Tag: snowbird life

Florida Vs Arizona: Comparison of Weather, Costs, Travel

Florida Vs Arizona: Sun and heat are high in both states which makes each a great choice for outdoor activities [Maravilla Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida] Florida Vs. Arizona A Comparison of Weather, Cost of Living Index and Ease of Travel by Vehicle Let’s begin 

The Snowbird Housing Scramble

In a competitive snowbird housing rental market, it’s essential to know your top priorities [Seaside Florida] The Snowbird Housing Scramble Top Three Essentials: Planning, Communication and Decisiveness This season there has been a major scramble to secure snowbird housing for next year. Don’t be fooled, 

Under Construction: Thank You for Your Patience

construction scaffolding on front of condo complex
Always follow safety precautions, never interfere with the work and compliment the efforts and results

Under Construction: Thank You for Your Patience

The Realities, Do's and Don'ts When Your Complex is Under Construction

Winter is the off season for the vacation rental markets that snowbirds tend to choose for their warm weather communities. Peak season is when school is out for holidays and breaks plus the ultimate summer vacation months from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. Thus, the off season is November through March, exactly the months snowbirds migrate south.

It should not come as a surprise that maintenance and/or construction projects are typical for any housing community, especially in the off season. Private homes and condo complexes want to avoid as much disruption to guests during peak season when rental prices are at a peak. No one wants to inconvenience anyone at anytime, but if the work has to be done, it will likely be in the winter months.

Be proactive and ask your owner or property manager each and every year if there will be any work being done to your complex and/or rental unit. Ask specifically what will be done and when. Be aware construction projects rarely begin and end when scheduled. Expect the unexpected and go with the flow. It's frustrating, yes, but it's also beyond anyone's control other than the construction vendor/s and HOA. Owners have zero to minimal input or influence on anything despite misconceptions to the contrary.

Some, but not all snowbirds tend to forget part of the reason the off season rates are so enticing is due to the time of year, weather and the likelihood of disruptions from maintenance and construction. Therefore, if it comes down to inconveniencing summer guests who pay a weekly rate comparable to the monthly rate of snowbirds, we know the snowbirds will be the ones adjusting to the construction. 

This season our 188 unit condo community is undergoing major work. As in expensive work. Comprehensive all-encompassing work. Much of it is required by the State of Florida as part of the legislation enacted after the Surfside tragedy in South Florida several years ago. Some is for aesthetics such as changing the exterior color of the buildings from a sandy warm beige to summery white. The work is to ensure safety as well as aesthetics.

Our HOA spent millions of dollars to pay for the construction work and the owners paid the HOA for the work via special assessments. The HOA and owners have a vested financial interest in making sure the work is completed on time with as few disruptions as possible. Delays are bad for business and the whole point of the rental business is to maximize the number of nights that can be sold to guests.

That means snowbirds need to understand and agree to abide by everything they are asked, not put up a fight about it and move to another location if it's too much for their sanity. This can and does happen. However, snowbirds are generally not in a position to play hard ball or negotiate rates if their rental property is in high demand. Other guests are eyeing the place and complainers will be easily replaced if they get out of line. I'm not saying not to politely ask about a reduction of rate, just don't argue and threaten if the response is not what you think should happen. Either accept it or move on. 


Construction Zone Do's

  • Safety first! Pay attention to marked construction zones, overhead hazards and any potential hazards to you or your pet/s and vehicle/s.
  • Follow all instructions related to parking and restricted areas.
  • If you have questions, need clarification or other pertinent business related to the construction, go through the proper channels. Typically that would be to ask the point of contact for your rental. If you rent through a management company, start there. If you book direct with the owner, go to the owner first. Let them get back with you about the answers to your questions.
  • Expect and anticipate unpleasant conditions such as noise that can be extremely loud, dust, chemicals, restricted areas, restricted parking, limited amenities, limited elevator access and much more. This is part of the growing pains of construction. 
  • Thank and compliment all persons who contributed to the success of the project if you are presented the opportunity. This might be the owner, property manager or others who appreciate feedback that the work and money spent was worth it and meaningful. 

