Wintering in Florida

“It’s blowing a gale in Bristol right now!” said my friend on the phone.

“Well, I’m sorry to have to tell you that it’s another wonderful, sunny and warm day here in paradise!” I replied.

It was November and my wife Jean and I had recently arrived to spend our fourth Winter in Florida - our 'second home' away from the grey skies and cold, wet days of England. For the next few months we will be waking to sunny blue skies and enjoying the warm days that Florida, USA, calls 'winter'.

We have achieved the 'Florida Dream' that we set out in search of 12 years ago when we first bought our holiday home in the Orlando area in September of 1989. Back then we were still working but we thought 'wouldn't it be wonderful if we could split our retirement years between Florida in the Winter and England in the Summer!'.

Well, now we do - and its GREAT!

Like many British couples who have bought holiday homes in the various areas of beautiful state of Florida over the last decade, we get to enjoy 'short-sleeve Winters' and, if the English Summer is also kind to us, we might even get to wear short sleeves year-round?

As I am writing this it is mid-November. I am sitting in shorts and T-shirt by the pool in the sunshine of another glorious day and the temperature will be in the mid 70's by late afternoon. It will be like this almost all the time until we leave next Easter. Not too hot and not too cold - very comfortable in fact!

But we are not 'on holiday' (nor 'on vacation' as they say). We are simply 'wintering' here. We are 'snowbirds' (as they call us) and Florida has many thousands of them who visit every year. We 'flock' to the warmth from the frozen northern states of America, from Canada, from Britain and, increasingly also, from European countries. We try to live a normal existence, 'just like the locals', except we don’t go to work or to school as our American neighbours do. Instead, we just have a laid-back lifestyle!

So how do we spend our weeks and months in the sun? Don’t we ever get bored? 'Well, er, no!'. There is alway so much to do in this vibrant place - its usually a question of finding enough time to do everything that's on offer!

For a start we are not 'tourists' spending a week or two here and having to cram everything into 14 days. So we can pace ourselves. Yes, its lovely to lay out in the sun by the pool with the fountain splashing in the background and have a cooling dip in the afternoon. But we couldn't just do that all day, every day. Our boredom threshold would very soon kick-in!

Many British retirees play golf on the many challenging courses available in the area. Others go fishing on the beautful lakes which boast championship bass to catch. Jean and I don’t play golf (or fish) so we tinker in the garden planting colourful tropical trees, bushes and flowers and watch them grow as we visit each year.

We also get involved in local events and find that many of the best things to do in Florida are 'free' (or very cheap). We enjoy the 'natural attractions' of the state parks, the rivers, the natural springs and beautiful beaches. Open air concerts are often held in the local parks in Kissimmee and Orlando City. We also visit local art shows and craft fairs, held on the streets of beautiful small towns such as Winter Park, Mount Dora and Celebration, which are always an interesting experience - and the sunshine helps too. So we can enjoy ourselves without spending lots of money! We allow ourselves the luxury of a good meal out once a week - otherwise we cook and eat at home, usually from our gas barbecue on the pool deck and often with friends visiting.

As I write this feature we are actually just a 12 minute drive to Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom - the World’s number 1 tourist destination. At this this very moment there will be many thousands of excited people (of all ages) there, all thrilled to be enjoying their 'holiday of a lifetime'.

How I remember the first time we ever took our kids to Disney in the early 80's. A truly magical place! So do we go there? Well of course we do but not all the time - nor even each time we visit.

We like to go just occasionally to keep up with whatever the latest development is in the four theme parks which comprise DisneyWorld. But, more often than not, we simply go into the resorts areas of an evening to stroll around their beautiful hotels and lakes. This gives us our walking excercise - and its free - and a pleasant experience too!

Similarly we are only 15 minutes from SeaWorld for which we have an annual passport and we use it as our 'local park'. We go for a walk around, see the fantastic 'Shamu the Killer Whale' shows (and get a complimentary Budweiser beer) and enjoy the beautiful gardens there whenever we wish.

Sometimes Jean and I have to pinch ourselves, parfticularly as we drive through the Disney area to reach other parts of Orlando, that here we are - the place where millions of people from around the World would just love to be right now - yet we can get so blase about it all!

Of course, there is a lot more to see in Florida than just the 'attractions area' and it is this which prevents the boredom setting in for us. Florida is, after all, about the same size as England, and so there are many different areas to discover. We particularly like Fort Myers Beach, near Naples on the Gulf Coast, a beautiful palm-fringed white sand beach with walk-in warm seas even in winter.

