Using Your Equity to Build Your Dream Home in Citrus Hills

Many of us work our entire lives to have that one dream home in the perfect place.

You don’t have to settle for less, when there are plenty of ways to get exactly what you want, with the equity you already have!

Pictured Above: The Dali Pool Area

What is a Home Equity Loan?

A home equity loan can be one of the most cost-effective ways to borrow money.

Interest rates are lower on mortgages than on almost any other type of loan right now.

Taking out a home equity loan is also known as a “second mortgage.”

This loan uses your home as collateral and lets you borrow against your existing equity!

How Much Equity is Enough?

Most lenders want you to have 15% to 20% in equity in order to pull some of the money out.

Some lenders prefer a little more equity, in order to keep your total mortgage commitments to 80% or less of your home’s value.

Income & Debt Factors

Some lenders will look at your income against your debt as well, to ensure you can afford the new loan.

Typically, for a home equity loan, lenders like to see your debt-to-income ratio at less than 43%.

Some will allow your debts to make up a larger portion, depending on outside credit factors.

Credit Factors

Your payment history and credit score will also make up a large portion of qualifying for a home equity loan.

If your score is above 620, the better your chances will be, and the lower your interest-rate will be!

All in all, it’s a small price to pay to live the life you’ve always wanted, and in the home of your dreams!

Pictured Above: The Tiki Bar in Citrus Hills

Everything You Need to Know About Citrus County Animal Services

Located just 20 minutes southwest of the Villages of Citrus, Citrus County Animal Services handles an astounding number of animal-related issues throughout the community.

They might be best known for being the primary location for pet adoption in our community, but they also utilize volunteers and donations to serve the community in ways that many people never even think to consider.

To help shed some light on everything that this fascinating operation does for both two- and four-legged residents of Citrus County, let’s take a quick look at the wide range of responsibility they are tasked with.

Local Pet Adoptions

In January of 2020, Citrus County Animal Services facilitated the adoptions of 70 dogs and 46 cats, as well as four other animals.

Adopting a pet there is actually a very simple process that just requires a valid photo ID from a local resident that is at least 18 years old, along with cash, check, or credit card to pay for the adoption fee.

The standard adoption fee is $60 for dogs and puppies and $35 for cats and kittens.

Other Animal Services Programs

In addition to facilitating more than 100 adoptions each month, Citrus County Animal Services also offers other programs like Barn Cat Adoptions and TNVR.

The Barn Cat Adoption Program offers free adoption of outdoor cats. While these cats are not suitable for adoption as indoor pets, they can be one of the best pest control options for anyone who has a large barn.

The TNVR program stands for “Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return.” This program targets what are known as community cats (friendly local strays) and allows them to provide positives like pest control while still controlling their population and monitoring for diseases.

Donation Requests

With everything that goes on at Citrus County Animal Services, it is no surprise that they are pretty much always looking for donations of all kinds of supplies.

In addition to using donated supplies for their own operation, they also manage the pet sections at eight food pantries located around the county as part of the Community Food Bank of Citrus County.

Items like towels, blankets, Dawn dish soap, canned food, dry food, and various treats and toys are always needed, and Citrus County Animal Services makes sure that all of these supplies are provided to the local residents that need them the most.

Volunteer Opportunities

Donating supplies is a fantastic way to help out Citrus County Animal Services, but donating your time can have an even more powerful impact on the community.

One way for local animal lovers to volunteer is to sign up to become a foster caregiver for shelter animals. This typically involves letting sheltered dogs and/or cats into your home for months at a time, and there is some basic training required.

Another way to volunteer at Citrus County Animal Services is to show up in person and help out with basic tasks like answering the phones, helping out with the animals, walking dogs, and cuddling kittens.

Citrus County Animal Services handles a wide range of animal-related operations that all seek to make Citrus County a better community. And with the addition of your help, they can continue to improve our community for years to come.

Even if you don’t have the time or the means to help out in a significant way, don’t hesitate to stop by their facility in Inverness and check out everything that they have going on there.

48 Hours in Fort Myers

Located about three and a half hours south of the Villages of Citrus Hills, Fort Myers offers everything a traveler could want from a South Florida town along the Gulf Coast.

Between the local wildlife, outstanding food, and history that is unique to the area, there is more than enough to keep you busy over a weekend trip to Fort Myers.

