Senior Snowbirds And Their Homes

ClassicRockr

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
I was thinking the other day, "when will the day come that a "Snowbird" will not be able to physically drive between homes that are miles apart?"

Which home will they chose to keep and sell? We know two couples that have their winter home here in Florida. The one couple's other home, their original home aka their summer home, is in southeastern Michigan and the other couple's original home aka their summer home, is in the mountain area of PA.

So, do they sell their Florida home and stay full-time in their original home, which means putting up with winters of snow and ice again OR sell their original homes and put up with the hot and humid summers in Florida?

Obviously it's really nice to have two homes, especially when one can financially and physically afford both.

But, just what do they do if health problems get in the way of traveling back and forth anymore?
 

Where there is a will there is usually a way.

My Aunt's solution was to keep a car in each location and travel by airplane.

Another relative had family members drive her to and from her winter home. They stayed to help open and close the house while enjoying a couple weeks vacation in exchange for their efforts.

When things got really tough they both came back to their original home to be near a family support network, at that point it really didn't matter what the climate was like.
 
My wife and I are in our mid 50's so we have a little while before our final decisions are made on this subject, but we talk about it often. We currently live in Mass and we both love having the changes in seasons for now. We agree that we currently want to have our initial retirement home in either Maine or New Hampshire, hopefully a log cabin on a lake if our financial situation plays out as planned. We know that winters in New England could become a problem as we age, but we do not want a full time home in Florida or the southern US because neither of us cares for the over bearing heat and humidity of the summer months and we don't want the headaches of owning two homes. So our plan right now is to have the permanent home in Maine or NH and if the winters become problematic we would rent something down south for 3 or 4 of the winter months, there's a lot of nice condos and homes for rent fairly cheaply. This is all subject to change as our situation changes, but that's where we're at right now.
 

My Brother is Canadian but has a winter home in Texas. He bought it from an a US Snowbird that lived in Michigan who was in poor health. At the time he bought his there were several homes in the area that were up for sale by Snowbirds.

I guess when the time comes In thinking that most people will choose their 'real home" over their vacation home.
 
Snowbirds and their Homes (worries)

I have considered, maintaining a home in Ohio and Buying a winter home in Florida or California. But the whole idea is concerning. My real concerns are that while I'm in Ohio, I'm worried about the winter property. When I'm at the winter property I'm worried about Ohio. It seems like a vicious circle. You cant afford to rent the properties out without a damage risk or hiring someone to overlook the property and maintenance. (both places) Then you don't know what condition the property is going to be in when it's your turn. Are you going to spend all your time working and cleaning the property? Additionally, Murphy's law will prevail, whatever you need, is at the other home/property!

Just my thoughts, I tend to be a worrier and probably overly cautious.
 
Our solution is to have our main place in Florida and live in a camp grounds in the summer. Upper NY. We leave the camper right there, year round, and have done this now for 18 years. The day isn’t to far away when I can’t do this anymore due to health and old age reasons.
 
needshave said:
Snowbirds and their Homes (worries)

I have considered, maintaining a home in Ohio and Buying a winter home in Florida or California. But the whole idea is concerning. My real concerns are that while I'm in Ohio, I'm worried about the winter property. When I'm at the winter property I'm worried about Ohio. It seems like a vicious circle. You cant afford to rent the properties out without a damage risk or hiring someone to overlook the property and maintenance. (both places) Then you don't know what condition the property is going to be in when it's your turn. Are you going to spend all your time working and cleaning the property? Additionally, Murphy's law will prevail, whatever you need, is at the other home/property!

Just my thoughts, I tend to be a worrier and probably overly cautious.
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The couple we know that has their main home in Michigan, did have an emergency situation come up there. There sump pump broke in the house basement and flooded the basement. At the time, they were at their Florida winter home. The husband had to fly back to Michigan and take care of the problem. He told us, "it was a mess". He was informed of the problem when his son came by the house to check on it.