Construction Zone Don'ts

  • Never violate or circumvent barriers that are in place to prevent access to balconies, parking or other restricted areas.
  • Do not talk to construction workers, request anything or interfere with the operations or work being done. This applies to both owners and guests. The fastest way to annoy lots of people is to attempt to get involved or interact in the smallest of ways other than smiling or being cordial to the workers as they pass by. As much as you really want early access to your parking spot, patio or balcony resist the urge to directly talk to the construction crew.
  • Don't complain about anything to neighbors, owners, property managers or the construction employees or vendor. It's stressful for all involved and complaining is not a wise move, especially if your motive is to try to band together and receive special favors or gang up.
  • Don't allow pets or your guests to create problems, keep them informed of what is expected during the construction project.

"It is not the beauty of the building you should look at: it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.” 

--David Allen Coe, American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist


DISCLAIMER

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.

The Hardest Goodbye

Our beloved Bodie and Dan shortly before Bo’s cancer diagnosis, Miramar Beach in Northwest Florida, November 2024 The Hardest Goodbye One Last Snowbird Season with our Beloved and Terminal Golden Retriever Eight years ago we excitedly brought our strong, stubborn, energetic male Golden Retriever puppy, 

Pre Check-In List for Snowbirds

A huge part of the road trip is planning the stops, including the small town road side stands such as Papas in Brantley, Alabama Pre Check-In List for Snowbirds Avoid Surprises and Hassles by Verifying in Advance of Arrival As both an owner and a 

How Much is Too Much Stuff?

decluttered game drawer
Where to begin decluttering? Start with a surface area, a drawer, a closet, a single room, the main thing is to simply start somewhere

How Much is Too Much Stuff?

Edit, Organize and Downsize Your Primary Home's Contents

I'm continually inspired to write about real life situations and the topic of this post is especially hard hitting because it is about a personal story in our Northern community. Without going into a lot of detail, our long term rental property became the victim of a hoarding situation and the condo was condemned by the city as too unsanitary for humans and a biohazard. It made the local news for all of the wrong reasons and the facts are still unfolding.

Human and animal feces, bodily fluids, filth, damage, trash and debris plus an overload of personal property and possessions from multiple individuals created a perfect storm of violations. It was completely unexpected and we are still sorting out the mess of legalities as well as the steps to clean it up so it can become inhabitable again. The tenants descended a slippery slope of accumulating clutter that ultimately crossed the line from content-heavy to condemned. There's many reasons of how this happens and most people with a healthy mental outlook thankfully never get to this point. However, hindsight is 20/20.

By addressing the question of how much is too much stuff before it gets out of control feels better than cleaning up your own or someone else's mess. Embrace the concept of less is more and that's half the battle. Anyone who splits their time between two homes and two communities can feel better about departing for the season and stress less about leaving a festering disaster behind.

The time is now to get going. Most snowbirds depart for their warm weather community in the fourth quarter of the year and for me it's peace of mind to depart with an organized home and return to an organized home in the Spring.

My objective is not to advise on specific methods of organizing and decluttering other than to encourage you to research and chose something that you believe will help. The primary goal is to decide how much is too much stuff, then determine if the excess should be donated or discarded. I'm a firm believer that someone somewhere would love to have your duplicates. Don't wait until it's out of style or worn out to donate, do it now. Take the tax write off and feel good about helping another person or family who may be just starting out, divorcing and starting over or perhaps they endured trauma such as a fire or catastrophe and need a boost.