If you’re looking to plan your next 48-hour getaway, these are a few ideas we would recommend for exploring Fort Myers.

Day One - Burgers, Boats, Southern Food, and Ghosts

Assuming that you are going to be hungry when you first arrive in Fort Myers, our first stop is going to be Fat Katz for a delicious lunch. This fun and friendly gastropub goes all out to class up the typical sports bar favorites like burgers, cheesesteaks, and salads. Don’t skip the hummus dip!

Once we have our bellies full, the next stop on our Fort Myers getaway will be the History and Eco River Cruise from Pure Florida Fort Myers. This 90-minute cruise will get you out on the Caloosahatchee River where you can see tons of local wildlife, as well as unique views of all of the most popular Fort Myers attractions.

For dinner on our first night in Fort Myers, we are heading to Fancy’s Southern Cafe for one of the best southern-style meals you will find anywhere. This amazing restaurant plays all of the southern hits like Fried Okra, Fried Green Tomatoes, Chicken-N-Waffles, and Country Fried Steak in an upscale, white-tablecloth atmosphere.

After dinner, the plan is to head back out into the city to participate in the Haunted History of Fort Myers Walking Tours. These 90-minute tours leave at 8 pm on most evenings and take guests past some of the most famously haunted spots in Fort Myers.

Day Two - Wildlife, Crab, History, and Steak

After staying out late with the ghosts on our first night in Fort Myers, we are going to kick off day two by getting back out in nature at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. You can spend as long as you want exploring the trails that lead off of the 1.5-mile raised boardwalk here, and you can expect to see a wide range of South Florida wildlife as you venture through the preserve.

Now that we’ve worked up an appetite at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, we’re heading to Trap House Krab and Seafood for a unique lunch that will blow your mind with flavor. You pick your combination of seafood here, and everything is served in similar aluminum take-out pans topped with the most amazing garlic butter sauce you’ve ever tasted.

You can’t come to Fort Myers for the first time without visiting the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, so that is where we are heading next. This gorgeous campus offers a collection of historic buildings surrounded by award-winning gardens, which is what makes this one of the most popular tourist destinations in Fort Myers.

Our second dinner in Fort Myers is going to take us to El Gaucho Inca, which serves Peruvian and Argentinian style dishes that will completely blow your mind. Definitely start with the Trio Ceviche, and then just order whatever meats and sides look most appealing to you from there. You will not be disappointed!

If you are looking for a nightcap following the meal, you can take a quick ride up to The 86 Room in the River District for a craft cocktail with a classic speakeasy-style vibe. The drink menu is always changing here, but feel free to ask for your favorite!

Day Three - IMAG, Crave, and Shopping

The IMAG History and Science Center is the first stop on our last day in Fort Myers, and you definitely don’t have to be a kid to enjoy everything that this place has to offer. With 60 different exhibits, live shows, a massive aquarium, and 3-D movies, there really is something for everyone to enjoy here.

We like to finish up our 48-hour getaways with a fantastic brunch option, and one of the most popular places for breakfast and brunch in Fort Myers is Crave. There are plenty of options to choose from on their locally sourced menu, but the best place to start is always going to be their selection of twists on Eggs Benedict.

Before heading back home, we are going to make one last stop in Estero to check out the shopping at Coconut Point. There are more than 100 unique shops to explore in this open-air mall, so you can grab plenty of souvenirs to remember your 48-hours in Fort Myers.

After spending 48 hours taking in all that Fort Myers has to offer, you will have just barely scratched the surface of what is possible in this fun South Florida town. So don’t think twice about planning what will surely be the first of many quick getaways to Fort Myers!

10 Reasons Why Retirement is Awesome!

1. You get to decide what to do every day. Unlike the predictability of your former life (work, dinner, TV, sleep, repeat), now you get to decide each day’s structure.

2. There's time to give back. Many retirees find it enormously rewarding to volunteer their skills to worthy charitable organizations, whether it's the Lions Club, animal shelters, the food pantry or a community college.

3. Travel, travel, travel. Almost everyone's bucket list includes a trip to some special place, from the Pyramids or the Great Wall of China to the Grand Canyon.

4. Catch up on TV and movies you've always wanted to see. Maybe you were too busy with your career and kids to follow some of the great directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and Robert Altman. Now you have time to go on Netflix, Amazon or even borrow CDs from the library.

