13 Retirement Tips for Snowbirds

Pat and Pete Engel of Glendale, N.Y., are seasoned snowbirds, having spent every winter since 1995 in Florida.

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Pat and Pete Engel of Glendale, N.Y., are seasoned snowbirds, having spent every winter since 1995 in Florida. “After two bad blizzards within two years, I realized I never wanted to see another snowflake after we retired,” says Pat, 79. The Engels rented a place near Cape Canaveral for the first few years, then bought a condo in nearby West Melbourne. Each January, they secure their home in New York and head to Florida until April. Pete, 81, plays golf, and the couple take advantage of outdoor festivals and other warm-weather activities with snowbird friends from all over the U.S. and Canada.

Many snowbirds follow family and friends south, while others experiment until they find the right location and community. Some rent the same place for years; others buy a second home that may become their primary residence in retirement. Whatever your migratory path, successful snowbirding takes preparation and smart planning. Here’s our advice.

Patricia Mertz Esswein
Patricia Mertz Esswein
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Esswein joined Kiplinger in May 1984 as director of special publications and managing editor of Kiplinger Books. In 2004, she began covering real estate for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, writing about the housing market, buying and selling a home, getting a mortgage, and home improvement. Prior to joining Kiplinger, Esswein wrote and edited for Empire Sports, a monthly magazine covering sports and recreation in upstate New York. She holds a BA degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, in St. Peter, Minn., and an MA in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University.