Snowbird Lifestyle, Cuisine, Entertainment and Travel
How to Pack for a Weeklong Getaway in a Beach Bag Pare it Back to the Bare Essentials, What to Take, What to Leave Behind I am a snowbird who readily admits traveling light is not my thing. I overpack — mostly on purpose — …
What Are You Missing Along the Way? Fantastic side trips await to/from your snowbird destination I asked my snowbird friends, “When going to or from your winter destination, do you stop and see things along the way? Surprisingly, they don’t. The explanation is, “We’re in …
It is no longer unusual for properties of all kinds to be placed on the rental market. Couples who each retain their own residences may decide to rent one out and live together in one. Snowbirds may lease their primary home while away for the winter season. There's no shortage of anecdotal stories of guests who prefer a private residence or apartment when staying in another area for a weekend or longer.
More than ever, reputable third party online brokers such as vrbo.com, airbnb.com and bringfido.com connect owners with guests. Other web sites such as cozycozy.com gather info from hotels and third party brokers to give a comprehensive overview of what is available in an area for any budget.
Over the years I've been asked about the rental business by friends who are seriously considering placing their property on the rental market. It has lots of appeal due to popular acceptance of rentals as well as potential revenue. However, it is not without a lot of work and risks, which is why it is not a decision entered into lightly. It's perfectly OK to decide it isn't a good fit after all.
Before proceeding with any decision, thoroughly research your options and look at the best and worst case scenarios. Consult with your professional advisors for the impact on taxes, insurance, legal/liability and much more.
With many years of experience owning/managing a long term condo rental in my primary city and a few years owning a vacation rental in my southern community, I can assure anyone that there's no way to anticipate everything. Do your best and know when to hire a professional, it can be worth every penny. With our vacation rental we didn't hesitate to immediately hire the same property manager who managed it with the previous owner. It was and remains the best decision we made once we purchased the property.
In the meantime, I've created a general checklist of 15 considerations prior to placing your property into a rental program. The goal is to think about, research and be informed of what is involved and be prepared as much as possible. As they say, you never know until you try.
It's critical to identify what distinguishes your property from the competition. What does your property offer? Fully furnished? Recently updated? Water, mountain, wooded or scenic views? Privacy? Fenced yard? Covered parking? Proximity to area attractions?
Are you seeking weekend guests? Vacationers? Business travelers? Families with children? Solo travelers? Couples? Sports enthusiasts? Pet owners? Guests who are relocating to the area? Corporate housing? Tenants who are constructing new homes? Groups? Guests with special interests? Guests who are celebrating a special occasion?
Do you plan to promote your rental based on any or all of the following: Referrals? Paid advertising? Online broker sites? Signage? Local agents such as realtors and housing services? Corporate relocation services?
An online presence is essential for most short term rentals. The primary method is via a web site and/or social media landing page at the very least. Do you have enough basic knowledge to create and maintain your own web site or landing page, such as a business Facebook page? If not, are you comfortable hiring someone or a third party entity to create your site for you?
Do you plan to take your own photos or hire a photographer to promote your rental? Can you create and write the copy to promote your property?
Who will take care of the following: Cleaning? Maintenance and repairs? Pricing? Schedule, bookings and collections? Guest relations? Lock-outs? Property damage? Snow removal and yard work?
Have you figured out how much time you need in-between guests to clean and prep?
Do you plan to hire a property manager? Are you familiar with the scope of work property managers provide and their standard fees?
How will you handle dispute/conflict resolution? All of these areas and more will need to have solid systems in place. Be prepared for what you will do if your cleaning crew is ill or quits. It does happen , it's only a matter of time.
Private rentals have more flexibility to screen potential guests than hotels do. Check your local, state and federal laws of course, but you are perfectly entitled to refuse to allow pets, guests under a certain age, such as 25 and guests who exceed the maximum number of occupancy as an example.
Check your max occupancy before renting your property. As an example, if your property has three bedrooms and a sleeper sofa with a max occupancy of 8 and you have a group of 15 guests asking to book your space, they will need to be turned away. If you allow pets, check with your insurance company of the potential liability for that, including prohibited breeds. You need all of the facts before being faced with the difficult questions from potential guests. It is not worth risking everything you own because you made a bad decision to host a guest with a pet that isn't covered by your homeowner's insurance.
Calculating your burn rate is the first step of knowing what your daily/weekly/monthly/annual costs are. How much is the mortgage? Insurance? Utilities? Cable/wi-fi? HOA fees? Taxes? Administrative and professional fees? Cleaning costs? Credit card/payment fees? Marketing and promotional fees? Maintenance/upkeep and repair expenses? Property manager fees? Damage/theft costs? Don't forget to calculate depreciation of your property and furnishings because it will wear out faster with rental guests. Replacing linens every season as well as furniture are examples of costs for your rental business.
