If you are a snowbird, how much does it cost? (pension, beach)

[dwnmo]

Trying to work through some budgeting forecasts for retirement in 3-5 years. We are thinking we will be snowbirds for the winter (4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, more?) but not sure how much to budget for it. We are in the midwest and would likely go south from here (South Carolina and south of SC) or Arizona.

I would be interested in hearing about your snowbird experience. Where do you go, how long do you stay, and what is the approximate cost? How difficult is it to find rentals of 4 weeks - 12 weeks? Do you go the same place every year or do you like to move around?

Hubby is concerned about being able to afford this lifestyle and I am hoping to show him that it can be done depending on where you go.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by dwnmo

We are thinking we will be snowbirds for the winter (4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, more?)
but not sure how much to budget for it. Hubby is concerned about being able to afford this lifestyle...

4-8 weeks = a vacation rental. It's when you get to the 15-25 week range that owning a place
begins to make sense; the drawback there being that you're always going to the same place.

...and I am hoping to show him that it can be done depending on where you go.

That's it. Real Estate costs are all about location.

Poke around here; see how much what suits really costs: https://www.vrbo.com/

[VTsnowbird]

Former snowbird here, from the Northeast we used to go visit friends in FL but when that was no longer practical, we looked into places to rent. It seemed at the time that if you drew a line from north of Tampa to St. Augustine in FL, south of that was ON season in the winter and north was OFF season. That may no longer be true. We settled in the FL panhandle and southern AL beach areas, where it is still OFF season in the winter.

We found that the longer you stay for, the lower the cost-per-month goes. The last time we stayed for 4.5 months for about $2500, renting directly from an owner (2BR/2BA, steps from beach).

When we owned a house in the north, we were able to close it up, drain all the pipes, anti-freeze the traps (we had built it with just that in mind) and so we saved on heating costs, as well as snow plowing.

[Clemencia53]

Try the Deep South Texas coast. Lots of winter rentals in south padre island

[PBToast]

I will be very interested to see the replies you get as we are also tossing this idea around. Do we just go for a few months? or do we move there? I'm retiring this year but DH isn't for another 2+ years. I may go w/o him!

What I've found so far in southern FL, along the coasts, is about $3K/month minimum for a 2BR condo. It can be $10K/month in Naples. Most also want 90 days minimum. When you click on the sidebar to see the full price it turns out there are cleaning fees, tax and other fees, sometimes making the $3000 go up to $5000/month. I don't know how so many people do this?

We have friends who own a condo in Naples, some who rent the same place every year in Port St. Lucie, and some who like to go someplace different every year. But I have heard that most places have repeat renters that book every year. We have also read about scams on VRBO where they take peoples down payment and don't own the condo they are advertising. I wouldn't rent anything that looks like the photos were taken with a cell phone, or shows stuff sitting around like a person is on vacation there themselves (suitcases, etc). I would look for multiple reviews and the owner having a photo posted. Not just registered this year either.

We are going down in May for a vacation and I plan to speak to a RE agent in person and maybe get to view some possible units. I believe that many units are handled by RE offices in the town. I'd like to know if there is anything less expensive available, how far from the beach they are, and if any of them can be had for less than 90 days. it would be nice to do just 1 month to try it out.

[jghorton]

Many of the snowbirds in the Destin area, buy a second/third condo/home here and then rent it out for 6-9 months. The year-round market here allows many to pay their mortgage and produce a profit - as well as appreciate in equity towards a potential full-time retirement home.

Unfortunately for those of us who live here full-time, we're faced with year-round tourist traffic. About the only semi-downtime seems to be Oct-Dec, but, even that draws tourists.

[eliza61nyc]

So I've been researching around the New smyrna Florida beach area. I have found 2 bedroom 2 bath condos right on the beach ~ 3500.00 -8100 per month.
I've been sticking to agencies as opposed to VRBO until I've done it for a while. I too have read way too many scams with VRBO. not to say they all are that way, I'm just a nervous nellie.

I'm heading down to Savannah Ga. in February to check out that area (Tybee Island) but I think going further south will keep me warmer.

[Cuzzant]

We have gone to Sarasota, FL, 4 of the last 5 years. We stay for 2 months (Jan/Feb or Feb/Mar). We travel with our cat, and driving takes 2 nights. Costs (lodging, food, gas) for the round trip average about $800. It’s approx a 1300 mile trip, one way, for us. We would take the auto train down, if it wasn’t for our cat. The travel costs would be about the same, but less driving and more relaxing.

Rentals are $2500/mo and up to ?? Since we need a cat-friendly place, our choices are 1/10 of what’s available. So we miss out on most potential properties and lower pricing. We normally rent a 3BD, 2BA house within 10 miles of the beach. The first year we rented, it was $3500/mo (all in), last year was $4200/mo. The houses have been in good neighborhoods, nicely furnished with screened lanai (we love to eat outside), and very good locations to shopping, banking, entertainment, and the beaches.

Other than transportation costs down and back, and rent, there are no other costs involved. Realistically budget between $7000-$10,000 for 2 months for something similar.

EDIT: As was mentioned, some places require more than a month’s stay, and some condos/townhouses do not allow pets. You shouldn’t have many issues finding a place without a pet.

We used VRBO to locate a property, but then deal with the owner directly to negotiate a little better deal.

[StealthRabbit]

Everyone needs to find their best solution, being Flexible is a PLUS (Several friends are FT RVr's) others rent in different spots annually. One poster here has done 'flip homes' in their snowbird location. Friends from Belgium 'snowbird' internationally doing long term pet sitting (for last 12 yrs).

My Snowbird location spins off $50k positive income / yr (no pension for me)

I have rural rentals with a FREE cabin / workshop for me (on both end of the climate locations)

Deductible travel between locations, (I fly and keep inexpensive cars on each end).

[CaseyB]

We have older friends who retired early and they have snowbirded in Florida for years. They stick to Northern Florida because rentals are less and more importantly less crowds and traffic. They started with the panhandle, but unless you go somewhere like Destin (traffic), you quickly run out of things to do. The past 3 years they have rented just a little south of St. Augustine. I know one year recently the husband told me they were paying 1800 a month. They always rent 3 or 4 bedroom houses (not condo people), 9 weeks or so starting with the first week of January. They rent through vbro and negotiate with the owners. Obviously, the weather isn't as warm as southern Florida (not beach weather), but it's usually pleasant to be outside for other activities. A whole lot warmer than it is here!