I admit it, I lived the so-called "American dream". I had a big house with 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, massive walk-in closets, a 3-car garage, a swimming pool and in a gated community. I received a good 6% income from my work, traveled, had dinner, and once was his and her ... Mercedes. What else can be eloquent, Americans want? Of course, the second home in the country, of course!
We had good friends who always bragged about going north to the mountains to stay in their “other” house, which was fully furnished and well equipped for an instant vacation. They ranged from size sizes to modest "A". But the lure of clean, unpolluted air, abundant wilderness, cooler summer temperatures and picturesque, pine-filled perspectives were really intoxicating. We spent many days and nights in the area and were already convinced of the benefits. So, with a few extra dollars in the bank, we decided to conduct a serious investigation.
It started with a budget and a plan. We wanted to live in a cabin, completely different from our current residence. Therefore, we enlisted the help of a local high-ranking realtor and began the search. By the third or fourth house, we were already disappointed. It turned out that people living in these cabins have no concept or words, such as “repair” or maintenance. “Throw in" modern technology "and" repaint ", and you get a picture that was ugly. Understanding what actually meant "village".
Most of them were small and in need of repair. The agent explained that within our price range from $ 100,000 to $ 125,000, we cannot expect much better. True log houses were by far the worst. They had obvious damage to termites and lacked the most common amenities. But the one thing we wanted the most was the look, and although they all said that they had one, we decided to look at the big fir in the front yard, not at our idea. So, 25 houses later, we politely thanked the realtor and went back down the highway home and were somewhat discouraged. But we were not completely dejected and still craved impossible sleep.
A few weeks later I had free time for a week, and I went to the mountain town in the morning. There, having received a local real estate agent, I discovered a small new development with three modest-sized models. After touring, I found the perfect size in an accessible configuration in two bedrooms, two bathrooms on the same level as a garage for two cars. There was also a lot of available, which was supported by a national forest with amazing views. I immediately hit the deposit and returned home with the news. My wife came back with me, agreed in the cabin, and we began to build a few months later.
It was an exciting time. Having chosen wooden floors and mahogany siding, we began to assemble our appliances, interior items and interior colors. By the fall, we spent the weekend in a 1,200-square-foot house and enjoyed our first snowfall. This spring, I planted several trees and shrubs for additional landscaping and a buddy, and I built a stretched “L-shaped” mahogany deck. So, right now, you ask yourself, what was the trap of this beautiful place?
The harsh reality began slowly and spread like a disease. But first I can offer some reference material. I live near Phoenix, where, at 105 years old, most are summer days and 70 in winter. The mountain town is located in the 80s in summer and winter. So, from May to October, this is the ideal temperature in the north, but it gets quite cold in winter. Nights can be in the 20s. The purpose of the booth was to use the deck and sit outside when possible, enjoying the view. But from mid-October to March it is rather cold and impractical. So it really was a summer retreat. Immediately, our enjoyment was limited by climatic conditions, which caused serious disappointment.
In addition, although we had a wrap, flooring and satellite TV, we were bored. Appearance has never changed, and in such a tiny community there were 15,000 people. One can only make so many side trips on the highway. Sitting on deck for hours on end was relaxing but extremely boring. We also had problems with visitors. When we left, we allowed several friends and relatives to use the cabin in our absence. Several times we found that everything was broken, the interior was dirty, and the pantry food was gone. As soon as the front door was left unlocked by the tenant, who knows how long.
We also realized that we needed to check the place every once in a while, we did not use it in the winter months. This meant extra trips to watch, sometimes. And, although there were times when they were not used, mortgages, taxes and utilities still had to be paid every month. Then, when we finally returned, we had to spend time on cleaning and work in the yard. After the rain, we had a lot of weeds that I was destined to pull. Thus, it required the same maintenance as any other house. We even had to do some laundry and take out the trash. We foresaw this as a country house, but, in addition to cleaning, there were still necessary purchases to replenish basic products.
We owned this place for three years before realizing the real value. For much less money, we can relax anywhere in the world and choose different places every time. Thus, we sold the cabin with a fair profit, invested it, and now we can take some great luxury vacations immediately at the expense of interest (we returned $ 180,000 and received 5% for 9000 dollars a year). My advice to anyone considering such an investment should really think: (a) how much it will cost, (b) how much it will be used, (c) how easy it is to get, (d) what is the cost, i.e. gas , the fare for the aircraft, (e) will increase in value and, finally, (e) how easy it will be to sell. For us it was a simple solution, and we received a new assessment of holiday homes. Or, as I like to call them, "temporary village retreats that secretly suck up spending, offering little in return."
