The relocation guide from someone who actually lives here. New construction versus resale, what a home really costs you each month, and five communities worth your shortlist, all in one free guide.
REALTOR® | Verdana Village resident
Most people moving here pick a community from photos and a few Google searches, a thousand-plus miles away. Then they compare homes on price alone, and walk into a model home on their own because it seems harmless.
The price is only the headline. HOA, CDD, flood zone, insurance and a property tax bill that resets when you buy decide what you actually live with each month. And at most builders here, if you walk in without your agent registering you first, the builder may not recognize an agent you bring in later. That can mean negotiating one of the biggest purchases of your life alone, against a sales team paid to get the best deal for the builder.
You don't have to figure this out from a distance. I wrote down everything I walk my own relocation clients through, in the order you'll need it.
Most "moving to Florida" guides are written for the whole state. This one is ten pages on five specific Estero communities, written by someone who lives in one of them, insured homes in Florida, and tracks builder inventory day to day.
The hardest part of moving from a distance is the part where someone has to be standing in the room. That's where I come in.
Plan. A consultation on budget, timeline and what you actually want, so we narrow to the right communities, builders and floor plans.
Area discovery. Virtual tours and saved MLS searches first, then model homes in person when you're ready. I register you with each builder before your first visit.
Lock it in. I write and negotiate your offer, whether it's with the seller's agent or directly with the builder.
Move-in ready. Inspections, insurance, lender deadlines, and regular photo and video updates if you're building.
Settle in. Closing, my trusted local vendor list, and walkthroughs and punch lists handled for you if you can't be here.
I track builder inventory, lot releases and current incentives through direct relationships with the Pulte and Lennar sales teams in Verdana Village and with all of the builders selling in Kingston. That means I can tell you what's really available, what a lot premium is actually worth, and what incentive is a real discount and what is just a marketing number on a flyer. Then I negotiate your incentives amount, lot premium, closing cost incentive and any interest rate buy-down with the builder, for you.
The differenceYou go from guessing at communities and costs from a thousand miles away to choosing with real numbers, a clear plan, and someone on the ground who's watching inventory and pricing for you.
"We had to handle a lot of this virtually because we lived in another part of the country... she made herself available to represent us when we were required to be there but simply couldn't be."
"We decided to purchase a second home in Estero... Her knowledge of the area and the homes being built was second to none."
I live in Verdana Village, I can walk to my own listings, and I talk with the Pulte and Lennar sales teams every week. I grew up in Wisconsin, spent nearly 20 years in Minnesota, bought a second home in Fort Myers, then moved here full time. I've lived both the second-home decision and the permanent move, so I know which parts feel hardest from far away.
Price ranges, builders, amenities, flood zones, HOA and CDD, and the honest trade-off for each one are all in the free guide, side by side.
Price ranges are easy to find online. What a listing site won't tell you is which builder is doing what this month, what's included in each HOA, or how Corkscrew Road feels at 8am on a February weekday. That's the part I live every day.
Market data, pricing and community details are as of September 2026. Information is believed accurate but is not guaranteed; confirm pricing, incentives, fees, insurance and community details directly before making a decision. Nothing here is a guarantee of price, timeline or return.
"Heather has been an absolute pleasure to work with… She is very well connected with Lennar and Pulte as well and took us through this process seamlessly."Shelly W. · Verdana Village buyer
"Throughout the entire building process, Heather was incredibly responsive, always available to answer our questions and kept us informed every step of the way."Andrew M. · Verdana Village seller and new-build buyer
My dad, Ron, had been to Verdana Village once. I found him a new Pulte Renown on the lake down the street from me, he bought it virtually, and he moved here from Minnesota a couple of months later. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't believe in this community.
Buying from far away doesn't have to mean buying blind. These are people who did most of it from home, with me on the ground.
I love representing buyers and helping welcome them to Estero.
Every week I post community tours, new-construction updates and honest market reads on YouTube, so you can walk the streets and amenity centers from your couch before you ever book a flight.
The free relocation guide, ten pages from someone who actually lives here.
Kingston opens October 17. Read the guide before you tour it.
Kingston opened October 17. The guide covers it alongside four other Estero communities.
No, it's the guide. If you ever want help, you'll know where to find me.
No. The guide downloads instantly, and any email from me is short, local, and one click to unsubscribe.
Then this is the thing to read before you decide. No commitment, just the honest picture.
Your guide is right below. Start with the model-home rule on page 3; it's the one piece of advice I'd want every buyer to read first.
Download your guideDidn't download? Open the guide here
Your guide is on its way. When you're ready, here's how I help you make the move.
Step one is a free 30-minute Zoom call. We'll talk through your budget, timeline and what you actually want, with no pressure and no obligation.
Book your free Zoom callWant to see these communities for yourself? Take a tour with me on YouTube at @LivinginEsteroFL, or say hello at heatherkielpinski.com.
Heather Kielpinski, REALTOR® · License SL3638736 (Florida DBPR)