Is 4000 $/ month enough to retire in Vero! (sale, rental)

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Jennayoftheisland

Thank you so much for all your advices, Runswithscissors.

I absolutely LOVED your idea about using free buses !!! ; I admit that I had no idea that they even existed ....this is great !

No, We do not have " health care stuff covered " (unfortunately ) .

We will only have Medicare when we become eligible .
So far , we are both very healthy (fortunately ) .....and , you are right , this is irrelevant , now, this late in a game .

So , I decided to not to worry about it , and to make the best of every moment (smile ).

Exactly. And if you're both in good health, nothing is stopping you from getting a part time job and we have them. I know a bagger at the grocery store who got hired there at age 85 and he's 95 now! LOL He's hilarious. Rides a bike to work.

The free bus line is a big thing to me. It just shows that resources can be directed well, if the county puts their mind to it.

They're also spending 10 Million on expanding the recreational center on 20th between Oslo and 5th at the park. I'm not crazy about that spending but it will be nice when they finish. And I forget exactly how that got that funding I don't think it was taxes but maybe some private partnerships or something. Multigenerational center and they hope to attract alot of things like intramural or recreational sports teams etc. Just like they have at Dodgertown.

ALSO there's a Community Center downtown on 16th I think and the Community Pool in Gifford up by the 60W bridge to the beach.

There is DEFINITELY enough to keep you busy here. So yeah. GO FOR IT!

You have a good budget and I agree - live every moment.

BTW there are also plenty of ONE bedrooms that would work for you, like at Vista Royale because they have a large porch (some enclosed and some screened) so that's really like having a "den" where a couple can get away from each other.

If you rent in an HOA like that, there are a TON of activities and pools, and they even have golf there even though that particular HOA is modest. Actually may be a good fit because like my community, the people are sensible with their money. Apartment complexes have pools, too, but you'll need to do some internet searching on that one.

I guess you could do a seasonal rental for the winter to try things out. Or even a short term but they will both be higher rent than an annual normal lease.

I ADORE the beach but you will need to drive to go anywhere other than beach type shopping and restaurants...and there's only one pricey food market over there. But the causeway bridge 17th goes directly to Miracle Mile with Publix etc. ALSO don't forget renters insurance which is actually very reasonable. Especially if you're in a condo where someone upstairs may have a leak or something on your personal stuff or if you have to relocate for some reason.

Good luck!

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I doubt very seriously that the OP would qualify for income restricted rentals if his income is $4000 a month.

That's why I didn't recommend any - or bother looking at apt complexes since that qualifier is only a mention on those sites and you can't tell from driving through the complexes.

[Jennayoftheisland]

And dear OP, please don't use that term, "fixed income," like it's a bad thing. Yes, your income is "fixed" by someone else, but so is almost everyone's. Many people who work for a living would love to have an income as high as yours, and know that it is "fixed."[/quote]


By " fixed income " , I meant that our income will never go up ( and may , actually , " go down " like Social Security , knock on wood ) .

I , too , did " work for a living " ( and I am, actually , still working full time ) for the last 35 years .

For last 20 years , I have been working as a psychiatric RN for State Hospital hence , I will be getting monthly check from State of TX that I included in my 4000 $ per month budget .........
......Albeit , I forgot to mention that 4000 $ per month was our gross , pre tax income, and I really do not consider it to by very high amount to live on for two people who will be always renting ( especially when , they are dreaming about retiring in Florida's beach town )

[Jennayoftheisland]

My previous post was my reply to yourown2feet....( I tried to quote her original message but I messed up )

Runwithscissors - Thank you again for all your suggestions .....especially the one about the rental with an extra den /porch to keep couple " separated " .... I will contact them straight away ...

To your gentle suggestion about getting part time job ,however , I will say " Hell no !!!! " ....

This can change , of course , when I turn 85 like you friend from grocery store ( * wink, wink ) but , for now on , as long as I am YOUNG , I am DONE with jobs , and totally, passionately dedicated to the life of beach bum !


( *** the above could have something to do with my situation I described in my previous post )

PS. But seriously ..

How would you even go about planning such move ?....

Would you rent something short term via internet ( sight unseen ) , and then keep looking for more permanent rental ?...or would you just put your things in storage , stay in a hotel in Vero , and contact relators once you are there ?

How easy , do you think , is to find a rental once you are in Vero , in person ?

[runswithscissors]

Would you rent something short term via internet ( sight unseen ) , and then keep looking for more permanent rental ?

Yep, more or less.

I wasted ALOT of time flying back and forth before relocating and I actually had spent half my life here! I KNEW Florida well. AND wasted money. I ended up signing a year lease for $1200 in an huge house that I didn't need because it was the only type of housing the realtor showed me. She had 5 options at the time that would work for me so I took one in her own neighborhood because I knew she'd stand by it.

But it was during the crash and things were difficult. I started in Ft Lauderdale where I ACTUALLY wanted to be but after so many messed up experiences, I went with a REALTOR I found on the internet that I knew I could trust.

My kid in WPB had been through THREE FORECLOSURE rentals during that mess!

I always say in retrospect that I would have made out better had I just rented a short term Execustay type place for a month or two and really scoped out the situation all at once. It was Feb/March time frame.

I would have found a short term rental even though they are more money, brought my things down (only one small-ish truck), put them in storage, then looked around, and THEN signed a lease.

Had I known better, I could have rented in a $750 condo rather than a $1200.00 3 bedroom.

I was also waiting for my former company to rehire me and while promised it would happen in four months it ended up taking SEVENTEEN months LOL.

