Snowbirding

[HuskyHawk]

It's off season, despite the ongoing pace of portal activity, with a couple of huge signings this week. That said, I've been meaning to pick the minds of the best and brightest on the Boneyard about splitting living across two locations. It seems we are about to take that plunge. We've decided to get a place in Bluffton, SC and plan to live at least six months and a day there and the rest in Mass (will downsize/move in Mass later).

For anybody who has done this or who has friends or family that does, any tips, suggestions things to think about? That can range from expenses to logistics of filling two houses with clothes and furniture etc. How you manage cars: 2? 3? Also, how you manage leaving a house essentially empty for 5-6 months (security, other issues). I have a good sense of the tax implications and how to best manage those, and Beaufort County SC has some unique wrinkles on property taxes. Things like Doctors came to mind as well. I'd welcome any information anyone has to share.

Looking forward to maybe watching UConn storm through the 2025 NCAA tournament outside on a screened in porch.

 

[Edward Sargent]

We bought a house in Venice Fl and downsized to a condo in CT, it was stressful but feel we are in a good place. This was our first full season in Fl and we loved it. We came down mid October, went back for a week at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and are heading back to CT next week for the summer. There is definitely more complexity to deal with having two homes but we are homebody's so it works for us. We keep a car in Fl, a car in CT and drive the SUV back and forth. In Fl we moved near some friends from CT so had an immediate social circle which helped the transition.

Good luck with you plan, there is a reason why so many people are Snowbirds so don't over think it!

Your timing is good. Start watching the humidity levels in Florida on your weather app around October 1. Somewhere in the first couple of weeks the temps remain high but the humidity starts dropping. That's when we make our southern migration. Florida gets a bad rep for heat but its the humidity in August and September that really get me

 

[HuskyHawk]

One thing about Florida taxes. It was surprising that my home in Florida has higher fees and taxes than my bigger home in Ct. Taxes, HOA, CDD and yard maintenance are much worse in Fla. depending on the situation. If you are in a condo the HOA’s can be $500-1000 per month or more. My brother‘s 2 bedroom 1200 sq ft condo in Tampa is $600/mo.
No state income tax OK but wait until you buy home insurance down here, OMG. Ct. is a bargain. Florida is not cheap anymore like it was in 2010.

Yes, this was part of our research as well. Income taxes? Florida is great of course. But property taxes aren't that low. In South Carolina income tax is 6.4% (at the top) but has exclusions for seniors that effectively lower it. In retirement, property taxes are a bigger concern than income taxes. In South Carolina, once you file a full year of income taxes as a resident, property taxes go down. Seems to be about 1/4 of what I pay in Mass (in a lower tax town). HOA fees exist, but that's a choice I'm making about the community and amenities I want, so they vary widely. I pay more in landscaping in MA than my HOA would be in SC (and I get no amenities). I want a smaller lot, lower maintenance. Home insurance cheaper in Bluffton too, because it's just inland enough not to be in a hurricane flood area.

 

[HuskyCane]

Where is your legal residence?

Florida

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sounds perfect and it's evident you have knowledge of the area and have thought through everything. My friend lived in Ravenel, SC, which seems too far from Charleston and probably why he got the "Third World" feel. I've been to Charleston and it is very nice. Just not warm enough for me. Friends of ours live on the west coast of Florida, Punta Gorda, and even that weather is too up and down in the winter for me. Another friend who lives in Florida during the winter joked that I need to live on the equator. Lol

Yeah, I don't like it hot. Hence why cape cod appeals in summer. We prefer the look of the live oaks with palmettos and salt marshes to the aesthetic of southern Florida. But I get why others prefer different spots.

As for Ravenel, I drive through there going from my parents' house to Charleston. That is a strange choice. Cheap I imagine. That stretch of RT 17 is littered with fast food joints, truck stops, tire and car dealer lots and dollar stores. You'd think that eventually Charleston would spread out there it would become an updated suburban town, but it hasn't. Instead Charleston grew north and northwest. It's even cut off from the coast a bit. You could get down to Kiawah from there, or Edisto.

As for third world, this is one of the two communities we're considering (probably #2).

 

[Drumguy]

I am a NH resident who spends just under 1/2 year in CT working from my office in Westport. We've owned the NH house since 2000. Btw, I claim all my income in CT so it's not a tax avoidence scheme - I'm a CPA. We don't rent either house out, so I can hop in a car and be at my other home in 4 hours without packing anything. I keep a small Jeep Wrangler 2 door at the house in NH, so we always have 2 cars available, and registered my wife's car and our Sprinter camper van in NH as well. I have one car registered in CT, so I don't have any issues with CT DMV and can get a beach sticker.

