The Snowbirds are Coming! (Fort Myers, Naples: foreclosed, big house, buying)

[hiknapster]

I was on the highway for only a short time, today, but there were a lot of snowbirds heading south. Once car even had Florida tags and clearly was from Fort Myers. Gang way! I think they are frantically trying to escape snowmageddon!

I really haven't seen any snowbirds on the road, this year. I guess they waited until the last minute. Surely, this will be good news.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I was on the highway for only a short time, today, but there were a lot of snowbirds heading south. Once car even had Florida tags and clearly was from Fort Myers. Gang way! I think they are frantically trying to escape snowmageddon!

I really haven't seen any snowbirds on the road, this year. I guess they waited until the last minute. Surely, this will be good news.

And, we are patiently awaiting for your arrival!!

How are you doing up there! We haven't chatted in a while!

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But not cuz I've been outside sunning my self! LOL

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Big House

And, we are patiently awaiting for your arrival!!

How are you doing up there! We haven't chatted in a while!

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But not cuz I've been outside sunning my self! LOL

I know. I got to get down there and soon. We've got to stick around and baby this business. We may not get down until the holidays at the end of the year, at this rate. ugh.

[coastal chic]

It does seem like the snow birds came late this year...but they're here now and I'm happy!

[RNLUV2TRVL]

So nice to read happy comments about the Snowbirds. Having lived in FT Myers and the Cape for 3 years it is very apparent how vital the Snowbirds are to the economy despite what people have to say about them!

[tmozer]

I left Sanibel Island around 11:45 and headed home via 41. I don't usually drive around the lunch hour, so maybe today was not unusual. Traffic was the worse I have encountered. However, compared to home (NJ) or even Business 17 in Myrtle Beach during rush hour, it was not that bad. Just slow.....

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by tmozer

I left Sanibel Island around 11:45 and headed home via 41. I don't usually drive around the lunch hour, so maybe today was not unusual. Traffic was the worse I have encountered. However, compared to home (NJ) or even Business 17 in Myrtle Beach during rush hour, it was not that bad. Just slow.....

During the boom it was crazy with traffic, especially in Naples, Estero and Bonita. It was still less traffic than Jersey and NYC, though. In fact, most of the northeast near cities.

However, the quality of the drivers was a huge problem. Remember, the demographic in swFlorida is very different than the northeast. And sometimes you are dealing with people that don't feel very well. I found a lot of them to be aggressive, not following road rules, but thinking everyone else was wrong. It sometimes - not always - comes with that age group. And there were a lot more of them than there were of other folks. Oh, and you get the mean red-necks into the mix and it could get ugly.

I think this blizzard is definitely working in swFlorida's favor. And they very well may remember this and make sure they come earlier next year.

[Kim in FL]

Umm...they've been here for months. The area hospitals and atest to that one.

[faithfulFrank]

There might be some who due to the economy have shortened their trip from the typical golden months of Jan-March to only two months...Feb-March.

I can totally understand the frustration of full time Floridians with the increased traffic, busier eateries, etc. It is important to remember that these folks add a lot to the economy, and may be future full time neighbors, buying that foreclosed house you've been hoping would sell......

Frank

[coastal chic]

Normally we see a bigger crowd in October that leave for Thanksgiving and come back in January. That October/ November crowd was practically nonexistent this year and I was afraid we would have a slow season. However, on Jan 2nd, they arrived!

I'll take the crowds and traffic for 4 months in exchange for the money they bring to our economy any day. I wish they'd stick around longer! It drives me crazy when I hear locals talking badly about them. I'm a FL native and I welcome them with open arms.