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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Vacation house
If you have a vacation house, how far is it from your home? How often do you visit? Is it year round?
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Posted 1/27/13 10:43 PM  |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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Vacation house
I don't have one but my brother does. His criteria for looking was he did not want a time share, it had to be within two hours of his home (otherwise the trip would be too long to make it worthwhile for a weekend visit) and there had to be things to do year-round (they are across the street from a ski mountain and there is a national park close by with zip-lining, camping, hiking, etc and also a waterpark in the area, among other things). They do visit quite often (at least once per month for a weekend visit and extended stays over the summer, school holidays and the like). HTH
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| Posted 1/27/13 11:15 PM |
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sunnyplus3
:)
Member since 11/05 8749 total posts
Name:
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Re: Vacation house
We live year round in eastern Suffolk county in a rural area that is still filled with seasonal summer homes. We also have an apartment in midtown manhattan that is our " vacation home". It's sort of backwards but it works for us.
It's about 70 minutes door to door if there is no traffic.
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| Posted 1/27/13 11:16 PM |
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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Vacation house
I'm trying desperately to convince DH we should get a vacation house. I think there are two options that could work well for us. We rented a house in Niantic last summer and we loved the area. It was under 2 hours from our house. Walk to beaches, very family friendly community. 20-30 minutes to Mystic, casinos, outlets, etc... About an hour from Newport- which is my of my favorite places in the world. The other option would be the mountains in a lake community, possibly in the Poconos. I like the idea of four season living- skiing, golf, lake activites, etc...
I'm thinking we would probably go for a weekend every month or two. I'm off in the summer and would probably spend a large chunk of summer at the house. I would love to have family and friends vacation with us.
DH is worried about the maintenance of a second home. I also wonder if renting it out is a good idea. The idea of income coming in is great, but is it more of a headache then it's worth?
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| Posted 1/28/13 12:43 AM |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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Vacation house
My brother does not rent his vacation home out. They have all their belongings there (including some clothes that they leave there) so they don't have to bring much with them when they visit. And unless you have someone close by who can check on renters, clean up after they leave, prep for the next guests, etc you will have to hire a property manager.
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| Posted 1/28/13 10:01 AM |
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blustar214
So in love with my little girl
Member since 1/10 2471 total posts
Name:
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Re: Vacation house
My parents have a house in Western Massachusetts. It is beautiful up there and is a year round vacation home.
They don't rent it out - all our stuff is there and we always just decide last minute to go up there for the weekend.
Having a second property can be hard - maintenance, taxes, utilities. Just make sure to take all those costs into account when you are formulating your budget for a vacation home.
It is about 3 hours away, which I think is the farthest away that I would purchase a vacation property. But don't just take into account the travel time - also think about how you would get there. For me, even if the Poconos are closer you couldn't pay me to have to go over the GW Bridge to get to a vacation home. Everytime I go visit my sister (who lives in PA) I curse that part of the trip.
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| Posted 1/28/13 10:24 AM |
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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Vacation house
We live in Westchester, so it's a little easier to get to the Poconos or CT, so long as you don't leave right at rush hour. Then you're in for it!
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| Posted 1/28/13 10:33 AM |
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cityandbeachmom
Vineyard hopping time
Member since 6/10 1821 total posts
Name:
Suffer the pain of discipline,
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Re: Vacation house
We live in the city year round and have a summer house out east. It is 1hr 45min from our house. It could be a year round house but we generally don't go much after labor day. Memorial-Labor we spend most of our weekends there. After that, it is sporadic and spontaneous. Hardly ever in the winter...
Eta-we don't rent it out. I'm a bit of a neat freak and just can't imagine others sleeping in our beds, using our linens, etc. except of course friends and family
Message edited 1/28/2013 1:32:03 PM.
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| Posted 1/28/13 1:21 PM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: Vacation house
Posted by nferrandi
I also wonder if renting it out is a good idea. The idea of income coming in is great, but is it more of a headache then it's worth?
My parents own a condo in myrtle beach, we go every year. they do not rent it out... my aunt and uncle also own condos in the same complex and rent them out (for weeks, days at a time, for vacationers).. the renters have destroyed the place, they always have to go back to fix things (apparently this place takes maintenance fees for other things but its up to you to pay damages). sometimes the money they make from the rentals is not even worth it (the place that helps them to rent it out also collects a nice chunk). I would look into it, but if you are able to swing it financially then I would not rent it out.
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| Posted 1/28/13 1:27 PM |
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Jenhos
Maeve
Member since 6/05 3273 total posts
Name:
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Re: Vacation house
My parents had one. It was in the poconos. A place called the Hideout. Gated community on a lake (motor boats). There were other lakes in the community that were for non motorized only. It had a beach and pool that everyone could use.
We tended to stay at our own house and play with our "toys" (boat, jetski)
Someone was at the house at least every weekend in the summer. Sometimes we stay a few weeks. Sept-Nov we rarely went as there wasn't a ton to do. Come the winter we would go and ski. Community had a small ski hill and was within 1/2 hour of bigger ski areas.
As we got older we would go with our friends on the weekends without my parents.
I wish they had never sold it. I would be there all the time with my kids!
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| Posted 1/28/13 2:24 PM |
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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Vacation house
Posted by JDubs
Posted by
the renters have destroyed the place, they always have to go back to fix things (apparently this place takes maintenance fees for other things but its up to you to pay damages). sometimes the money they make from the rentals is not even worth it (the place that helps them to rent it out also collects a nice chunk). I would look into it, but if you are able to swing it financially then I would not rent it out.
