2nd home in retirement?

Annegriet

10 years ago

Anybody own a second home or a condo/pied-a-terre? If so, where? How often do you use it?

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Elmer J Fudd

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I live in a mild winter location (so no snowbirds originate from here) but I know many people who have a second home. Almost all in vacation areas - Hawaii, in the Sierra (and around Lake Tahoe) for skiing and summer vacations, some in various parts of the Rockies, etc. I also know people with pied-a-terre units, some of which wound up becoming primary residence locations as those folks decided they liked being back in the city and so sold their suburban homes. For those with two places, many I know spend significant time at the second home, from one-quarter to one-half of their time.

I personally have always resisted a second home in a vacation spot, preferring instead the flexibility to go to different places each trip. I might consider one if one of my kids settles in an area I want to visit regularly that's more than a few hours away - that hasn't happened yet.

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Comments (10)

sushipup1
10 years ago
My feelings about second homes is same as for travel trailers/motor homes. Great if you love doing housework and maintenance. Like Snidely, I'd rather go to different places.
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stir_fryi SE Mich
10 years ago
We are not retired yet but have vacation condo in FL that we hope to use more someday.

My parents were "snowbirds" for almost 20 years spending the brutal winter months in Fort Myers, FL. They made so many wonderful friendships during this time -- it truely was their second home. My father also credits his great health (88 years strong) so spending winters in a warm climate where he could walk, play golf, play cards, etc...

You can't get that from "traveling around"!
User
10 years ago
"he could walk, play golf, play cards, etc..."

Two out if three ain't bad. ;-)
Elmer J Fudd
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
stirfry, I'm glad your father is doing well, I wish him many more happy and healthy years.

I don't understand your comment. Many people already live in places where outdoor activities can be pursued 12 months a year. (Which, I would suggest, wouldn't include Florida or other Southern locations where it's too brutally hot and muggy to spend much time outside in the summer months).

Are life expectancies longer in places with moderate weather compared to the snow belt?
jakkom
10 years ago
When you live in coastal CA no need for a 2nd home unless there's a place you love going to a lot. A friend of mine lives near SFO, great area, but when his two boys were young, bought a vacation cabin in Lake Tahoe where they went every summer. Kids loved it and are still big on outdoor sports; one lives in Seattle and the other in Minnesota (I guess he likes snow!).

I think our friends still own their Tahoe place, maybe considering moving there someday well in the future (he's retired but very active on various Silicon Valley tech company boards).

Where we live, it can be 95 degrees 20 miles east, 75 where we live, with 62 chilly degrees at the coast, less than 10 miles away. Pick the temp you want and just drive there, lol.
User
10 years ago
Weather seasonal extremes are not the only reason for having two homes.
Elmer J Fudd
10 years ago
Very true, salti, but I think I took that as stirfry's focus.
Troy Farwell
10 years ago
We have two - one inland in Portland, and the other on the Oregon coast. The coast house is an older cape, and is definitely a labor of love. We are restoring it. I like to work on it, while my DW hangs out. It works well for us. I've traveled the earth for the past 20 years (overseas up to 10 times per year), so I'm very happy just to stay here.

After this place is restored, I'm planning on buying a cabin in the mountains. Yup - 3 houses...
artemis_ma
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I could see a really small cabin in the south. But not Florida, which I strongly dislike - perhaps uplands SC or Blue Ridge VA. But on the other hand, it limits just travelling to travel and see new places.

(And then again a part of me wants a small cabin in mid-Vermont, near friends that I only realized were true friends a few years back! 4 hours to visit with them otherwise...)

2nd home in retirement?

Elmer J Fudd

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sushipup1

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