Life in Del Boca Vista....for Florida snowbirds...which type are you?

[Floridatennisplayer]

Life in Del Boca Vista....for Florida snowbirds..your story.

A little history first. We live in Ohio.

My Grandparents had a SW Florida condo when we were little, loved visiting. Would go down on Christmas break. My sister and I would call friends “long distance “ remember that And excitedly say, “we are swimming in December! Can you believe it!” The Florida excitement started. It was warm and sunny!!!! In December!!! They had alligators, and all kinds of crazy birds! What a neat place!

Then my parents bought a SW Florida condo when they were in their mid 50’s. Back in the mid 1980’s. My sister, brother, and My families would go down all the time. So many amazing memories.

Then we had kids and they started coming down to my parents as babies with us. Then all through college my son and daughter would fly down. They knew Ft Myers better than they knew our home here. So many times my daughter would call me from Ohio State and say, “Dad, Southwest has a deal $49 each way. Let’s go Thursday after my class and come home Sunday.” And we would. We hung out by the pool, went to dinner together, the beach, went shopping, she would ride in the golf cart and read while I played golf. Oh the memories we made almost tear me up. Now our kids had that SW Florida excitement.

4 years ago we bought our own condo in SW Florida. Just 8 minutes from my parents country club, where my sister and her family bought as well. Now our grandkids have been down numerous times and we are all coming the first 16 days of November. About 14 of us all together. Our 4.5 year old grandson is already packed. He is so excited. Can’t wait to swim in our pool and my sisters pool and great grandmas pool. “Pa Paw, I know we will all go to Grimaldi’s Pizza, but can just you and I go one time by ourselves? Sure, but why? Because you are my best friend and I love Florida.” And we can touch glasses.

That’s my snowbird life. What is yours?

 

[NYEXPAT]

I did not see the poll, but I would have voted:
The type who lives in Paradise year round!

 

[Scuba]

I did not see the poll, but I would have voted:

The type who lives in Paradise year round!

Me too! But I would also add that I travel to other paradises as well to scuba dive and/or sightsee.

 

[brucethebroker]

Am also a fan of SWFL in winter.

I tell people I love the 4 changing seasons....Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring....

 

[Bamaman]

Southwest Florida is a great place. I was looking at properties in Ft. Myers last week, and housing is now out of sight. Simple 2 bedroom condos in a high rise were about $550K--a little pricey.

I'm fortunate to have a lake house across town with a beach. It's our little heaven that's been in our family 5 generations. I hate to think how many tons of food has gone across the table on the screen porch. We like the incredible sunsets there even when it's cold.

 

[simple girl]

We live here full-time and love it so much. We are not retired yet, but the plan for that to happen is 2019!

We plan to be somewhat of "reverse snowbirds". We will live here most of the year, then travel in the hottest months.

 

[Cassius King]

FloridaTennisPlayer, beautiful post and thanks for sharing.

I too live in Ohio and am currently working with an agent looking for a place in FLA. Can't wait to start with my family and future generations exactly what you described above. Cheers!

 

[HadEnuff]

I grew up in Ohio, Dad worked for P&G in Cincinnati. In 1990, their 2nd year of retirement, Mom talked Dad into renting a place for the month of February, in North Naples. Dad was not keen on it. When I made my first Sunday phone call, from frigid Upstate NY, they had been there 3 days. I asked Dad how he was liking it so far.
He said, "great! I just bought the place next door"..
2 years later they bought a condo unit right on the beach in Bonita Beach. They were snowbirding back and forth between Bonita and Cincinnati.

My brother and I have many wonderful memories of visiting them, breaking up our winters, and all of their grandchildren have the fondest memories of visiting them on the beach. Mom and Dad are gone now, resting side-by-side in Bonita Springs. Their time in SW Florida was the happiest time of their lives.
I miss them, and I miss those times very much, as do all of the grandkids.

 

[Freedom56]

I personally like South East Florida and the coastal areas of Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade counties. We bought in 2011 not because of the need to seek warm weather, but because of the investment value it represented at the time. Monopoly is a great game to play in real life. We met a lot of interesting people (mostly snowbirds) who migrate there every November and leave April/May. One even retired many years ago at age 55 after working many years in fixed income at one of the largest investment banking firms in New York. He was often featured in the Wall Street Journal and other business journals. He bought 3 units in 2011 and rents out two of them. One day we will likely flip this condo to another snowbird but until then, we will enjoy our time there.

 

[MRG]

My parents retired full time to SE FL. they loved it there. MIL/FIL moved full time to Naples and Ft.. Meyers area. We loved to visit both places in the winter. However it's not for us. Too many people and too hot!

I'm hoping we get 100" of snow this year. Enjoy the warmth.

 

[googily]

I would mention what part of Florida my family has been going to for 40 years (and Dad is now doing six months there each year), but I don't want any of you to get any ideas about moving there.

