Anyone Have a Vacation Home?

[DVCLiz]

So, I was watching Vacation Home Search recently, and the couple was trying to decide between three houses in The Hamptons, with a budget of 4 million dollars. Since they bought the one I liked the best, I guess I'll have to wait...( )

In the meantime, I wonder if anyone has a second home for vacations. If so, how and why did you decide to become vacation home owners? Do you use it as much as you thought you would? Do you rent it out when you're not there to help cover expenses? Really, any experience anyone has would be interesting.

 

[gdulaney]

I really enjoy that show, but I have no idea who pays $1.5MM or $4MM for a vacation home. We have DVC points, so I guess we kinda have three vacation homes... Hilton Head, Vero Beach and Saratoga.

Going on that assumption (that DVC counts), we use our points. Usually we stay on property the night before the Daytona 500, then pre-cruise, and then we use pts to cruise.

Ginny

 

[alliecats]

So, I was watching Vacation Home Search recently, and the couple was trying to decide between three houses in The Hamptons, with a budget of 4 million dollars.

Wow. I don't know if I should throw up or kill myself.

 

[DVCLiz]

Wow. I don't know if I should throw up or kill myself.

It was completely vomitous...they chose the one with the water view because IT WAS THE ONLY ONE THEY COULD MAKE ALL THE CHANGES THEY WANTED TO MAKE EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST SPENT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ON IT!!!!!!!!!

 

[debloco]

It was completely vomitous...they chose the one with the water view because IT WAS THE ONLY ONE THEY COULD MAKE ALL THE CHANGES THEY WANTED TO MAKE EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST SPENT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ON IT!!!!!!!!!

Oh, for crying out loud!
I'm going with completely vomitous too

P.S. We own DVC too, VWL!

 

[I95 to I4]

I work in a rather exclusive area. I also own homes there. Owning a home in a secondary market is just investment. Its no different than having your money in the stock market or any other investment of your choosing. The prices sound crazy when you think of them as just houses, but the return on the investment is what your looking for.

 

[DVCLiz]

Oh, well, if I had four million dollars to spend on a vacation house I suppose I'd want it to be perfect, too...

I'm going to be happy with my DVC points and my five days in Hilton Head every summer!!

 

[LBAK]

I watched that last night too and I thought they should have went with second house as long as they were spending 4 mil.

I don't have a vacation home but I am lucky enough to have and aunt that has a house in the Hamptons and we go there frequently in the summer. Her house is a small cottage though not that $75 million estate with the golf course.

 

[mom2boys]

That's why I don't watch The Travel Channel much - so far out of my league. I would never spend that kind of money on a primary home, let alone a 2nd home. Even the hotels they show are ridicously overpriced IMHO.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I have a vacation home in the mountains of georgia....it is not a million dollar home or even close to it.

We got it because my hubby loves to fish in the lakes up there and we were bowled over by the GORGEOUS land.

We used to go up there all the time but don't make it up there much anymore and we DON'T rent it out.....renters will RUIN your property.

 

[Southern4sure]

Not a home but I can give you an idea about condos. We have two condos in Orange Beach, AL. They are in the same complex and sit directly on the beach. One is strictly rental the other is for family only. During the summer we live there. Right now they are not in use because of the repairs still being made from Hurricane Ivan.......

 

[Southern4sure]

renters will RUIN your property.

This is so true! I can give you horror stories of some renters.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Yes, we have a vacation home on a lake in the Piney Woods area of Texas. We love going there any time of the year. It is only about 3hrs from our primary home so we spend a lot of time there. It stays fully stocked, all we have to do is jump in the car and go, so it is not set up where it could be rented. ( and I think the homeowners assoc. would not allow it.) We do occasionally make "swaps" with my boss, who has a vacation home in Galveston, and we have considered finding others to do swaps with.

 

[tiggersmom2]

This is so true! I can give you horror stories of some renters.

We have some friends that have houses in Gatlinburg TN and Myrtle Beach.......renters destroy EVERYTHING! When I do vacation and rent...I am that much more careful of the owners property b/c I see firsthand what awful things happen (cigarette burns in EVERYTHING, broken furniture, destroyed hot tubs, broken dishes, bones down the garbage disposal, and the list goes on and on)

 

[Southern4sure]

We have some friends that have houses in Gatlinburg TN and Myrtle Beach.......renters destroy EVERYTHING! When I do vacation and rent...I am that much more careful of the owners property b/c I see firsthand what awful things happen (cigarette burns in EVERYTHING, broken furniture, destroyed hot tubs, broken dishes, bones down the garbage disposal, and the list goes on and on)

How about cracked sliding doors, cabinet doors yanked off the hinges, carpet chewed by pets which arent allowed, broken bed frame, spills all over the furniture and carpet and the list goes on. The average renter is only there 1 week and pays $1300. When you have a $5000. deductible most of the repairs come out of our own pocket.

 

[tiggersmom2]

The average renter is only there 1 week and pays $1300. When you have a $5000. deductible most of the repairs come out of our own pocket.

That is why I would never rent....I SEE the damage done by others when I DO rent and all my friends tell me the horror stories. I just wish people were not such jerks!!!! They have the attitude that they are on vacation and if little "hellion" Bobby or Bobby Sue wants to dance on the hot tub cover or use the pool sticks as jedi swords....then hey...have at it..."it isn't OUR house"

 

[Southern4sure]

That is why I would never rent....I SEE the damage done by others when I DO rent and all my friends tell me the horror stories. I just wish people were not such jerks!!!! They have the attitude that they are on vacation and if little "hellion" Bobby or Bobby Sue wants to dance on the hot tub cover or use the pool sticks as jedi swords....then hey...have at it..."it isn't OUR house"

Exactly!!! It is getting discouraging to try and keep up the one condo. If your charging $1300 a week, you expect to be staying in a nice place right? And I would expect it to smell clean. Not all renters are bad but the few rotten apples we had have been doozies!

 

[isla bonita]

We are very lucky, we own a pool home in Emerald Island Resort right outside of Disney. We have had many guests and all of them have been wonderful. They have left such wonderful comments in our guest book. We try to make there stay as magical as we can. They get a welcome basket on arrival. We try to get as much info from them so it would be items they are interested in. We ask before they arrive what if anything they will need during their stay. We have had requests from a crockpot to reading chairs and tables in the master bedrooms. I did not get the furniture but have thought it a great idea. As we all know it is the best place on earth. We are so lucky. We of course only go down off season to get the home rented during the popular times. I do dream when my children get older my 4 year old is still a true believer, that we get to see Xmas in Disney. It will not be any time soon but some day for sure.

 

[Honu]

I have something better. FRIENDS with stunning vacation homes.

 

[Michie]

We have a very, very, very tiny one It's just big enough for us. Not big enough for the inlaws or anybody