Don't overlook donating items for kids and pets. Animal shelters can always use items such as stained or worn towels and sheets in addition to other household contents. You don't need endless duplicates of sheet sets or dozens of bath towels. Keep only the best of the best and save a spare set or two such as cozy flannel sheets for winter and fresh cool sheets for summer. If your own kids and grands are getting older and you've been storing items of theirs that they no longer want, give their clothes and toys to an organization devoted to families and kids. There's no point in hanging on to items that are no longer age appropriate for your own loved ones. More than likely when the grands are old enough to be on their own or have their own families, they won't want "used" items, they will opt to buy new in the colors and styles they prefer. Why wait years for that scenario of "do you want this?" to even come up?   

Where to begin decluttering? Start with a surface area, a drawer, a closet, a single room. The main thing is to simply start. When I spend time working on our vacation rental, I want the entire place to look as enticing and appealing as possible. No one wants to get away to what they left behind to escape: namely, clutter. A huge emphasis is placed by me on organization, cleanliness, spaciousness. Our entire beach condo is less than 800 square feet. The point is to make every inch feel like it has breathing room and no more than what is needed. I translate that same feeling to my primary residence, although I admit it is a continual work in progress.

What I did in our vacation rental is scrutinize each item for functionality as well as beauty. Once you have categorized by room of the house or some other criteria, put all of the chipped, damaged or broken items into a pile. If they are not going to be repaired, get rid of them.

Do the same for items that no longer have meaning or as much importance as they once did. Maybe you received gifts that aren't wanted or used. It's ok to donate them. Repeat the process for your clothes and closets, garage, office, kitchen, basement, storage room/s, attic and so forth.

Then work your way through duplicate items. An example is how many coffee cups are truly needed? Yet every time anyone visits a housewares store there's more coffee cups just waiting to be purchased. I'm guessing most homes have one or two dozen coffee cups when only 6 are 8 are all that's needed for one or two people. Flower vases, games, yard equipment, gardening items, crafts and furniture are other examples of categories to pare down. I'm amazed at the tendency to bring in more and more furniture over the years and never ever remove any. 

How many collections of anything are that important? Or seasonal decorations? Or equipment for hobbies that you never started or no longer embrace. My husband recently decided to rehome his inherited antique gadgets and tools that have been occupying far too much mental and physical space in our garage. He doesn't use them and no one in the next generation will be using them. Time to go. There's many online groups devoted to enthusiasts for almost anything and that's a great place to start.

As you head to your warm weather community for the upcoming season, feel good about everything you sorted and donated. Chances are you made someone's day!

 


"I have yet to see a house that lacked sufficient storage. The real problem is that we have far more than we want or need."

-- Marie Kondo, Japanese Organizing Consultant, Author and TV Presenter


DISCLAIMER

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.

From Summerbird to Snowbird

From Summerbird to Snowbird Transition from a Summer to Winter Stay in Your Warm Weather Community Many times I’m inspired to write about questions I receive seeking insight of the snowbird life. This time our repeat vacation rental guests asked about making the transition from 

Here Vs. There: A Candid Case Study

Here Vs. There: A Candid Case Study The Emotional Impact of Trading Proximity to Family for Full Time In Your Southern Community If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to live in your snowbird community full time, consider this case study of one 

Here Vs. There: The Top Question I Am Asked the Most

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Here Vs. There: The Top Question I Am Asked the Most

Why Snowbirds Consciously Choose to Live In Two Places


Curiosity about the choice to live in two places vs. one primary home are what I am commonly asked when the subject of being a snowbird comes up with someone who has not yet experienced it. I have thought a lot about it. Snowbirds consciously make the choice and sacrifices to build their lives in two places. Here and there. It is not by chance or just happened to turn out that way kind of thing.

Snowbirds by nature are calculating types. Decisions are not made lightly and I am not easily persuaded to change the course without heavily weighing the pros and cons. Therefore, the discussion about here vs. there typically goes along these lines.

Why not live in one place all of the time? It is the top question I am asked the most.

It would be great to live in one place all year round: a tropical Southern climate is my ideal location. However, it is not a practical choice for many reasons.

