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Caveat Emptor for Vacation Home Buyers
2008-03-18 16:12:00
The Latin adage, caveat emptor, which translates ?let the buyer beware? is exemplified by a recent article from the Inman News Service. It chronicles the tale of second home buyers who were sadly surprised when arriving for their first winter stay at a remote mountain cottage, that the fireplace insert they had assumed stayed with ...
More About: Buying , Home Buyers , Home , Vacation , Caveat Emptor

Virgin Money USA Takes Wing
2008-03-13 16:10:00
Look, up in the air, it?s a bird, it?s a plane, no it?s Richard Branson, piloting his new start-up, Virgin Money USA. In his new venture, daredevil adventurer, businessman, and philanthropist Branson has taken the plunge into the U.S. real estate market. For anyone who has followed Branson?s storied career, it should come as no surprise ...
More About: Finance , Mortgages , Wing

Flipping Homes is Not Such a Bad Thing
2008-03-11 16:21:00
House flipping has been getting a lot of attention in the media lately, and most of it is definitely not kind. Many investors who took out multiple loans to purchase properties intending to flip them, ended up getting stuck when the market started to stall. Many of the properties purchased by these investors are now ...
More About: Buying , Market , Flipping , Homes , Thing

Second Home Gyms
2008-03-06 16:15:00
With more and more baby boomers swelling the ranks of retirees in the U.S., health-related home amenities are on the rise. Many of the newly retired boomers plan very active retirements and are choosing to live in communities that offer a wide variety of recreational activities. In many cases, they are outfitting their homes and ...
More About: Design , Home , Gyms

Tax Breaks from Second Homes
2008-03-04 15:17:00
If you own or are buying a second home, you should be aware that, as written, current tax laws encourage second home ownership by allowing deductions for mortgage interest, property taxes and other expenses on vacation homes. The Washington Post offers a detailed look at how buying and owning second homes can result in tax ...
More About: Buying , Finance , Taxes , Homes , Breaks

Green Design May Help Your Home Sell
2008-02-28 16:36:00
Green homes are hot right now, and even if your home wasn’t built green, there are plenty of things you can do now that will make it more eco-friendly and help it appeal more to buyers. Using natural window treatments and décor items in your staging helps a lot, especially if the window treatments are staying with the house. Using other natural materials makes the home seem more inviting. If you’re not convinced that green homes are selling better than conventional homes, take this anecdotal evidence: a new construction home near my house was built with energy efficiency and environmental friendliness in mind. While most well-priced homes in this area take 6-8 months to sell, this one was under contract within a month. Buyers care about a home that’s going to save them money in the long run (such as efficient heating and cooling systems, good insulation and passive solar design) and homes with energy-saving features fit the bill perfectly. Realty Times has an article that cov...
More About: Design , Home , Green , Sell

Are Condos the Better Choice as Second Homes?
2008-02-26 19:45:00
A recent Zogby International poll conducted for the Foundation for Community Association Research concludes that there is high satisfaction among owners of condos and town homes. The survey indicates that 7 out of 10 owners of condominium units or town houses are pleased with their purchase. This form of ownership is particularly popular for second ...
More About: Buying , Homes , Choice

Tips for Renting Out Your Second Home
2008-02-25 17:16:00
The Wall Street Journal has a great article on the process of renting out your vacation home, including some of the pitfalls. It?s a good place to start, especially if you?re considering purchasing a second home with the intention to use it yourself as well as renting it out (as opposed to just purchasing a ...
More About: Buying , Tips , Home , Renting

Keeping An Eye on Your Vacation Home When You?re Not There
2008-02-21 17:18:00
Do you have major anxiety when not at your vacation home? Are you anxious about whether everything is okay? Have your pipes burst? Has someone broken in? What about making it appear that someone is there even when you?re not? The New York Times has an article on technology that can help ease that anxiety by ...
More About: Tools , Products , Home , Vacation

What You Can Get for $1 Million to $1.35 Million
2008-02-20 15:59:00
Village of Tiki, Texas: $1,349,000 4 Bedrooms, 5.5 Bathrooms, .74 Acres Incline Village, Nevada: $1,349,000 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, .45 Acres Sarasota, Florida: $1,300,000 3 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 5470 Square Feet, 10 Acres, Waterfront Block Island, Rhode Island: $1,300,000 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 3.2 Acres Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: $1,295,000 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Ocean Views, Condo West Olive, Michigan: $1,200,000 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, ...
More About: Buying , Market , Million

