Hi Wanda, our experience has been $1100-1500/month depending on condo vs home, location, and some luck. Of course this includes all utilities and pool heat negotiable or included depending on how much they need the guaranteed money.
What I would suggest is to go to several sights including
www.vrbo.com ,
www.vacationrentals.com and another of your choice. At vrbo you can type one message and then just click it on home after home after home that you want to check out.
As you and I know, we always get the best deal from the owners direct.
The key is to find a home that has January or February or whatever time frame is completely open. If one week is booked it won't work.
So, come up with a really nice greeting for the owner...ie,
" Hello, my husband, John, and I have retired from teaching (or whatever) and are excited about spending a month in sunny Florida. It will be just the two of us. We will take care of your home like it was our own. The positive for you will be no worries about cleaning, or renting for the low Disney season.
Our budget is $1300/month to include all utilities. Again we are so thrilled to be able to this as part of our retirement. Thank you in advance for reviewing our request."
You may get owners of condos to respond with lower prices. If condo owner offers $1300,I would email back and tell them you have offers of $1300 from single family homes and would they consider $1100 for the condo. I dispise low balling owners, but I do not consider this low balling. $1100/1200 month for a condo is a great deal if you would only get one or maybe two rentals in January at $600/week, plus management and cleaning. If they are sure of getting 3 months rented they will just ignore the email.
They might get a snooty answer or two about insulting them...but that will happen!! Most folks who respond know this is good deal at that time of year. In after Christmas and out before Easter!
Now go to vrbo, and just start shopping. You can put in the dates you want the home and vrbo will show you if the home is available. 3-4 and even 5 bedrooms will respond, so do not just do 2 and 3 bedroom homes and condos.
Go ahead and send out 20 to 30 messages to homes that are open and look nice to youer friends. In my opinion, those on 27 will be a little more willing to jump in as they rent not quite as well as the Formosa Gardens area properties. Just click on "Send message to owner" and you can send your message over and over without retyping it. (I would "copy" it just in case something funks and you need to do "copy and paste."
Finally I would start as soon as you can as owners may be happy to lock in a month next winter based on slower business the last two years. No later than August in my opinion and now if possible.
Good Luck, it worked for us and 3 or 4 other folks we encouraged to do it.
Let me know iquestions...Ted
