Definition of "Snowbirds"

Don’t know what snowbirds mean?

It’s not birds made of snow. Snowbirds is a nickname given to Canadians and American people that live in the colder northern states, that, during the winter “migrate” – just like a bird – to the south and its warmer weather in order to run away from all the snow and oppressive cold.

So, whenever you hear someone talking about snowbirds, that person is referring to a demographic of people that sets a temporary residence in the south during the winter. Now, because it’s a somewhat expensive idea, those snowbirds are generally retirees, professionals that can work remotely and executives who work for companies with offices in the south. With that profile in mind, the states with the most snowbirds are New York with a huge lead, then Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and Massachusetts. When November comes, they leave those states and head down South to enjoy a warmer climate.

For real estate agents, this demographic of snowbirds usually mean someone interested in buying a second home, that’s going to be used for airbnb renting throughout the year and will host the snowbird family during the 3 winter months (or just part of those months).

Florida is the state where most snowbirds go to, and that’s not only because of its nice beaches and affordable house prices but also because many snowbirds take advantage of the fact that Florida has no state income tax, so they declare permanent residency in the Sunshine State and claim lower non-resident income taxes in their actual home states. Sometimes that also means citizens are allowed to vote on two different gubernatorial races; however it is considered fraud if you vote in the Presidential race in two different states; you are only allowed one vote.

Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas are also states snowbirds choose to make their winter nest. The kind of snowbirds that choose those usually have as their primary residence Vancouver, Washington, Colorado and other Midwestern states, and usually don’t spend the whole season, but get the end of the year break and travel down in an RV and stop at a Motorhome park. They consider other fellow snowbirds that always go to the same “snowbird friendly” park a “second family”.

Real Estate Agent tip:

Need to run away from the cold but have no idea where to go and how to do it? Find a real estate agent to point out the best migration route for your snowbird urge. They will help you fly towards safety!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Average number of business days an office space is being used. ...

The definition of an absentee owner is a property owner who does not reside on the property. An absentee can be an individual or a corporation with legal ownership over a property ...

Same as term capitalization rate: Also called cap rate or income yield. A useful way to compute the rate of return on a real estate investment. It equals the net operating income (NOI) for ...

Same as term spot zoning: Zoning a portion of land in a given area for different purposes than its surrounding functions. For example, a locality may decide to spot zone a vacant lot in a ...

The adjudication definition is a legal ruling or judgment used in the justice system when a case is settled or finalized. To define adjudication, we must look at the justice system and how ...

New cost less accumulated depreciation to date. ...

Loans that adhere to national guidelines by Fannie Mae, who buy the loans on the secondary market. Fannie Mae purchases mortgages to a certain dollar limit. Conforming loans typically ...

Lender's written statement and accounting for the remaining balance, date of maturity, and interest rate on a mortgage. The lender is certifying this information to the borrower or any ...

Expected market value of property if sold today. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions