Your first reaction might be, NOT SO FAST!

Now that we have your attention — albeit in an amusing way — this is an important tactic to not overlook when searching for your new custom Florida home.

Our home is our sanctuary. Its location is too. Buying or building that new custom Florida home with ICI Homes probably will rightfully dominate your attention once you reach that part of the process, so before that happens, be sure your prospective new hometown also is a great fit for you and yours.

Read on for some helpful house-hunting research tips that don’t involve the house.

Key takeaways

Before falling in love with a home, make sure the location fits your lifestyle—budget, community, amenities, and everyday convenience all matter.
Get financially prepared with a mortgage pre-approval, moving estimates, and a cost-of-living comparison between your current area and your new one.
Research local features like grocery stores, gyms, restaurants, parks, schools, and even traffic patterns—these impact daily life just as much as floorplans.
Even if you don’t have kids, great schools often signal strong property values and neighborhood stability.
Understand HOA fees and what they cover—amenities like pools, landscaping, and community events often come with a price tag, so know what you’re paying for.

Establish your budget

First, do your financial homework. We know it’s boring. Yet crucial.

Know your home-buying budget boundaries. Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Get estimates on moving costs, closing costs, potential new furnishings costs, and so on.

Want to take it next-level? Sketch out a cost-of-living comparison between your current location and those you’re eyeing for a new custom Florida home. Note differences, if any.

Explore the area

Once you’ve narrowed your focus to one or a handful of potential locations, hit the road (if possible) and cruise Google for online sources. Most city and county government websites have sections dedicated to new-resident information. Take advantage!

Discover nearby restaurants, outdoor recreation options, access to interstates, houses of worship, grocery stores and the nearest beaches.

Ask these types of questions: Where’s the gym in relation to your possible new community? Is what you need close to where you’d like to live? Own a boat or RV? Where will it live?

How’s the traffic? Can you walk or cycle to restaurants, parks or bars?

Scout school systems

Even if you’re a grandparent or don’t have children. Top-rated schools systems often mean high property values because parents want to live near the best schools for their kids. Good school systems are good clues!

Note the weather

It’s Florida, so expect sunshine, sea breezes, summer thundershowers, storm season and spectacularly gorgeous winters and springs. This might be a bigger deal if you’ve never lived here, or hail from a different climate.

Research HOA fees and amenities

Most master-planned communities have resident-run homeowners associations that oversee facilities, regulations, activities and crucial things such as insurance and operating budgets.

These require monthly, quarterly or annual fees paid by all residents. Know what you get for them. Usually this is contractors mowing lawns and trimming landscaping. Fees also finance the upkeep of swimming pools, clubhouses for social gatherings, court sports, playgrounds, dog parks, neighborhood trails, gated entrances and much more. You also should be familiar with community rules such as architectural approval for exterior renovations.

Start with ICI Homes

We’ve built new custom Florida homes all over the state for 45 years. It’s a good bet that we’re developing our own master-planned communities, or serving as preferred builders in others, somewhere you’d like to be!

Ready for your new custom Florida home? Talk to ICI Homes here.