It's easy to get starry eyed about the rental dollars rolling into your bank account. It all might seem so lucrative until you actually get into the realities of running a rental business.
Be realistic about your profit margins. If your property is available a maximum of 52 weeks of the year and your total possible revenue is $50,000 for filling all 52 weeks, don't think for a minute it will be booked solid. You will need to allow for vacant dates, reduced rates, standard expenses and unexpected costs. Loss of use from fires, floods, disasters and other problems is another potential issue that should be factored into your business plan.
Who will take care of the administration of your rental property? What method of payment will you accept? Who will collect the funds? Who will pay the bills such as mortgage, utilities, HOA, etc? Who will keep track of the bookkeeping? Refunds? Credit card and other fees? Federal, state and local taxes? Unexpected fees?
Complaints are part of any business and there's many motives for guests who complain. Some are looking for refunds and freebies and others are offering valuable feedback, no matter how difficult it may be to receive. Having a complaint resolution procedure in place is important for any rental program. There may be complaints regarding cleanliness, linens and furnishings, odors, bugs, noise, broken or missing items and even ridiculous complaints that are beyond anyone's control, such as weather and traffic. You may also find that complaints are not only from guests, but your own HOA and neighboring property owners as well. Being able to separate and resolve valid complaints is essential to managing a rental. All too often guests wield the power of posting a negative review online and you will need to be prepared for that.
Setting up an adequate security system is the lifeblood for not only the security of your property, but the security of your guests and their belongings. Deadbolts, privacy latches, key-pad coded entry systems, cameras, alarms, drive-by inspections and much more are required. Only you can decide to what degree your security will entail, but you must have a security system. It's non-negotiable.
Guests who stay in a rental home are going to expect plenty of space for their items, including closets. You will want to make sure your personal belongings are not accessible to your guests. Therefore, it's essential to create a space where you can move your stuff and keep it locked up. This is not easy for many people. Locked owner's closets, garages and entire rooms are options. However, you may encounter guests who find it irresistible to stay out of your locked areas. They may use excuses such as "the lock broke" or was left open and on and on. If you are going to store your personal items on site, be ready for anything. Do not store anything of sentimental or high value on site unless you are OK with it possibly getting ruined or coming up missing.
Rental/s are not a nine-to-five weekday business. Being ready for after-hours requests for everything from help with entry access to malfunctioning tv's or wi-fi, missing remote controls, housekeeping issues, maintenance/repairs and much more are all part of the deal when your property goes onto the rental market. Our property manager jokes that she never makes social or dinner plans on load-in day because it will almost always be interrupted.
If you are your property manager, plan on taking time to help your guests with any real or perceived problems as they arise. Never underestimate your guests. I've heard stories of guests expecting help with the TV in the middle of the night. Set boundaries, communicate what they are and stick with it.
If you are unable to politely say "No" when appropriate, it will be very difficult to run a successful rental business. Requests for mundane and outrageous demands and everything in between will come up. You may get requests for below market rental rates, extensions/modifications of dates that may not be available or reasonable and/or early check ins and late departures.
You may not want every guest to come back if you've had a bad experience with them. Family and friends may ask to stay at your place for free. If you cannot or will not say no, consider hiring a property manager to be the buffer. They are worth every penny if it will help you run a profitable business, which is the point of doing it after all.
Real estate, particularly your primary home, is the largest emotional and financial investment most people make. It can be difficult to deal with the thought and/or reality of someone living in your home and very likely not treating it the way you would. Things happen. Items come up missing or break, get dirty, ruined and wear out. There's also the emotional cost of rejection of your rental property from harsh feedback or online reviews. Many properties will be vacant for periods of time due to rental cycles and competition. Not every rental earns a profit. Sometimes you might be fortunate to break even or you may even lose money. Do you have enough reserves to cover costs when your property is operating at a loss? Be honest with yourself and decide if you can cope with the ongoing stress of renting your property to strangers. It's not easy and although you may believe you're ready to let go and give it a try, it's not for everyone.
DISCLAIMER: We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
-- Idowu Koyenikan, Internationally acclaimed organizational consultant and author
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Snowbird Housing Deal Breakers Hint: The Deal Breakers are Personal and Nuanced Price, location, view, pet friendly and availability are all deal makers. They’re also the deal breakers. However, there’s more to it than that. It’s the nuances of a particular rental that may or …
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to live in your snowbird community full time, consider this case study of one mostly retired couple who relocated from Ohio to Florida. They've had three years to absorb and analyze the emotional impact of what it means to move away from friends and family. I recently spent a Sunday morning with my friend, Kaley, and we had a candid personal conversation about the challenges she has encountered by making her southern community her full time home base.