Now I'll caution you things are different now and rentals are popular AND it depends on the time of year. Vero Beach is much more popular than 2008 when I chose it. You don't want to try and find something short term, say, when the high season starts in fall, probably. But you can find a realtor to guide you on that stuff.

Funny you are a psych nurse. I have a LOAD of experience working for a client with dementia in assisted living. I started as her dog pet sitter and became her quasi caregiver - for two years. Every day of my life. 3x day. Her charge nurse was a psych nurse here with a load of experience in all different facilities including the prison system so I've heard ALL the stories LOL.

SO...if you ever change your mind and want to enter the CNA world or something, you're coming to the right spot.

I don't know if we have Execu-stays here per se...but you CAN get a short term rental even if you don't move your stuff down....THEN spend a month or two "looking" IF you can't find something suitable long distance. That's how I'd handle it.

If you want my realtor's name just direct message me here. But she doesn't do the $750 units really. You can work with the Vista Plantation and Vista Royale offices directly - it seems. Looks like they have it centralized.

I see a few on Trulia rentals for 650 and up, there.

Just naming them since I'm familiar. There are others nearer the bridge/beach.

She has a 1000.00 per month on her site and she personally owns a GORGEOUS condo she rents out on Hutchinson Island directly ON the beach. Maybe that would work if she'd give you, say a 3 month lease. I think it's even furnished. $1500/mo.

Some guy HERE did that and rented in Vista Royale as a trial basis but I don't think he's given an update on what he thought of it.

I could also get the name of the realtor who handles the rental next to mine. It's seasonal but they'd probably be happy to have you for a short term if it's permitted by our HOA ...based on him already renting it last winter. Not sure of the rules.

[Jennayoftheisland]

Thank you so much, again , for all your help ,Runswithscissors !
I am sorry for my delay in responding but I was out of town , and did on have time to " play " with my computer ( smile ).

I will PM you regarding relators as soon as I figure out how to work my profile settings ( since I have absolutely no clue how to do it now ** )

Yes, I have been working as a psychiatric RN for very long time , and I know that , once I am retired, I will absolutely have no desire to enter RN 's world ever again ....
However , dog sitter's world , is completely different story ! ...it would be a lot of FUN , and would not feel like having a job at all ; I would , absolutely LOVE to part of dog's world ( smile , smile ) .

I am planning to do exactly what you adviced me to do ....I will find short time rental ( up to 3 months ) and start looking around for something more " permanent " .

I only will take with me a few things that hold sentimental value , and , later , hit all the thrift shops in Vero to find things to decorate my apartment with ( you would be amazed what you can find in thrift shops ) .

The only thing I am afraid of is that I will rent something right on the beach because " it is only short term , so why not ? " , and will be very heartbroken when the times comes to move to something
" more affordable " ( smile ) .

I have never lived right on the beach , and I am very attracted to the idea of seeing the ocean from my windows , and falling asleep hearing the waves . I know that I absolutely can not afford having such a dream.......but it is still there ........oh, I think , I am already in big trouble ! ( smile )

[runswithscissors]

Yes you will regret leaving the beach. But to be honest if you are beach FRONT it is very LOUD.

My mother chose the Intracoastal because of it. I work for people ON the beach and the noise gets to you. I imagine you get used to it but it is NON STOP LOL. Gorgeous, though. I always have to shut the sliders after a while to shut out the noise!

There are ALOT Of bungalows on the barrier island here and often for rent. I'd spring for beach at first, too, to be honest. Something you don't get to do in your life that often.

Dog business is excellent but not EASY. IT's really all about PEOPLE just like the RN job except your patients cannot SPEAK. But their OWNERS CAN LOL. And just like the medical business many really don't tell you the exact story, you have to figure it out for yourself. My BEST clients are the anal retentive ones. We know EXACTLY where each other is coming from. Although I've had young clients in their 20s who were hilarious and big spenders, too. Even if they DO leave rotten broccoli in their trash can on their way to the airport hahaha.

This week I had two people give me key fobs for their house alarms with dead batteries. And a third for a live in who RIGHT NOW has CHIRPING in their smoke detector alarm with a dying battery.

Anyway, good luck - I'm sure you'll like it here.

[Jennayoftheisland]

Hahaha....your stories about dog business are absolutely hilarious , Runswithscissors ...LOL...

But...there is something else in your funny reply that grabbed my serious attention ( smile )...;

If you say that your " dog buissness " is doing well...it must mean that there IS housing available in Vero that allows ( accept pet ) ...yes ?

Do your clients , usually, rent , or they bought their houses ?

I have a dogs but they are large dogs ( Alaskan Malamutes ) .

I was, originally , thinking that I would have to find them a new home before moving to Vero.

After reading your reply, however, I started to think that, perhaps, I will be able to take them with me ( hope, hope....pray , pray ...)

I know that this is a seperate subject that does not really belong to this thread , therefore, I am going to start seperate thread that addresses this subject only .

[runswithscissors]

TONS of dogs. It's not an insurmountable issue in rentals; just harder to find. AND ESPECIALLY condos! There are size limits and usually only one is permitted. Vista has a NO pet policy. It may be the same for apartment complexes.

My very first client here was a renter in a single house with a pit bull. TWO of them, actually until her roommate moved out.

Yesterday I started a job for a regular client and when I walked in, one of the window alarms was BLASTING. Story of my life haha. I had to rip it off the window and smash it with a hammer.

[Jennayoftheisland]

Runswithscissors, I am traveling to Vero in August for a week , so ( Hopefully !! ) , I will have more opportunity to check out some of places you had mentioned in person and ask tons of questions.

Thank you so much for all the info , though !.......( and ...I do not think that I could ever be tired of the sounds of waves crashing on shore coming through my window ...smile )