# Where to Snowbird



## rosebud5 (Aug 15, 2017)

I have reserached this in the past, but now that I'm getting ready o make a visit.. I have a few questions I hope can be answered.

I get that the golf coast is warmer and the east side facing the Atlantic tends to be chillier. Is that the only big difference? Would property or vacation costs be a second consideration? If so, is the difference that significant?

Is there a drawback to the golf side. Is there a big difference between the gulf coast on the panhandle versus the gulf coast down by Sarasota. Is that area south of Sarasota the more expensive area on the gulf coast to vacation or even buy property? 

For snowbirds, what side would be the best place to rent from Jan-Mar and what area within that part of the coast. 

Sorry.. a lot of questions, if you can help.. muchas gracias.


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 15, 2017)

First off, get the OLD ROAD map out ... Virginia down to the Florida state line. Map out the path from HOME to each city you are considering. Get Google Map up on the computer ... and plug in the major cities .. later resorts .. which you THINK that you MIGHT consider.

Florida is a BIG state ... with very separate north/south Interstates (east side next to the Atlantic Ocean THEN the west side next to the Gulf of Mexico) ... throw a few cross state roads in over the Everglades (the wetlands & swamps).

Next list the airlines nearest your northern home ... and the major airlines. Start looking at number of flights & costs ... that 1000-1400 mile drive each way gets OLD real fast to both coasts.

One more consideration ... age of housing. East Coast has older beach areas.

When I started flying to Florida.. Eastern Airlines was the BIG player ... and Daytona Beach was the BIG airport within 100 miles in that area of the state. Which comes to my NEXT point ... nothing is forever in the airline war (I ment, the airline industry). Even took the train home to NJ RT one Christmas.

Next is sunset ... happens to set in the Gulf side while sunrise starts on the Atlantic Ocean side. And the water is different, too. More waves and current on the Atlantic. Might be a bit colder, too. And I can't answer anything about the fish or the crawling underwater critters. I do KNOW there is a lot more cruise ships using the ports up & down the Atlantic coast ... more flights because of the cruise ships business

I lived in the 'Daytona Beach's county when I was between 18-21 yo .. starting before the mouse open his house ... his grand opening plus the first 2 years of business. Been a parttime snowbird for close to 10 years ... I usually stay only a 7-10 days each .. so I fly. I prefer the Ft Lauderdale/Pompano area .. lots of beachy timeshares and most were REALLY cheap on eBay. As a solo traveler, I hate the cost of renting a car .. so public bus service and good/cheap flights are important.


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## rosebud5 (Aug 15, 2017)

vacationhopeful said:


> First off, get the OLD ROAD map out ... Virginia down to the Florida state line. Map out the path from HOME to each city you are considering. Get Google Map up on the computer ... and plug in the major cities .. later resorts .. which you THINK that you MIGHT consider.
> 
> Florida is a BIG state ... with very separate north/south Interstates (east side next to the Atlantic Ocean THEN the west side next to the Gulf of Mexico) ... throw a few cross state roads in over the Everglades (the wetlands & swamps).
> 
> ...


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## rosebud5 (Aug 15, 2017)

Thanks for the reply. 

For the months Jan-Mar, what's the weather like along the atlantic coast.. starting from about Daytona, down to Pampano Beach. 

I have heard its rather chilly in the Tampa area (and along the gulf coast north of Tampa) during these months.

I seem to like the Sarasota/Cape Coral area. Other than Key West or Miami area, is this considered one of the more expensive areas to rent during the winter months?

I also like Pompano Beach and FT Lauderdale. Seems a bit crowded down there lately.


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 15, 2017)

The weather is far warmer in South Florida than in the Northeastern part of USA.

Back to my experience.
I went to college 20 miles inland from Daytona Beach ... due west, right on 17/92. It could be cold/chilly but seldom froze. Sweatshirt weather was consider COLD and I always wore socks with my sneakers (no flip flops) and mostly long jeans during the winter.

OLDER ME ... Pompano Beach ... the jet stream brings warm water out of the Gulf of Mexico, around the Keys and up the coast. So Pompano is a degree or 2 cooler than Ft Lauderdale (which is south of Pompano). And as you continue up the coast up north to GA .. it gets cooler. So 75 degrees in Key West might be 72 degrees on Ft Lauderdale and 66 degrees in Daytona. All a good bright sun, you will be warmer ... add in any wind, you will feel colder. As  for pools, most pools in the older resorts had shelter pools.