When I talked to him about what this Thread is asking about, he really didn't want to think about it. They both love spending winters at their Florida beach home, but their one son, his wife and young son (their grandson) lives in the same locale that their house is in in Michigan, They look very forward every May to going back to Michigan to see their grandson. These "Snowbirds" also have a nice cottage by a lake in Michigan and they go there in the summer as well.

There's is absolutely no way we could afford to be "Snowbirds".​
 
Aunt Bea said:
Never say never!

While you are on the young end of retirement consider taking a working vacation in an area that fits your lifestyle.
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First, neither of us consider ourselves being on the “young end of retirement”, being that wife just turned 70 and in a few months I’ll be 69. Our eyes, hearing and “aches and pains” also tell us we’re not that young.

We are taking a trip to Colorado/Wyoming this summer to see if we really want to move back there. Lived south of Denver for 5 1/2 years, 10 years ago. Definitely want to leave Florida though.

One thing definite about us, we won’t retire with a Pension. Only SS and 401k Savings.
 
Well it depends on the country you are from and even the state where your 'real' home is.

For instance I think senior Canadians would always want to move back for the health care factor. My neice comes back even at Christmas.

A senior American who hates snow and winter would make the permanent move to a warmer climate.

If I had the option. That's what I would do. I can tolerate heat but winters are hard on health.
 
Camper6 said:
Well it depends on the country you are from and even the state where your 'real' home is.

For instance I think senior Canadians would always want to move back for the health care factor. My neice comes back even at Christmas.

A senior American who hates snow and winter would make the permanent move to a warmer climate.

If I had the option. That's what I would do. I can tolerate heat but winters are hard on health.
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It could be very surprising just how many Seniors in America live in cold and snowy winter areas. I use to work for a Senior Healthcare company in Denver, Colorado and was pretty surprised at how many Seniors (all the way into their 70’s and 80’s) live in Denver metro.

Where we currently live, it does get hot in the summer, but the high humidity makes it even worse.

Winters in some states can be brutal, but summer heat, humidity and coastal Tropical Storms and hurricanes can make other states bad to live in.
 
ClassicRockr said:
It could be very surprising just how many Seniors in America live in cold and snowy winter areas. I use to work for a Senior Healthcare company in Denver, Colorado and was pretty surprised at how many Seniors (all the way into their 70’s and 80’s) live in Denver metro.

Where we currently live, it does get hot in the summer, but the high humidity makes it even worse.

Winters in some states can be brutal, but summer heat, humidity and coastal Tropical Storms and hurricanes can make other states bad to live in.
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I lived in Longmont Colorado for over 10 years and then moved west to Cortez Colorado. I did not mind the winters in Colorado for different reasons. Yes it could get might cold at times. But the humidity was lower than Florida. A visual that does not happen here in Ohio was the blue sky. We could see a storm coming and after a day or two it would leave and blue sky again. In Ohio we have high humidity and long drizzles of snow or rain. All connected by over cast sky. It is often quite depressing.

Colorado is fine up north but if wanting some more warmth go south into New Mexico or west into southern Arizona. Even their heat is not as bad as back easst in all that humidity. In Florida, or Ohio, 85 temps mean constant sweating while sittiing around. I felt fine even at the 100 mark and have lived through some high temps of 110 with a record of 118 one late afternoon. With those temps it is OK, to go shopping, eat out, go to movies, stay at home and enjoy the A/C.

I am not wanting to move back to Florida, my family choice, but do want to leave Ohio, or anywhere east of the Mississippi valley. Would love to move back to southern Arizona.
 
I would definitely consider this snow bird idea. How do these people afford to have 2 homes?
I assume they own one home completely and rent the other one.
Renting 2 homes at once would be expensive, no?

The oven like heat in Arizona bothers me.
 
Victor said:
I would definitely consider this snow bird idea. How do these people afford to have 2 homes?
I assume they own one home completely and rent the other one.
Renting 2 homes at once would be expensive, no?

The oven like heat in Arizona bothers me.
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Come to Canada in the summer. You get a discount on the exchange. The U.S. dollar is higher than the Canadian dollar.

