More and more Snowbirds are leaving or thinking about leaving Florida due to the very high cost of living. The Journal went to Florida to meet Quebecers and see their dismay.
HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA | Doubled condo fees are encouraging Quebec snowbirds to sell their properties, which is also a reality for Americans, especially seniors caught in the throat by rising costs.
André Lauzier has been in real estate for 25 years now in Florida.
He reports that around twenty new registrations have been recorded in the last three weeks, confirming that there is a real increase in sales, mainly by Quebecers.
“I have two more [inscriptions] today, but I have also sold three since last week,” he indicated during the passage of the Journal in its offices in Hollywood this Wednesday.
Stunned owners
With his experience, Mr. Lauzier, who lived through the pandemic and the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, is difficult to destabilize.
However, he admits that the various fees paid for the maintenance of the buildings, including the contingency fund, have “changed the game».
“The world is getting hit with everything at once. The guy who bought 20-25 years ago, he’s used to paying $300 per month, if it goes up to $800 with the exchange rate, it’s certain that it plays a role,” mentions the associate agent at Coldwell Banker Realty.
He says he is very surprised to see the government move forward with these new rules which can be cruel for Florida’s elderly.
-Just this week, Mr. Lauzier sold a condo that belonged to an 80-year-old American who couldn’t afford the increases.
“The man had been staying at this place for a long time, but the fees doubled and he decided to sell. It’s beyond me, I can’t believe we’ve gotten to this point,” he confides.
Photo Louis Deschenes
Buyer’s market
Even so, the Florida market is still very attractive for those who want to escape winter.
This is true for snowbirds from Quebec and Canada, but even more so for investors from the United States who do not have to worry about the exchange rate.
“It’s an excellent time to buy,” says André Lauzier, without preaching for his parish.
“In real estate, there is a rule: you buy when everyone is selling and you sell when everyone is buying.”
