Quebec snowbirds: less golf and restaurants this winter

Many Quebec snowbirds, who will be heading to Florida in the coming days, will have to tighten their belts this winter due to significant increases in condo fees and insurance combined with the weakness of the Canadian dollar.

“Before, it was fun to go to Florida, but here, we look at the money,” explains François Bourque, who lives in the Somerset complex comprising 600 condos.

Since the pandemic, the condo fees for his building have doubled, from $225 to $450 US per month, in particular due to the marked increase in the cost of insurance.

“The last year has been very difficult,” says the 61-year-old.

An opinion shared by a resident of the complex which is very popular with Quebecers, Hawaiian Gardens, which is located a few blocks away.

“There are some who will have difficulty following the parade,” underlines Rock Côté.

Its condo fees will increase from $477 to $650 US per month this year due to the new reserve fund that must be put in place in all condo buildings in Florida as of January 1^is January 2025.

And to this reality we must add the exchange rate, which is a brake on several levels, even for those with deeper pockets. Currently, Quebecers must pay more than $1,400 to obtain US$1,000.

“It hurts because all the monthly fees are in American money,” confirms Mr. Bourque. For example, those who rent their condo have to lower their price by $400 or $500 per month in order to find a buyer, whereas we had a waiting list of 20 people not so long ago.”

This is one factor in the significant decline in condo sales at Hawaiian Gardens.

“There were only seven sales in 2023-2024, while we had more than twenty per year even during the pandemic. The 40% hurts Quebecers because it inflates the price a lot.”

Sacrifices in sight

Snowbirds to whom The Journal spoke in the last days do not hide to say that the entertainment aspect of their stay will be cut.

“Last year, I went to the restaurant twice a week, but I am going to reduce it to once,” explains Mr. Bourque. Instead of playing golf three times a week, I’ll go twice.

“For groceries, I look for low-cost places like Presto. I’ve never done this before.”

Same story with Rock Côté.

“This year, it’s going to be quieter for the restaurants,” says the retiree. For golf, I plan to play once a week instead of several games a week.

Sell ​​at the right time

Several Quebecers have also decided to sell their property in the Sunshine State in the past year, mainly due to the economic situation.

“I decided to sell because the costs had gone up and I was a little tired of having this responsibility,” says Sylvain Robert, a retired entrepreneur from Rouyn-Noranda.

He estimates that various fixed expenses, including condo fees and property taxes, have tripled since he purchased his seaside condo in 2010.

“Taxes have increased significantly in Florida in recent years,” he adds.

In addition to the increase in various fees, several snowbirds wanted to ensure they maximized their profit in their transaction, while the value of properties would have fallen by 25% over the last year, according to real estate agent André Lauzier.

If they made a significant profit, it was because they had acquired a condo in a favorable Florida market and the Canadian dollar was looking much better.