WHY ADOPT THE SNOWBIRD LIFESTYLE?
Nearly every person who is retired, approaching retirement or is fortunate enough to have a job that can be performed from just about anywhere in the world has asked themselves the question; Why am I spending each and every winter here in the cold climate? Why not become a Snowbird?
Chances are, since you’re visiting www.thesnowbirdlife.com, you have often wondered what the heck you are doing spending the winters in the dark, snow, rain and snow when you could be in the warm, bright sunshine. Some people who have wondered the same thing have dropped what they were doing and simply turned their whole life around and immediately adopted the Snowbird lifestyle. If it was as simple as that, nearly everyone who is able to become a Snowbird would be doing it without any further thought. But it’s not a simple decision at all. The fact is, becoming a Snowbird takes a lot of consideration, planning and soul-searching. Www.thesnowbirdlife.com was designed to not only help those Snowbirds who have already taken the plunge, but to help those who are seriously considering adopting the Snowbird lifestyle as a way of life.
There’s a whole lot more to becoming a Snowbird life than endless sunny days. In fact, as a prospective Snowbird you could very well become overwhelmed by the abundance of possibilities. You could, if you choose, travel to a new spot every winter, be adventurous and meet new friends. Or you could return to a favorite location every year and become part of a really close seasonal community. You could live in a house, a condo, a timeshare, an RV. You could even live on a boat. You could Snowbird on a shoestring by staying with friends or family.
If you’ve thought about adopting the Snowbird lifestyle, then you’ve probably also asked yourself; “Why not just move south full-time? Why move ourselves and our stuff back and forth a couple of times every year? Why not, a lot of retirees sale their family home and move down south.” Well, that might sound inviting at first, but in fact the number of retirees who move away from their home is statistically quite small. Only about 1 in 84 retired adults actually make the move to another state full-time. The vast majority of retirees want to stay in their home town where they’ve spent most of their working lives. Why? For one thing, not many people want to trade cold, wet winters for the hot, humid temperatures that residents of most southern states have to endure each summer. Oh sure, there are U.S. locations with near perfect year-round climates like Hawaii, Sedona and San Diego, but those places have too high cost of living for most retirees.
Enduring the hot summers is not the only concern. The main reason few retirees pack up and start a new life in a southern location is due to the emotional connection they have with their northern hometown and region. That connection is built from years of memories involving having raised children in a family home and activities with close friends, even employment. There’s a comforting feeling of being familiar with the local stores, a physician, pharmacist and restaurants.
So the fact remains, most people are willing to trade the cold, harsh winters for the comfort of “feeling at home”. But does it have to be one or the other? The Snowbird lifestyle offers the best of both worlds, the perfect compromise between avoiding the cold, miserable winter weather while still maintaining the hometown ties and relationships.
Follow the Sun: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Snowbird provides the prospective Snowbird insights into this unique lifestyle. It is designed to answer all the questions about making the move, all the advantages and disadvantages of the various options and choices involved in having the best of both worlds.
The Snowbird Life
info@thesnowbirdlife.com
Buy the Ultimate Snowbird Guide: Follow the Sun
Monday, March 7, 2011
Snowbirds and RVs
There are a number of reasons RVs are so popular with Snowbirds. Probably the number one reason is that spending the winter months in an RV is relatively inexpensive when compared to the purchase price, property taxes, upkeep, insurance, utilities and community association dues that come with owning a single family home, condominium or manufactured home. The majority of RV expenses consist of fuel, campground fees, electrical usage, heating fuel, license and insurance. That’s about it. Plus in many circumstances, recreational vehicles can qualify as a “second home” for tax purposes.
The second most popular reason Snowbirds love their RVs is because they are bringing their home with them where ever they go. RVs can be quite comfortable, with all the amenities of home but on a smaller scale—bedroom, bathroom, toilet, shower, and a kitchen with oven, microwave, refrigerator, and some with a trash compactor and dishwasher and central air conditioning. Some high-tech options include internet-ready computer stations, global positioning systems, television with direct-broadcast satellite antennas, stereo with headphones, DVD player, automatic leveling systems, solar panel for generating electricity, and closed-circuit, rear-view cameras so you won’t run over someone’s bicycle when you back up.
Snowbirding in an RV is the ultimate in self-sufficiency. RVs offer comfort and convenience. Since RVs have kitchens, you can save money by doing your own cooking as you travel. One of the biggest attractions to being an RV Snowbird is the freedom that comes with that lifestyle. RV Snowbirds go when they want, stop when they want, and stay as long as they want. No arriving at an airport two hours before the flight, wasting half a day waiting in lines before the plane even takes off. No motel reservations to make.
In addition, how fast one chooses to travel is up to the driver and occupants. Many Snowbirds prefer taking their time to explore new regions of the country while making their way south. The RV can also be used year round, wandering here and there throughout the country and even into Canada and Mexico. It can remain all set up and ready to go, anytime a Snowbird feels like hitting the road.
We would be negligent if we did not point out some of the disadvantages of choosing an RV as your Snowbird residence. RVs tend to depreciate in value and wear out over time. In an upward real estate market, you would lose the property appreciation you would gain if you purchased a single-family home or a condominium instead. There are also RV park rental expenses to consider which can get rather price at some of the more exclusive RV Snowbird resorts.
Depending on whether you purchase a fifth-wheel or a trailer, you may need a smaller second vehicle to use for local travel. It is not uncommon to see the Snowbird heading south down the freeway in a big motor home with his wife following behind in a second, smaller vehicle.
One final thought to consider, compared to all other Snowbird winter residence options, an RV will have the smallest living area—except maybe a boat. This winter lifestyle allows you to have with you more than you could carry in your luggage, but much less than you might have in a single- family Snowbird residence.
Deciding on a recreational vehicle as a winter Snowbird residence is just the first decision. Next you will have to decide which RV will best fit your pocketbook and your specific needs. There are various classes of motorized RVs: Class A, Class B and Class C. Towable RVs are designed to be pulled by a car, pickup truck, sports utility vehicle or even a van. The categories are pop-up camping trailers, truck campers, travel trailers and fifth wheels. There is a wide range of prices, from a small, inexpensive pop-up camping trailer, to a couple of million dollars for a customized 45-foot Mega Cruiser motor home. Which one to choose? Fortunately Follow the Sun: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Snowbird can help you sort it out. Detailed information about each option is presented for each type of RV as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The Snowbird Life
info@thesnowbirdlife.com
Buy the Ultimate Snowbird Guide!
The second most popular reason Snowbirds love their RVs is because they are bringing their home with them where ever they go. RVs can be quite comfortable, with all the amenities of home but on a smaller scale—bedroom, bathroom, toilet, shower, and a kitchen with oven, microwave, refrigerator, and some with a trash compactor and dishwasher and central air conditioning. Some high-tech options include internet-ready computer stations, global positioning systems, television with direct-broadcast satellite antennas, stereo with headphones, DVD player, automatic leveling systems, solar panel for generating electricity, and closed-circuit, rear-view cameras so you won’t run over someone’s bicycle when you back up.
Snowbirding in an RV is the ultimate in self-sufficiency. RVs offer comfort and convenience. Since RVs have kitchens, you can save money by doing your own cooking as you travel. One of the biggest attractions to being an RV Snowbird is the freedom that comes with that lifestyle. RV Snowbirds go when they want, stop when they want, and stay as long as they want. No arriving at an airport two hours before the flight, wasting half a day waiting in lines before the plane even takes off. No motel reservations to make.
In addition, how fast one chooses to travel is up to the driver and occupants. Many Snowbirds prefer taking their time to explore new regions of the country while making their way south. The RV can also be used year round, wandering here and there throughout the country and even into Canada and Mexico. It can remain all set up and ready to go, anytime a Snowbird feels like hitting the road.
We would be negligent if we did not point out some of the disadvantages of choosing an RV as your Snowbird residence. RVs tend to depreciate in value and wear out over time. In an upward real estate market, you would lose the property appreciation you would gain if you purchased a single-family home or a condominium instead. There are also RV park rental expenses to consider which can get rather price at some of the more exclusive RV Snowbird resorts.
Depending on whether you purchase a fifth-wheel or a trailer, you may need a smaller second vehicle to use for local travel. It is not uncommon to see the Snowbird heading south down the freeway in a big motor home with his wife following behind in a second, smaller vehicle.
One final thought to consider, compared to all other Snowbird winter residence options, an RV will have the smallest living area—except maybe a boat. This winter lifestyle allows you to have with you more than you could carry in your luggage, but much less than you might have in a single- family Snowbird residence.
Deciding on a recreational vehicle as a winter Snowbird residence is just the first decision. Next you will have to decide which RV will best fit your pocketbook and your specific needs. There are various classes of motorized RVs: Class A, Class B and Class C. Towable RVs are designed to be pulled by a car, pickup truck, sports utility vehicle or even a van. The categories are pop-up camping trailers, truck campers, travel trailers and fifth wheels. There is a wide range of prices, from a small, inexpensive pop-up camping trailer, to a couple of million dollars for a customized 45-foot Mega Cruiser motor home. Which one to choose? Fortunately Follow the Sun: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Snowbird can help you sort it out. Detailed information about each option is presented for each type of RV as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The Snowbird Life
info@thesnowbirdlife.com
Buy the Ultimate Snowbird Guide!
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