Pompano ... the ocean view pool at Royal Vista is colder when in & out as the ocean breeze comes right off the ocean across that pool. The courtyard pool is protected from the ocean wind by the buildings around it. Sea Gardens has 4 pools ... the Oceanview pool is NOT heater ... almost never used when the weather is below 90 degrees. The Cabanas pool is HEATED and surrounded by 2 story buildings on 3 sides plus partial protected by 3 story buildings in the next courtyard. Might be the warmest pool Wyndham has in Pompano. The Ocean Palms pool heater might be the best working one at SG ... but the pool receives limited sun from the west as the 10 story building BLOCKs the afternoon sun. The Key West pool is in the shade and gets limited sun. The Key West pool is not used by many ... the Key West building is small and actually across a public street from the rest of the SG resort. Most guests do know realize the building & pool are part of SG.

Continuing SOUTH down A1A ... Ft Lauderdale does not have very many buildings on the beach side of A1A.Ocean Drive. I just love that initial view travelling SOUTH on A1A. A 10+ story building or two after other varied ocean front buildings ... just becomes SAND and OCEAN from the edge of the street/sidewalk for the next 5+ miles. This public view for walking, running, biking, driving for miles is my personal favorite reason why Ft Lauderdale is a beach town ... you don't have to walk between buildings, over a dune after you park the car, pay dollars to park, lug your stuff and sit on wet sand to glaze at the ocean. In Ft Lauderdale ... the beach, the ocean, the beach palms trees .... sunrise arising from the water ... just breathes the LIFE into you as you walk down the sidewalk, peddle your bike in the bike lanes, cruise A1A in your car ... listening to a classic Beach Boys' song. Just life guard stands, sand dunes with sea grass, a palm tree every so often. ...watch for traffic lights, bikers, roller blade skaters, power walkers, joggers and just regular walkers strolling along.

I am happy to stay at a resort where the MFs for a 1bdr unit costs under $740 a year ... with a location where basic housing starts in the millions.


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## x3 skier (Aug 15, 2017)

I stay in Steamboat Springs CO and ski 3-5 times a week all winter. A TRUE Snowbird. 

Cheers


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## Jan M. (Aug 15, 2017)

You want to stay south of Sarasota for the best weather in the winter. Sarasota across to about Fort Pierce is where the sub tropical climate zone starts. The Panhandle and Daytona both get cold in the winter so you want to be further south. My sister and BIL love the Venice area. Englewood is another area to check out. Both are on the West coast. My husband's brother and SIL stay in Stuart, on the East coast, in the winter and that is a very nice area. We live about 15 minutes from Pompano Beach. The traffic is very heavy down here and the area is much more populated and a lot of people don't care for that. But this is a beautiful area.


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## Nancy (Aug 16, 2017)

I will not get into a discussion about the Atlantic side vs the Gulf side.  We made that decision over 15 years ago, but each person's likes are different.  We live in the Tampa area.  I see many people saying stay South of Sarasota, etc.  We were also told that.  Our winter temps are usually within 5 degrees of Ft. Myers area (where we originally were looking.). My suggestion is come and look, or try a place one year and then try another.  I had a book Where to Retire in Florida.  Don't know if it has been updated, if not it is not current, but at that time it was a good resource.


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## rosebud5 (Aug 16, 2017)

Jan M. said:


> You want to stay south of Sarasota for the best weather in the winter. Sarasota across to about Fort Pierce is where the sub tropical climate zone starts. The Panhandle and Daytona both get cold in the winter so you want to be further south. My sister and BIL love the Venice area. Englewood is another area to check out. Both are on the West coast. My husband's brother and SIL stay in Stuart, on the East coast, in the winter and that is a very nice area. We live about 15 minutes from Pompano Beach. The traffic is very heavy down here and the area is much more populated and a lot of people don't care for that. But this is a beautiful area.


Jan M - What made you decide on Pompano beach? I was there 40 years ago and loved it. But Florida seems lovely everywhere. Just curious..


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## rosebud5 (Aug 16, 2017)

Nancy said:


> I will not get into a discussion about the Atlantic side vs the Gulf side.  We made that decision over 15 years ago, but each person's likes are different.  We live in the Tampa area.  I see many people saying stay South of Sarasota, etc.  We were also told that.  Our winter temps are usually within 5 degrees of Ft. Myers area (where we originally were looking.). My suggestion is come and look, or try a place one year and then try another.  I had a book Where to Retire in Florida.  Don't know if it has been updated, if not it is not current, but at that time it was a good resource.


