worry about a power failure, furnace issue and pipes freezing up north. I didn’t realize that we would also have problems due to the humidity down south. The first time we left the house in Tampa vacant for a few months, we didn’t bother to run the air conditioner. We didn’t think the heat would matter. The next time we arrived at the house, we discovered major concerns with mold and mildew growth. My leather purses and shoes were covered in mildew. There was mold growing in the toilets. We now keep the cooling system operating even when the house is empty. Paying for heating up north and air conditioning down south adds up to a considerable cost. We have invested into smart thermostats for both homes to allow remote access, alert us to any malfunctions and take advantage of energy saving potential.