The snowbird crowd is ageing

How about the jerks that manipulate the system in the Corps of Engineer parks. You know the ones. They swap sites with their buddies every few weeks in order to comply with the law, while keeping all the most desirable spots filled. Do they deserve the best spots because they are long term also?

It is interesting to read about the new snowbirds that want to be spontaneous in their travel but don't like that they get put in the less desirable spots. Well guess what, those folks that stay there for two or three months or more over the winter season are the folks that enable the park owner to pay the bills. The overnighters, or weekly visitors are not a reliable source of income. The owner does not know if they will be there are not. Accordingly, those willing to make a longer term stay commitment are going to get the more desireable spots. This is nothing different than we have noticed in some parks during our summer travels. The seasonal sites have the better shade trees, wider spaces, etc. Do we feel slighted? No, we don't expect the park owner to save the prime spots for us when we will only be there a few nights. It is not all about us. We are just pleased there are parks out there in the areas we visit. If we are really unhappy about the accomodations, we just mark that park off the list of those we would return to.

Good observation. The average age in the RV parks is getting older, since many are now moving into park models. The average age of the RVers( people who still travel) has remained about the same. Our park is pretty full, thanks to some very aggressive pricing. Too full, in fact.

pawatt wrote:
Seems to me in Texas the snowbird crowd is ageing, most are over 70 and many over 80. Every year more are too sick or old to make the trip and many have passed on. There are very few younger snowbirds replacing them, seems anytime someone new under 65 comes in it is a rarity. Nearly all parks have many vacancies when 10 years ago it was advisable to have reservations if you wanted a spot for the winter.

Your Observations ???

Now that we're on the other side of the snowbird season I thought I would resurrect this original post.

We're about 85-90% full which is not normal for this time of year. At this point the park would be full for the winter.

As far as the age is concern we're in a park that does not allow park models or any rig to stay longer then 6 months. This seems to make the clientele that use this park young, if not in age then in heart.

Having to pack up and move a rig takes both mental and physical effort. So the overall age of the park seems to be consistent year after year. As the older ones leave, younger ones fill in. The park is located in a destination area which might explain why younger ones are showing up.

gma77 wrote:
We travel a lot, and do find somewhat the same situation. We're finding that many folks are staying close to home, but do see a lot of vehicles being sold. The storage yards are full of pretty nice rigs.

We thought for awhile the $4 fuel scarred many away,

......... One other factor has been that we are seeing the price of RV parks going up, and I am sure that is a deterrent.

X2!

The month I sold my house to hit the road RV'ing, gas in my area skyrocketed to $5.00. THAT was THE most expensive trip ever from up North to Florida for me!
I was burning thru cash like there was no tomorrow just on gas for the MH. Sure made me wonder if I had done the right thing wanting to be an RV'er. :B

We travel a lot, and do find somewhat the same situation. We're finding that many folks are staying close to home, but do see a lot of vehicles being sold. The storage yards are full of pretty nice rigs. We thought for awhile the $4 fuel scarred many away, but the sales of class A motor homes is strong. I believe that many who are retiring from common non-government jobs are finding their retirements' strained! Many folks are retired from a job and working at Walmart to supplement their income, and some are work camping. We own the RV Driving School and had one of our best years helping people be safe as they travel. I guess in general, I am as confused as your are. One other factor has been that we are seeing the price of RV parks going up, and I am sure that is a deterrent.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Skid Row Joe wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Another factor that hasn't been touched on is the more than reasonable price of Florida realestate. Many would be RV snowbirds are opting to purchase a second home as a winter residence and RV in the summer.

I did just that.

The selling prices of foreclosed homes down here are just UNBELIEVABLE!

3/2 house on 1-3/4 acre, with RV port/dedicated 30 amp panel....will cost me less than half of what it cost me last year to stay at a CG for the winter.....and that includes the yearly taxes on the place!
And I am meeting a ton of RV neighbors in this area that have done the same thing.

Ahhhhh, no more writing a check to a CG for inflated prices on electric on top of my site fee.....my Christmas present to 'me' this year! :C

Where are you located in Florida, that the price of the above "will cost you less than half of what it cost you last year to stay at a CG for the winter?" Happen to have any pictures of the place too?

the party is over down here regarding the foreclosures. Inventory down and prices on the way up. You can still find them though, albiet even the ones I looked at last year have been relisted at about 20,000 more.

Instead of being so dead fast dedicated to full timing, I should have bought 4 or 5 of them at that time and rented them out. I 'would' have been set for life.

Words here on the forum can just not explain the houses in foreclosure here and what they sold for. I'm talking brand new houses worth (and not the inflated prices) $300,000 houses going for $80,000. These are solid block homes on oversized to 1 ac lots in 'good' neighborhoods and most had inground pools. It was just a riot going around looking at them all.

