Cost of Living in Florida–Snowbirds have Second Thoughts

Orlando Sentinel–
…the life of a snowbird, formally known as a seasonal resident, and Florida is their top destination.

Each winter, hundreds of thousands of retirees leave their
Northern homes and flock to Florida. An estimated 818,000 people age 55
or older came into the state for the peak of the 2005 winter season,
according to a University of Florida study.

And many of Florida’s snowbirds are making the move permanent.

Others can’t afford to live here anymore, said Gerry Brissenden,
president of the Canadian Snowbird Association. Rising property taxes
and homeowner-insurance premiums are squeezing some retirees out of the
state.

“A lot of Canadians . . . are selling their properties and looking
to Texas and Arizona as other places to go,” Brissenden said. “If you
own property down here, you certainly want to insure it. When you can’t
insure it, you look and say, ‘Do I want to be here?’ “