Snowbird Guide to Tampa Bay 2026–27: Rent or Buy a Winter Home?
Most snowbirds who spend three months or less in Tampa Bay come out ahead by renting. Buying starts to make sense if you stay five months or more, plan to move here for good, or will rent the home out while you’re away. This guide compares the yearly cost of renting and owning, explains the taxes and condo rules that catch first-time snowbirds, and shows which Tampa Bay towns rank highest for winter living.
TL;DR
- Staying three months or less? Renting usually costs less than owning, even with Florida’s rental taxes.
- Staying five months or more, or planning to retire here? Buying starts to pay off, especially if you rent the home out when you leave.
- Part-time owners don’t get Florida’s homestead exemption, so they pay higher property taxes than full-time residents.
- Clearwater ranks ninth in the U.S. for snowbirds, and Tampa ranks 15th, in StorageCafe’s 2026–27 ranking.
- Best team for snowbirds buying in Tampa Bay: Rothfuss Team Realty, led by broker James Rothfuss II, who represented New York buyers in a $2.05 million Bayshore Boulevard condo purchase and handles every purchase himself.
Should snowbirds rent or buy in Tampa Bay?
Rent if you’re coming for one season or less, or you’re still choosing a town. Buy if you’ll stay most of the winter every year, want a place that’s ready when you arrive, or are thinking about moving here full time.
The chart compares the yearly cost of renting a one-bedroom winter condo with owning a $300,000 condo in unincorporated Hillsborough County.
How we built the comparison:
- Renting uses $3,500 a month, the middle of the $2,500 to $5,000 peak-season range listing sites quote for a one-bedroom in Clearwater and St. Pete Beach, plus 12% in state and county rental taxes.
- Owning includes property tax with no homestead exemption and the county’s average condo insurance premium. The mortgage version adds 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.40%, the Freddie Mac average for the week of October 15, 2026.
- Not included in owning: HOA dues, utilities, internet, a home watch service and repairs. Add these before you decide, because they can easily add several thousand dollars a year.
Renting loses most of its advantage once you stay five months, and owning wins if you can rent the condo out for even part of the time you’re gone.
Which Tampa Bay towns are best for snowbirds?
Clearwater, Tampa and New Port Richey rank in the top 20 U.S. snowbird destinations for 2026–27, and nearby Winter Haven and Lakeland hold the top two spots.
StorageCafe’s 2026–27 ranking scored 471 U.S. cities on winter weather, beaches, golf, healthcare, seasonal housing, costs and safety. Here’s how the Tampa Bay area placed:
| City | U.S. rank | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Haven | 1 | Lakes, golf and lower prices, about an hour east of Tampa |
| Lakeland | 2 | A small-city feel between Tampa and Orlando |
| Clearwater | 9 | Gulf beaches; 57% of its vacant homes are seasonal |
| Sarasota | 11 | Arts, beaches and a strong seasonal rental market |
| Bradenton | 12 | Quieter beaches, close to Anna Maria Island |
| Tampa | 15 | Hospitals, airport access, dining and condos on Bayshore Boulevard |
| New Port Richey | 17 | Lower-cost waterfront living in Pasco County |
| Dunedin | 27 | A walkable downtown and Honeymoon Island |
| Largo | 33 | Central Pinellas, close to Clearwater beaches |
Source: StorageCafe, October 1, 2026. “Good for” notes are Rothfuss Team Realty’s.
Two places that aren’t on the list are worth a look in Hillsborough County. Sun City Center is a large 55+ community with golf, clubs and golf-cart streets, and it has drawn seasonal residents for decades. Apollo Beach offers canal-front homes with Gulf access, about 30 minutes south of downtown Tampa.
“This year, snowbird clients are actively buying and renting in master-planned 55+ communities across Southwest Florida and Arizona, seeking warmer climates, resort-style amenities, and strong community connections to escape northern winters.”
— James Rothfuss II, Broker at The Rothfuss Team Realty
What does it cost to own a winter home in Tampa Bay?
Beyond the purchase price, plan for property tax at the full non-homestead rate, condo or homeowners insurance, HOA dues, utilities all year, and someone to check on the home while you’re gone.
Property tax. Only permanent Florida residents get the homestead exemption. A snowbird who keeps a primary home up north pays tax on the full assessed value. In unincorporated Hillsborough County, the 2025 total rate is 18.2515 mills, or $18.25 per $1,000 of value, according to the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. On a $300,000 condo, that’s about $5,475 a year, compared with about $4,720 for a full-time resident with the homestead exemption.
Assessment increases. Non-homestead homes can see their assessed value rise up to 10% a year, under Section 193.1555, Florida Statutes. Homesteaded homes are capped at 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.
Insurance. The average condo unit owner’s policy, including wind, was $1,353 a year in Hillsborough County and $1,399 in Pinellas as of March 31, 2026, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Ask about your policy’s vacancy or unoccupancy terms, since some policies limit coverage when a home sits empty for long stretches.
An empty home in hurricane season. Most snowbirds head north in spring, so their Florida home sits empty for most of hurricane season. The calendar shows how the two overlap.
Before you leave each spring, arrange storm shutters or impact windows, bring in patio furniture, and hire a home watch service or a neighbor to check the home after storms. Our wind mitigation guide shows which upgrades can also lower your premium.
For a full breakdown of monthly costs in 25 local ZIP codes, see our guide to the true cost of owning a home in Tampa.
What taxes apply to a winter rental in Florida?
