7 Steps on How to Be a Successful Snowbird
Category: Home and Garden
September 24, 2019 — The skies are starting to get busy with birds and butterflies headed south on their winter migrations. And soon Interstates like 25, 75, 95 will be crowded with baby boomers on their way to similar retirement destinations. To help you get ready for those trips we re-publish our popular “Snowbird’s Leaving for the Winter” Checklist every year. This year we also have a new article with tips for making your snowbird experience as wonderful as possible. Note that most of these tips will apply even if you are one of the many counter-snowbirds: folks who live north in the winter and elsewhere the rest of the year.
Anyone who has had the snowbird experience quickly learns it leads to a very different lifestyle than what they experience living in only one place. Your snowbird life will be a little more complicated, probably a bit more expensive, and if done right – more enjoyable. Here are some things to consider as you embark on this lifestyle.
Comments on "7 Steps on How to Be a Successful Snowbird"
Admin says:
My wife and I love being snowbirds. One of the big advantages is the richness that comes from living in 2 different communities and all of the different experiences and friendships that we wouldn't have had otherwise. On the drawback side, it is harder, although not impossible, to work or be a volunteer if you live in two places. We had both been on different volunteer boards before, but it is extremely difficult to be an effective board member if you are away 6 months at a time. So we have to find different opportunities, like being on a condo board or help on some committees that are not active all year long. We have snowbird friends with good volunteer jobs as literacy or ESL coaches, or as docents at museums and such.
BarbaraB says:
Great article and I can relate to Ken's comment but in a different way, although it is true it is hard to sign up for things when you are gone 6 months a year, I honestly used that as a good excuse not to get signed up for some organizations. But what I find as soon as I arrive back at my home base or my snowbird residence I am hit with "it's your turn to host the Mahjong group" "it's your turn to plan the women's golf luncheon this month", and "we've been waiting for you to start subbing as an usher at church" . I'm not complaining really, I could not join any of these groups but that's not me and I like to keep busy and enjoy my friends. I just want a week to unpack my suitcase in settle in. And I love having two seperate communities who make me feel welcome and needed!
Admin says:
Just took re-look at our 2018 Member Survey on snowbirding. Some 59% of survey takers said they were very likely or likely to become snowbirds. Most people said they would be snowbirds for 2-3 months a year. The Southeast was by far most population region. Florida was #1 choice, Arizona #2, South Carolina #3. How would you agree with these snowbird choices - let us know!
Frances says:
We "snowbird" 6-7 months per year in West Central Florida, September - April. We own a lot in a Motorcoach Resort and live in our motorhome full time.
The other months of the year we travel visiting family in the Northeast. We love this part of rural "old" Florida. Very peaceful here.
jean says:
Your survey looks about right :) As for hubs and me, we have no interest in owning a second home for a number of reasons (like to visit different places, too lazy to deal with a second home, etc.) but we do plan on heading south in the Winter. Having lived in SC for one mild winter and one brutally cold winter, we decided to wait until January to decide where to go; if the forecast at that point is for a relatively mild winter in SC, that's were we will go but if it shows a colder weather pattern then we'll head to Fl. As for rentals, in the Grand Strand area there will be no problem finding a monthly rental and when we go to Fl we usually spend a week or so in a number of different areas since we have friends and family all over that state. We have found suite hotels/extended stay hotels, and even time-share resorts usually have availability and the units include a small kitchen, separate bedroom, and often even a stacked washer/drier.
KT says:
Frances, Where / town in west Florida? Thank you.
Frances says:
We stay in Webster at the Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort. Webster is said to have the oldest and longest running flea market in Florida. It is on every Monday year round.
KT says:
Frances, thank you. I’m looking at panhandle Pensacola and east for now.
BarbT says:
Because we didn't plan ahead for this winter the only rental we could find started in October which was much sooner than we wanted but we decided to go for it as it would give us even more time to look for a Florida retirement spot. It turned out to be an eye-opener as we have a middle townhome unit which I guess I never thought about but we only get light from the front and the back of the condo, and I do have to have the light on in the kitchen during the day. And it took me awhile to get use to not having windows all around. Probably better for some for keeping the hot sun out or looking across at another building. But renting did help me in realizing if I live in a condominium community I need an end unit so I am glad we are renting and it may help narrow the what type of home list as the time goes on here. So I agree with this blog that renting is worth it for awhile.