If you want to get out of MA residency, do the things that make you a SC resident - change your driver's license, voters registration and register a car in SC.

We have multiple Nest cameras on the exterior of the houses and we use Nest thermostats so we can monitor the heat/cooling remotely, especially since we go back and forth every other week or so. SInce both houses are in winter/snow areas, we added a generator in each house so we don't have to worry about power outages - you may not need that. We keep a full set of clothes, toiletries etc in each house since we can drive back and forth, we do that often. If you close up a house for a long while you can get by with less stuff.

It's great if you can find a maintenance person to check the house out and snowplow when needed. Have an electrician and plumber and HVAC person on speed dial for both places.

Just saw you added the lake community. Having a boat and water sports as a lot to the complexity, we have a jet ski and motor boat as well as s sups and kayaks. Everything requires maintenance and licences etc. first world problem!

Happy to continue this offline or on a call. It's a challenge but not insurmountable.

 

[Stinger92860]

Make sure you turn off the water when you leave...a leak is why we did our latest kitchen reno...

I have 2 homes and I use an internet connected main shut off in both locations. I have a Flo by Moen in one house, and a Fortrezz in the other. The Flo will notify you of any unusual usage and will automatically shut off. For example, toilet running, broken pipe, etc. I am considering swapping out the Fortrezz for the Moen.

And I‘m with Drumguy, I do not rent out either house (CT/Jersey Shore). Crazy question: Anyone have 3 houses? I have a friend who did this (CT/MA Lake, and now FL). He rents out his small house in CT. I will be going the FL Jupiter route.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Yes, this was part of our research as well. Income taxes? Florida is great of course. But property taxes aren't that low. In South Carolina income tax is 6.4% (at the top) but has exclusions for seniors that effectively lower it. In retirement, property taxes are a bigger concern than income taxes. In South Carolina, once you file a full year of income taxes as a resident, property taxes go down. Seems to be about 1/4 of what I pay in Mass (in a lower tax town). HOA fees exist, but that's a choice I'm making about the community and amenities I want, so they vary widely. I pay more in landscaping in MA than my HOA would be in SC (and I get no amenities). I want a smaller lot, lower maintenance. Home insurance cheaper in Bluffton too, because it's just inland enough not to be in a hurricane flood area.

Property tax isn't as big an issue with homesteading. Insurance and HOA fees/assessments are becoming a really big issue in Florida. That and we have some really bad elected officials. The collapse of the condo in Miami and hurricanes have had a big impact with all condos required to do a financial and engineering audit. Also if you are moving into a condo check the board out carefully. I wouldn't buy into a condo situation that is less than 75% owner occupied. Thats what happened in Miami as the owners didn't spend the money needed to protect the infrastructure

 

[Edward Sargent]

One spouse.
One house.
Rent your getaways.
Rent your toys.

Saves headaches, and gives you more options.

Simplicity is good

 

[NJHusky]

I have 2 homes and I use an internet connected main shut off in both locations. I have a Flo by Moen in one house, and a Fortrezz in the other. The Flo will notify you of any unusual usage and will automatically shut off. For example, toilet running, broken pipe, etc. I am considering swapping out the Fortrezz for the Moen.

And I‘m with Drumguy, I do not rent out either house (CT/Jersey Shore). Crazy question: Anyone have 3 houses? I have a friend who did this (CT/MA Lake, and now FL). He rents out his small house in CT. I will be going the FL Jupiter route.

Thx. I saw that a few weeks ago. Will def install in NJ when we get back as it will allow the heating system auto fill to work

Can u bypass the auto shut off when u r home? I saw some comments that it cut off a shower if it was at an unusual time. So being able to not engage the auto shut off would be a necessity

We had a ski cabin in Vt before we moved to Fla. kept it as a ski season rental.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That actually sounds like a community I'd love. Only thing is, we'd want to downsize considerably to a ranch on a small plot for gardening & dog. Not ready to go condo, and really don't want to dump our entire profit from selling our current place into somewhere we'd only be half a year. Our idea is to travel a ton. Not liking our options.

Bluffton and Beaufort South Carolina are great areas. Plus, 45 minutes to Savannah and an hour to Charleston.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I know people from up here in MA who bought houses in South Carolina and North Carolina. Serious question, what is the attraction? They still have winter down there but obviously it's much less severe and much shorter than up here. But December through February, the major amount of time you're down there for the winter, isn't exactly beach weather.