Local Spotlight: Livingston, Montana
2008-02-19 21:29:00
Livingston, Montana is located in the southwestern part of the state, between the Gallatin and Crazy Mountain ranges and north of Yellowstone National Park. It?s nestled along the Yellowstone River, surrounded by the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area, and in proximity to Interstate 90. At the 2000 census, the population was 6,851. History Livingston was founded in 1882 when ...
More About: Buying , Market , Local , Spotlight

1031 Exchange Tips for Vacation Home Owners
2008-02-18 15:24:00
With increased pressure on the federal budget, federal legislators and the IRS are examining ways to reduce tax breaks and increase tax revenues. One area being closely examined is the tax provision that allows for 1031 ?Like Kind? Exchange s that defer taxes on the profits from the sale of investment properties, when the sale qualifies ...
More About: Tips , Home , Vacation , Owners

Most Viewed Homes on 2ndhome.net This Week
2008-02-15 17:34:00
The most often viewed vacation home on 2ndhome.net for the past week was this 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom home in Rancho Viejo, Texas. It?s listed at $189,900 by RE/MAX First Choice. The second most viewed vacation home this week was this 5 bedroom home on 5.1 acres in Wilmot, New Hampshire. It?s listed at $795,000 by ...
More About: Buying , Market , Homes , Week

Governmental Green Incentives
2008-02-14 16:20:00
There are a host of reasons why many of us are taking a closer look at ?living green?. As more concerns emerge regarding global climate change, social consciousness is impelling us to examine our habits and behaviors, our ?carbon footprint?, more closely. Beyond conscience-driven decisions to adopt more green lifestyles, there is a growing financial advantage ...
More About: Design , Green , Incentives

What You Can Get for Over $2.5 Million
2008-02-13 17:35:00
Eagle, Colorado: $10,500,000 6 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms, 9005 Square Feet, 139 Acres Bolton Landing, New York: $5,690,000 4 Acres, Waterfront, New Construction Newbury, New Hampshire: $4,995,000 5 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms, 9000+ Square Feet, 1.4 Acres, Waterfront Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: $4,950,000 6 Bedrooms, 5.5 Bathrooms, Oceanfront Holland, Michigan: $3,600,000 3 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bathrooms, 5842 Square Feet, 1.07 Acres, Waterfront Santa Rosa Beach, Florida: $2,900,000 3 ...
More About: Buying , Market , Million

Affluent Retirees Flocking to Rural Areas
2008-02-12 16:22:00
In a major demographic shift, growing numbers of wealthy retirees are moving to rural communities across a large swath of the country. This new migration trend portends significant changes to many quiet communities, increasing demand for products and services sometimes unavailable in out of the way places., such as wireless and other broadband internet access. Some ...
More About: Market , Local , Rural , Tire

Local Spotlight: Freeport, Maine
2008-02-11 18:45:00
Freeport, Maine is located only 12 miles by sea from Portland (15 miles by land), and two and a half hours from Boston. The population was around 7800 in the 2000 census. In addition to being the home of L.L. Bean, it?s also located near the Desert of Maine. History & Development Freeport was first settled around ...
More About: Buying , Market , Local , Spotlight

If You Find the Right Vacation Home for Sale, Don?t Wait!
2008-02-11 15:45:00
In a seller?s market, all qualified buyers are pretty much the same, and you may have a lot of them after your house. As long as they all have, or can get, the money to purchase your home, there?s not much difference between them. In a buyer?s market, there are lots of homes on the market ...
More About: Buying , For Sale , Home , Vacation , Sale

This Week?s Most Popular Vacation Homes on 2ndhome.net
2008-02-08 16:53:00
The most viewed vacation home on 2ndhome.net for the past week was this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom log home on .94 acres in Park City / Tollgate Canyon, Utah. It?s offered at $529,000 by Pine Meadows Properties. The second most viewed vacation home was this 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home in Port Aransas / Mustang Island, ...
More About: Buying , Market , Vacation , Popular , Homes

Trends in Interior Design
2008-02-07 16:15:00
As we pass through our mid winter blahs, it?s kind of fun to look at the predictions of where the design gurus are predicting interior design is heading in 2008. If the experts are to be believed, our color schemes and other interior design details are due for some significant shifts in the year ahead. ...
More About: Design , Trends , Interior