Nancy - Same kind of question I posted to Jan M. What made you decide on Tampa?


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## Nancy (Aug 16, 2017)

We looked at both sides.  Originally we thought Ft. Myers because of family, but beach access is limited and very busy, so we headed north.  One deciding factor, but not a deal breaker, is we are retired military and could use MacDill AFB. Now we don't use it that often.  We liked the fact that the water is calmer on gulf side.  We found the town of Dunedin and fell in love with.   We considered Bradenton, but liked Dunedin better.   We knew no one in Dunedin, so that was not a factor for us.


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## rapmarks (Aug 16, 2017)

We were staying in central Florida, looking at the villages and other communities for a few months, and had a reunion near fort Myers beach.  The difference in the weather was phenomenal and we returned.  Beautiful weather south of Sarasota.  Strange as it may sound, we could really feel the difference when we did timeshares in Sarasota and St. Petersburg.  But the beaches are crowded and the traffic is heavy.   Prices are probably higher, but surprisingly people I know rent a lot more reasonably in far south Naples than in estero and Bonita springs.   


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## Dori (Aug 16, 2017)

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


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## rapmarks (Aug 16, 2017)

Dori, you brought up a good point, it is lonely to spend several weeks without any friends.   Most communities are very friendly because everyone is a transplant and in the same boat.  We rented a condo from some friends and were the only non working people there.  I don't remember even meeting anyone else in the complex.


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## Jan M. (Aug 16, 2017)

rosebud5 said:


> Nancy - Same kind of question I posted to Jan M. What made you decide on Tampa?



Unless you have family or close friends you want to be near, I agree with other people who suggest renting and maybe even trying different parts of Florida before buying anything. Another important thing to keep in mind is that for most people it doesn't take long to get used to the warmer winters in Florida. What sounds good to you now you might not be as happy with as you think after a while. High 60's to mid 70's is our typical daytime winter weather here where we live. In June and July of our first summer here I kept asking the neighbors when it gets really miserable here. They would say that is was awful now and I just laughed because our son calls almost every day and it had been consistently hotter and more humid in the Cleveland and Youngstown area of Ohio than it was in our area. What we've since found out is that this stretch of the coastline from Miami to West Palm Beach almost always has at least a bit of a breeze because of the Atlantic gulf stream which makes it less humid and cooler in the warmer months. In August and September when at times that breeze dies, oh yeah, it is wicked hot and humid. When you get away from the coastal areas and into the center of Florida it is much hotter and more humid.

Our old next door neighbors from Pennsylvania moved to Florida about 8-9 years before we did and live in Cape Coral. We really wanted to move to Florida as soon as our son finished high school so when we would visit them they would take us around to the over 55 mobile home/park model communities in their area. They have six adult children so needed a house with more bedrooms but we only have one son so they enjoyed showing us what they would have loved to have had. Lol, back then we still had abut 1-2 more years to go before my husband hit 55 and we could buy one! We really, really liked what we saw and the prices too! If you are looking to rent I suggest you look online for those types places, get some phone numbers to call and see what you can rent at one of them. They usually have activities and people doing stuff all the time. If you are looking to spend a couple of months in Florida having that type of community is important to most people. It has been my observation that the people who aren't happy rent houses, apartments or condos, they don't know anyone and there aren't any activities other than the pool to meet people. In talking to a lot of different people, some of them realtors, we were told that if you are looking to live in Florida year round and you can make it through your second summer you will be fine.

Where we live in Tamarac is about 11 miles inland and directly across from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea if you look at a map. The homeowners insurance rates are insanely high in Southern Atlantic coast area of Florida. When you live west of I-95 they drop and you get the best rate if you live west of the Turnpike, which we do. We had taken vacations in mid January to mid February for twelve years before we moved from Butler, Pennsylvania in December of 2010 to this area for my husband to take a new job. We'd stayed in Orlando, Daytona Beach, Fort Myers Beach, and Pompano Beach. When we moved we needed to be in this area because that is where the largest percentage of my husband's work is. His territory is all of southern Florida from Sarasota across to Fort Pierce and clear down to Key West. Why do we like this this area? Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America because of all the canals. That seems to make this area much more picturesque, lush and green than a lot of other parts of Florida. There is so much to do in this area and within no more than an hour if there is traffic we can be in West Palm Beach or Miami if there is something interesting we want to do in those areas. We've had the opportunity to stay in a lot of different areas of Florida thanks to my husband's job and the timeshares. Yes we like this area but we also like other areas like Naples and Sanibel too.