On the plus side, Kaley and her husband purchased what they considered to be a reasonably priced home with an inground pool in a mature residential area in the heart of downtown Destin, Florida. A pool in a southern climate makes sense because the weather will be warm or hot much more than the Northern climate. However, since that time housing prices have skyrocketed as has homeowner's insurance. She said it is about $6,000 per year for insurance largely due to being in a coastal area, but Kaley said so far property taxes have been relatively reasonable.
Kaley felt that having a pool would be a draw for their family to want to visit, especially her grandchildren. Yet Kaley quickly acknowledged her teen grands have a pool at their own home, although pool season is much shorter in Ohio. The gorgeous nearby white sandy beaches of the Emerald Coast don't exactly repel anyone either. There are many other attractions in the area for just about any age or ability. This is what is so appealing to tourists and full time residents alike.
Housing and the allure of pools and the beaches are just one factor of being based in your warm weather community. Kaley shared that she and her husband are seriously considering moving back to Ohio. Caught by surprise, I listened carefully.
Family and friends are hugely important and that is Kaley's biggest Achilles heel. Yes, it's typically not a problem to make an effort to get acquainted with new friends in any area and be happy with them, although it does take time to do that. Kaley didn't say, but I'm fairly certain it must be challenging to sustain meaningful friendships in a community where the majority of the population is comprised of transient tourists. Snowbird friends tend to come back every year, but then they are gone again right about the time you find your groove. There's a large gap of time in between. Close friends from home will typically visit once and they may or may not return.
Family is another thing. They obviously cannot be replicated or substituted. For many snowbirds, family and friends are two of the biggest reasons to remain in close geographical proximity. No one ages backwards and there's only so many resources be with family who live a significant distance away. Kaley has made many trips back to Ohio for various occasions, but no one can be there for every single gathering or life event. Grands are born and grow up quicker than anyone is ready. There's no price that can be established for time with family. Therefore, if either the parents or adult children move away no matter what the reason, there's pros and cons. Hence the conundrum.
Kaley researched the costs of moving back to their original home base in Central Ohio. Insurance is still reasonable because they would be land locked. However, housing and property taxes are expensive which means she and her husband would be trading lower insurance for high property taxes.
Another consideration is which one of their three adult children to be nearest? The children plus grands are located in three different cities and it would be at least a two hour drive each way if they chose to base near one of the three families.
Kaley and I both personally know of parents moving to the same city as their adult children only to be frustrated with the outcome. Kaley pointed out that her friends moved to Virginia to be near their children and grands. After a period of time the grands and their family were transferred and now the parents were in a location where they didn't have many friends and now they didn't have family either.
Another friend of Kaley's moved close to family and said they see their family and grands the same amount of time as before they moved there. Although grandparents realize teens are busy with school and their own friends and activities, it's not pleasant to miss out on a relationship with them, especially when they are in the same vicinity. Regarding the adult children, it's even less pleasant to feel your children are avoiding you after the effort made to relocate nearby. This is another subject entirely and one that is all too common.
Kaley and I didn't delve into the hurt feelings, resentment and emotional issues of moving to be closer to family only to find the significant life-changing gesture isn't exactly welcome, but that is the reality of making a huge change. If Kaley and her husband move back to Ohio, who's to say how much time they will actually have with their family? To be fair, when Kaley and her husband moved away from Ohio, their children and grands, it almost certainly had an emotional impact on the remaining family.
Whether snowbirds stay with the status quo by splitting time between two homes or permanently relocate to their southern community, there's no easy answers. For those who aren't particularly close to their adult children, whose children don't live nearby, who don't have children/grands or whose core family is no longer surviving, there's still extended family, friends, neighbors, community and the long time roots connecting anyone to a particular place.
Ultimately, each situation is personal and unique. There's several wise adages to consider before making any major life changes: "The grass isn't always greener" and "Be careful of what you wish for" are two that come to mind. No matter what Kaley and her husband decide, there's always trade offs. I believe the best option is to consider what is best for each individual or each couple, not what is best for everyone else.
-- Eckhart Tolle, German born spiritual teacher and self-help author
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
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If you're like me, packing is a pain and a task I have yet to perfect and finesse despite years of travel. If it's a shorter stay of a long weekend or just a couple of weeks, it makes it even worse because I wrongly think "It's only a couple weeks," then forget items. My husband forgot to bring items related to our business, largely because of the "I've got this, no need to refer to my long-established packing lists." Everything is at risk of being forgotten, it's all about the details. Establish your systems, then stick to them.
