A snowbird is a person who travels south for the winter months, while returning north when the weather is much better. For seniors who have retired, this is often what they will do. In doing this, they avoid having to deal with snow, ice and bitter cold temperature’s. For those who are just getting to this age, they may be wondering how this works. The good news is that it is fairly easy to do and there are a few tips that can make it easier.

Two Homes, Two States

Most of those who are at the age of retirement already own their home that they have. The good news is that half of the work is done for you when you decide to become a snowbird. Now that you know you want to travel south for the winter, consider where you want to invest in a home at. There are those who invest into timeshares and take the home during the winter months, while the other person may stay here during the summer months. Of course, this will only work if you work with someone who wants a summer vacation home. Another way to do this is to get a small apartment in the southern state for the winter that does not cost that much, but provides you with shelter while you down south for the winter.

You can utilize the winter home as a rental income during the summer, renting to those vacationers who may be looking for a rental home for a week or so, which does add more income to your finances. Other people prefer to rent a home during the winter months while they are down south. But, this can get expensive and for those who may be living on a fixed income, it may not be possible.

Tips To Make This Work

If you have your heart set on flying south for the winter and coming back north during the warmer months, the following tips can ensure that you get where you need to be before you get stuck by the bad weather:

• Leave your northern home before the winter season hits, which does mean staying on top of the weather
• Make sure you have someone that attends to both homes in your absence to avoid coming home to a mess and stress
• Make sure that you can stay south longer if the winter seems to drag on in your home state
• Ensure that you have a vehicle that is going to be able to make the trips back and forth if you plan on driving

For those who are serious about being a snowbird, they will want to make the proper arrangements to ensure that they feel at home in both areas. They will want to ensure that they feel safe in their new neighborhood and that they are not worried about their other home while away. Several seniors do become snowbirds, and they are healthier for it, since they are avoiding the bitter temperatures that accompany winter weather in the North.