Snowbird

 About buying, owning a property in Florida USA and spending the winter months in warmer climate.


July 2008, we bought a one bedroom apartment condominium in Clearwater, Florida. We officially became snowbirds; that is every winter we migrate and spent some time in warmer climate.

Since then we received many questions regarding purchasing and owning property in the US, also about life as a snowbird. We have tried our best to answer and help as much as we can. In this blog I will post the questions and give my answers to those questions, in hopes that it may help others as well. Note, my answers are based on my experience purchasing and owning a property in Pinellas county, Clearwater, Florida. If you have a question that is not posted here, please feel free to ask and I will post my answer. If you are a snowbird and would like to share your experience, you are most welcome to do so.

This blog will be updated from time to time as new questions and experiences from readers are shared; so keep checking.

Q. Is it a good investment?
A. I do not know. Only time will tell. We purchased the property because it had become affordable with the dollar at par and the lower prices. We have always wanted to spend part of the winter in a warmer climate and enjoy our retirement years.

Q. Do Canadians pay higher property tax than Americans?
A. In Pinellas county Florida, Canadians pay the same property tax as most Americans, however low income Florida residence may qualify for a Homestead exemption which is about 45% less. So an American snowbird from Michigan pays the same property tax rate as a Canadian snowbird in Pinellas county Florida.

Q. Is the property tax higher than in Canada?
A. Comparing property taxes in the city of Clearwater Florida and in Brampton Ontario, yes the mil rate for properties in Clearwater is about twice as high as in Brampton. Since the price of the house is less than half, the amount of money one pay for property tax in Clearwater at this moment is actually less than in Brampton.

This may change in the future. Properties in Pinellas county is evaluated every year, so the property tax changes according to the market value for that year.

Q. What are the carrying expenses of owning a condo in Florida?
 A. The same as in Canada. Maintenance fee, utilities, insurance and property tax.

Q. Why did you choose to buy in Clearwater?
A. Many reasons, among others are:

1. It is near a major airport, i.e. Tampa.

2. Beautiful beaches, always rated in the top 10 best beaches in all of USA.

3. It is in the middle of  Florida peninsula. The further south you go the warmer (hotter) and more expensive. 4. It is on the Gulf side, less affected by hurricanes which mostly strike the South and East coast.

5. About 30 years ago, in July, we visited Disney World Orlando, Busch garden Tampa and we stayed a few days at Clearwater Beach. The area and weather reminded me of the place I grew up in and I said to myself that I would like to stay around Clearwater.

Q. Is it not better just to rent?
A. Maybe. Depends on each family's situation. There are always cons and pro between renting and buying. My advice is to rent for a month first in the area that you are considering to purchase and see if snow-birding suit you. For more info on snowbird life style, visit the Canadian Snowbird Association website .

Q. How did you go about purchasing your condo?
A. I researched on the Internet and borrowed books from the library, then I searched for a good real estate agent. I also consulted a friend who had bought a condo in Clearwater. I prepared my finances and opened up a US account in a bank in the Clearwater area. I lined up the properties that I was interested in and contacted my agent. I flew over, checked out the properties and made an offer; the rest is history. A good real estate agent is crucial in making a successful purchase.

Q. Can you recommend a real estate agent in Clearwater?
A. Yes. Lee Aten, lee.aten@floridamoves.com, she is an agent with Coldwell Banker. She helped me with the purchase of my condo and I am very pleased with her service. Two of my friends have used her services on my recommendation and both of them are very pleased.

Q. Can you recommend a real estate lawyer in Clearwater?
A. We did not use the service of a real estate lawyer. For a simple transaction your real estate agent can take care of the registration of the title at the land registry office.

Q. What are the expenses incurred in purchasing your property?
A. Our total expense is around $200, for some condo documents and the use of Coldwell Banker facilities. As in Ontario the real estate agent is paid by the seller and there is no land transfer tax in Pinnellas county.

Q. How long does it take to fly from Toronto to Tampa?
A. Usually under 3 hours.

Q. How long does it take to drive from Brampton to Clearwater?
A. About 24 hours. It took us 2 days with a one night stop over.