Snow Bird Lifestyle at it's Best...Arizona!

Living Room

Honestly, after all these years I feel like a native here in Tucson while I know I am a native Oregonian.  Oregon is full of family and a neighborhood that is close and supportive. Arizona winters are all about another set of friends, golf and restoring old houses. (We are only on our 2nd house so that is something new. We live in them so the restoration fills our days.) When we're here, we miss there and when we're there, we miss here..

The home we own in Arizona is bigger (4 bedrooms) than the one we own in Oregon for a reason. Now we can actually have family visit and everyone can have their own space. They live near us in Oregon. It is turning out to be perfect.

Our home is located on the 5th green at a golf course called Rolling Hills. It is a beautiful Santa Fe style home that is 50 years old. We are cleaning up the yard and the interior. We still need to replace bathroom sinks but they function. It is not perfect but it works beautifully.

Family Room

So the question that is in my mind now is 'Should we make the Arizona home a summer Airbnb? The idea seems so appealing to me. Should we set up that process? May, June and September are wonderful hot summer months with cheap golfing on world class courses. What do you think?

Do you know anything about how that works? I want to hear from you...links, personal thoughts, etc. 

Thank you for listening...it is just a thought! Have a beautiful day!

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What does a snowbird's life LOOK like?

I know, it all sounds so wonderful...retirement, travel and maybe even a second home in Arizona or Florida. But don't you really having a hard time visualizing the life? If you have a great deal of money, it will look one way. If you don't, it will look another.

Our Tucson Arizona home...a park model on the corner!

Then there are those of us that live like we want to live. We probably even make choices that are less costly than they need to be but just fit our personalities. I thought maybe today I would give you a little glimpse into a very simple lifestyle. That is the one we live.

If you have any questions, just leave a comment! I you chose this lifestyle, how would you want to live?

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Our park model front porch after dark.

Flower Garden in front of our park model.

A special treat...golf at the Tubac Resort

The historic Presidio District near downtown Tucson

Outdoor plaza in the Presidio District

Just because!

Golfing with friends

My hand-me-down table and chairs...spray painted

Bocce Ball Tournament 

Taken on Arizona National Golf Course

Sightseeing in Tubac

Yes, it does snow and rain in Tucson Arizona

Rodeo Week Dance at the Elk's Club

Pink Martini concert, the Tucson Symphony

Our RV resort pool

How hot was it in Tucson Arizona this summer?

If you think it doesn't get hot in the desert I've got some information for you. Here is a picture of a poinsettia that survived the summer with our sprinkler system on. It looks like something that Charlie Brown would have or maybe the Adams family. I don't have any idea how. Above it you can see the picture of the thermometer that hung in the sun this summer. 

Blogging with my phone:

This is the most unhandy thing I have ever done. Blogging with my phone is not a good way to get things done. I am still waiting for Cox Communication to install our Internet. I'm not sure if it was their fault or if it was mine but whatever the case may be this Techie is not happy.

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be back doing what I love to do, maybe.

Hang in there with me please.

Travel Arizona: Biosphere 2

Young students study in a lab designed for just this purpose.

I never grow tired of going to Biosphere 2. I am always a little at a loss for words when I talk about it. Wikipedia says it is "the size of two and a half football fields, [and] it remains the largest closed system created. The glass facility is elevated 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above sea level at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, half an hour [north of] Tucson."  The physical description however cannot hint at the beauty of this man made creation or the wonder of the things that live and grow within. 

Biosphere 1 is our planet of course. Inside the Biosphere 2 some of the most common features of the Biosphere 1 are recreated. We were guided through a rainforest, past an ocean into a savannah and desert. We saw the interior mechanical parts that help run the recreation of earth and were allowed to see the place where the original Biospherians lived sealed in the structure for 3 years in the mid-eighties.

A young child walking  behind me was in wonder and told their father what fun it would be to be a "real" scientist and be able to go way into the forest or nearer the ocean and be able to see all of the things behind those closed doors. I could just feel how that might be.

I love that place.

Researchers were working in the "rainforest"

Cactus in bloom in the "ocean" desert.

The "lungs" of the Biosphere II looks very like a spaceship.
This apparatus controlled the air pressure inside the Biosphere

The panorama of the location shows the Catalina Mountains and the desert.

The interior reveals a miracle structure.

Related articles

• Biosphere 2 debuts 'living lab' showing sea life
• Earth Under Glass: How John Allen Created Biosphere 2 - The World's Largest Environmental Experiment
• Biosphere 2 Science Academy - July 2014

Retirement and Aging: You Might be a Snowbird if......!

