Tips for Purchasing a Vacation Home

By Mark Nash

Investing in a vacation home might be for the pleasure you receive from it, than as a real estate investment. Second homes can bring enjoyment to you and your family, but buying at the right price and time, can make all the difference between profit and loss. Be sure to visit your proposed purchase destination both in-season and out-of-season.

Many vacation spots are desolate off-peak. It might be easy to buy the cheapest property as a second home, but good resale characteristics are what you should looking for.

Buy a home with at least two bedrooms and two baths, people always have friends and family visiting their second home.

Look for a good location, you'll enjoy it and so will buyers when you go to sell.

Stay away from allot of fixing-up, many a second home owner burned out from all the work that a supposed "vacation home" created.

Buy a property within an easy days commute to it. Remote locations that chew up travel time on vacations have limited appeal.

Here are some additional tips:
-If the home is on a water well and septic, have them inspected by a professional.
-The best time to buy a vacation home is the first season after peak season. Many second home owners want to use it one-last-season, then sell and have the carrying costs. Inventories of resale homes are greatest off-season and at reduced prices.
-Find locations that offer long seasons for golfing, boating, and skiing. Some resorts have off-season alternative activities that can bring you back for a respite in slower times.
-Retiring down the road to your second home brings to mind some things you should consider. Are some of the or the lack of seasons that don't appeal to you? How is traffic in-season, you might have retired to get away from grid-lock, but very popular vacation and resort areas can have massive back-ups in season.
-You might enjoy renting your vacation home now, but when you retire will you want the transient nature that short-term rentals bring?
-Don't rely on seasonal rental to cover all your costs. Off-season may be too hot or rental rates drop so low, that the cleaning service, management fees eat up profits. Verify that any resort or condotel allows short-term rentals in season.
-Anticipate all the costs for renovation and refurnishing. Sometimes it might be cheaper to start over. or to buy new construction.
-Buying furnished vacation homes is typical. If you're going to rent your home, make sure the rental manager approves of the furniture you're buying with the property. Out-dated and well-worn furniture won't cut it today with savvy vacation renters.

Mark Nash is the author of "Fundamentals of Marketing for the Real Estate Professional", "Starting & Succeeding in Real Estate", "Reaching Out: The Financial Power of Niche Marketing", and "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home". Mark is a contributing writer for: Realtor (R) Magazine Online, Broker Agent News, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Principal Broker, and Realty Times. His tried and true real estate tips has been featured on Business Week, CBS The Early Show, CNN, HGTVpro.com, The New York Times, and USA Today. Purchase his books at http://www.1001realestatetips.com/.