Snowbirds slowly flying North..yippee (Miami, Tampa: home, buyers, live in)

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by mike1003

Hey, I resemble that remark! But, I drive


Thanks for the Hospitality and see you next Jan (just turn up the heat and get rid of the clouds and rain)

Thanks for visiting Mike, & supporting our economy. Jan-April...you must be a 4 monther.

I drive too when I go upto NC for July & August. I hate flying. I guess I'm a reverse snow bird...I leave to escape the Summer heat here. The mountains of NC are 20-30 degrees cooler in "feels like" temps...ahhh.

I also like having my own vehicle w/ me and not having to rent one, but the 10 hr drive is no fun.

[dave w]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

What % of people leave your area to go back North for the Summer, if you had to guess?

In the Venice area, I'd say 1/3rd leave for the Summer months.

It seems like more leave, but many of those were Spring break families w/ kids, & tourists...not snow birds.

If you include all visitors, from our peak in March in Venice to our lowest point in August, I'd say we lose 1/2 the people.

Venice is not a big short term tourism destination yet (no attractions except the beach), but it is a huge snow bird destination.

This year, Easter week I noticed it getting a little quieter and each week since even more so. My estimate of snowbirds that have left probably less than 25%. I think most residents move here permanently for the affordability, access to medical and other day to day amenities.

[blueskies2023]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

^^^nice post...I'm on the same page.

The top 2 factors that most of us down here dread are:

-long hot/humid Summers that wear on you more, as time passes
-overcrowded most of the rest of the time, which also becomes less tolerable w/ time

1 of those 2 bad things is in play most of the year. Mid-April (when I see them leaving) to the end of June, then Oct, Nov, & Dec are best.

I read a lot about rising costs here, but I have not seen that, besides gas, & food. Our insurance has risen, but nothing like some stories I read...which is likely their insurance companies telling them to go elsewhere for coverage.

The cost creep I've seen, is more than offset by our 100% appreciation in our home. It's like we are being paid to live in FLA. Our net worth has grown since moving back to FLA 8 yrs ago...earned income aside.

We'll most likely move further North w/in FLA...then stretch our Summer rentals in the Carolina's out longer, & drive the locals up there nuts. We won't do 2 homes again, & unlikely we'd ever give up FLA residency....it's too valuable to us.

We've had a nice run since returning, & no place else we'd rather be...but it's so nice to see the snowbirds leave. I love seeing the auto carrier tractor-trailers loading up.

yeah, but i go up to nc often, outside charlotte. It also verYYYYY crowded there now and not cheap. The traffic is bad just like Fl.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by blueskies2023

yeah, but i go up to nc often, outside charlotte. It also verYYYYY crowded there now and not cheap. The traffic is bad just like Fl.

I go to the Western NC mountains to escape the Florida heat/humidity for 6-8 weeks.

There's not much traffic in the small towns in the Western half of NC. I'll be about 45 minutes from Asheville up at ~2,000 ft. elevation. Low 80's most days w/ low humidity...much more comfortable than SW FLA is in July-August. The topography contrast from SW FLA makes Western NC appealing too...& I can drive there in ~10 hrs..

[rfomd129]

Originally Posted by mike1003

Hey, I resemble that remark! But, I drive


Thanks for the Hospitality and see you next Jan (just turn up the heat and get rid of the clouds and rain)

We must have watched the same tv shows as kids

[bounty80]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I go to the Western NC mountains to escape the Florida heat/humidity for 6-8 weeks.

There's not much traffic in the small towns in the Western half of NC. I'll be about 45 minutes from Asheville up at ~2,000 ft. elevation. Low 80's most days w/ low humidity...much more comfortable than SW FLA is in July-August. The topography contrast from SW FLA makes Western NC appealing too...& I can drive there in ~10 hrs..

I love that area of NC, but it's crazy to think that's a major escape from the FL humidity because to me that area is still a muggy mess even high up. Highlights just how humid FL summers are.

[StraightTalker2022]

Made my deposit. Gone, Gone , Gone. Don't like to spend my summers indoors.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by bounty80

I love that area of NC, but it's crazy to think that's a major escape from the FL humidity because to me that area is still a muggy mess even high up. Highlights just how humid FL summers are.

Last Summer, I was in the Mountains of Western NC for 6 weeks, at 2,300 feet elevation, and didn't have 1 day where the "feels like" exceeded 86. Most days it was 78-82, which is fine by me. Nights went down into the low 60's most nights, and high 50's a few times. I never felt the humidity there like I feel it here.

I'll track it again this July-August, and try to remember to report back to this thread, or start another titled...

"where do you go to escape FLA's Summer heat?"

I think there's an old thread w/ that title, or something similar, but it might have been on the Florida forum.

I don't know of any other place closer to this forum area, where temps are that comfortable. I drive 675 miles in 10 hrs to get there.


Back on topic...I'm seeing auto carriers loading up nearly every day I drive around Venice...Snow Birds are leaving in droves now. The next significant drop we'll see is Friday May 10th, just prior to Mother's Day Sunday May 12th.

[NextExit40Miles]

Curious as to the heat/ humidity in the Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice area as we have no way to gauge it. We're currently in St Johns County and were surprised as it wasn't as bad as we had heard. We're originally from NY. Given that, is there that much of a difference between SJC and SBV ?

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by NextExit40Miles

Curious as to the heat/ humidity in the Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice area as we have no way to gauge it. We're currently in St Johns County and were surprised as it wasn't as bad as we had heard. We're originally from NY. Given that, is there that much of a difference between SJC and SBV ?

Yes, some difference because the East coast of FLA gets the Ocean breezes off the cool waters of the Gulfstream. It lowers the feels like temps. This forum area gets very little Summer breezes off the Gulf (unless a tropical storm blows through & even that is normally hot 'n humid), & the water temps of the Gulf are warmer, than the Atlantic near the state line. Right now, the Jax Pier's water is 70, Venice Pier is 76. Feels like temp in Jax is 86, and Venice is 91...pretty typical gaps.

Both are too hot and humid for me, year 'round, w/o a break. My Summer escapes keep getting longer. 8 yrs ago when we first returned to FLA, I'd leave for 1-2 weeks. This Summer ('24) I'm up to 2 entire months...9 weeks...all of July & August.

Its so nice to be here in SW FLA after Mother's Day, when they're gone. The average age drops a lot too. So many of the Snow Birds that come to Venice are 80+'ers, that its scary to drive. I follow them out of the grocery store, & watch them get into their car to drive, & I think OMG...they can barely walk, & they're gonna drive.