Tips For a Safe, Successful Move

A local moving and storage company, Ray the Mover, Inc. sent an email newsletter to me. I’ve included a few excerpts from it below. If you are buying or selling Bonita Springs real estate, you’ll be faced with choosing a mover. Read the good news about AMSA and the arrests of less than reputable movers. There is a great link provided at the end of the article to help home owners and consumers learn about relocation, hiring a mover and a top 10 tips – list to plan your move.

The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) said the arrests of 72 individuals and shutdown of 42 scam movers in Florida is a very positive development, and constitutes persuasive evidence that current laws on the books are adequate for handling the problem of crooked moving operations, if they are adequately enforced.

Federal officials apprehended 74 individuals in Florida and shut down 42 moving companies the agency said had been engaging in fraud, extortion, false billing, money laundering and conspiracy.

These movers’ typical practice was to offer a low estimate and upon arrival at the customer’s new home to demand a much higher fee, threatening to hold the customer’s household goods hostage until they were paid the full amount demanded, in violation of federal law.

“We are gratified to see the federal government taking the necessary steps to protect consumers from these scam movers, who bear no relation to the legitimate moving industry where honest, hard-working men and women succeed at meeting the challenge of providing highest quality service every day,” said AMSA President Joe Harrison.

“It also shows convincingly that new laws are not needed to protect consumers from these bad actors,” Mr. Harrison said. “We need the current laws to be enforced.”

In addition to advocating effective federal enforcement of federal household goods transportation consumer protective regulations, AMSA has initiated several programs to educate and help consumers with their moves, including ways to steer clear of scam movers. First and foremost is to ensure that AMSA’s own membership ranks don’t include scam movers. Of the 42 movers affected by the federal government’s enforcement action, 36 are non-members of AMSA, although some of these scam movers applied for membership and were denied. Two of the companies were AMSA members for a limited period, but were expelled. The other four movers are in the process of being expelled from AMSA.

In addition to its on-going program to ensure that its mover members conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner, AMSA has established a Certified Mover Program to identify its elite members and a Web-based mover referral service that consumers using the Internet can rely upon to select a mover. These consumer friendly programs and educational material concerning relocation can be found on AMSA’s website www.moving.org .

Special thanks to the Sales Manager at Ray the Mover for this article:

Jeff Smith

Sales Manager

Ray The Mover

3861 Domestic Ave.

Naples, FL. 34104

Phone: 239-643-4100 Fax: 239-643-2180

How to Trap a Possum in Bonita Springs

Part Deaux

As you man recall, Lumberjack the Bonita Springs Animal Trapper carried off Hector the Possum to greener pastures, just a few weeks ago.  It was a Havahart trap, so don’t get upset.  I love critters, just not under my house. 

Well now, the saga continues.  I have heard strange noises under and around the  house the last few nights.  Armed with a hockey stick and a flashlight I have not been able to find out what it is.  5 Days of Havahart trap stocked with an apple produced nothing…until this morning.  Meet Lucrecia, Hector’s wife (i’m guessing by the lonely, yearning look in her eye).    See Lucrecia, see Lucrecia get relocated to Bonita Grande Road to be reunited with Hector, her stud muffin.

Lumberjack is on his way over right now.  Bless his heart, he’s a big softy and animal lover, too.  He promises to let her go at the same place Hector is now calling home.

I hope they didn’t have children. 

Bonita Springs Septic Service

Today, on my way to lunch at the Silverspoon at the Promenade in Bonita Springs, Florida and I almost got creamed by a septic tank truck. When I got my brakes unlocked, I caught up with him and this is what I saw.

I don’t know what’s funnier, the fact that I almost died covered in Ka Ka or the business slogan of Amberjack Sanitation, Incorporated. It’s a dirty job, somebody’s gotta do it, right? So I guess if you found this web page you’re really looking for a septic tank company. Click the link and call Amberjack.

Even the sanitation companies have websites, now: Click Here

Bonita Springs Homeowner Insurance

The Southwest Florida and Bonita Springs area has not gone without insurance growing pains.  A few years ago, after a succession of storms, big insurance dumped us.  Almost every one of us lost our insurance; cancelled on the spot.  Shamefully, our government allowed it to happen.  Our local Bonita springs insurance brokers were faced with telling customers they have had for years that they couldn’t write policies in certain areas, usually by zip code.