One of my best friends retired 5 years ago and bought a house on Cape Cod and one down near Charleston, SC. He just texted me last month that they're selling the SC house because it really wasn't what they expected. He said, "It's kind of Third World down here." It's just much different than what we've experienced around here and in CT our entire lives. As an example he was telling me how everyone litters down there and the side of the roads and highways is gross. That would bother me. He said there are days during the winter where it starts out chilly but then warms up into the 70s. But if I'm going to go somewhere in the winter I don't want to wake up and it's in the 30s or 40s. I also want more consistent warmer weather. Not a high of 75 one day and then 53 2 days laters.

I'm trying to talk my wife into renting some place in Aruba for 3 months during the winter to see what it's like. 80s and sunny everyday and at night it's in the high 70s. That's more my speed if I'm trying to escape the Northeast winters. Plus Aruba is safe and doesn't really have poverty. I have a friend whose sister-in-law owned a house in St. Thomas but that also comes with some issues since some Caribbean islands like that aren't the safest places and can feel Third World also.

I'm on the far western panhandle of Florida and one of my favorite things is the illusion of four seasons. In "Autumn", which is late October through Mid-December, hardwood trees lose their leaves and grass go dormant. Turn off the spinklers.
Winter is Mid-December through end of February. We actually get frost and you have to find your hoodies, beanies and some gloves. Socks with Crocs or Hey Dudes are perfectly normal for guys and girls throw on some knee high leather boots to go with the yoga pants.
Spring is kinda short but it's March and April. Cool temps in the morning and warm in the afternoon. The jokes of heated seats for you car in the morning and using AC in the afternoon is a meme and it's also true.

I say all this because May-Sep can be brutal and you get so many days for the beach and being outdoors, you don't mind the break. I could never live in south Florida. I've done Christmas at 70 degrees and done it at 35 degrees. It's like a box of chocolates.

Also, July and August are insufferably hot and humid. The jokes and memes are all true. You literally just try to find a way to get from air conditioned location to air conditioned location. It's the exact opposite of really cold winter locations in January and February.

Overall?

To each their own. Find out what you love to do and find out where you can do it the most.

 

[Chin Diesel]

My parents have been in the Beaufort, SC area since the 90s. So I'm familiar with the weather. I don't want hot. I want a mix of short sleeve, long sleeve weather. I want to be able to be outside almost every day and I hate winter. 60's and 70's is fine for walking, tennis, golf, pickleball. In winter up north I'm inactive and it is unhealthy. I don't want hot summer in winter, I just want our fall/spring. There are tax and other reasons not to stay in Mass full time. We've been in our house 20 years, but most friends have moved away or will soon. So we won't keep this house much longer.

As for "3rd world" I don't know where that comes from. Beaufort, Charleston and Savannah are all lovely old cities/towns. Bluffton is mostly brand spanking new except the old downtown. Vastly more modern than anything in New England. Roads that actually work, my wife was amazed by the "infrastructure". As for littering, you seem some in rural areas, but Bluffton is made up of perfectly manicured communities for the most part. If anything the complaint might be that it's too clean. The Lowcountry area is gorgeous with live oaks, palmetto trees and water everywhere. The food is tremendous too. @Storrs South many places have stay packages where you come check it out for a week. Go look on YouTube lots of stuff there. Savannah is actually a little more affordable, could check it out at the same time.

Another plus for us is obviously my parents being 40-45 minutes away to the north. But when we picked Bluffton it was also because Hilton Head is 20 minutes away for beaches and even more stuff to do, and downtown Savannah is 20-25 minutes away to the south. We love Savannah, so having it as an easy day trip is appealing. We considered Amelia Island, which would be a bit warmer in winter and more beach focused as well as doing something in Orlando, which is certainly warmer if not Miami warm. But I think we'd be bored there.

Nailed the Low Country high points of Bluffton and Beaufort. But don't kid anyone. July and August in the Low Country are brutal.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nailed the Low Country high points of Bluffton and Beaufort. But don't kid anyone. July and August in the Low Country are brutal.

Which is why I'll be on Cape Cod from about mid May through mid October most likely. That's the whole "snowbirding" thing. We migrate with the birds.

We might get old enough to need to choose one place. Maybe if we have grandkids or something. But even up north Cape Cod is about as cold as I'll go (somewhat temperate in winter compared to inland areas).