And best of all.

The whole country is air conditioned day and night. L.O.L.
 
Camper6 said:
Come to Canada in the summer. You get a discount on the exchange. The U.S. dollar is higher than the Canadian dollar.

And best of all.

The whole country is air conditioned day and night. L.O.L.
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My experience in Canada was really quite nice. I asked Canadians in BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and got much the same response. The suggested times were July through October if wanting to avoid storms or sever weather. We usually traveled late August and through September. Decent weather most of the time. Missed a tornado up near Edmonton.

For me and snow bird, I would establish a permanent home where I would like to stay and then just rent for two or three months in my winter hideaway. Then if I don't like the rental I look somewhere else and try again. I am not rich and I have a permanent home paid for. My daughter says we should go to Florida and I say too much humidity. I would prefer to our desert west areas with the low humidity and let that become my permanent home. Then in July or August we could apply the snow bird idea to the heat days. Likely only need to travel a short distance for cooler areas. Down into Mexico or out to California. A day or two drive. I have a problem that makes it this far as I have trouble with my lungs so I can't just drive a few miles into the mountains for cooler air.
 
BobF said:
My experience in Canada was really quite nice. I asked Canadians in BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and got much the same response. The suggested times were July through October if wanting to avoid storms or sever weather. We usually traveled late August and through September. Decent weather most of the time. Missed a tornado up near Edmonton.

For me and snow bird, I would establish a permanent home where I would like to stay and then just rent for two or three months in my winter hideaway. Then if I don't like the rental I look somewhere else and try again. I am not rich and I have a permanent home paid for. My daughter says we should go to Florida and I say too much humidity. I would prefer to our desert west areas with the low humidity and let that become my permanent home. Then in July or August we could apply the snow bird idea to the heat days. Likely only need to travel a short distance for cooler areas. Down into Mexico or out to California. A day or two drive. I have a problem that makes it this far as I have trouble with my lungs so I can't just drive a few miles into the mountains for cooler air.
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Most folks think snowbirds are rich, or at least well off. The two couples we know definitely have a nice retirement income each month. Much better than a lot of Seniors who are not snowbirds do.

It’s unbelievable how family and/or friends always highly recommend Florida to be a snowbird in or live in permanently. That can be a good idea, then again, for many, not so good idea. We live in northeastern Florida and can’t wait to move out!! The humidity and COL can be fairly high to be able to live in a safe area.
 
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We have lived in FL for 42 years, and in that time have known many snowbirds. As they age, maintaining 2 homes becomes a burden that is difficult to sustain. Many end up selling one residence and living full time in the other. Usually the one they sell is the one where they keep the snow shovel.

Keeping cars at each residence means maintaining 2 cars, plus licensing them, insuring them and garaging them.
 
I've spent the last 4 months in the heart of western 'snowbird' locations, I do maintain a home in the PacNW (my wife's location). Our PacNW residence is not a major drain on our retirement funds so I will continue with those plans. If my wife should pass first, I would immediately sell out & go 'full' time nomad until my health gave out.

What has amazed me about SW Arizona is the single females that are spending their winters here. I seen large motor homes, massive 5th wheelers & pull behind trailers hooked to large pickups all being driven by single senior females. Some have more than 1 occupant, probably by co-op agreement, I haven't asked but it appears that is the case. There are also many that are alone & living in a permanent spot with an older trailer, motor home or 5th Wheeler that I can only assume were shared with their spouses before. They drive their autos here from all points north east or west of Arizona, some fly into Yuma, Las Vegas or Phoenix then bus in. Many have Arizona auto tags, some use an ATV or other means to get around.

I didn't go out on the BLM land to witness what rigs were there but I understand many vans, autos pulling cargo trailer & even some using autos to stay in. Many of them were occupied by seniors who either chose that method or were forced into it because of economic situations. Not my business to know but there are so many it is interesting. There were over 1/2 Million during Jan staying in everything from rustic tents to million dollar motor homes, many were single.
 

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