One of my favorite Bonita Springs insurance brokers, Ridge Jones was unable to write my homeowner’s policy after I was cancelled.  I ended up on the state run “Citizen’s” insurance through a different broker.  My home owner policy just came up for renewal and I decided to call Ridge and give it another shot.  Lo and behold he has authorization to write policies again in most areas including where my home is in Bonita Springs.

Why does this make a difference to me?  Why does this make a difference to you, as a Bonita Springs Home Owner?  Ridge has a boutique insurance company called Jones & Jones.  When you call the office you’ll likely have it answered by one of two people, and one of those people is Ridge himself.  It’s the same greeting procedure when you walk thru the door at Jones & Jones.  From phone call to signing the policy was only as fast as I could drive over the Imperial River Bridge and hang a right to his office.  THAT is service.

It is always my pleasure to refer great resources like this to anyone needing the service.  If you need insurance and you’d like to do business with someone that runs a personal, hands on business and cares about their job you need to call Ridge at Jones & Jones Insurance of Bonita Springs.

Jones & Jones is located on Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs, Florida right across the street from the Safari Golf.  Phone: 239-498-6499

Also Read: 

Bonita Springs Home Seller Safety Tips

Free Wind Storm Inspections for Bonita Springs Homes

Naples Home Expo

My third least favorite store to go to besides Best Buy and Ace Hardware…. No offense, I’m just not a shopper.  Having just completed a remodel in my own Bonita Springs home the Home Expo signifies to me only lost weekends and extensive drywall dust, the likes of which I’m still dealing with.  (Sorry about the preposition at the end of that sentence I’m to lazy to restructure today.)  Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy looking the Expo on occasion just because it’s so beautiful and everything is organized just so.  Just like a book store.  Its presentation seduces you into believing …

“Buy this neatly organized stuff and your house will look  this good”

No, you still have the same house when you buy that stuff; it’s just that now you have a great set of wicker laundry baskets to put in the middle of your dirty laundry.  They don’t show you the dirty laundry at Home Expo.  You get the neatly packaged, sanitized version of how we all want our lives to look.  I almost fell for it last night at Z Gallery at Coconut Point, too. 

So enjoy this lovely photo of the Naples Home Expo.  I will share with you that I was laying in a chaise lounge chair, when I snapped this photo, waiting for something that is getting special ordered to be processed.  For the record, the lanai furniture is fantastic.  I’ve test driven every chaise lounge there.  They even have those tall, stainless steel, restaurant style outside heaters for patio’s.  Yes, you northerners, it does get cool enough for us to use them. 

If you’re looking for the Naples Home Expo its at the Southeast Corner of US 41-Tamiami Trail and Immokalee Road, a few miles south of the Bonita Springs, Lee County line.  You know, the plaza with PF Changs, Earth Outfitters, Pier 1 Imports and Borders Books.
 

Remodeling Your Bonita Springs Home

Is the style of your home a little out of fashion?  Not the right time to sell?  Why not remodel your Bonita Springs home. 

With inventory at higher levels than in the past it may be more of an effort to sell your home to get the room you need.  Why not add on or go up, as in a second story.  Many homes in Bonita Springs are in neighborhoods, like Pelican Landing, which have large yards, mature grandfather oaks and the neighborhoods are established and flourishing.  Owners of homes in Pelican Landing, Bonita Bay, Wildcat Run and many other fine communities are updating their homes instead of moving.  The generous lot sizes can’t be duplicated and many times a simple bathroom renovation is far easier than a move.

If you are a Bonita Springs home owner and you are considering remodeling your home instead of moving here are a few tips offered by Spolar Enterprises, Inc., a Certified General Contractor and home remodeling company in Bonita Springs, Florida.

Should you take the lowest bid on a remodel estimate? 

The lowest bid may just not be the best option when choosing a Bonita Springs remodeling contractor.  You’ve likely taken three or more estimates for the scope of your remodel work.  First, qualify the estimate.  Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.  There should be itemized lists with the scope of the work, the products being used in the remodel or installation of materials and amounts/quantities of materials, also.  By doing this you can discover if the quality you’re looking for is going to be used, whether the contractor forgot or left out items and whether you may want to upgrade or downgrade the entire project. 