Snowbird Lifestyle:
Celebrating my husband's 76th birthday in Mexico!

Jeff Foxworthy is a very funny guy. His "You Might Be a Redneck If..." routines are hilarious. I know I might be a redneck sometimes and I know that because I have watched his routines. That is where this blog is coming from today. Thank you Mr. Foxworthy for making me think. 

Snowbird season is in full swing right now here in Tucson, Arizona. Our RV resort is filled to the brim with people ages 55-90+. Most everyone will be gone within a month but for now the landing area for people escaping the snow is very busy.

I was watching our Bocce Ball tournament yesterday and it occurred to me that we snowbirds are an odd breed. We are not old and yet we are not young. When we enter the gates of the park, our ages change in subtle ways. We learn lessons, sometimes the hard way, that people are often not what they seem and living near those people can be wonderfully strange. Personally, I love everyday I am here.

If you don't respect people that are older than you or don't have as much education or are even a bit quirky, please don't come here. Entrance into our world makes everyone equal. You will not be happy when you find that people you had thought odd or old will beat you at Bocce or cards. If you are annoyed by people acting silly and that don't take games seriously, you won't like it here.

In the end you will be a very jealous of the lobster fishermen. In fact, people that love a simple life come from every occupation and area in the world. You will be very surprised! After you retire and you don't have a "job" or "salary" to define yourself, you are going to find out who you really are.

You might want to be a snowbird if....

1. You love to meet new people.
2. You are a lifelong learner.
3. Adventure is part of your life.
4. Judgement of a different culture is not part of your nature.
5. You respect people that do not share your lifestyle.
6. You love to play tennis, hike, play pickle ball, bocce or cards.
7. You need or want to live a frugal yet full life.
8. You have always dreamed of sunny days in the winter.
9. Travel is in your blood.
10. You are not afraid of new things or places.
11. You expect to live a very long time and live your life so that you can enjoy it.

Granddaughters very exciting visit to the car wash!

We do poke fun at ourselves. As Jeff Foxworthy would say "You might be a snowbird if..."

1. Changes in the weather tells you when to fly south.
2. You discover that you can live in less than 400 square feet.and have everything you need but have a 4 bedroom house waiting in the north.
3. You get beat at Bocce by someone 80+ and you are not surprised.
4. You forget that it is Monday.
5. Fishfry becomes a part of your weekly routine.
6. The whole day can revolve around a dance or a chili feed.
7. You have friends from around the world that come back to your landing area just to see you.
8. For the first time in your life all the young people back home want to live like you.
9. You wear your pajamas to visit in the street.
10. You eat dinner at 4 pm and have breakfast right before you go to bed.
11. You lay your pajamas out on the end of the bed at 5 so you can get to bed faster.
12. Happy Hour is VERY important.
13. You walk around in circles in the park and call it exercise.
14. The high point of your day is adding 5 pieces to the park jigsaw puzzle.
15. You show up at least an hour early for every event so you can get "your spot" in the room.
16. The people around you know all of your stories...sigh!



Jack is over 90 and the best Bocce player I have ever seen.

17. When it is time to go home, you don't want to leave because it is not nearly as much fun back there.

I would love to see you here in Rincon Country East RV Resort in Tucson AZ. Look me up. I live in Space #74.

You will recognize the place...I am the one with the beautiful flowers! My name is Barbara.

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The Saguaro Cactus is gone...it tipped over
in a summer storm several years ago.

 Older post from 2010, How to be a snowbird!

Pros and Cons for Snowbird RV Resort Living: When buying is still renting!

We own a park model in an RV resort. If you aren't aware, a park model is a cross between a trailer house and a RV. It is still movable and when we look under, the axles and wheel are resting on the ground. In the world of state law in Arizona the Park Model is classified as an RV. But on the outside it looks like a small trailer. We paid a registration fee when we purchased the unit and pay property tax on the park model each year.

The cost of owning something like we have, for example, can be pretty daunting. While we did not pay very much for the unit, rent on property where we park our small park model came to $4400+ this year. This fee is due annually in a lump sum. And the rent has gone up considerably since we bought a few years ago. Last year it was $4200+. We also pay an extra monthly fees to the park for electricity and water for the washer/dryer.