Let me start this by saying we know cold weather. I grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio which is on Lake Erie and my husband is from Erie, PA. Butler, PA where we lived for 23 years before moving to Florida sees single digit and below temperatures in January especially. It isn't unusual to have temps in the minus teens with the windchill factor. One year when we were staying in Pompano Beach on vacation we stopped to eat in Marathon on our way back from a day in Key West. Marathon is in the Keys about 2/3's of the way down. We were wearing shorts, the daytime temperatures hadn't been any higher than the low 70's that week, but had jackets with us because the nighttime temperatures had been dropping down to the high 50's. The waitress saw our shorts and joked that she could tell we weren't locals. We explained to her that we frequently had summer days that the temperature doesn't get above 70 and that it hadn't been above 0 the whole week we'd been in Florida. She was absolutely appalled and asked where we lived but her tone of voice made it clear she was thinking OMG what level of Hell do you people live in? When we said around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania she was even more horrified as she was sure we likely lived somewhere in the very northern part Canada or Alaska. We still crack up over that!

We remember the one year we were in Orlando over Martin Luther King week. We wore long pants only once in the entire 9 or 10 days we were there and that was because we were going to a dinner show. Each of us had one clean pair of shorts left for the next day, our last day of vacation, we had a full day planned and I wasn't doing laundry on our last day. It was either a year or two years afterwards that we bought the timeshare and love having a washer and dryer in the unit. Our weather had been so nice that one day we drove over to Daytona, went in the water and had a picnic on the beach. Two weeks later some people we knew were down for the race in Daytona the first week of February. They had left their winter coats at home thinking heavy hoodies would be fine and they could always layer. They had to go buy winter coats and were still cold sitting at the racetrack. Another year when we were in Florida there was a cold spell and Frostproof, Florida was no longer frostproof! If you look at a map Frostproof is in the center of Florida across from St. Petersburg. Someone else we knew was one of the coaches for our high school cheerleading squad and they came to Orlando for a competition every February. Sometimes they had some chilly days but one year they wore their winter coats the whole time they were in Orlando and were so bummed. Keep in mind that these are other people from up North who were coming to Florida from cold weather at home.

BTW Sebring is a lovely area! I've been there. I haven't been to them but like I said my sister and BIL like the Venice/Bradenton/Englewood areas. My husband's brother and SIL like Stuart where they stay and we've liked it too when we've stayed up there. Lots of great choices here in Florida. From what I've been told Sarasota and Tampa tend to be higher priced. And I haven't seen nearly as many of the over 55 mobile home/park model communities here in my area. There are a lot of very nice ones on the west coast when you get south of Sarasota.


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## silentg (Aug 16, 2017)

We live in Central Florida. We have timeshares in Punta Gorda, Kissimmee, and Siesta Key. We enjoy each place because they are all different. The community we live is all ages. We have lived here 30 years, raised our two children here and really feel it's home. We came here in 1987 and felt like fish out of water at first. Then we met people thru the kids and a very friendly neighborhood was the key to feeling at home. We always took annual trips up North to visit family and friends and they would come visit us. I always thought it would be nice to be a snowbird, but we haven't completely retired yet.
Having multiple timeshares has been great, now that are kids are on their own, we travel a lot and enjoy the lifestyle. Going to Austin TX next month, first time! Love timesharing!
Silentg


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 16, 2017)

I went to college in DeLand, Fl. Currently, DeLand ... due west inland from Daytona Beach, is NOT on my Florida list.

Ft Lauderdale ... my FLBR where I could rent the 1/1 side of my lockoff and stay in the Studio unit ... would definitely pay for my stay and my "2 beer a night" bar tab.

Pompano resorts have gotten too expensive for my blood ... will keep some great weeks to rent. They are really nice but MFs for a 1/1 unit is over $1100 per week .. that is without the points systems and $99 GC.