Your Bonita Springs contractor should be able to provide material samples or spec’s for any of the products that will be used, right down to drywall screws.  Don’t be afraid to ask for them if they aren’t offered, either.  This is your Bonita Springs home and your remodel project.  Make sure it’s done right.

If you’re looking to remodel a home in the Bonita Springs or Estero, Florida area call a Certified General Contractor, check the contractor’s license at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/ , get references and call those references to verify satisfaction of the work performed. 

Spolar Enterprises can be reached at 239-287-5497

 How to Trap a Possum in Bonita Springs Florida

[no injuries reported]

Thump, thump dragging in the night is the creature from the black lagoon somewhere near the foundation of my house.  Lucky for us whatever it is, it is nocturnal.  Oh goodie! 

Finally, at the end of my rope and being the anti-animal killer I am I called a Bonitian named Lumberjack and asked him:

1. Do you have any good ol’ boys that can capture it…without killing it or without eating it.
2. If you don’t have said friend, where can I buy a Havahart trap. 

Listen, I have no problem with whatever IT is, but it has to go.  Go peacefully, it will, but it has to go.  Lumberjacks says head north.  So I head norht and I ended up ordering a Havahart trap from the Northern Store in South Fort Myers, about 10 miles north of Bonita Springs.  It took about a week to come in.  We picked it up yesterday and put it outside with a slashed in half apple inside as bait.  (there is a bait guide that came with it in case you know what your nemesis is)  I rolled the dice and threw in an apple by default.

This morning at 5:30 when IT was coming home I realized IT must not like apples.  I never heard the trap but I heard him wiping his feet as he went into his den or whatever you call it.  I ended up poking my head out back just to see what the status of the apple was…maybe it was light enough to sneak in and get it without tripping the snare.  True enough, the apple was gone and in its place was Hector.  Hector – Possum Extraordinaire, with a face only a mother could love and chompers that commanded every bit of respect they were definitely going to get.  (I was SO relieved it didn’t have a white stripe down it’s back, actually.)

I called Lumberjack and made a deal.  I’ll cook you two egg, cheese bagel sandwiches for breakfast if you take Hector out past Bonita Grand Road…..like waaaayyy out, past Village Walk and San Remo even.  Out by the state land, is more like it.  Our deal was struck and Hector is free to roam on the great prairie in East Bonita Springs.

Viva la Hector …. In the wilderness, not under my house.

Yes, if you are dealing with your own Hector and need Lumberjack to make a house call just email me and I’ll give you his cell number.  I gave him the trap as a bonus.

You Sandy Hollow people might be on your own….we have no clue what bait is used for Iguanas!

So, he casually mentioned starting a

home watch business in Bonita Springs Florida…

Almost everyone knows someone in their neighborhood that is just the greatest person.  My neighborhood is no exception.  More than half of the residents of Bonita Springs, likely, know my favorite neighbor.  Ron Clase was a teacher at Bonita Middle School for almost 1,000 years.  I think every kid just loved him.  I know my kids love him to pieces.  He’s been retired from educating for a few years and mentioned to me that he was starting a home watch business.

One random day I received a call from a young lady that was in need of services that a home watch expert can provide – Keeping your home safe, accepting deliveries, meeting repair people, meeting a tenant to pick up keys, etc.  I passed his name on to her.  Minutes later my door bell rings and it’s Ron, nearly breathless and clearly surprised that his business phone is now ringing.

OK, so I made his home watch business wheels turn a little faster than he had anticipated….and the rest, as they say, is history.  I’ve given Ron a few more referrals since then, too.  I ran into Ron’s wife this evening and she says that things are going smashingly well with their new business kicking off.   “So, you’re ready for more business?”  I asked.  Kathy cheered, “Yep, we licensed and insured and ready to roll.” 

So, I told her he’s fair game for this blog and business that finds him through it.  So here goes.  Ron Clase is a great person.  You couldn’t ask for a more respectable, respected person to watch your home while you’re not in the Bonita Springs area able to enjoy it.  If you are looking for someone to care for your Bonita Springs home or condo the home watch company you need to call is Ron Clase Home Watch.  Tell him Chris sent you.  (I really owe him for helping me raise my twins and being such a great influence on them.) 

I’ve trusted Ron with my children, your Bonita Springs home is going to be in great hands.

Ron Clase Home Watch  239-992-0408