No matter how busy custom home clients get, they never stop dreaming of relaxing at the beach—or on the ski slope, on the golf course, or by the pool. “A second home is obviously discretionary spending, so it’s subject to changes in the economy,” says Walt Moloney of the National Association of Realtors. “But the underlying fundamental demand for vacation homes is there. Although 2001 saw a small dropoff in Nsecond home purchases from 1999, all anecdotal evidence says it’s picked back up.”
Part of that resurgence could be due to increased interest in owning real estate rather than venturing into the stock market. According to the NAR, the percentage of second home buyers purchasing as an investment rose from 20 percent in 1999 to 37 percent in 2002. People are also building second houses as gathering places for extended family or as eventual retirement residences. They’re looking for homes they can use year-round, rather than just in one season. And they’re taking their work with them when they go on vacation, using home offices to keep up with their hectic schedules. Take a look at the following for proof: The good life is alive and well.
Rock Solid
Mountain Hideaway
Beach Treat
Ski Country
Steel Beauty
