We have snowbirds at our unit in High Pointe who have been coming down for at least 5 years. They have met many people and now have their group that stays in the complex every year.
Snowbird Advertising Ideas
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We have snowbirds at our unit in High Pointe who have been coming down for at least 5 years. They have met many people and now have their group that stays in the complex every year.
I hate to see them come. They are mean, cheap, and they drive down 30-A going 20 MPH. I can't imagine why anyone would deal with them.
Wow 
lots anyone have any strong feelings about snowbirds or snowbird specials?!?
Frankly, I could go either way regarding renting out our places in the winter because we don't have to have renters in the off-season to pay the mortgages. We wouldn't make much money doing so given the low winter rates, but I think if we had responsible appreciative people it would be a nice "win-win" situation, especially if they came back several years in a row. This discussion is helpful because I'd have to be clear about the cleaning responsibilities, light bulb, small maintenance, etc.
We've had very good luck with our short-term renters over the past 4 years. They have appreciated our places and have taken good care of them and we have certainly appreciated our renters in return. So, it makes sense to see if we can have the same good luck with longer-term fall/winter rentals as well.
By the way, we enjoy the snowbird specials on 30A off-season (and we go with the kids so it's good for families as well) and eat at the late hour of 5:30 pm. It's not very European of us, but we like it. For people who like to dine late, they could consider the 4:00 special a late lunch ;-) .
lots anyone have any strong feelings about snowbirds or snowbird specials?!?Frankly, I could go either way regarding renting out our places in the winter because we don't have to have renters in the off-season to pay the mortgages. We wouldn't make much money doing so given the low winter rates, but I think if we had responsible appreciative people it would be a nice "win-win" situation, especially if they came back several years in a row. This discussion is helpful because I'd have to be clear about the cleaning responsibilities, light bulb, small maintenance, etc.
We've had very good luck with our short-term renters over the past 4 years. They have appreciated our places and have taken good care of them and we have certainly appreciated our renters in return. So, it makes sense to see if we can have the same good luck with longer-term fall/winter rentals as well.
By the way, we enjoy the snowbird specials on 30A off-season (and we go with the kids so it's good for families as well) and eat at the late hour of 5:30 pm. It's not very European of us, but we like it. For people who like to dine late, they could consider the 4:00 special a late lunch ;-) .
DD, the rates for sno-birds are already so heavily discounted, that if I was asked to lower my rate, I would just rather have my place sit depending on who the sno-bird was. I had one sno-bird family that NEVER cleaned the house the entire stay. It took me a two whole days to clean the place or pay for a deep clean of at least $400. They also broke into our pool heater and raised the temp to 85 degrees which resulted in a $3000 gas bill to our Association. Mr. Mango and I have been around to do renovations while sno-birds were still visiting, and once they see an owner around, start following us around to chit chat, groan about a broken plastic chair which got blown in the wind etc. They thought we were the groundskeepers because he was doing exterior work on grounds. So much time on their hands, and everything to complain about sometimes. Sno-birds think that we are making money on them, but the reality is that owners just would like to have their houses occupied to have someone around. We get in peak spring and summer months in one week, what a sno-bird pays is willing to pay for an entire month. Don't get me wrong, I lovethe elderly and can sit for hours talking to them. I understand they are on fixed incomes and trying to make the most of their money, but calling me and asking me to add a frappaccino machine, expensive mixers, have someone come in to a lamp light bulb, etc. can be at times a annoynance, especially when they are getting the best end of the deal. No snow removal and a beautiful view every day in paradise.
Ok....this is scarin me....last winter when we were in SoWal, we were having lunch at the Cowgirl Kitchen and someone referred to us as "Snowbirds". I said to hubby, "Who are they talking about?" He said, "I don't know. Do you think thay are talking about us?" To which I reply, horrified...."I grew up here, they must be talking about you!"..,,"Anyway, you are not old enough to be a snowbird. And, besides, we have tans...Snowbirds don't tan, do they?" To which he replied...."I don't know. I don't think I have ever actually seen one. What do they wear?" To which I replied, "I think the guys wear black socks with their sneakers and Bermuda shorts.....He looked down at his feet and said..."But my socks are white." To which I replied...."Well, there you go,....they must be referring to someone else....eat your sandwich."
:funn: :rofl: Were you really at lunch or at the early bird special?
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Well, I'm a snow bird and retired. But not all of us just complain and take advantage of your beautiful area and not all of us eat early bird dinners! Also, your going to find that many of us have retired much earlier and enjoy doing lots of activities as well as being somewhere warm in the winter. I think the senior center idea is great, but when we where in so-wal last winter,the senior center wasn't any help to us at all, but the library was of great help to us. Try to find as many senior(our local) internet sites that you can and post on them. You'd be surprised how many of us are on the net a lot---after all we have the time now. We're from the chicago area, and it's amazing how many of our friends and family have no idea where the 30A area is or how pretty it is. The question we are always asked is --what's the temp in Jan. Feb. and March and when we tell them, they don't think that's warm enough which is why so many go further south. I think they are missing out, but then we love the winter temps you have! We are trying to spread the word and hope that this year many of our friends will come and visit us for a week or so and can see how beautiful, diverse and peaceful winters can be. As far as rates go, I know there are so many empty places to rent in the winter, that it is competitive. Also, we bring a lot of money into the area which I'm sure helps other buisness as well. We love keeping busy and take excellent care of where we stay, in fact we have always left our winter homes cleaner and in better shape than when we arrived. Please know there are many of us caring, fun loving, generous ,younger retired people out there!
Jackie, I agree with you. We hope to be those younger retired people in the not-to-distant future, spending more time in SoWal. We've found that our guests at our cottages, of all ages -- many families -- have been great. They've taken good care of our cottages, and often left some nice beach and pool stuff behind, as well as kind words. And we've been renting out our cottages for 4 years now. We think people from the Midwest (like us -- we're from Michigan) will discover the 30A area and be very happy and feel like they got a great deal in the winter. We feel VERY lucky to have found this area. We heard about it word-of-mouth from a friend who had a place here, which is how many Midwesterners hear about the area.
:clap_1: I hope my post didn't sound derogatory against sno-birds. If so, my apologies. We have had good and not so good experiences with sno-birds and weekly renters.
We had a younger sno-bird one year who retired early and was quite handy. He liked to putter, so he asked if we had any little jobs for him to do do while his wife went shopping after he moved in.
We found little things to do, and was thrilled when we gave him access to our shed with all our tools. We bought them gift certificates for dinners in appreciation. They left our home spic and span.
Unfortunately they couldn't come the second year back for personal reasons, but I will have them back in a second when they are ready to return.
Quite a few of the sno-birds like our development and congregate together in the am for coffee etc.
When we go in March, there are some that knock on our door to chit chat.
We did have one semi-bad experience which made us realize that in the future if we do have a sno-bird, we would try to get references.
In what way was the library of help to you? I am curious.
RiverOtter
got any pics?
We have had snowbirds in both units for 4 years now at High Pointe. No problems. 