HIGHLY RATED
),
off the sun and dust.
to winter vacations in Arizona, rent-
What's the worst part about own-
ing places anywhere from five days to
ing
a vacation home and being gone
a month. Connie was acquainted
for
a
long period? "Having to say
with Arizona, having lived in Tucson
goodbye
to our children and grand-
for four years as a youngster.
children
for
five months," Connie
Nearing retirement, they pur-
laments.
chased the Arizona properties. Since
Dr. Paul and Phyllis Schneider are
retiring five years ago, they now
pioneers
of the south Florida vacation
spend 2.5 days driving to Arizona,
home
scene,
having owned a two-
where they live from December
bedroom
condo
for almost 20 years
through April, playing golf three
overlooking
the
fourth green of the
times a week (they keep a second set
golf
course
in
the
Inverrary section of
of clubs there), visiting Native
Lauder
Hill.
Three
years ago, they
American art shows, taking side trips,
sold
their
Southfield
home of 27
and entertaining visitors from the
years and bought a condo in West
Detroit area, although most friends
Bloomfield, where Paul presides as
stay in hotels.
condo association president.
"Owning a vacation place in
His biggest problem in Florida is not
Scottsdale, along with our West
having
much of a say in the decisions of
Bloomfield condo, gives us double the
the
condo
board there. "The perma-
pleasure," Connie and Ivan agree.
nent
residents
on that board have con-
"But, of course, it's at double the cost
trol
over
the
`snow
birds' like us," he
... two mortgages, two sets of condo
fees and two sets of taxes.
But we love the place and
the entire concept."
The Shapiros say, "We
have no misgivings about
owning a vacation home.
It duplicates our expenses,
but we enjoy it and look
forward to it when winter
arrives here."
There's little opportuni-
ty for rental income
because the Fidlers and
Shapiros use the resi-
The Schneiders pack for their trip.
dences during the prime
winter time and there are
points out. "They even hold their
few visitors in the summer.
annual meeting in early December,
The Scottsdale residences are called
which is just before the winter residents
patio homes, made of stucco and wood
arrive. And we don't always agree with
within a walled community. Fees are
the decisions they make without us."
less than regular condos because the
A big advantage of long-time own-
owners are responsible for maintenance
ership
by the Schneiders, in their mid-
and repairs for everything inside their
dle
60s,
is that the Florida mortgage is
gate, including the tile roofs, walls, part
paid
off,
reducing those double-the-
of the lawns and garden, etc. "So we
cost expenses. Dr. Schneider retired
have to hire a gardener to cut the grass
recently after 40 years as an obstetri-
and take care of the rose bushes while
cian-gynecologist. And Phyllis' moth-
were gone," says Phyllis.
er, who lives nearby all year, serves as
Both couples pay a local man to
the unpaid inspector, checking the
inspect the properties once a week.
place weekly for insects and leaks.
He checks for insects and leaks and
When Dr. Schneider was still prac-
even flushes the toilets. "If anything is
ticing,
they used the condo only for
broken, he handles the repairs, either
the
December
holiday period, then
doing it himself or getting it done,"
rented it for the 90-day minimum for
says Ivan. "Whenever he calls us, I
$4,350 to help defray expenses.
know it's going to cost us something.
"Otherwise, a second home can
We also close the shutters and cover
really
be a burden," he says. "Now we
the furniture while we're gone to keep
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