Apartment Therapy posted an article recently titled Life Lessons: Smart Tips for Determining the Rent you Can Really Afford. It caught my interest because many of the owners of park models in our park have come to the realization that they cannot afford to own here in the park anymore. We have a lot of For Sale signs in windows now. What I hear people who are selling say is that they could afford to buy the park models but the RENT for the land is pushing them out of this life style.  In fact, when they do the math, they realize they can rent for the period of time they want to be here, save money and be free to go other places.  So how much can you afford to pay to rent land for a Park Model you own? Or do you even want to do that?

My Park Model Interior

Photo of Pickle Ball courts for our RV resort advertisement

According to ApartmentTherapy, the financial rule of thumb for renting a primary residence is 30 percent of your pretaxed income. I am not sure I know how much of your worth you feel comfortable setting aside for a second home but I know it cannot be 30%, not if you are also making payments on a home in another part of the country. In many ways owning a park model is like owning land in that you must maintain the location year round and you are committed to paying the rent for the land. So I am going to apply the information available for real estate home ownership. Smart Money says that your total debt (including the second home) should not exceed 36% of your pretaxed income. By the time you reach the age when you begin to think about a snowbird nest, you may not think that 36% is low enough. We all know it is about your comfort zone.

Doing the math when you consider this kind of a investment is important. But I believe you should also think about emotional and aesthetic considerations. You need to vet your decision based on what will keep you active and involved. Cheap is not always good but even spending a great deal of money on a place you are tied to will not guarantee your happiness. Always keep in mind what you want, what you can tolerate and how easy it will be to exit your decision. Getting in is very easy...getting out is another thing totally.

Here is a list of things you need to think about when buying a park model that sits on rented land. Information and laws can vary from area to area. I live in Arizona:

1. There is no rent control. With proper notice the park owner can raise or lower your rent.  You will have to pay rent or move your park model following proper procedure. 
2. Moving park models can be expensive. (info here)
3. If you do decide to move the park model, you probably will need to give the park owner notice much like you would if you had a lease on an apartment.
4. Management of the park you live in is not under your control. They can make your time wonderful or a nightmare. You need to think of the owners/manager of the park the same way you would think about a neighbor. They have that much influence on your life. Talk to residents about the their behavior and management style. This is a proprietary type of business and the owners make changes on a whim. 
5. Our owner maintains the common areas of the park. We do not get a say in park's appearance.  Even though we are responsible for our rental space, the owners in our park can tell us what we can and cannot do with the park model we own.  For example, if we want to add a porch or an Arizona room, the owner has the power to allow or not allow this. They can even tell us what color we can paint the exterior.  It is very like living in a community with CC@Rs. Those regulations appear in the rules and regulations of the park. We were bound to those when we signed our rental agreement.
6. Most activities (at least in this park) are run by volunteers and will not be available without organizers. On the plus side, if you are interested in an activity, can get approval for it and want to do the organizing, you can call the shoots.
7.  Our owner provides facilities for recreation (at their discretion). Currently we have bocce courts, shuffle board courts, horse shoe pits, a net for golf practice, a pool, rooms for ceramics, metal craft, lapidary, quilting and two pickle ball courts.  Our tennis courts have not been usable this winter (fence and carpet removed). Those people that played every day probably moved here because that activity was possible. I suppose they thought that it was implied that the tennis court would always be there. Not having it available changed their life this winter. Since we purchased, we have seen the croquet area replaced with a pickle ball court. You need to realize that what you see may not always be what you get. 
8. While the owners must provide sewer, water and electricity, I cannot find a place that specifies that they must maintain the recreational facilities. You need to read the rule/regulations and see what is promised. Read more: Arizona Laws for RV Parks | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6301949_arizona-laws-rv-parks.html#ixzz2OPKRipun
9. Even park models need to be maintained...a worn out furnace, water heater or air conditioner can be very expensive.
10. You may be allowed to sublet your park model but the park owners can charge a "guest fee".  In the past we have paid $10 per day up to $1000 per year. We have always paid from day 1 when we rented our park model out. I do not know what the guest fee is now. You need to check on that information if you are wanting to rent your park model for part of the year to cover costs. 
11. Remember that park models and RVs are a lot like cars. Depreciation takes it's toll and getting even a portion of your original investment back when you sell is probably not going to happen.  Go here for more information on resale value.
12. Finally, be aware that visiting grandchildren or family can be restricted from using facilities like the swimming pool. Ask about the park policies.

FYI: In the past the owners of our park restricted owners from selling their own park models.  The units for sale could be advertised on a bulletin board in the laundry room with a small sign. The sign had to be approved by the the office. Owners could also list with the park's broker.  Now we are told there is a law in Arizona that gives owners the right to sell their own units and display "For Sale" signs in the windows of their units (a no-no in the past). It was a big surprise for everyone. The lesson here is very evident:  if the rules and regulations are in conflict with the law, the law always wins.

