Category: Retirement Real Estate
Updated August 25, 2015 (originally published December 10, 2013) -- The horrible Arctic weather the northern half of the USA experienced in the last 2 winters had at least one major effect - it made a lot more people interested in finding a snowbird rental for the winter! This article will give you suggestions on how to narrow your choices on where to live, give some tips on how to go about finding a winter rental, and provide a list of reader-suggested snowbird destinations from earlier this year. Note that the reader Comments made to both this article and the related ones in the "Further Reading" section are at least as helpful as those in the article itself!
Keys to Success
The keys to success in finding a good snowbird rental are quite simple: get started early, and explore plenty of avenues. Hoping to luck into something is not very likely.
Many Advantages
We think there are many advantages to
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Published on December 10, 2013
Comments 122
Category: Retirement Real Estate
November 10, 2013 — Several members have requested a new thread be started on the subject of low income retirement. So we will start it for you with the original request (below): Note to group – if you want to start a new discussion thread the best way to do…
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Published on November 10, 2013
Comments 183
Category: Retirement Real Estate
October 21, 2013 -- In the depths of the 2008 real estate meltdown many developers decided to turn their new condos into rental units, rather than take a bath on prices and unsold inventory. That strategy, for those who could afford to wait, seems to worked out rather well. If you have held off selling your home until now, the return to a stronger market could be beneficial to you too, particularly if you are not planning on replacing it.
The Wall St. Journal recently reported in "Condos Going Back Up for Sale" that many luxury rental units in places like California and Florida are now coming on the market as condos. While the pace of conversions from rental apartments to condos is a fraction of the torrent that came in pre-bust years, the rate is the highest it's been since 2008. In 2012, 2,080 apartments were converted to condos from rentals, compared to 152,206 conversions in 2005.
The trend in condo conversion confirms
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Published on October 21, 2013
Comments 5
Category: Retirement Real Estate
July 9, 2013 -- We continue our series of reader suggested articles with today's installment on renting in retirement. First we will explore the pros and cons of buying vs. renting, then we'll share some tips and techniques for find your best place to retire rental. We hope you enjoy the article, and look forward to your Comments below.
We Americans seem to have been collectively brainwashed when it comes to the belief that home ownership is a cardinal virtue. For sure, owning your home can make a lot of sense. But the truth is, renting a home, particularly for the winter, is often a much better idea for many people's situations. We buy houses in Seattle and flip them on a monthly basis - so we're kind of experts in the field. Let's start off with some tips from us by comparing some of the advantages
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Published on July 8, 2013
Comments 77
Category: Retirement Real Estate
May 14, 2013 -- Here you are in a strange, not yet "rediscovered" town. You can see there are some obvious problems. But look - here's a pleasant street lined with stately Victorian, Queen Anne, and Georgian homes. Some are proudly restored, and others are in various stages of rejuvenation. You keep walking through the old downtown, past quirky shops and nice looking restaurants. By the time you reach the waterfront with its bobbing sailboats and beautiful views, you can feel your attitudes changing.
We're willing to bet we're not the only folks visiting a possible retirement town who've been surprised to find themselves going from "no way" to "maybe" and perhaps all the way to "why not". First we are skeptical - there's no way we could retire here... too many negatives... empty storefronts on main street... pockets of poverty and crime. But then as the place grows on us and we see baby boomers proudly planting flowers in their beautiful front yards we start to ask - could this become a great retirement spot?
Just this week
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Published on May 14, 2013
Comments 24
Category: Retirement Real Estate
April 24 -- Oh what a contrast from 4-5 years ago. In the dark days of real estate reporting in 2008 and 2009 there was a steady drumbeat of foreclosures, short sales, record home inventory backlogs, and falling prices. There were no buyers, it seemed, and although there weren't many sellers, it wasn't from lack of trying.
Something to (Grouse) About
Fast forward to the March sales report from National Association of Realtors (NAR) that came out this week. Sales are up 10.3% above the year ago month, and the median price of a home, $184,300, increased 11.8% over
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Published on April 23, 2013
Comments 80
Category: Retirement Real Estate
March 19, 2013 -- The nation's builders think they know what you want as a home buyer, or at least they are trying to understand. A new study conducted by the National Association of Home Buyer's Economics and Housing Policy Group found that buyer's preferences are changing (Note: the study was conducted among people of all ages, not just retirement age).
What do home buyers really want?
-- Energy efficiency. Buyers are interested in features like energy-star rated appliances and windows, and an energy-star rating
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Published on March 19, 2013
Comments 31
Category: Retirement Real Estate
February 25, 2013 — We are curious to find out and report on what our members are thinking about when it comes to retirement living preferences – what types of towns, homes, and communities you are thinking about choosing for retirement. NOTE: Thanks to the more than 750 people who…
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Published on February 25, 2013
Comments 28
Category: Retirement Real Estate
November 20, 2012 -- If Hurricane Sandy had some tiny silver lining amidst the tragedy it wreaked in the Caribbean, New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere, it is its lessons on preparedness. Those lessons could be very relevant to you if you are considering buying a retirement home in the next few years.
Infrastructure experts have long warned state and local officials as well as home owners about serious problems that could come with coastal flooding. Yet electrical and communications equipment left at ground level flooded, along with subway and car tunnels. Homes in flood zones were destroyed, above ground power lines were downed, roads washed out. The resulting human suffering is beyond
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Published on November 20, 2012
Comments 2
Category: Retirement Real Estate
January 24, 2012 -- One of the most frequent questions we get is on how to find a retirement rental. Usually it is a snowbird looking for a warm winter retreat, while other times it is a retiree looking to try out an active adult community before buying there. Whatever the reason, many people are interested in the rental option, which we always think is a good idea. Here are our top suggestions on how to find a seasonal rental apartment or home for your retirement.
1. Ask your friends. This is usually the surest fire method. If you have friends
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Published on January 24, 2012
Comments 4