Items I recently forgot were a food scale and cough drops. Typically, I don't get sick or need OTC types of products at home or anywhere else. However, while away I developed a cough that would not quit and was making me miserable. Cough drops are readily available at any pharmacy, that isn't the point. What is irksome is we literally have two one-pound bags of 500 cough drops and three food scales at our primary home -- there is no need to buy more. Our supplies will last for years. None of this is a major problem, it all adds up to minor inconveniences that no one wants to have to deal with while away, especially for a shorter stay. Shorter stays fly by as it is without searching and shopping around solving issues of forgotten items.
I purposefully didn't bring much cash, which turned out to be a poor choice. Cash is helpful just about everywhere including tipping your hotel staff, the cleaning staff at your southern place, beach and service attendants and small businesses who may or may not accept plastic. If you bring too much cash and don't spend it, terrific! It's not so convenient to get cash when you unexpectedly need it.
Overpacking is another common issue. Once again, I brought too many pairs of jeans and three jackets for a two week stay. Two of each would have been fine. Too many shoes is another common yet bulky item my husband and I both overpack. One pair of comfortable slip-on shoes, such as flip flops; one exercise or walking shoe and one versatile dress-it-up-or-down shoe is enough. The balance is to have an "heir and a spare" so that if it rains or an item gets dirty, you have an alternate option while the dirty/wet item is washed and dried.
I've included three areas to focus when packing for a minor time away such as a long weekend or a few weeks, but the same principles also apply to longer stays.
Examples include:
Toilet paper doubles as tissue paper in a pinch
Beach towels are, of course, great at the beach and they double as a throw blanket on a cooler evening as well as for the road trip
Olive, coconut or vegetable oil; butter or margarine. There's no need to bring every kind of oil/spread you own
Aluminum foil functions for both hot or cold applications, plastic only functions for cold uses
All-purpose seasonings: blend equal parts granulated onion and garlic instead of one container of each; bring one meat rub, specialty or all-purpose seasoning, not all of the individual ingredients to create your own spice blends while away
Animal crackers and dry cereal such as Cheerios double as snacks for you and your pet
Rice/Pasta: Long or quick cooking rice, not both. Pasta should be limited to one or two types that you consume most often
Beverages: Focus on the essentials such as coffee and purified water. If necessary, fill in with tea bags, lemonade mix or a two liter of soda
Wine/Beer/Liquor: Narrow it down to the basics such as one wine, beer and liquor, not the entire bar and every kind of mixer in your pantry
Examples include what you will wear from head to toe by time of the day:
Early Morning: Attire for taking the dog out, coffee on the patio
Morning: Breakfast at your place or in the highway hotel's common area
Mid-day: Work, shopping, errands, lunch, exercise, appointments, social or other activities
Late Afternoon: Beach or pool attire, sports wear, hobbies, exercise/hiking, work/online video calls, etc
Evening: Dinner at your favorite upscale or casual restaurant, nightlife, or just lounging around on your sofa for tv night
Bedtime: Sleepwear and everything needed for a good night's rest such as a robe and slippers, night creams and an eye mask
Don't overlook the items that accompany your attire:
Accessories: Belts, jewelry, purses, scarves, bags, canvas totes, etc
Hats: Sun hats, baseball hats, fashion hats and winter hats for the road trip to/from your destination
Jackets: Casual jackets such as windbreakers and lighter weight zip-up jackets as well as a trench coat for an evening out and cold weather jackets for the road trip
Examples include expensive items such as computers and electronics and travel-sized portions of bulk items
Vitamins and over the counter (OTC) wellness items purchased in bulk such as vitamins, supplements, energy/nutrition/fitness products, etc.
Vision: prescription eyewear, contacts, eye drops, sunglasses
Hearing: hearing aids, Q-tips, ear-related products
Rx items that may be seldom or occasionally used: aspirin, cough drops/cough syrup, tissues, cold/flu remedies, medications, etc
Jewelry: wedding rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, every day and special occasion pieces
Electronics: Electronics are such an integral part of our lives, there's a lot of components to remember to pack. Cables, connectors, computers, mini towers, monitors, printers (+ink and paper), surge protectors, the list is extensive.
Hobbies: Pickleball, golf, tennis, hiking, photography, picnics, etc. Whatever your thing is, don't forget to pack everything necessary to set up in your warm weather destination
Cash/Credit Cards/Checks: Although money is not a big ticket item, cash is king when traveling. You'll need to have plenty in small to large denominations for tips when on the road, cash-only vendors, parking and tolls and much more.
-- Unknown
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Midlife Snowbird. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links or advertisements does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Stinky’s Fish Camp, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Starter Snowbirds An Analysis of Two Pre-Emerging Snowbird Couples While sitting around a firepit at our neighbor’s end of summer social gathering, the topic of retirement and possibly becoming a snowbird were of interest to two couples who …