Can you do snowbird rentals in 55+ community?

[Rachel Kokosenski]

I'm looking into purchasing a home in a 55+ community in one of the desert communities of Southern California; probably, Palm Desert or Rancho Mirage. My husband is 52 and I'm only 50, but we would like to eventually move into the home full-time. So, the question is - can we buy it as an investment property and rent it out 6 months of the year to snowbirds (over age 55) and use it ourselves the rest of the year?

Or, is it better to buy it as an investment property, put a long-term renter in there until my husband turns 55, and then do the above strategy? Thoughts??