I bought one last year that I thought I would absolutely retire on.
5 ac 2,800 sq ft block house. 1,200 sq foot shop. 800 square foot new 2 story in-law. All had brand new metal roofs. AND All on the waterfront with dock and boat launch......for 79,900!!

Check this website out. This is where I found most of them. There is a 'first look' time period where only "owner occuppied" can bid on them. Investors are not allowed to bid during this time. Allowing us peons to have a chance!

CASH offers talk. My offers where always 20 to 30 thousand under the asking and I got 98% of them. I changed my mind on a lot of them when I would find an even better one!!

http://www.homepath.com/listing/search?q=Floridaπ=50000&pa=150000&bdi=&bhi=&x=36&y=16
This represents 50 to 100M listings. you can go back and fine tune the city you want to look at.

So, do you not have pictures of the property you bought to post?

I was trying to find out and learn from what you paid, that was less than 1/2 of just one season RVing instead?

Skid Row Joe wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Another factor that hasn't been touched on is the more than reasonable price of Florida realestate. Many would be RV snowbirds are opting to purchase a second home as a winter residence and RV in the summer.

I did just that.

The selling prices of foreclosed homes down here are just UNBELIEVABLE!

3/2 house on 1-3/4 acre, with RV port/dedicated 30 amp panel....will cost me less than half of what it cost me last year to stay at a CG for the winter.....and that includes the yearly taxes on the place!
And I am meeting a ton of RV neighbors in this area that have done the same thing.

Ahhhhh, no more writing a check to a CG for inflated prices on electric on top of my site fee.....my Christmas present to 'me' this year! :C

Where are you located in Florida, that the price of the above "will cost you less than half of what it cost you last year to stay at a CG for the winter?" Happen to have any pictures of the place too?

the party is over down here regarding the foreclosures. Inventory down and prices on the way up. You can still find them though, albiet even the ones I looked at last year have been relisted at about 20,000 more.

Instead of being so dead fast dedicated to full timing, I should have bought 4 or 5 of them at that time and rented them out. I 'would' have been set for life.

Words here on the forum can just not explain the houses in foreclosure here and what they sold for. I'm talking brand new houses worth (and not the inflated prices) $300,000 houses going for $80,000. These are solid block homes on oversized to 1 ac lots in 'good' neighborhoods and most had inground pools. It was just a riot going around looking at them all.

I bought one last year that I thought I would absolutely retire on.
5 ac 2,800 sq ft block house. 1,200 sq foot shop. 800 square foot new 2 story in-law. All had brand new metal roofs. AND All on the waterfront with dock and boat launch......for 79,900!!

Check this website out. This is where I found most of them. There is a 'first look' time period where only "owner occuppied" can bid on them. Investors are not allowed to bid during this time. Allowing us peons to have a chance!

CASH offers talk. My offers where always 20 to 30 thousand under the asking and I got 98% of them. I changed my mind on a lot of them when I would find an even better one!!

http://www.homepath.com/listing/search?q=Floridaπ=50000&pa=150000&bdi=&bhi=&x=36&y=16
This represents 50 to 100M listings. you can go back and fine tune the city you want to look at.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Another factor that hasn't been touched on is the more than reasonable price of Florida realestate. Many would be RV snowbirds are opting to purchase a second home as a winter residence and RV in the summer.

I did just that.

The selling prices of foreclosed homes down here are just UNBELIEVABLE!

3/2 house on 1-3/4 acre, with RV port/dedicated 30 amp panel....will cost me less than half of what it cost me last year to stay at a CG for the winter.....and that includes the yearly taxes on the place!
And I am meeting a ton of RV neighbors in this area that have done the same thing.

Ahhhhh, no more writing a check to a CG for inflated prices on electric on top of my site fee.....my Christmas present to 'me' this year! :C

Where are you located in Florida, that the price of the above "will cost you less than half of what it cost you last year to stay at a CG for the winter?" Happen to have any pictures of the place too?

Myree67 wrote:

Skid Row Joe wrote:

pawatt wrote:
Seems to me in Texas the snowbird crowd is ageing, most are over 70 and many over 80. Every year more are too sick or old to make the trip and many have passed on. There are very few younger snowbirds replacing them, seems anytime someone new under 65 comes in it is a rarity. Nearly all parks have many vacancies when 10 years ago it was advisable to have reservations if you wanted a spot for the winter.

Your Observations ???

Every year, the snowbirds look younger to me.

IDK we're just in the early stages of trying to start snowbirding and we're in our mid to late 40's. We're just waiting for my husband to get his retirement and then we are getting a fifth wheel and truck, selling our home and chasing the sun! We're so excited to have the opportunity to be able to do this at such a young age!

When I started RVing I was in my mid-30s. ALL the snowbirds were older than me. Now that I'm in my 60s, there's less that look older to me.