I recently read a blog about the decision to buy a vacation home or continue to rent one for vacations. The article was written by a non-lake home owner and it was interesting to read because it was so factual verses emotional base. In the end he recommended not buying a vacation home because of the cost of ownership, unnecessary headaches and guilt & regret.
When I read his blog I understood his points, yet from my view while a lake home can be a money pit because of all the toys you buy and there is extra taxes I truly have not noticed any increased $$ restraints since purchasing our home. You naturally make different adjustments to your lifestyle. Obviously there is going to be cost with a second home, but if you think about your budget and buy within your means I personally see it as an investment. Any home has headaches and again I can honestly say I have not had any thoughts where I thought boy... "this lake home is a headache!." You do what you need to do and you don't think about it. Freedom to travel is an interesting one because anyone that wants to travel the world should travel the world, yet this should not stop you from buying a lake home if you are going to use it & can afford it. I use my lake home year around so I have not had any regrets or guilt. Sure I get sad or a little tense when I can't get to the lake for weeks at a time, but as soon as I return I'm at peace and it grounds me. It's my home.
What I think the article missed is all the connections that take place at a lake home or vacation home. I have gotten closer to my brothers and sisters! Over the last 5-10 years we have drifted because we each have our own families and are busy with our own life. When we get together at the lake we stay up at night like we did when we were kids and talk about old times, current events, laugh, drink, and enjoy sleeping under one roof again! It's fun to wake up and make breakfast and then hit the lake. It's so nice to see all the cousins get together and act like brothers and sisters for a weekend. Everyone relaxes and no one is headed out the door for this or that. We are together as a family! Kids grow up too quickly! I truly believe our lake home brings me closer to my 2 little boys (8 and 9) because we move there in the summer. They forget about the x-box, iPods, and other electronics and want to be outside looking for turtles, frogs, snakes, mud puppies, etc... And they want to SWIM and fish all day long! I feel like they are blessed with a true summer vacation all summer long! While I will admit jumping off the pier 5 to 10 times over and over again is probably enough for me I force myself to just be silly and be with my kids. It keeps me young! If they want to swim. Swim is what we do and I hope when they are older they remember their 40 year old plus mom jumping off the raft and pier with them! While they complain about spotting for me and their dad each a.m. and each p.m. some day I hope they realize that their mom and dad where pretty cool to be in their 40's and still out there ripping up the water on the wake boards, skies, and surf board, etc... I can not even begin to talk about the connection with my kids and their buddies. It is very typical that I will have 4 plus kids in the house at any given time. Keep in mind it's usually a house full of boys! Yet, I love that they all feel right at home. They treat me like their mom and I feel comfortable putting the kids in their place when necessary (smile). Kids now a days don't have a chance to just hang loose and fish, swim, learn to ski, and just be with their buddies 24 to 72 hours straight. At my place they do! They experience a wonderful childhood and get to build life long memories! I love when they invite themselves back to the lake too (smile). I hope their current friends are still friends with them in 10 years so when they return as young adults they remember being 7 or 9 and learning to ski behind our boat and all the hours spent tubing!
One funny story is we had 5 boys at our place for the weekend all ages 7 or 9 years in age. We had a blast. Taught each of the kids to wake board and ski not to mention all the tubing and fishing that was done! It was Sunday a.m. and time to feed these kids. In the a.m. I had made pancakes and got the pancakes on everyone's plates. And suddenly at the same time 3 of them said "Can I have a fork?, can I have some milk?, is there butter?". All of sudden I just raised my voice and said "HOW MANY HANDS DO I HAVE? YOU GOT PANCAKES. If you need a fork, get it. If you want Milk, get it." They all looked at me and jumped up and got all the things I should have had on the table to start with. What was cute was last month one of the boys was back and during breakfast time I was cooking and he got up and got himself a fork and I said "you remember last time I had a melt down, right"? And he just got his fork and smiled. Made me laugh. I could ramble on and on and tell you this story or that story, but my advice is if you have the funds to invest in a vacation home and it's what you are passionate about do it and never look back! Do the research and get a place on the lake you love! For some reason when I'm at the lake the house stuff does not bother me. I do not stress over silly stuff. I don't leave the house because I'm at the lake! I go to the grocery store once a week and I love that's the only time I leave my home. I LOVE that the closest town is 25 minutes away! It's a very simple way to live! I could also talk on and on about my lake neighbors! I love them and enjoy seeing them!