Disclaimer:  I do NOT guarantee that the information I have collected here will apply in your situation.  Online searches are not the same as legal advice or even advice on real estate purchases.  Check the facts and be very careful.  Remember: It is YOUR money!

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More information:

Park Model page.

Arizona Laws for RV Parks
Charging a guest fee for visitors. Arizona Statute 33-1414, item 5.

• Snowbirds: Can I be a Snowbird if I'm Single?
• Snowbird: How do I find a place to rent?
• Living in an RV Full-Time: What You Need to Know
• How to Experience Retirement BEFORE You Retire!
• Life in the Winter Desert....Tucson, Arizona

Snowbirds: Can I be a Snowbird if I'm Single?

I always thought when my husband and I retired we would be “snowbirds”.  Unfortunately, he died in Sept 2011.  I don’t know if it’s realistic to contemplate “snowbirding” as a single person. 

Do you think you could do it if you were on your own?

Marlene

Dear Marlene,

This is our parkmodel. We plant the flowers in the front.

I do love it when I get such a thought provoking question from a reader.  This is a question that all of us that are living the snowbird life with a spouse or companion ask ourselves. Would we or could we do this if we were alone? For me the answer would be a resounding yes. 

As with all the choice we make in this life, it is entirely up to the individual. But it is very possible and in fact a wonderful idea. My husband and I live in an RV resort in Tucson AZ for 3-6 months of the year. We have a home in the Portland, Oregon metro area. 

The resort is home to spaces for recreational vehicles and park models that are parked semi-permanently. My husband and I own a very small park model...12 x 35 feet. We rent the space where we are parked. Before we bought our current winter home, we lived in an RV for the winter months.  We find that we love the small space and simplicity that this life style brings. I think that this is the perfect answer for a person that is a single. It allows for privacy but provides activities for socializing. 

View from my compter desk.

We enjoy the snowbirding in a RV resort because it gives us a consistency of good friends and built in opportunities for the endless activities. AND many of our neighbors are living alone. But, because we are all family when we are here, they have a wonderful support group. 

Most of the single individuals living here have chosen this location because they know someone. They have family close by...a child, niece or brother. Some are here because they have friends from home or a large group of people their region of the USA or Canada. There are many that were here with their spouse/partner and keep coming back after they passed away. And there are those that have come here as a single and have found a wonderful life. We have both men and women singles and even have a singles group that meets in the park.

Our dances are very like a the dynamic you would find with teens. The dance floor fills with singles and couples for a large percentage of the time. Line dancing is very popular and lessons are available. 

People gather to bead, carve, quilt, yoga, work with silver or crafts and they even have had a group that were writing their biography for their family.  We have a weekly jam session for musicians and cards of every imaginable variety are played from morning to night.  MahJong is a great favorite and the group is growing. We also have a couple of pool tables.

Pickle ball and bocci ball are great favorites. Everyone is welcome. These are not couples activities even though some couples do participate with their spouses. The mix of men and women of all ages is very social and comforting for us all.

Bocci Ball Court

The opportunities for volunteering in the park help people learn their way around and give them a chance to get to know people. The possibilities include everything from cooking for events to guiding RV's to their parking space. You can do as much or as little as you want.

If a person is an early riser, the coffee room is the place for them.  Hot coffee, the newspaper and quiet conversation fill the space as early as 5:30 a.m. (I am told).

If I were a single and trying to decide if this were possible, I would rent in a park for a month or so.  Then I would make a decision based on my experience. Having a contact like me in a park can help. But the people in the offices at parks like this are friendly and helpful. They are the information gatherers/givers.  Our social director is very helpful as are the volunteers that work in her office.

So, in the end, the single person's decision is based on preference for location and financial consideration. RV resorts usually include park models that is available for rent by the park owners or individuals.  The family that owns Rincon Country have both an Eastside and Westside location. The Eastside location is near Pantano Wash, 1 mile from a golf course, near a library and close to shopping and restaurants. That is where we are located. Several of the parks are out of town a ways and are very self contained.

So Marlene, I hope this is a help. Let me know about other questions. Thank you for the contact. A list of snowbird articles from Retire In Style Blog can be found here.

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Related articles

• Snowbird Lifestyle: Here and There
• Snowbirds return to winter lifestyle on Alabama Gulf Coast
• Life in the Winter Desert....Tucson, Arizona