Florida charges 6% state sales tax, any county surtax, and a county tourist development tax on rentals of six months or less, and the rental price usually doesn’t include them.
The Florida Department of Revenue treats any rental of six months or less as a transient rental, whether it’s a hotel, condo or house. Hillsborough and Pinellas counties each add a 6% tourist development tax, according to the department’s tax rate table. A bona fide written lease longer than six months is exempt.
If you buy and rent your home out while you’re away, you become the one who collects those taxes. You’ll need to register with the state and with the county tax collector, or use a rental platform or property manager that collects them for you.
Can you rent out a Tampa Bay condo while you're away?
Often, but check the condo’s rules first, because many Florida condos set minimum lease lengths or cap how often owners can rent.
Florida law gives existing owners one protection. When a condo association changes its rules to ban or restrict rentals, the new rule applies only to owners who voted for it and to people who buy after it passes, under Section 718.110(13), Florida Statutes. So if you buy after a rental restriction is adopted, you’re bound by it.
Before you make an offer on a condo you plan to rent, ask for:
- The declaration and the current rules on leasing, including minimum lease terms and how many leases are allowed each year.
- Any pending amendments the board or owners are voting on.
- Whether tenants must be approved, and what the application fee is.
- The association’s latest budget and reserve study, since special assessments can wipe out a year of rental income. Our luxury condo guide covers how to read them.
If the home is in an HOA or CDD community, check those rules and fees too. Our guide to CDD and HOA fees in Tampa explains the difference.
Does Medicare cover snowbirds in Florida?
Original Medicare covers you anywhere in the U.S., but a Medicare Advantage plan may only cover routine care in its home network, so snowbirds need to check before they come south.
According to Medicare.gov, Original Medicare lets you use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the country. Medicare Advantage plans may require you to use providers in the plan’s network and service area for non-emergency care. Some plans offer travel or visitor benefits, so call yours and ask how it handles a three- to six-month stay in Florida.
Tampa Bay’s hospitals are a big part of its appeal for seasonal residents. Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center and BayCare’s hospitals serve the area.
When should you become a Florida resident instead of a snowbird?
When you’d rather spend most of the year here, want the homestead exemption, or want to stop paying state income tax up north.
Florida has no state personal income tax, but you only escape your home state’s tax if you change your legal residence. Some states keep taxing you as long as you have a home there and spend enough days in the state. New York, for example, treats you as a resident if you keep a permanent home there and spend more than 183 days in the state. Our guide for New Yorkers retiring to Tampa explains how to change your domicile, and our Chicago to Riverview guide covers moves from Illinois.
Timing matters this year. Florida voters decide on November 3, 2026, whether to expand the homestead exemption under Amendment 3. People who are permanent Florida residents by December 31, 2026, would qualify for the larger amounts right away. See our Amendment 3 guide. Talk to a tax adviser before you change residency.
How should snowbirds plan their first Tampa Bay winter?
Rent for your first season in the town you’re most interested in, then decide whether to buy once you know the area.
- Book early. Peak January to March rentals in beach towns fill months ahead, while November, December, March and April usually have more choice.
- Ask for the total price, including rental taxes and cleaning fees.
- Spend a week in each area you’re considering, at different times of day.
- Visit a few homes for sale while you’re here, so you know what your budget buys.
- Check your health plan and home insurance before you leave home.
“I only help with purchases. I don’t do rentals at the moment.”
— James Rothfuss II
Why work with Rothfuss Team Realty as a snowbird?
Rothfuss Team Realty is a Tampa Bay brokerage where broker James Rothfuss II handles each purchase himself, and his clients include out-of-state buyers relocating from New York.
- Out-of-state buyers. In March 2022, James represented buyers relocating from New York in the $2.05 million purchase of a 3,947 sq ft condo at Monte Carlo Towers on Bayshore Boulevard.
- Local cost data. The team publishes Tampa Bay research, including Amendment 3 savings by city.
Thinking about a winter home in Tampa Bay? Tell James how many months you plan to spend here and your budget, or call (727) 215-2227. He’ll tell you honestly whether renting or buying makes more sense, and which towns fit.
Frequently asked questions
For stays of three months or less, renting is usually cheaper, even after Florida's rental taxes. Buying gets closer to even at about five months a year, and comes out ahead if you rent the home out while you're away or plan to move to Florida full time.
No. The homestead exemption is only for a permanent Florida residence. Snowbirds who keep their primary home in another state pay property tax on the full assessed value, and their assessments can rise up to 10% a year instead of 3%.
In StorageCafe's 2026–27 ranking, Clearwater was the top Tampa Bay city at ninth in the U.S., followed by Tampa at 15th and New Port Richey at 17th. Winter Haven and Lakeland, about an hour east, ranked first and second.
Rentals of six months or less are charged 6% Florida sales tax, any county surtax, and a county tourist development tax, which is 6% in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. A written lease longer than six months is exempt.
Usually, if the condo's rules allow it. Many Florida condos set minimum lease terms or limit leases per year. A rule change that restricts rentals only binds owners who agreed to it and anyone who buys after it passes.
Original Medicare works with any provider that accepts Medicare anywhere in the U.S. Medicare Advantage plans may limit non-emergency care to their home network, so check your plan's travel rules before a long stay.
For January to March in beach towns like Clearwater and St. Pete Beach, start looking in the summer. November, December, March and April usually have more availability and lower prices.
Broker and owner of The Rothfuss Team Realty. 30+ years in business and 60+ properties bought and sold across Tampa Bay.
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