April 2005
April 8, 2005 Hello, Welcome to our monthly newsletter created specifically to help you find your perfect vacation, investment, or retirement property. Inside you will find tips on finding and financing your second home, details on high quality resorts and vacation destinations worldwide, and information on pre-screened real estate specialists. IN THIS ISSUE 10 Great 'Coastal' Second Home Destinations EscapeHomes Launches Second Home Forums! 'Hot Market' of the Month: Gatlinburg and the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee Featured Property: Unique Oceanfront Opportunity in Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Riviera Maya Vacation Home Co-Ownership: What is it and is it right for you? Book Review: 'Are You Missing the Real Estate Boom?' by David Lereah New Second Home Destinations and Agents 10 Great 'Coastal' Second Home Destinations Brunswick, ME Cape Cod, MA Chesapeake Bay, MD Florence, OR Gold Beach, OR Hamptons, NY Mendocino, CA San Juan Island, WA Sea Ranch, CA Stinson Beach, CA Learn more about these towns *Listed in alphabetical order EscapeHomes Launches Second Home Forums Our new Second Home Forums allow visitors to EscapeHomes.com to read and post with other second home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals. There are a multitude of topics related to this booming segment of the real estate market to choose from including Retirement Living, Investment Properties, Vacation Homes, and even regionally based forums such as the Northeast, Middle Atlantic, South, California and Florida. These are great ways to learn more about where others are buying, what questions and concerns they have, and get helpful advice and suggestions from others just like you. Read More... This Month's 'Hot Market': Gatlinburg and the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee If you are looking for an outdoors recreation area with lots for kids to do, the mountain town of Gatlinburg is ideal. Located at the heart of the 'Smokies', Gatlinburg features breathtaking mountain views as well as a culture all its own. In addition to being the gateway to the Great Smokey National Forest, the area has a multitude of activities for the whole family including skiing in the winter and fishing, horseback-riding and golfing in the summer. Whether relaxing or being active, you can enjoy four seasons of vacation living here. Read More... Featured Property: Unique Oceanfront Opportunity in Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Riviera Maya At the eastern edge of Mayakobá, you'll discover a secluded, mile-long arc of white sand. Out in the near distance is the shimmer of the world's second largest coral reef - a joyous rainbow of underwater life. The water temperature mimics the tropical air, averaging 80 degrees. The warm, consistent ocean breeze, ideal for sailing, carries the scent of fresh flowers to every corner of the resort. When you are finished basking in the warm sun, you can experience a world of eco-action sports, a rejuvenating treatment at the island spa, or a culinary adventure at the Beach Club's open-air sea grill. This exceptional 1600-acre environment, graced by enlightened design and the world's finest hoteliers, is creating a new international standard. The resort as well as the Greg Norman Signature Golf Course, are built to embrace the lagoons, jungle and Caribbean beachfront - the keys to every inspiration. Read More... Vacation Home Co-Ownership Although many people dream of owning vacation property, most either can't afford the type of property they want, or reason that they would not use the vacation home often enough to justify the expense. Co-ownership provides a solution to these problems by allowing you to pay only a fraction of the costs and ongoing expenses of vacation home ownership, and share the risks of unforeseen maintenance problems and value depreciation with others. Of course, in exchange for spreading the costs and risks, you give up some of the usage rights and freedoms that you would have if you owned the property alone. Read more... 'Are You Missing the Real Estate Boom?' A New Book by David Lereah Are you missing the real estate boom? Can you increase your wealth from it? For most people-including current homeowners-the answer is a resounding yes. But it's not too late to increase your stake in the greatest real estate boom of our generation. Whether you are a first-time buyer or already own your home, Are You Missing the Real Estate Boom? will show you how you can dramatically increase your overall wealth. Author David Lereah, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, shows why the real estate market is poised to climb higher over the next decade-and explains what you can do to profit from it. Read more... New EscapeHomes Second Home Destinations and Agents EscapeHomes is pleased to introduce our new Second Home Specialists who have recently joined our preferred network of real estate professionals. They cover a broad spectrum of second home destinations, lifestyles, recreational activities, and vacation properties. Please take a look at their personal biographies, peruse their listings, and drop them an email if you are interested in learning more. They are professionals you can trust and will do whatever it takes to help you find your dream property. SECOND HOME SPECIALISTS Arizona, Tucson: Jon Quist California, Laguna Beach: Karen Mahoney Florida, Destin: Bill Grannan Michigan, Charlevoix: John Yaroch North Carolina, Highlands: Carol Matthews North Carolina, Kitty Hawk: Barbara Olds North Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach: Wyndi Gundrum-Cooper North Carolina, Surf City/Topsail Island: Dick Miller New Jersey, Cape May: Ralph Tiz New York, The Hamptons: Bill Carroll Texas, South Padre Island: Alice Donahue Washington, Whidbey Island: Frank Meyer NEW HOME DEVELOPMENTS Bald Head Island, North Carolina Learn more... Thank You Finally, thank you for being a loyal EscapeHomes user. We will continue to provide you with valuable tools and information to help make your dream of owning a second home a reality. Amanda Sturges Editor EscapeHomes.com The Smart Source For Second Homes (800) 937-9090 (415) 252-9500 Amanda@EscapeHomes.com NewslettersPressAbout UsContact UsPrivacy StatementTerms of Use