Honestly, it used to be so simple. You’d work thirty years in the cold, buy a condo in Hallandale or a villa in Sarasota, and spend six months a year wearing socks with sandals. For decades, the "Canadian Snowbird" was as much a part of the Florida landscape as the palm trees and the early-bird specials.
But things are changing fast.
Lately, there’s been a massive surge in the number of Canadian snowbirds sell Florida homes, and it’s not just because they’re getting tired of the humidity. We’re talking about a fundamental shift in how retirees look at the U.S. south. In fact, some real estate experts in hotspots like Cape Coral are seeing Canadian sellers outnumber buyers for the first time in recent memory.
If you’re wondering why your neighbor from Ontario just put a "For Sale" sign in their yard near Fort Myers, the answer isn’t just one thing. It’s a perfect storm of expensive eggs, soaring insurance, and a political vibe that’s gotten... well, a bit weird.
Why the Math Doesn't Add Up Anymore
Most people assume it’s all about the exchange rate. Sure, that’s a huge part of it. When the Canadian dollar—the "loonie"—is hovering around 72 cents U.S. (or lower), every single thing you buy south of the border effectively costs 30% more.
Imagine paying for a $20 lunch and realizing it actually cost you nearly $28 in your "home" money. Now apply that to property taxes, HOA fees, and groceries.
Take Cesidia Cedrone, a retiree from Ontario. She’d been wintering in Hallandale Beach since 2011. Last year, she and her husband finally called it quits. Why? Because the math broke. Between the weak dollar and the ballooning costs of just existing in Florida, they realized they could rent for two months and save a fortune compared to the headache of owning.
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The Insurance Nightmare
If the exchange rate is a headache, Florida’s insurance market is a full-blown migraine.
We aren't talking about a couple of hundred bucks. We’re talking about people seeing their premiums jump from $1,500 to $10,000 or more in just a few years. Following the devastation of hurricanes like Ian, Helene, and Milton, the insurance industry in Florida basically went into a tailspin.
- Average monthly premiums in Florida hit nearly $790 in 2025.
- Total annual costs for some homeowners are now topping $9,400 just for insurance.
- Carrier exits: Several private insurers have simply stopped writing policies in high-risk zones.
When you're a retiree on a fixed Canadian pension, and your "fun" house in the sun starts costing $20,000 a year just to keep the lights on and the insurance paid, the "fun" part disappears pretty quickly.
The Condo Crisis and Special Assessments
It’s not just the weather-related insurance. If you own a condo in Florida, you’ve likely heard of the new regulations following the Surfside collapse. These laws are no joke. They require older buildings to undergo strict inspections and—this is the kicker—fully fund their reserve accounts.
In the old days, condo boards would just kick the can down the road. "We’ll fix the roof in ten years," they’d say. Not anymore.
Now, associations are hitting owners with "special assessments." We’ve seen cases where individual unit owners are told they owe $50,000 or even $100,000 upfront to cover structural repairs and reserve shortfalls. For a Canadian snowbird who only uses the place four months a year, that’s a dealbreaker.
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Inventory is piling up. In South Florida, the condo market is struggling because nobody wants to buy into a building that might drop a massive bill in their lap next Tuesday.
The "Feeling Unwelcome" Factor
This is the part that’s harder to put into a spreadsheet, but it’s real.
The political climate in the U.S. has shifted. With recent trade tensions, tariff threats, and heated rhetoric around the border, some Canadians are starting to feel like they aren't exactly the preferred guests anymore.
Paul and Gwen Edmond, a couple from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, recently decided to pack it in. They mentioned a "tension in the air" that wasn't there ten years ago. When you hear people making jokes about Canada being the "51st state" or telling you to "go back to where you came from" in your own RV park, the sunshine starts to feel a little colder.
A survey by Royal LePage found that over 50% of Canadians with U.S. property are thinking about selling, and a huge chunk of them cited the political and economic climate as the primary reason.
Where is the Money Going?
When Canadian snowbirds sell Florida homes, they aren't necessarily staying in the snow all winter. They’re just diversifying.
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- Mexico: It’s cheaper, the weather is more consistent, and the lifestyle is a lot less litigious.
- Portugal and Spain: These are the new darlings of the "digital nomad" and retiree sets. Better health care, lower costs of living, and a much better exchange rate for the loonie compared to the U.S. dollar.
- The "Rent-Instead" Strategy: Many are selling their $500,000 Florida condos, putting that money into a high-interest savings account in Canada, and using the interest to pay for an Airbnb in Florida or Arizona for two months. No taxes, no insurance, no repairs.
- Recreational Property in Canada: There’s a growing trend of "buying Canadian." People are taking their Florida profits and buying cottages in Muskoka, the Maritimes, or the BC interior.
Is This a Buyer's Opportunity?
If you’re an American buyer (or a Canadian with a lot of U.S. cash), this might actually be your moment.
Markets like Sarasota, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers are seeing an influx of listings. Because many of these Canadian sellers are "motivated"—meaning they want to get their money out before the exchange rate drops further or another hurricane hits—there is more room to negotiate.
Inventory is higher than it’s been in years. You’re seeing longer "days on market" and, in some cases, significant price flexibility. It’s a "realignment," as some realtors call it. The "Gold Rush" of 2021 is over.
What to do if you’re thinking of selling
If you're currently holding Florida real estate and the costs are starting to bite, don't panic, but don't wait forever either.
Audit your carrying costs. Sit down and actually add up the insurance, the HOA fees (and the risk of future assessments), the property taxes, and the exchange rate loss on your monthly utilities. If that number is more than 5% of your property's value annually, you're basically paying to own a liability, not an asset.
Check your building's Milestone Inspection status. If you own a condo, find out when the last structural integrity reserve study was done. If it hasn't happened yet, your property value might take a hit once the results are public. Selling before a special assessment is announced is always the smarter play.
Consult a cross-border tax expert. Selling a U.S. property as a Canadian involves FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act) withholding. You could see 15% of the gross sales price withheld by the IRS until your tax returns are processed. You need a plan to manage that cash flow.
The Florida dream isn't dead, but for many Canadians, it’s just become too expensive to maintain. Sometimes the smartest move in real estate isn't buying the dip—it's knowing when to take your chips off the table and find a new beach.