That's really too bad! I have rented many places through the years and have never disrespected someone's house. It's too bad not everyone can be nice about the fact that they're renting someone else's home. But what you mentioned is exactly what scares me about renting.
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| Posted 1/28/13 4:56 PM |
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Kitten1929
LIF Adult
Member since 1/13 6040 total posts
Name:
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Re: Vacation house
Posted by Jenhos
My parents had one. It was in the poconos. A place called the Hideout. Gated community on a lake (motor boats). There were other lakes in the community that were for non motorized only. It had a beach and pool that everyone could use.
We tended to stay at our own house and play with our "toys" (boat, jetski)
Someone was at the house at least every weekend in the summer. Sometimes we stay a few weeks. Sept-Nov we rarely went as there wasn't a ton to do. Come the winter we would go and ski. Community had a small ski hill and was within 1/2 hour of bigger ski areas.
As we got older we would go with our friends on the weekends without my parents.
I wish they had never sold it. I would be there all the time with my kids!
The Hideout is awesome! DH and I would love to buy a vacation home there some day!
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| Posted 1/28/13 5:26 PM |
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Re: Vacation house
Growing up with lived in Queens and had a summer house in Southhold. It was about 2 hours each way with no traffic. We would leave late on Friday nights and then Sunday, late after noon we would go home. I really don't remember going every weekend and we definitely only went in the summer. I have great memories growing up because my uncle owned the house across the street so we were always there. He also lived on the canal. My parents never rented it out. They ended up selling it about 5 years after they built. My mother lost her job and they couldn't afford it.
I now live in central jersey and a very good friend of mine has a house in the jersey shore. It is about 45 minutes door to door for them. They also do not rent it out and keep there belongings there year round. It is a tiny 3 bedroom bungalow. Seeing what they have to deal with I made it very clear to DH that we will not be getting any sort of vacation home. My friend actually wants to sell it but her DH and the kids do not want to. It is a lot of work and less enjoyable. She leaves one house that is clean only to clean up another because it gets dusty and then she needs to clean again before they leave (they have 4 kids). They have the maintenance of 2 homes. There house needs new siding and a new roof. Durning hurricane sandy they worried about the damage since they are on the water, and luckily they didn't have any.
In general I feel it is just added pressure of owning a home. You never really enjoy it because you are still cleaning or fixing something. I much rather rent something and actually not have to worry about anything for a week.
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| Posted 1/28/13 5:39 PM |
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nferrandi
too excited for words
Member since 10/05 18538 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Vacation house
Posted by JerseyMamaOf3
I now live in central jersey and a very good friend of mine has a house in the jersey shore. It is about 45 minutes door to door for them. They also do not rent it out and keep there belongings there year round. It is a tiny 3 bedroom bungalow. Seeing what they have to deal with I made it very clear to DH that we will not be getting any sort of vacation home. My friend actually wants to sell it but her DH and the kids do not want to. It is a lot of work and less enjoyable. She leaves one house that is clean only to clean up another because it gets dusty and then she needs to clean again before they leave (they have 4 kids). They have the maintenance of 2 homes. There house needs new siding and a new roof. Durning hurricane sandy they worried about the damage since they are on the water, and luckily they didn't have any.
In general I feel it is just added pressure of owning a home. You never really enjoy it because you are still cleaning or fixing something. I much rather rent something and actually not have to worry about anything for a week.
Holy cow, if I didn't knw any better I would swear you and my DH are the same person.  You just listed all of his go-to reasons for not buying a vacation home. But this is something I really want, so every so often we revisit the topic. Eventually I'm going to win this battle. 
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| Posted 1/28/13 6:30 PM |
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Re: Vacation house
My sister's boyfriend's parents have a little bungalow on the Jersey shore too. Or I should say had.
It was passed down over generations and most of it was destroyed in the hurricane.
Now they have to "build up" in order to pass the coding/zoning laws and from what I understand, since it was not their primary residence, they weren't entitled to things like FEMA and they will never get back in insurance money the cost to make things right for it how it has to be now.
Several years before the hurricane they had talked of selling but decided not to. Now they are regretting it.
With that said, my grandfather had a little bungalow within walking distance with lake rights in Upstate NY on Great Sacandaga Lake. He decided to sell after my grandmother passed and he became too old to take care of it.
Now that I'm older with a child of my own, I SO wish we still had it in our family.
It was nothing much (just one bedroom, small bathroom, kitchen and living room) but it would be so nice to get away.
That area is kinda far from LI though.
One day I will inherit my parents home in the Hudson Valley which may become our vacation, if not year round home.
That's paid off and I don't see my sister and I wanting to rent it out to anyone.
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| Posted 1/28/13 7:23 PM |
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Kissy331
My two miracles!
Member since 5/06 17826 total posts
Name:
Kristen
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Re: Vacation house
My family has a vacation home in Maine tor over 50 years. We used it mainly in the summer until my parents started taking us there at Easter & fall. Now my family lives in Maine but my DH & I use Tue summer house as ours when we go. My parents & brother are there daily in the summer but don't sleep there. In the winter months, they to once a week to check in it.
My DH famioy has a weekend home in the poconos. We use to to a lot when we were dating but since having kids we go maybe 2-3 times a year. The house is not kid friendly nor are the grounds its on. My kids are outdoor kids, so being there traps then inside.
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| Posted 1/28/13 8:21 PM |
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