On the verge of fulfilling a long awaited goal

[HadEnuff]

After many years of dreaming about no longer spending winters in Upstate NY, we are leaving tomorrow for our first snowbirding winter.

My folks did this in 1990, and it was the start of what I believe were the happiest years of their lives.

Car is packed, will head out tomorrow and take about a week to eventually land ourselves in The Villages, Florida. Will see grandkids and old friends along the way. We don't expect to be back here in our home up north until mid-April.

I am atwitter with excitement. Footloose and fancy-free.

 

[cooch96]

Bravo!

I just recently visited FL for the first time ever. I liked it much more than I thought I would. Better than SoCal for sure. I can’t imagine living there full time, but snowbirding sounds splendid!

 

[HadEnuff]

My dad liked to act gruff and tough (he wasn't). When my mom first broached the idea of renting in the Naples area for a month in February, my dad got on his high horse and started puffing "I'm not moving to Florida, gawdammit!!"....My mom said, "oh, Honey, I never said anything about 'moving' to Florida. I suggested we rent for a month."
Dad relented. On my first Sunday Night phone call after they got there I asked my dad, "So, how do you like it after 3 days?"
He said "pretty nice.We just bought the place next door"...the rest was history...
It's not for everybody, but they sure liked it.

 

[Bamaman]

Don't forget to pack your golf clubs AND a medium weight winter coat.

The Villages is an hour or so north of Orlando, and it does get cold there sometimes. But most of the time the winter weather is very mile.

And that's some kind of place--a new city that gets larger and larger all the time.

 

[Red Badger]

For folks here on a tighter budget, you can do a month at Myrtle Beach (ocean front with balcony) during winter for ~$1100 for one bedroom efficiency with a kitchen. It aint Florida (might get cold) but everything is LCOL in the winter. Just FYI if cold and want to snowbird for about a grand a month. Obviously, I'm in NC, but meet my MN and ND sibs there each winter.

 

[RAE]

This will be our 9th winter of snowbirding..........we're leaving in about a week, for central Florida. The previous 8 winters were spent in Texas, but we're trying someplace new this year. We enjoy spending the spring through late Fall at our home base in Michigan, but we love our visits to the South in the winter. Great to be able to get our in my kayak if I want to, or just lounge around the yard in shorts and a t-shirt. If we were not able to go for some reason, we would really, really miss it.

 

[HadEnuff]

Don't forget to pack your golf clubs AND a medium weight winter coat.

The Villages is an hour or so north of Orlando, and it does get cold there sometimes. But most of the time the winter weather is very mile.

And that's some kind of place--a new city that gets larger and larger all the time.

Thanks...got 'em! I even packed long johns because when it drops to 50F and windy nobody on the courses. I love to play in that weather, but hate to be cold doing it.

 

[VanWinkle]

After many years of dreaming about no longer spending winters in Upstate NY, we are leaving tomorrow for our first snowbirding winter.

My folks did this in 1990, and it was the start of what I believe were the happiest years of their lives.

Car is packed, will head out tomorrow and take about a week to eventually land ourselves in The Villages, Florida. Will see grandkids and old friends along the way. We don't expect to be back here in our home up north until mid-April.

I am atwitter with excitement. Footloose and fancy-free.

Congrats HadEnuff, we did that last year for the first time and had a blast.
I know it will become your yearly trek south as the fun in the sun is the best.

VW

 

[Cut-Throat]

After many years of dreaming about no longer spending winters in Upstate NY, we are leaving tomorrow for our first snowbirding winter..............................

Congrats!, You'll love it!


This is our 9th Snowbird Winter... 4 in Florida, 3 Years in the Bahamas, 1 in Australia and this year Hawaii ..... Next winter Antigua, West Indies.



I would not want to own, as it would limit our travel options.... Too Much of the World to see....

 

[misshathaway]

Car is packed, will head out tomorrow and take about a week to eventually land ourselves in The Villages, Florida.
I am atwitter with excitement. Footloose and fancy-free.

I'm going there too, but only for a week in February as an AirBNB guest to a couple who has a house there. I'll be driving around central FL looking at 55+ retirement villages.

 

[Dtail]

Congrats. I know you can't play Pickleball anymore, but there are so many clubs in the Villages and I am sure many will catch your fancy.

 

[Tom52]

HadEnuff - suggest you subscribe to the local paper in The Villages so you can get a good idea of all that daily activities and entertainment. If you don't have a golf cart with your rental highly recommended renting one. Most everybody gets around that way and it is a lot of fun. There are several tours that really help familiarize you with different sections of The Villages. It is truly a beautiful place.

We will be leaving for The Villages this Sunday. Three day drive then check-in on January 1st for two months stay in a rented house. This will be our third winter in The Villages and will be house hunting but are not expecting we will find what we want for a price we are willing to pay, definitely a seller's market right now.

 

[Dtail]

HadEnuff - suggest you subscribe to the local paper in The Villages so you can get a good idea of all that daily activities and entertainment. If you don't have a golf cart with your rental highly recommended renting one. Most everybody gets around that way and it is a lot of fun. There are several tours that really help familiarize you with different sections of The Villages. It is truly a beautiful place.

We will be leaving for The Villages this Sunday. Three day drive then check-in on January 1st for two months stay in a rented house. This will be our third winter in The Villages and will be house hunting but are not expecting we will find what we want for a price we are willing to pay, definitely a seller's market right now.

The Villages prices are also at a premium to anything else around there.
There are other 55+ communities nearby, where one can pay a fee for use of activities in the Villages.Perhaps another route to take.

 

[Cassius King]

Congrats! I too dream of the day that the wife and I can either do this or move there permanently.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We looked at renting for a few months in the villages but almost no one will take a dog and if they do only one. Should be fun for you guys!