Another wonderful region is the Florida Keys, a pearl-like string of islands stretching from south of Miami down towards Cuba. To drive for miles surrounded by beautiful deep blue waters on both sides of the road bridge is an amazing experience. We also like Sarasota for its culture and Anna Maria Island for its beaches and 'old style Florida' feel. Historic St. Augustine is another favourite - but we like to stay for a weekend to explore it more deeply than just what day-trippers get to see.

Our Orlando base is also a very useful centre for 'jumping-off' to other parts of the USA. From its very extensive International airport, just 15 minutes drive from our winter home, we can fly from Florida across America to California in just a morning - to visit our lovely grandchildren who live there in beautiful Santa Barbara by the Pacific Ocean. We have also been able to visit friends in Texas and also spent a few days 'vacationing' in Las Vegas.

So how achieveable (and affordable) is it to 'Winter in Florida' as we do ? Well, property here is very affordable compared with the spiralling costs of UK homes. You get an awful lot of house for the money - even more than in Spain! For the price of an indifferent terrace house or semi in suburban London, here you can buy a beautiful, luxurious three bedroom home with pool, furnished and equipped to a high standard. In the Central Florida region around Orlando, for instance, $150,000 to $200,000 would give you plenty of choice.

With the weakness of the US dollar against the Pound in recent times this means that from, say, £93,000 upwards at present rates of exchange, you can afford your very own piece of the 'Florida Dream'. US and UK mortgages are available with downpayments typically being from 25%-35% depending on status (say from £23,500). Repayments are usually over a 30 year term (no matter how old you are) and current US interest rates are at an all time low!

If you prefer something even more affordable, then you could consider an elegant townhouse property in a resort community with a community pool, 'Tikki Bar' fitness centre and clubhouse facilities from only $135,000 (i.e. £87,000 at present exchange rates.)

Some UK retirees are opting to exchange their 'going nowhere' pension plans for something which will provide them with a degree of 'enjoyment now' and a financial return later. Many are choosing to re-invest their nest-eggs in Florida property allowing them to have the benefits of their investment now, in their active retirement years, and the capital appreciation over future years.

Even stock-market investors, depressed by the state of falling market values in recent months, have bought into Florida real estate as a way of conserving and enhancing their capital growth. A lot of US investors are doing this too!

Alternatively, lots of '50 something' Brits are looking to downsize their homes now that they are 'empty nesters' (i.e. their chicks have flown) to a smaller home, just for themselves, and use the surplus equity to afford themselves a second home in Florida!

There are currently no exchange controls between the UK and USA so money can be freely moved back and forth between the two countries without any restrictions or penalties.

What does it cost to be here in Florida compared with 'being home' in England? Well, some things are cheaper - others are more expensive. I am not one of those who will tell you 'oh, everything is so cheap in Florida!' It isn’t ! We don’t have to pay for the central heating back home while we are here, nor keep filling our car up at forty quid a tankful. Yes, gas (petrol) IS very cheap compared with back home - currently about $1.40 (about 90p) per gallon. Some other things such as certain food items and groceries are more expensive here than at Tesco. However, on balance, it works out well and is very worthwhile when we factor in the better weather, our better health and our better lifestyle here. Jean and I both feel and look much younger, and far healthier, while we are in the Florida sunshine!

At present a full retirement to Florida is not possible under current US Immigration Law. However, it is possible to spend up to six months per year in the USA, in either two 90 day 'bites' without any Visa being required or, with the appropriate B2 Visa, in a complete session of up to 180 days in any one year, before returning to our primary home in the UK. In any case, we wouldn’t want to spend all of our year in Florida. It gets far too hot and sticky for us here in the sub-tropical Summers!

If you wanted to winter in Florida and then let your US home during the Summer and Autumn months, which are the most popular times with British family visitors to Florida due to the school holidays, then this is quite feasable and the rental income would help to underwrite some of your property expenses!

As you can tell, we are very happy to be 'semi-retired' to Florida but able to return to our family, Jean’s lovely English garden and the beauty of Britain when another Summer calls!

Some years ago Jean and I set up a support service for people with the same aspirations as us, seeking information and assistance on property in Florida. We have built up a network of Licensed Real Estate Brokers from Central Florida across to the north Gulf Coast and down to Sarasota and Naples in the south to help our enquirers. We can therefore help anyone interested in looking into the possibilities of acquiring their own Florida property from own experience (sometimes expensively won) and the professional services of our real estate associates.

If you would like more information just contact us:

E-mail us Now at FlaBritsCl@aol.com
Don't forget your postal address and telephone number

Florida Brits Group
3 Cyprus Grove
Haxby, York
YO32 3ZS

Phone: 01904 760467

FlaBritsCl@aol.com