5. You can still work part time. Just because you're retired doesn't mean you can't work part time. A lot of people carry over assignments from their old company, while others parlay their personal interests into a moneymaking venture.

6. Spend more time with family and grandchildren. Spending time together helps to form lasting connections between family members. Relish the opportunity of this time to create deep and wonderful memories that last a lifetime.

7. You can sleep whenever you want. Retirement isn’t about sleeping, it’s about recharging when you need it, not just when you can fit it in.

8. Senior discounts are yours for the asking! Take advantage of your age and experience with substantial savings. Google “Senior discounts” to get an idea of what’s available.

9. There's no pressure, no stress and no problems. It's the freedom that retirees appreciate so much: Freedom from the pressure to get ahead at work, get your child into college and keep up with the neighbors.

10. You now have the time to do nothing. Finally, there's time to enjoy the pleasure of sitting on the back deck and soaking up the atmosphere, reflecting on your life and enjoying the cool breezes across your face

A Nature Lover’s Dream: Relocating to Florida’s Nature Coast

Florida’s Nature Coast

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about what your life might be like if you were living in Florida?

If you’re like most people, the first things that come to mind probably involve beaches, great weather, and spectacular theme parks. While those are all great reasons for spending your retirement years in Florida, the area called the Nature Coast offers quite a bit more to its residents.

This nine-county section of Florida lies along the Gulf Coast as the northern peninsula bends into the panhandle. Residents here still have access to amazing beaches, great weather, and are under 1.5 hours from the theme parks. But they are also exposed to nearly endless opportunities to pursue their passion for nature in a variety of different ways.

A Storied History

Antebellum Home in Citrus County

Not only is Florida’s Nature Coast a great place to experience the outdoors today, but it has been that way for multiple centuries. Ancient American Indians have left shell mounds and other ruins that can be explored in a variety of state and local parks throughout the region.

There are also plenty of Antebellum-era homes to visit and explore.

Many of these old mansions have actually been turned into museums over the years, so in addition to appealing to nature lovers, there is also plenty here for history buffs.

An Abundance of Trails

Biking the Nature Coast Trail

The Nature Coast is filled with all kinds of trails that run through, and in some cases even connect, its parks. Many of these trails are part of the Rails to Trails program and are paved right over old railroad tracks.

Two of the most popular trails in the area are the Nature Coast State Trail and the Withlacoochee State Forest Trail. Both of these trails are great for walking, jogging, bicycling, and in some areas even horseback riding.

They give you the opportunity to do these things in some of the most beautiful natural environments you will find anywhere. The trails of the Nature Coast go much further than the standard paved variety. There are plenty of more involved hiking trails and just as many water trails as land trails.

If you are an avid canoe or kayak paddler, there are an amazing number of places to explore starting from either the Suwannee, Waccasassa, or Withlacoochee rivers.

Rare Wildlife Species

Swimming With Manatees

While you are out exploring the trails of the Nature Coast, you will be in close contact with the 19 rare or endangered species of wildlife that make their homes here. With as many parks and reserves as there are in this region, you will always have another opportunity to explore the habitats of different local wildlife.

One of the most popular endangered species in the area is the West Indian Manatee. These large sea mammals migrate to the warm waters along the Nature Coast every winter. You can find them floating all through the springs around Crystal River, or learn about them from dry land at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park.

Catch of the Day

Tarpon Fishing

If you prefer to be more active in catching wildlife than observing it, the Nature Coast also has plenty to offer. It is widely considered to be one of the best places in the entire world for tarpon fishing. There are dozens of different companies offering fishing charters throughout the region, but you can find just as much enjoyment fishing from your own canoe as well.

In addition to great fishing, the Nature Coast region also offers great scalloping and stone crabbing, which you just can’t do in most places. Whether you prefer to dive for scallops yourself, catch stone crab from a boat, or buy both from local vendors, the seafood along the Nature Coast is always fresh.

Your friends and relatives will certainly appreciate the close proximity that your new home in Florida’s Nature Coast will have to all of the tourist attractions they are interested in, but the outdoor opportunities are what many local residents’ value more than anything.

Luckily for residents of the Villages of Citrus Hills, they can have the best of both worlds right at their front door.