 

[Edward Sargent]

I'm on the far western panhandle of Florida and one of my favorite things is the illusion of four seasons. In "Autumn", which is late October through Mid-December, hardwood trees lose their leaves and grass go dormant. Turn off the spinklers.
Winter is Mid-December through end of February. We actually get frost and you have to find your hoodies, beanies and some gloves. Socks with Crocs or Hey Dudes are perfectly normal for guys and girls throw on some knee high leather boots to go with the yoga pants.
Spring is kinda short but it's March and April. Cool temps in the morning and warm in the afternoon. The jokes of heated seats for you car in the morning and using AC in the afternoon is a meme and it's also true.

I say all this because May-Sep can be brutal and you get so many days for the beach and being outdoors, you don't mind the break. I could never live in south Florida. I've done Christmas at 70 degrees and done it at 35 degrees. It's like a box of chocolates.

Also, July and August are insufferably hot and humid. The jokes and memes are all true. You literally just try to find a way to get from air conditioned location to air conditioned location. It's the exact opposite of really cold winter locations in January and February.

Overall?

To each their own. Find out what you love to do and find out where you can do it the most.

I'm in the Clearwater area and find July bearable as long as the sea breeze forms in the afternoon and you are out of the sun. September in my mind is the worst month down here because you just want it to end as its been hot and humid for so long

 

[uconnfan68]

Which is why I'll be on Cape Cod from about mid May through mid October most likely. That's the whole "snowbirding" thing. We migrate with the birds.

We might get old enough to need to choose one place. Maybe if we have grandkids or something. But even up north Cape Cod is about as cold as I'll go (somewhat temperate in winter compared to inland areas).

Where on the cape? You mentioned Falmouth before. The outer cape gets too muggy sometimes. Only a mile or two between bay and ocean will do that.

My favorite place to live was San Diego. For all 12 months. Near the ocean, never over 90, and never under 40, mostly 50-75.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Where on the cape? You mentioned Falmouth before. The outer cape gets too muggy sometimes. Only a mile or two between bay and ocean will do that.

My favorite place to live was San Diego. For all 12 months. Near the ocean, never over 90, and never under 40, mostly 50-75.

Anywhere from Falmouth to about Dennis/South Yarmouth. I'm not going farther than that. It's a little humid at times but cools down at night and you have sea breezes. That same effect means it doesn't snow much and melts quickly. If I had to, I could probably live with that, but there are other reasons to head south anyway, at least part time.

I lived in San Jose, winter was a bit wet at times, but even then plenty of 70 degree days. Could hit mid 90s, but we could head to Santa Cruz and the temps would plunge. California has great weather, it's everything else I don't like.

 

[NJHusky]

I'm in the Clearwater area and find July bearable as long as the sea breeze forms in the afternoon and you are out of the sun. September in my mind is the worst month down here because you just want it to end as its been hot and humid for so long

We are in srq and usually leave late May early June. During early Covid we stayed through July…I now know what hell will be like.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Have a call with my soon to be Realtor on Monday. Seems we're really doing this thing. We've been so cautious for years and years about buying a second house, and it has almost always been a mistake. Many options on Cape Cod are out unless the RE market crashes. So trying to be a little more aggressive this time.

 

[NJHusky]

I can definitely see the pull of the Carolinas. Its temperate, somewhat affordable and offers a wide range of landscapes and activities.

According to friends in NC, lots of 'half backs' coming in resulting in prices continuing to go up...

FYI...'Half-backs' are those folks that come to Fl, don't care for the heat, etc and go half way back...NC

Never heard that term until I moved to fla

 

[HuskyHawk]

According to friends in NC, lots of 'half backs' coming in resulting in prices continuing to go up...

FYI...'Half-backs' are those folks that come to Fl, don't care for the heat, etc and go half way back...NC

Never heard that term until I moved to fla

The Carolinas and parts of coastal Georgia just went nuts with Covid and "work from home". The island my parents live on had low demand, houses not selling in 2018-19. As soon as work from home happened, the market exploded and prices are up 100% or more. Same in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Amelia Island, FL, Myrtle Beach, etc. Most of Florida went up as well. Greenville SC, Ashville NC, the Clemson area, those all went up massively too. Anyplace that has a resort/relaxed feel plus things to do.

It's not hard to see why. If you lived in a place like Philly and commuted to work, you could sell you house, buy a bigger house in a gated island community, maybe with a dock, plus a golf course or two, for half what your ordinary suburban home cost. And your taxes would go down.

My only trepidation about buying down there right now is that work from home is being rolled back at some companies (including mine). I opted to stay remote, it was a one-time choice that limits my career, but at this point I don't care.