This may sound obvious, but before you start shopping you need to be able to specify why exactly you want this second home. The answer should shape where you look. For example, 87% of vacation home purchasers in 2013 planned to use the property primarily to getaway with their families, according to the NAR. Thus the typical home purchased was an average 180 miles from the buyers’ primary residence.
If the main purpose is for you and your loved ones to gather together and enjoy the house as a family, you’ll need it to be in an area that is easily accessible for everyone, and that offers plenty of activities for different age groups. While you may think jumping on a flight to Florida isn’t a big deal, elderly grandparents or parents of small children may disagree.
Buyers who plan to rent the home to others- as 25% of purchasers do- may want to choose a location with numerous seasons of rental demand, so you aren’t limited to income only, say, three months of the year (likely when you want to use the home too). When you’re viewing the home as an investment property you’ll also care more about projected growth rates of the communities you’re considering, as well as the health of the local economy.
2. Rent Before You Purchase
Before you lock yourself in, rent a place (more than once is best) in the area you’re considering to be certain you’ll actually enjoy it. Stay for at least two weeks to make sure you don’t grow bored on extended stays.
Try to visit in different seasons to understand weather and crowd patterns. For example, you may realize that you hate needing to book a dinner reservation well in advance during the summer busy season, when you’re there to relax.
Or if you plan to eventually move to the home full-time, as one-third of buyers do, you may decide a house outside of town is actually too lonely and inconvenient. Only 32% of vacation homes purchased last year were in a small town or rural locale.
You’ll also learn what part of town you prefer. For example, in Orlando vacation homes are spread out throughout the city, but you may prefer the shops and restaurants in Kissimmee over Davenport.
Click here to view the original article and items 3 through 7.
Posted by Scott Freerksen “The Lake Guy”