What You Can Get For $700K to $800K
2008-02-06 17:28:00
Nags Head, North Carolina: $799,000 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Oceanfront Sutton, New Hampshire: $795,000 5 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bathrooms, 8 Acres Orange Beach, Alabama: $779,900 4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, Condo Holland, Michigan: $759,900 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, 4836 Square Feet, 4.23 Acres Hills Beach, Maine: $749,000 3+ Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Oceanfront Gibraltar, Wisconsin: $728,000 4+ Bedrooms, 5,000+ Square Feet, 2.38 Acres Destin, Florida: $710,000 5 Bedrooms, 2400 Square Feet
More About: Buying , Local

Local Spotlight: Key West, Florida
2008-02-05 16:42:00
Key West , Florida is the southernmost city in the continental United States, 129 miles southwest of Miami (it?s actually closer to Havana, Cuba than it is to Miami). It?s also a popular seaport destination for cruise ships. Key West is among the westernmost islands in the Florida Keys. History The first visitor to Key West was Juan ...
More About: Buying , Local

How to Get a Steal on a Summer House Right Now
2008-02-04 17:21:00
Barbara Corcoran has a great post up right now about how to get a deal on a summer home right now. It?s got some good, sound advice on maximizing your negotiating power and finding a good buy. Tips include getting preapproved for a mortgage, looking online for properties, and offering to close at the seller?s ...
More About: House , Buying , Summer , Steal

Most Popular Vacation Homes for Sale on 2ndhome.net
2008-02-01 16:53:00
The most viewed vacation home on 2ndhome.net this week was this beach house in Hills Beach, Maine. It?s offered at $749,000 by Hollow Woods Management. The second most viewed vacation home was this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home in Jamaica Beach, Texas. It?s listed at $845,000 by Gateway Real Estate. The third most viewed vacation home was ...
More About: Buying , For Sale , Vacation , Sale , Popular

Feng Shui Dos and Don?ts for Every Room in Your Vacation Home
2008-01-31 18:40:00
HGTV has a great article with room-by-room dos and don?ts for your vacation home. Here are some of the tips covered: Dos Create an inviting and eye-catching entrance, inside and out. Make sure you can see the entrance of the kitchen when you?re cooking. Use white plates, as they allow the natural beauty of the food ...
More About: Design , Home , Vacation , Feng Shui , Room

What You Can Get For Around $250K
2008-01-30 16:44:00
McHenry, Illinois: $269,900 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Waterfront Egg Harbor, Wisconsin: $259,900 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1.52 Acres Kissimmee, Florida: $256,000 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms Laguna Vista, Texas: $255,000 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms Hawley, Pennsylvania: $249,900 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1.09 Acres Gold Canyon, Arizona: $232,000 3+ Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms
More About: Buying , Local

Local Spotlight: Manchester, Vermont
2008-01-29 16:18:00
Manchester, Vermont is located in the southwestern part of the state, between Bennington and Rutland on Route 7, and nestled at the foot of Mount Equinox (the highest mountain in Bennington County). The centerpiece of the village is the Equinox Resort, established in 1769. Summer temperatures average around 61 degrees Fahrenheit and winter temperatures are ...
More About: Manchester , Local , Spotlight , Mont

Buying a Prefab Home
2008-01-28 18:05:00
With the wide variety of factory-built homes now available (everything from tiny, modern structures to huge historic reproductions are available), it?s no wonder that second home owners across the country are considering a modular or other systems-built home. After all, when you live hours away from your second home site, it?s difficult to supervise construction ...
More About: Design , Buying , Home

Most Viewed Vacation Homes on 2ndhome.net
2008-01-25 16:45:00
The most popular property on 2ndhome.net for the past week was this 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 410 acre ranch in Crawford, Nebraska. It?s listed at $1,950,000 by Mason & Morse Ranch Company. The second most viewed second home was this 2+ bedroom, 1 bathroom waterfront home in Onalaska, Wisconsin. It?s listed at only $199,500 by RE/MAX ...
More About: Buying , Vacation , Homes

New Florida E-book Available
2008-01-24 17:16:00
Ryan Erisman, who contributed the Florida Vacation Homes article in the Winter issue of 2ndhome® Journal, has just published a new e-book about Florida’s most popular retirement community. The Complete Guide to The Villages Florida is a 117-page book which covers everything you need to know about researching, planning, and executing a move to The ...
More About: Products , Buying , Book , Local