http://realestatefloridakeys.com/blog/archive_201709/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ We’d like to thank everyone who has reached out to learn how Hurricane Irma has impacted the Florida Keys, our company and our people. It means a great deal to us. Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co. has been part of the closely-knit Florida Keys community for 62 years and our customers, sales associates, staff, partners and friends have all been profoundly affected by Irma and its aftermath. (You’ll often hear it said that in the Keys, it’s more like two degrees of separation than six for everyone.)The storm caused damage everywhere, the length of the Keys, but the Lower Keys and Middle Keys were the hardest hit. Electricity and water have been restored in most places. The mobile carriers were quick to install temporary towers and get up and running. Landline telephone and internet service are still widely unavailable. Most residences and businesses in the Keys suffered damage from wind and/or storm surge to varying degree. It’s been enormously heartening to watch our neighborhoods come together and help one another in what will be a lengthy recovery. Our first responders have done a magnificent job of assisting those needing medical assistance and shelter, clearing debris, attending to the infrastructure, and maintaining public safety.For the latest information and status updates, visit KeysRecovery.orgOur company is open and operating. We were very fortunate in that our five offices sustained only modest physical damage. The Key Largo, Islamorada, Middle Keys and Key West offices have had all services restored. Our Lower Keys office is open but with limited utilities at this time. We are ready to assist you in any way we can.If you have difficulty reaching any of us, please remember that our website, RealEstateFloridaKeys.com, offers live chat 7 days a week. You can also contact us via our Facebook page. We’ll make sure that all messages reach their destination quickly.Please consider donating to the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation. Its mission since inception in 2002 has been to help those in the Florida Keys whose needs are not being met through other means. Over that time, The Foundation has raised more than $1,600,000 through the generosity of Coldwell Banker Schmitt real estate agents, associates, business partners, affiliates, friends and neighbors, and has assisted over 775 individuals and local organizations. It’s a 501c3 tax-exempt, non-profit corporation. 100% of the contributions made to the Foundation are distributed in the Florida Keys with absolutely no administrative expenses. Gifting is based on need and each request for funds is reviewed and researched before it reaches the Foundation board for a vote. It’s no exaggeration to say the need has never been greater.That being said, we’re already on the way back, and we won’t rest until the Florida Keys is once again the island paradise we’ve all known and loved so much. http://realestatefloridakeys.com/blog/481/hurricane-irma-and-the-florida-keys/ Thu, 21 Sep 2017 12:00:00 -0500