Florida for a while

Old Sep 29th, 2016, 04:11 PM
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Florida for a while

I am interested in staying in Florida, near the coast for 2 months without spending an arm and a leg for rent. What are my options. I have two small dogs who travel with me. I am a senior. Last place we stayed cost 1000k for one week. too much. It was a small condo with a pool right on the bay at Lido Key near Sarasota. Any6 suggestions?
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 04:49 PM
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What time of year and which two months? Are you open to either coast?
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 05:18 PM
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sorry we would stay early feb in march , about 6 weeks, have never stayed on east coast, but would consider
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 05:20 PM
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i meant into early march
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 06:04 PM
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How much in dollars is "an arm and a leg"? All you've told us is $1,000/week is too much. How much are you willing to spend?

Define what you mean by "near the coast". Do you have to be on or near the water?

Are you willing to be further inland?
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 07:22 PM
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What are your options and assuming you want some real help with this?

Consider coming down here when all the other snowbirds are gone. You have not said when you were here before or if the time of year is of major importance.

You already know you are greatly limiting yourself to pets-allowed properties.

You say you would "consider" the east coast. Under exactly what circumstances.

You need to be a lot more specific than you have been if you expect any reasonable advice IMO.
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 08:13 PM
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ok. I try to provide more info.
We stayed at Sanibel and Lido Key for 5 years.
If we stay for a month, I would be ok spending 2K-3K tops.
We go from early Feb to mid march and like to see a spring training game or two.East coast would be ok if we could save some money by staying there and does not have to be right on the coast.
Our main goal is to get a break from the brutal winter weather in PA.
I am looking at all options so that we can afford to stay longer.
I would do a studio condo, a motel, hotel, and someone told me to try a campsite with cottages.
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Old Sep 29th, 2016, 08:38 PM
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I think your best strategy is to pore over VRBO listings in the slightly less glamorous places: Ft. Myers, not Naples; Bradenton, not Sarasota; Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor in the Tampa Bay area. Actually, Tampa Bay in general will provide better value than, say, Sarasota. Clearwater is a big community with a lot of development, high to low and everything in between. Filter for pet-friendly, of course.

February and March are high season, so not the best time of year for bargains, but it is what it is.

The good news is that Florida is a big state with a LOT of coastline and a LOT of tourist-friendly development. Unless you get lucky and someone here recommends a specific property--and this could happen--it will take a lot of digging, but you will be able to find something in your price range, I'm certain.

(Would you be open to the center of the state??)
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Old Sep 30th, 2016, 04:48 AM
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not so much but maybe, like a nice little resort
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Old Sep 30th, 2016, 05:02 AM
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The problem you'll run into is that you're looking for a two-month reasonably priced rental at a time when most owners are looking for renters who want a minimum of three months. My guess is that the place you stayed at before, for $1K/wk, was doing weekly rentals and charging accordingly. I think the dogs might be another problem, but I suppose you'll find some owner who's a dog lover and is willing to take a large damage deposit in exchange for housing the dogs.

I agree with the advice above: Try VRBO, using the filters you mentioned. Also, put out an email to realtors in the areas you're interested in and see if they have anything available.
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Old Sep 30th, 2016, 05:55 AM
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I also like the idea of trying the Tampa Bay area. There should be a good bit of choice, particularly if you are not wedded to staying right on the Gulf (as you are not).
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Old Sep 30th, 2016, 06:15 AM
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$1000 a week on Lido Key, waterfront with a pool is not bad.

In addition to the issues that Vincenzo mentioned, you want to rent for a non- standard period, 6 weeks rather than 4. Everybody likes a rental that starts on the 1st and ends on the 30th, and you want to do something different.

VRBO is your friend, though you might wind up doing a month in a VRBO and a couple of weeks at a weekly rate. If I had to do that, I would try to do the weeks somewhere else, just to get familiar with a different part of Florida.

I lived in Tampa twice, for a total of five winters. It is a nice city, but we had frosts and freezes every winter. Not weeks of bone chilling misery, but not beach weather by a long shot.
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Old Oct 1st, 2016, 07:57 AM
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Good point. We once talked a VRBO owner into accepting us and our cats by offering a big refundable deposit--and we got it back because we left no damage. So if you find a place that looks good that says it doesn't accept pets, do try to negotiate.
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