While some Canadian snowbirds are leaving Arizona, others are investing

Despite tariff threats and a very weak Canadian dollar, Canadian snowbirds appear split on whether to continue flocking to the U.S.

Some Canadian snowbirds are putting their American properties up for sale amid a weak dollar and high cost of living.

Tom Luzzi vacations in the Greater Phoenix area six months a year.

While down south, he helps snowbirds watch their homes while they’re away through Arizona Snowbird Home Watch/Check Services.

He says the Canadians he’s seen sell their Arizona properties are doing it for a variety of reasons.

“A lot of them bought their homes 10, 15, 20 years ago and the novelty has worn off,” he said.

“The cost of maintaining a property is expensive. Some of them just say, ‘I’ve done the Phoenix thing, and now I want to travel the world.’”

“Some people are even using politics with this last election as a big example of why they should sell.”

But one real estate agent says business is booming ahead of what he predicts will be a busy spring.

“We see a ton of investments from Canada, just with people getting tired of the red tape and how long it takes to get the permits and everything there,” said Eddie Lack, with America One Luxury Real Estate in Scottsdale, Az.

Lack, a former NHL goaltender, was a member of the Calgary Flames for a brief period in 2017.

He says many Canadians are looking at buying American property

“We see a lot of people that want a second home from Canada,” said Lack. “We see a lot of people that want to invest here.”

It’s not just Arizona seeing snowbird movement.

Canadians made up nearly one-quarter of foreign sellers in Florida between April 2023 and March 2024, versus 11 per cent in the same period a year earlier, according to a National Realtors Association report.

“I was surprised when you told me that that Florida is seeing a ton of Canadians sell,” said Lack.

“We haven’t seen any of that so far. Everything has just been buy, buy, buy and invest, invest, invest.”

According to the Canada Arizona Business Council, around 100,000 Canadian snowbirds visit the state each year. This is out of a total of about one million Canadian visitors to Arizona annually.

One million Canadians visit Arizona every year spending $2.4 billion.

Canadians also make up the largest group of foreign homeowners in Arizona.

- With files from The Canadian Press