So if you made it through this blog. I'd love to know your thoughts regardless if you own a lake home or not. If you were at a cocktail party and someone asked you if you thought they should buy a place on the lake... what would you say? Be honest!
When I read his blog I understood his points, yet from my view while a lake home can be a money pit because of all the toys you buy and there is extra taxes I truly have not noticed any increased $$ restraints since purchasing our home. You naturally make different adjustments to your lifestyle. Obviously there is going to be cost with a second home, but if you think about your budget and buy within your means I personally see it as an investment. Any home has headaches and again I can honestly say I have not had any thoughts where I thought boy... "this lake home is a headache!." You do what you need to do and you don't think about it. Freedom to travel is an interesting one because anyone that wants to travel the world should travel the world, yet this should not stop you from buying a lake home if you are going to use it & can afford it. I use my lake home year around so I have not had any regrets or guilt. Sure I get sad or a little tense when I can't get to the lake for weeks at a time, but as soon as I return I'm at peace and it grounds me. It's my home.
What I think the article missed is all the connections that take place at a lake home or vacation home. I have gotten closer to my brothers and sisters! Over the last 5-10 years we have drifted because we each have our own families and are busy with our own life. When we get together at the lake we stay up at night like we did when we were kids and talk about old times, current events, laugh, drink, and enjoy sleeping under one roof again! It's fun to wake up and make breakfast and then hit the lake. It's so nice to see all the cousins get together and act like brothers and sisters for a weekend. Everyone relaxes and no one is headed out the door for this or that. We are together as a family! Kids grow up too quickly! I truly believe our lake home brings me closer to my 2 little boys (8 and 9) because we move there in the summer. They forget about the x-box, iPods, and other electronics and want to be outside looking for turtles, frogs, snakes, mud puppies, etc... And they want to SWIM and fish all day long! I feel like they are blessed with a true summer vacation all summer long! While I will admit jumping off the pier 5 to 10 times over and over again is probably enough for me I force myself to just be silly and be with my kids. It keeps me young! If they want to swim. Swim is what we do and I hope when they are older they remember their 40 year old plus mom jumping off the raft and pier with them! While they complain about spotting for me and their dad each a.m. and each p.m. some day I hope they realize that their mom and dad where pretty cool to be in their 40's and still out there ripping up the water on the wake boards, skies, and surf board, etc... I can not even begin to talk about the connection with my kids and their buddies. It is very typical that I will have 4 plus kids in the house at any given time. Keep in mind it's usually a house full of boys! Yet, I love that they all feel right at home. They treat me like their mom and I feel comfortable putting the kids in their place when necessary (smile). Kids now a days don't have a chance to just hang loose and fish, swim, learn to ski, and just be with their buddies 24 to 72 hours straight. At my place they do! They experience a wonderful childhood and get to build life long memories! I love when they invite themselves back to the lake too (smile). I hope their current friends are still friends with them in 10 years so when they return as young adults they remember being 7 or 9 and learning to ski behind our boat and all the hours spent tubing!
One funny story is we had 5 boys at our place for the weekend all ages 7 or 9 years in age. We had a blast. Taught each of the kids to wake board and ski not to mention all the tubing and fishing that was done! It was Sunday a.m. and time to feed these kids. In the a.m. I had made pancakes and got the pancakes on everyone's plates. And suddenly at the same time 3 of them said "Can I have a fork?, can I have some milk?, is there butter?". All of sudden I just raised my voice and said "HOW MANY HANDS DO I HAVE? YOU GOT PANCAKES. If you need a fork, get it. If you want Milk, get it." They all looked at me and jumped up and got all the things I should have had on the table to start with. What was cute was last month one of the boys was back and during breakfast time I was cooking and he got up and got himself a fork and I said "you remember last time I had a melt down, right"? And he just got his fork and smiled. Made me laugh. I could ramble on and on and tell you this story or that story, but my advice is if you have the funds to invest in a vacation home and it's what you are passionate about do it and never look back! Do the research and get a place on the lake you love! For some reason when I'm at the lake the house stuff does not bother me. I do not stress over silly stuff. I don't leave the house because I'm at the lake! I go to the grocery store once a week and I love that's the only time I leave my home. I LOVE that the closest town is 25 minutes away! It's a very simple way to live! I could also talk on and on about my lake neighbors! I love them and enjoy seeing them!
So if you made it through this blog. I'd love to know your thoughts regardless if you own a lake home or not. If you were at a cocktail party and someone asked you if you thought they should buy a place on the lake... what would you say? Be honest!