Florida availability in tough to get areas...

[frenchieinme]

As JLB has been following SW FL for many years and has shared his findings often, I have been following SW FL rentals for those hard to get times Jan-Feb-March in SW FL for several years. NO VACANCY during these months was the norm. You really needed to get started early to manage to get something decent.

Jan 2009 is completely opposite. Vacancy after vacancy exists. Feb is more booked but many good buys still exists. March lo0oks the same. I wonder if this same phenomenon will also make it easier for timeshare people to get those timeshares in hard to get areas. Just wondering...

frenchieinme

 

[Talent312]

As a Floridian, I can tell you that the effects of the price of gas and poor economic conditions has been noticeable. Except at the highest demand locales (i.e. mouse-land, south beach, etc.), the tourists upon which our state depends are not doing their job of fueling the state's economy. The state's construction industry wants help from the state, which has already cut its budget by 10%, and the govenor is touting another round of property tax cuts to help re-start the real estate market.

 

[Sea Six]

What I've noticed at our store here on Marco is a lot less people from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, but a lot more people from Europe (especially Great Britain and Germany), and from the east coast (Miami, Ft Lauderdale). The hotels are full every weekend. If the time-share owners don't want to pay the higher air fares, there may just be more trades available this winter, but demand will still be high.

 

[maddaug]

Well we are ready to dump some bucks in the FL. coffers if we can just get our confirmation for early next year. Otherwise we will be back in June at Longboat Key.
We drove to PCB this past June and the area was buzzing with vacationers and people willing to spend the $$$$. Had a blast BTW.

 

[johnsontrio]

Anecdotal information

I realize this isn't exactly the same topic you are discussing but, we were at the Marco Island Marriott from July 24-31 burning a soon to expire certificate. We needed an extra room for 4 of the nights. That room was $249 per night plus taxes,taxes,taxes (about $40 or so per night). The best package was that rate with a $50 per night resort credit.

I tried to Priceline the extra room and was up to $120 per night with nothing but didn't want to go any higher because I was afraid I'd end up with a room at the Hilton instead ($159 per night from Hilton website).

At the pool that week, aside from hundreds of heavy drinking Century 21 Realtors, there were tons of families from Miami. Several commented that they were there on a special rate advertised in the Miami paper, $99 per night. The bellmen/valet were continually complaining about them being poor tippers.

I also noticed many Europeans on our Mariner of the Seas cruise in July. All announcements were done in 5 languages and most of the families I saw had small children. The value of the dollar has brought this about. Our friends from Spain now joke that everything here is now half-price.

 

[bnoble]

I was just commenting to a friend yesterday that the Disney inventory seems to be a lot easier to come by this year than in the past, as well. I go the same late February week each year, and already I've seen more 1BRs in the II "leftovers" for this year than there were all year last year. There have been three studios for my week sitting around for a couple days now--and not just OKW and SSR either.

I think airfare has a lot of Northerners spooked.