One, I already live in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest. Family, friends and my primary home are all in Indiana. I have lived here my entire adult life with the exception of two years at the beach in Northeast Florida decades ago. It would be very difficult to disconnect from my lifelong friends and loved ones in my primary community. I've already done that during my two years in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida and yes, family will visit from time to time. I went home once in awhile, but it isn't the same as meeting up in my community to have dinner or a family celebration with loved ones. There are many times it wasn't possible to return home to Indiana for something of importance and that's time and opportunity you'll never get back. Life goes on without you when you are away from your core.

Nine years ago my twin sister deliberately chose to relocate to Oahu, Hawaii thousands of miles away from her family and it is not without intense emotional costs to do that. I am not willing or able to move away for more than a couple of months at a time. Snowbirds are snowbirds primarily because of this reason.

Next, think about it. Our primary home is located in a very nice suburban neighborhood near grocery stores, restaurants, businesses and other amenities that make it very appealing, plus the cost of living is considered to be one of the best values in the US per multiple sources. My husband and I live in a spacious home of 4,000+ square feet with a three car garage, deck, patio, hot tub, garden and a lovely fenced in yard for our dog. When the dog needs to go out, we simply open the door to the yard. It's safe and convenient for him and us. Our HOA fees and costs to maintain our home are very reasonable. We have choices of whether to mow our yard or hire a professional, we decide what internet services we want to use and we have flexibility to change vendors if the costs are not meeting expectations.

Our condo at the beach in Northern Florida is very small and expensive. The mortgage, taxes and HOA fees are high. Our complex is located in an upscale neighborhood of shore home mansions, vacation cottages, private residences and low rise condos.

Several years ago, we purchased a top floor, 792 square foot, one bedroom unit that features a gorgeous, sweeping view of the Gulf of Mexico as well as the South pool of our gated complex. By far it is the most appealing feature of our condo, you simply cannot beat the gulf view, it is stunning. It is an easy walk to many gulf front restaurants and we can drive to almost any retail store or business in our southern community. 

We have no choice or control over the costs or vendors for our beach home, it is determined by the HOA's Board of Directors. We have shared access to community amenities such as a 2.5 acre private beach with volleyball, two beautiful pools, a large hot tub, tennis and pickleball courts, club house and outdoor barbecue grills, but there is no covered parking nor reserved parking spaces. The trash dumpsters are a three minute walk from our condo. When the dog needs to go out, we leash him up, ride the elevator to the ground floor and walk to a green space whether it is night, day, raining, cold, hot or in-between, we make the trip at least five or six times and repeat again.

Privacy is minimal. There are 188 condo units, 68 cottages and 12 shore homes in our 33 acre complex at the beach. Privacy is limited to the inside of our unit and somewhat our small balcony. Anytime we step out the main door we need to look somewhat presentable and expect to meet/greet anyone walking by, riding with us on the elevator or that we encounter in the parking lot because that is the norm and the polite thing to do. At our northern home, privacy and safety are not taken lightly. We park our vehicles in the garage and can cocoon as much or as little as we like. No one will see or hear us go about our business as is the norm at our beach condo.

We love our time in our snowbird community of Miramar Beach Florida and have made many friends in the area. We are residents, not visitors, there is a huge distinction. We are fully vested in our beach home and are fully present in our life there. It's the same for when we are in our northern home. Both homes are "home."  I wouldn't want it any other way.

Many snowbirds I've met live in colder climates than I do. Canada, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northern Michigan to name a few. In the summer, the foliage, lakes and beauty of the northern states and Canada is alluring for tourists and permanent residents alike. How can anyone easily give up the opportunity to live in two places, each at their peak of benefits? They can't and that is why we do.    

    


"What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”

-- John Lubbock, English Author "The Pleasures of Life," first published in 1890


DISCLAIMER

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.

What The Golden Bachelor Has in Common with Snowbirds

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