 

[NYEXPAT]

I would mention what part of Florida my family has been going to for 40 years (and Dad is now doing six months there each year), but I don't want any of you to get any ideas about moving there.

How about a hint.
Is it experiencing any of the following:
Red Tide?
Green Algae?
Beachside Cancer?

 

[HadEnuff]

My parents retired full time to SE FL. they loved it there. MIL/FIL moved full time to Naples and Ft.. Meyers area. We loved to visit both places in the winter. However it's not for us. Too many people and too hot!

I'm hoping we get 100" of snow this year. Enjoy the warmth.

When my folks bought in North Naples in '90, from where they lived moving north towards Ft. Myers, much of Tamiami (Rt 41) was still orange groves. Now it's all 4 lanes, with each intersection having TWO left turn lanes...I agree, too many people.

I envy people like you who genuinely love snow and winter. My life would be much simpler if I did.

 

[googily]

How about a hint.
Is it experiencing any of the following:
Red Tide?
Green Algae?
Beachside Cancer?

I'm taking the fifth!

 

[W2R]

As you all know, we don't actually have any desire to become snowbirds. Maybe that's because it almost never snows here?

I thought I hadn't been more than 5 miles from home since 2012, and was about to post that again until Frank reminded me that we went down to Shell Beach in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana a few times. That's about 30 miles southeast of here. Yeep! So far! But he was driving down those country roads, not me.

Haven't been to Florida since a work trip to an oil spill conference in Miami Beach, around 10-15 years ago. It's no fun to be in a gorgeous location like that and have to stay inside working. So I sort of think that doesn't count.

I envy people like you who genuinely love snow and winter. My life would be much simpler if I did.

Snow and winter sound a bit complicated and frightening to me. I really don't know all the ins and outs of coping with hard freezes like that without damage either to me or to my belongings, car, or house. I admire those who have acquired all those skills and knowledge, but I haven't.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I used to live in Wisconsin and that gets old. Now we live in a mild 4 seasons and I love it.

 

[Dtail]

To truly enjoy FLA on a full time basis, one almost has to really not mind the heat.
In Tampa, it is 6 months of full bore summer, 3 months of low humidity early type summer and 3 months of late spring weather.
I am using Northeast weather references.

 

[brett]

Definitely not the Florida types.

We are spontaneous, migrant snowbirds. Since retiring it has been four winters in SE Asia/Australia and two in South & Central America. This upcoming winter we have booked air to Thailand, a month or so later to Australia for a month, then home via Hawaii. Not ready to buy. If we do I suspect it will be in Puerto Vallarta

We have had some snow already so we are in Playa Del Carmen and Porto Morales. Practicing up for our beach time in Thailand

 

[USA]

Recently visited Vero Beach for DMIL’s funeral. Lizards galore to dodge getting int the car. I got bit up by fleas. Great people, family and friends. But, I happen to like desert life better.

 

[misshathaway]

I would mention what part of Florida my family has been going to for 40 years (and Dad is now doing six months there each year), but I don't want any of you to get any ideas about moving there.

Don't worry. Hurricanes.

 

[MichaelB]

To truly enjoy FLA on a full time basis, one almost has to really not mind the heat.
In Tampa, it is 6 months of full bore summer, 3 months of low humidity early type summer and 3 months of late spring weather.
I am using Northeast weather references.

Another way to truly enjoy Florida full time year ‘round is to just not be there during the hot / humid / hurricane season.

 

[HadEnuff]

Snow and winter sound a bit complicated and frightening to me. I really don't know all the ins and outs of coping with hard freezes like that without damage either to me or to my belongings, car, or house. I admire those who have acquired all those skills and knowledge, but I haven't.

I grew up in Cincinnati, and we had winters, but the harshest coldest part was typically a couple weeks in January. By February we'd get the occasional day nice enough to enjoy. Some snow, but not tons and tons.

In 1977 I moved to Upstate NY, where I've lived ever since, and while we aren't in the coldest snowiest part of the state by any means, it's a much longer ordeal than SW Ohio. The payback is that summers here are much more comfortable than SW Ohio. But after 40+ years, I'm finally going to do my first snowbird winter. Looking forward to not shoveling, or slipping on ice.

 

[dm]

We moved to SW Florida 4 years ago. Initially we were thinking of buying a condo and snowbirding. But that just seemed like to much of a hassle to me, so we sold our St, Louis area home and moved down.

We do plan to take trips to the north in July and August. We have also found out we are very popular in January and February. We get visitors that we never had in Missouri.

 

[simple girl]

We have also found out we are very popular in January and February. We get visitors that we never had in Missouri.

Yes indeed that has happened to us, too. It's great until you get visitors you rather preferred only seeing once a year at best.

 

[Dtail]

Another way to truly enjoy Florida full time year ‘round is to just not be there during the hot / humid / hurricane season.

Agree lol, but we can't afford to reverse snowbird with 2 places.
The hurricane aspect does not really freak me out; always have time to prepare and react unlike tornadoes/earthquakes.