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I see that a lot of owners want their snowbirds to leave at the end of Feb. We will only rent a place that lets us stay through March as it is still freezing where we live then. Actually, it is snowing today.
When I look at availability calendars I see many places don't get rented in Jan and Feb. To me it would be better to have the income from Jan and Feb kind of balance out the spring break income- and you would have somebody watching the house during the winter.
We know of 2 instances ( in nice neighborhoods) where the renters were college kids who did considerable damage to the places they were in. Their parents had rented the place for them
But, I can understand the gains to be had by renting just in March.
Both ways make sense. Just a thought
 

InletBchDweller

SoWal Insider
Feb 14, 2006
6,804
263
54
Prairieville, La
I would rather rent a unit to someone for Jan - March , maybe into APril b/c I can get scared of SPring Breakers!! :eek:
 

teamc

Beach Lover
Jan 10, 2009
96
19
I see that a lot of owners want their snowbirds to leave at the end of Feb. We will only rent a place that lets us stay through March as it is still freezing where we live then. Actually, it is snowing today.
When I look at availability calendars I see many places don't get rented in Jan and Feb. To me it would be better to have the income from Jan and Feb kind of balance out the spring break income- and you would have somebody watching the house during the winter.
We know of 2 instances ( in nice neighborhoods) where the renters were college kids who did considerable damage to the places they were in. Their parents had rented the place for them
But, I can understand the gains to be had by renting just in March.
Both ways make sense. Just a thought

we live here full-time and really see the difference between the snowbirds and spring breakers. many snowbirds in our neighborhood treat their rental with care as if it's their own home. the spring breakers also treat their rental as if it's their own home too, but sadly they live in dorm rooms and frat houses. even if you made double renting to spring breakers, i would think you'd lose your profits having to repair the damage!
 

jensieblue

Beach Fanatic
Jun 2, 2005
578
129
76
on a lake in the woods
Based on reports I have heard of outrageous behavior by spring breakers, maybe anyone who rents to them should require a parent be held and released when home passes inspection. I know during my college days...and yes I know it was the dark age...mom would always go with our group. I fear todays college kids would not tolerate that but , hey, who is paying the bills here????
 

SHELLY

SoWal Insider
Jun 13, 2005
5,770
802
Is SoWal is lowering the bar on renting to spring breakers? It's evident this Spring that many investulators are desperate to get any kind of cashflow in order to make the monthly nut....or is it because "Mom & Dad's Beach House" didn't get rented this season and they can't afford to send Lil Snotly off to Cancun?
 

teamc

Beach Lover
Jan 10, 2009
96
19
Is SoWal is lowering the bar on renting to spring breakers? It's evident this Spring that many investulators are desperate to get any kind of cashflow in order to make the monthly nut....or is it because "Mom & Dad's Beach House" didn't get rented this season and they can't afford to send Lil Snotly off to Cancun?

Shelly, I always look forward to your two cents!!
I got some interesting insight from my friends in the entertainment business about why this location has not seen the same economic boom from other spring break locations where they've filmed- cancun, palm springs, miami.
I probably wouldn't repeat it, because I don't want to be rude. But there's most def. a way to take advantage of that market without lowering one's standards!
 

Paula

Beach Fanatic
Jan 25, 2005
3,747
442
Michigan but someday in SoWal as well
We rent to snowbirds through the middle or end of March if they're renting in January - March or February - March. We never know how many spring break rentals we'll get in February, so it's pretty much even as far as we're concerned, though we may charge a slightly higher rate for March to just a bit of the spring break loss. I don't worry about spring breakers causing problems with our cottages because our places don't draw spring breakers and we've had very good luck with the people who rent our cottages. We advertise them as perfect for families with children and snowbirds, so I think spring breakers are turned off by that (happily for me). I suppose my day will come (or it has come and the rental agency cleaned everything up and no one told me about the havoc in our cottages...).
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
yackers, with all due respect I've had to explain this to many snowbirds. Most snowbirds are paying at or close to the same rent they were paying in the late nineties. Snowbirds are appreciated for keeping the lights on during the winter so to speak, but it is still a business. When Easter moves up on the calendar as it has done over the past few years it in turn pushes up many spring break start dates. This area has traditionally been a family spring break destination and to accomodate those clients as well the dates were pushed back, in some cases early March. Spring break is also a peak demand period and premiums prices can and are charged. Given the choice of making the same amount as a monthly rent in one week most owners opt for the additional income. In several years the calendar adjusts and most companies will go back to allowing snowbirds to stay thru March.

It is interesting that most snowbirds have shortened their stays over the years. Traditionally snowbird season started October 1st and ran through April 1st. Snowbirds would stay for the entire time. Recently I have noticed that snowbirds are staying as short as a month at a time. This doesn't have the same weight as someone who rents a home for 3-5 months. Due to snowbirds not coming until later many rentals and companies have raised rates for the month of October.

Having said all of this talk to the owner or rental manager. In many cases if the units are not booked they will allow you to extend towards the end of your stay or may work out an alternative rate for the additional time.
 

iluv30a

Beach Comber
Jul 3, 2009
10
0
I see that a lot of owners want their snowbirds to leave at the end of Feb. We will only rent a place that lets us stay through March as it is still freezing where we live then. Actually, it is snowing today.
When I look at availability calendars I see many places don't get rented in Jan and Feb. To me it would be better to have the income from Jan and Feb kind of balance out the spring break income- and you would have somebody watching the house during the winter.
We know of 2 instances ( in nice neighborhoods) where the renters were college kids who did considerable damage to the places they were in. Their parents had rented the place for them
But, I can understand the gains to be had by renting just in March.
Both ways make sense. Just a thought



Took the words right out of my mouth!!!!
 
As a regular and seasoned landlord for vacation rental, you want the best of both. We cut off snowbirds around March 15th because Birmingham and Nashville spring break is in March most of the time. Atlanta is almost always in April.

You do not rent to teenagers or college kids, you rent to families and make sure the parents of children are going to be their if you do you own renting or are careful about how you rent. Payment stream is therefore maximixed since the snowbirds pay very little for a whole month. About what one spring break week can be.

It works
 
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