 

[GR111]

Orlando is currently a very pleasing 74 degrees! Congrats!

 

[pb4uski]

.... I would not want to own, as it would limit our travel options.... Too Much of the World to see....

I'm not sure it is limiting... if we want to go somewhere else we can just rent our place for the season and use the proceeds to go wherever we want.

That said, we like where we are and don't plan to winter elsewhere but with seasonal rentals in such high demand it is nice know that we could.

 

[HadEnuff]

Congrats. I know you can't play Pickleball anymore, but there are so many clubs in the Villages and I am sure many will catch your fancy.

thanks! I think I'll be able to golf some, and I was going to check out the Bocce group. Also have friends there who are into things...we'll try not to get too bored.

 

[imoldernu]

After many years of dreaming about no longer spending winters in Upstate NY, we are leaving tomorrow for our first snowbirding winter.

My folks did this in 1990, and it was the start of what I believe were the happiest years of their lives.

Car is packed, will head out tomorrow and take about a week to eventually land ourselves in The Villages, Florida. Will see grandkids and old friends along the way. We don't expect to be back here in our home up north until mid-April.

I am atwitter with excitement. Footloose and fancy-free.

Great... We also lived in upstate NY (Clifton Park) and spent much time camping in my beloved Adirondaks.

Next... Like your folks, we retired to Florida in 1990 to "Lake Griffin Harbor", about 15 miles south of The Villages on Rte.441 (left on Rte 44 about 1/4 mile). Much smaller than The Villages, but very active, on the water and great facilities... clubhouse, pool. Probably the happiest time of our lives.

We sold this year after 29 years of snowbirding. Give LGH a look before you buy in FL.

Enjoy!

 

[brett]

Good for you. We leave for our winter trip in three weeks. Can't wait. It has been five winters of missing winter, soon to be six.

 

[omni550]

I'm not sure it is limiting... if we want to go somewhere else we can just rent our place for the season and use the proceeds to go wherever we want.

That said, we like where we are and don't plan to winter elsewhere but with seasonal rentals in such high demand it is nice know that we could.

+1

I know of a couple who are full-timers in Naples, FL. Every year they rent out their lovely condo during 'season' and take off to see the world. The rent they receive ($4000-4500/mo for 3-4 months) allows them a nice travel budget, especially when traveling to lower COL locations. Last year they went to SE Asia, and the year before that they were in Eastern Europe. I haven't yet heard where they are headed to this season.

omni

 

[Nick12]

After many years of dreaming about no longer spending winters in Upstate NY, we are leaving tomorrow for our first snowbirding winter.

My folks did this in 1990, and it was the start of what I believe were the happiest years of their lives.

Car is packed, will head out tomorrow and take about a week to eventually land ourselves in The Villages, Florida. Will see grandkids and old friends along the way. We don't expect to be back here in our home up north until mid-April.

I am atwitter with excitement. Footloose and fancy-free.

As a resident of FL since the early 1990’s I highly recommend it. Got out of the rat race and high taxes and stress of the Northeast and never looked back. If you want to live full time in FL here are a few tips

Get used to hurricanes, alligators and snakes in any body of water
There are so many Yankees here that the Florida crackers and rednecks just seem to tolerate it over the years
The food basically sucks and is very expensive and now where close to what you have back home
No state income tax and property tax are low!
Many residents are armed and are not afraid to use their firearms to stand your ground
Weather is sweet during winter, oppressive during the summer
Play golf and tennis year round
Many parts in FL, Spanish is the first language
Educational system and hospitals are second rate compared to rest of USA,
MLB Spring training games every spring!
FL is a transient state. Your neighbors come and go all the time moving in and out of the state
Wages are lower but if you retire in FL with money you are ahead of the game
Beaches are close by
Don’t go near any lakes unless you want to be an alligator’s lunchtime snack

 

[Dtail]

As a resident of FL since the early 1990’s I highly recommend it. Got out of the rat race and high taxes and stress of the Northeast and never looked back. If you want to live full time in FL here are a few tips

Get used to hurricanes, alligators and snakes in any body of water
There are so many Yankees here that the Florida crackers and rednecks just seem to tolerate it over the years
The food basically sucks and is very expensive and now where close to what you have back home
No state income tax and property tax are low!
Many residents are armed and are not afraid to use their firearms to stand your ground
Weather is sweet during winter, oppressive during the summer
Play golf and tennis year round
Many parts in FL, Spanish is the first language
Educational system and hospitals are second rate compared to rest of USA,
MLB Spring training games every spring!
FL is a transient state. Your neighbors come and go all the time moving in and out of the state
Wages are lower but if you retire in FL with money you are ahead of the game
Beaches are close by
Don’t go near any lakes unless you want to be an alligator’s lunchtime snack

Not sure I agree with some of the negatives.
Weather - yes but why move to FLA unless one loves the heat. DGF and I love the heat including the summer. It doesn't stop us from doing anything outside.
Spanish first language - this is somewhat true in some specific sections of the Southeast Miami area and perhaps a piece of Orlando, not really any other large areas.
Food - yeah not really cheaper than the Northeast, but you can still find NE type restaurants. There are just much less of them.

 

[HadEnuff]

In the words of my Dear Old Dad, "I ain't moving to Florida gawdammit!"

 

[Cut-Throat]

I'm not sure it is limiting... if we want to go somewhere else we can just rent our place for the season and use the proceeds to go wherever we want.

That said, we like where we are and don't plan to winter elsewhere but with seasonal rentals in such high demand it is nice know that we could.

Sure, but being a Landlord is a Job....... And that's pretty 'limiting' for myself. I don't want a job.