• Topics: Family Youth and Community Sciences  |  My Florida Home Book, Part 1 

My Florida Home Book: Introduction¹

"Welcome Home"

Are you planning to be a homeowner? How exciting! It will be one of the biggest moves of your life in many ways.

You can enjoy many benefits being a homeowner. However, to enjoy your homeownership for a longer time, it is critical that you prepare yourself very well in order to manage your homeownership. Otherwise, your homeownership could change into being a horrible financial, physical, and mental disaster for you and your household. By studying this text, though, you have already started your endeavor on a positive note.

Members of the Department of Family, Youth and Consumer Sciences (FYCS), Florida Cooperative Extension, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida (UF/IFAS) developed My Florida Home Book to assist you in making the best housing decisions for your situation, to prepare yourself well for homeownership when ready, and to maintain your home properly once it becomes yours.

My Florida Home Book consists of two major parts:

Part I. Becoming a Homeowner

Part II. Taking Good Care of Your Home

In Part I, you will learn various aspects of homeownership that you need to take into consideration before making a final decision to own a home. You will examine your readiness for new homeownership by learning the benefits and responsibilities of homeownership, assess your housing needs to make a right choice, and learn various financial aspects and processes that you have to know to be a successful homeowner.

In Part II, you will learn how to take care of your home. You will also learn how to keep your home healthy for you and your household members, when and how to inspect a home, the basics of home maintenance, how to save energy, and tips on how to be a good neighbor.

Our wish is to help you make the best decision for you and your family, and to share the tools that can help you enjoy your healthy and happy life in your new home. We look forward to working with you as you prepare for this journey—the journey home.

Best wishes,

Hyun-Jeong Lee, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor/Housing Specialist

Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

University of Florida

Contributing Authors

Part I. Becoming a Homeowner

Leader: Judith L. Corbus, M.S., Extension Agent III, Washington & Holmes Counties

Michael S. Gutter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor/Family Economics Specialist

Kathleen Bryant, M.S., Extension Agent III, Volusia County

Joan P. Elmore, M.Ed., Extension Agent IV, Jackson County

Elizabeth T. Gorimani, M.S., Extension Agent II, Gadsden County

Laura E. Royer, M.S., Extension Agent I, Osceola County

Jacqueline B. Schrader, M.S., Extension Agent II, Clay County

Gayle O. Whitworth, M.S., Extension Agent II, Brevard County

Part II. Taking Good Care of Your Home

Leader: Audrey R. Norman, M.P.A., County Extension Director/Extension Agent II, Palm Beach County

Katherine K. Allen, M.A., County Extension Director/Extension Agent III, Suwannee County

Nicole G. Boodoo, B.A., Courtesy Extension Agent I, Palm Beach County

Deborah R. Boulware, M.S, County Extension Director/Extension Agent IV, Lake County

Joanne Cooper, M.A., Extension Agent II, St. Johns County

Carolyn A. Gregov, Ph.D., County Extension Director/Extension Agent III, Sarasota County

Mary S. Kennington, M.Ed., Extension Agent III, Orange County

Lisa M. Leslie, B.S., Courtesy Extension Agent I, Hillsborough County

Tables

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.

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