Where to Snowbird

[rapmarks]

Wow, that sounds nice. We are focusing on low H.O.A. Fees as those can really creep up. My relative lives in a 55+ community close to me and she is paying $389 a month for her hoa fees

I tried to find a community in the area with lower fees for my sisters, they didn't play golf or tennis. I was surprised to find out that all communities had as high a fee. We have to support the golf course and the restaurant, throw season and low times, so we thought our fees would be higher. Our fees aren't as high as you mention , but they are enough to make you think about it. I think 685 every three months, but includes cable, golf membership, and all the other things that add up. Also includes lawn irrigation, which can be big expense. All the streets need to be maintained too, pools, tennis courts, golf course, restaurant. It all adds up pretty fast.


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[Jan M.]

Wow, that sounds nice. We are focusing on low H.O.A. Fees as those can really creep up. My relative lives in a 55+ community close to me and she is paying $389 a month for her hoa fees

One of the ladies in the card club I belonged to when we lived up North moved into a community with HOA fees and some of the other women thought she was paying a lot. She was very relieved when I spoke up for her. I asked her if that wasn't cheaper than what she paid when she was in her house to have her lawn mowed, the leaves taken care of, she had a large yard with a lot of big trees, her driveway plowed and all the exterior maintenance done. If I remember correctly they even painted inside every so many years too as part of the HOA fees and they also had a very nice clubhouse and pool. It was actually less than she had been paying and she was getting a lot more for her money. Several of the other women who were widowed or divorced had grown children coming over to take care of those things for them so really had no idea how expensive it can be when you have to pay to have some or all of those things done. One of them piped up that she sold her house and moved into an apartment because between their jobs, kids and houses of their own she felt it was becoming a burden to her children and she wanted them spending their time enjoying being with her not working around her house and in the yard.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We love being snowbirds in Florida. We bought a mobile home in a 55 plus park near Sebring, about 7 years ago, and just love it! Our park has a private golf course, lake, pool, tennis courts, shuffleboard and a clubhouse that will hold about 250 people. DH golfs 5 times a week, and I golf 3-4 times. We have several dances throughout the season, and specialty nights quite often. Sebring is very close, with shopping, movie theatres, etc. South Florida College is very nearby, and they have excellent performances.

This is not what we had envisioned for retirement when we first started doing 3 or 4 weeks timesharing in Florida in January and February, but I found it a bit lonely going to different resorts and not knowing anyone.
We visited friends who owned at our Park and immediately loved it. The people are so friendly and we have made so many friendships. Many are Canadian too, so we have a summer reunion here in Ontario.

Either coast is about an hour's drive, and things in Sebring are quieter, less traffic, and much much cheaper than the coastal areas.

Happy hunting!

Dori

Dori, this is what my aunt wants to do,I'm heading down in January to help her find a place in Naples as she has friends that live in that area

 

[Jan M.]

When we were house hunting I kept in mind what my mother-in-law told me was her criteria. BTW my MIL was a nurse and continued working until she was about 76-77 in a nursing home. She always liked working and enjoyed working with the "old people" but didn't see herself as one of them. Lol. After her mother died in her late 80's her father came to live with her and lived to be 96. So she had more insight than most people into the needs of older people and especially the circumstances that led them to being in a nursing home.

Anyhow this is what we looked for. All on one floor or at the very least make sure there is a full bathroom and a bedroom on the main floor. We insisted that at least one bathroom be big enough to maneuver a wheelchair in and for a second person to be in there to assist and have a wide enough doorway to get a wheelchair though. In the event you would no longer be able to drive it is important if you want to stay independent to be close enough that you can walk or ride a bike to things like a grocery store, a library, a bank. We even have an an active community center within a mile of us. The closer you are to things like that the more likely you are to stay active.

The over 55 communities tend to be close knit but we chose a multi-age community. In our area some of the over 55 communities have a large number of snowbirds who are only there part of the year and we live here permanently. We still remember one house we were shown when we were house hunting. It appeared to be one of only a couple houses on the block that weren't closed up. I told my husband it felt creepy, like living in a ghost town and he felt the same way. My husband asked the realtor if all those houses were snowbirds and he said no the house directly across the street is permanently occupied but it is an older woman who just leaves her hurricane shutters up year round as she refuses to pay someone to put them up and take them down for hurricane season every year. Also that we wouldn't likely see her as she was a little strange. Ya think? I would be too after living for several years in a house with all the windows covered up!

If you have a place in Florida invest in the accordion hurricane shutters that can be pulled in a matter of minutes. The old style ones aren't likely to even be Miami-Dade hurricane rated anymore and they take two people and several hours to put up and take down. Which you will have to do before you leave and when you get back every year. BTW, Miami-Dade hurricane rated is the standard things are manufactured to meet and not just for this area. Having windows, doors, a garage door, and a roof that meet that standard saves you a lot of money on your homeowners insurance. A good thing to know and ask when you are looking for a place to buy. Also ask if they have a wind abatement inspection report they can show you. You will likely need a new inspection when you buy a place but can see what theirs says about the house.

Here is a good example that shows both advantages and disadvantages for either type of community. Next week our son and his family are moving out of the second floor two bedroom apartment they've lived in for three years. With the birth of their second child last year they talked about moving then but decided to wait one more year to be able to save more money. Now they really need a larger place as their daughter will be coming out of her crib soon and our son was given the opportunity to work from home so needs a workspace other than the living room which is the only option in their apartment. Their only regret about moving is leaving their next door neighbors who are an elderly couple; the wife has dementia and no longer speaks. He recently fell, not the first time, late at night. She knocked on the door to get our son and led him into where her husband was laying on the floor. He begged our son not to call 911 as he knows they would likely insist on keeping him overnight for observation. Social services would have been called and she would have been sent to a nursing home. She doesn't do well around other people and when it eventually happens it will be very hard on her. From what our son said they either don't have any family or any family in the area. Our son saw that he had a cut from hitting his head when he fell but it was a minor cut and he was coherent, pupils okay. Our son told him that he wouldn't help him up but to take his time that he would sit with him until he felt able to get up on his own. But if he wasn't able to get up on his own and be steady on his feet within 10-15 minutes of standing up that our son would have to call. I noticed on my last visit that he now carries the groceries up one bag at a time and will accept help now too when a year ago he would say thanks but he was fine. He tells me and tells our son and his wife too that they are the best neighbors they've ever had in all the years they've lived in that apartment and how much he appreciates the help our son and DIL give them. They are scared of the neighbors across the hall, the only other apartment on the second floor, because "they are druggies". Lol, they are very nice middle aged couple but husband has MS and smokes medical marijuana. Which btw they told me helps him a lot. They know my Dad had MS so we've talked. I understand why our son and DIL feel so bad about leaving the elderly couple and worry what will happen to them.