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## rapmarks (Aug 16, 2017)

It is not living in a home or condo that isolates you, it is not living in a community that has social functions. 14 years ago we moved to our community on a Tuesday.  On Thursday night they had a nine hole golf scramble.  The lady I played with told me about water aerobics which I attended the next day.  On Sunday we played in a golf scramble and I met a couple that has been our close friends ever since.  We both joined golf leagues, bocce leagues, I joined three bridge groups, water aerobics, we do a lot of activities at the club and have made many friends, and I live in a house.


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## Nancy (Aug 17, 2017)

As far as activities, it can change.  When we bought our condo 15 years ago, our community had a paid activity director.  Lots of activities and trips.  They later cut amount they paid, which meant less activities, then made it a volunteer position.  Not too bad, until no one wanted to volunteer, plus residents got older and didn't want to do as many activities.


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## rapmarks (Aug 17, 2017)

I remember visiting my mother in law in sun city Arizona, they had been there twenty years, as were the neighbors, everyone was in their eighties, and bundled up in winter coats on seventy degree days.   But now that neighborhood is filled with sixty year olds.  We have a member of the community that married someone twenty years younger.  He was 38 when he moved in, he had to do all the heavy lifting, still the go to guy now that he is in his fifties.    Nancy has a point, you need a community that has enough of a mix, and is large enough to sustain turnover.    They say our community turns over six percent a year.   
What we did was book three stays in Florida in time shares, about ten to twelve weeks at a time, and when we finally settled on an area, we stayed six weeks at one place and drove every day til we found something.   
If you could go in November, you will have a much easier time finding a rental, the weather is great, and you will know if you want to return to the area.  


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 17, 2017)

rapmarks said:


> I remember visiting my mother in law in sun city Arizona, they had been there twenty years, as were the neighbors, everyone was in their eighties, and bundled up in winter coats on seventy degree days.   But now that neighborhood is filled with sixty year olds.  We have a member of the community that married someone twenty years younger.  He was 38 when he moved in, he had to do all the heavy lifting, still the go to guy now that he is in his fifties.    Nancy has a point, you need a community that has enough of a mix, and is large enough to sustain turnover.    They say our community turns over six percent a year.
> What we did was book three stays in Florida in time shares, about ten to twelve weeks at a time, and when we finally settled on an area, we stayed six weeks at one place and drove every day til we found something.
> If you could go in November, you will have a much easier time finding a rental, the weather is great, and you will know if you want to return to the area.
> 
> ...


When I start looking for my retirement location/ home, I'm going to use this as a way to find where I want to spend my retirement years.  I know for a fact that wherever I end up in will be a spot with no snow.


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## rapmarks (Aug 17, 2017)

Sugarcubesea said:


> When I start looking for my retirement location/ home, I'm going to use this as a way to find where I want to spend my retirement years.  I know for a fact that wherever I end up in will be a spot with no snow.



I didn't mention that we went to Arizona twice for two to three months.  Looked in southern Missouri and Arkansas several times.  Tried Fairfield glade and other parts of Tennessee, tried north and South Carolina for only four weeks.  I don't like being cold anymore. My last year teaching, I got parking lot duty for three hours when it was below zero. Plus a few other cold weather outdoor supervisions.


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 17, 2017)

So did you end up in FL as your retirement location?


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## rapmarks (Aug 17, 2017)

Sugarcubesea said:


> So did you end up in FL as your retirement location?



Yes estero fl, between Naples and fort Myers.  Our community has 966 homes, golf course, restaurant that seats close to 200, a concierge,lawn and yard care by hoa, we own all the facilities, run by our hoa, five pools and five tennis courts, high participation by owners, and Care Bears, who help out older people on a temporary basis such as drive to appointments, etc.   lower maintenance fees than everywhere else we looked and lower home prices too.  All homes, villas and condos.   Not age restricted, but super majority of older people.   


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 17, 2017)

rapmarks said:


> Yes estero fl, between Naples and fort Myers.  Our community has 966 homes, golf course, restaurant that seats close to 200, a concierge,lawn and yard care by hoa, we own all the facilities, run by our hoa, five pools and five tennis courts, high participation by owners, and Care Bears, who help out older people on a temporary basis such as drive to appointments, etc.   lower maintenance fees than everywhere else we looked and lower home prices too.  All homes, villas and condos.   Not age restricted, but super majority of older people.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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


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## rapmarks (Aug 17, 2017)

Sugarcubesea said:


> 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. (Aug 17, 2017)

Sugarcubesea said:


> 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.


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 18, 2017)

Dori said:


> 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.
> ...



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


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## Jan M. (Aug 18, 2017)

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.


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