vacation homes | Second Shelters

07/10/17 4:27pm

South Padre Island Offers More Bang for Your Buck

Homes on South Padre Island can be found for as little as $100,000, or for more than $500,000 (but the latter gets you views like this).

Although they’re native Texans, Gary and Lynne Tate spent eight cold years in Alaska before finally coming back to the state. Before they left, they had a ceremony to destroy their snow shovel.

Then they moved to South Padre Island.

Nowadays, the two Realtors with Keller Williams Lynne Tate South Padre Island spend their time helping people find their new home, home-away-from-home, or investment property on the island.

“It happens every year, somebody will come down and catch more fish here than they ever have and want to get a place here,” Tate said.

“We see a lot of interest in buying around the summer,” fellow Realtor Gayle Hood agreed.

And Hood said you can find almost anything you want — inventory is wide open and very affordable. (more…)

beach, boating, fishing, Gary Tate, Gayle Hood, Gulf of Mexico, Laguna Vista, Lynne Tate, Port Isabel, Rio Grande Valley, South Padre Island, vacation homes

ski homes

02/06/17 2:29pm

Mother Nature’s Hot Tub: Mystical Secrets of Steamboat Springs

by valeriejarvie

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Photo courtesy of the Colorado Tourism Office

Every ski town seems to have its own appeal. It’s easy to get to, or it’s isolated and exclusive. It’s snowboarder heaven, or it’s snowboard-free. It a great place for beginners, or it’s dominated by advanced-level runs and black diamond-lovers don’t have to navigate around skiers like me.

Steamboat Springs in northwestern Colorado is known as an exceptionally family-friendly town. It’s known for lots of programs for children, kids-only lifts, and play areas and parks designed with juveniles in mind. But, the area has a unique natural feature with special appeal for adults: mystical natural hot springs where skiers, snowboarders, and hikers can relax and soak away tired muscles and aches and pains. Click here for a look at these therapeutic wonders and a gorgeous new vacation home listing in Steamboat Springs:

(more…)

Colorado, second homes, ski homes, Steamboat Springs, vacation homes

Hawaii

12/07/16 2:18pm

Live Like a Local: Regency at Kahala Offers a Slice of Old Hawaii

by Jon Anderson

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When I say “old Hawaii,” I mean places where locals have lived for decades. These are not the new flashy high-rises in Kaka’ako, but rather buildings like this one that rose from the ground in 1969. The Regency at Kahala is a tall, 20-plus-story slice of Hawaii.

There are four units per floor … a one-bedroom, two two-bedrooms, and a three-bedroom unit. There are minor differences in square footage in the same floor plan due to some units having enclosed their patios (and you know how I feel about that!).

Sunday, I braved sheets of rain to walk over to a quadruple open house that featured two one-bedroom units and one example each of two- and three-bedroom units. My favorites were the one-bedroom and the three-bedroom units, which mostly came down to view. These two face the water, though on Sunday they all faced the rain.

(more…)

condos, Hawaii, High Rises, second homes, vacation homes, vacation homes in hawaii

House Candy

07/13/16 12:14pm

HGTV Ultimate House Hunt Results Show Visitors Dream Of Hawaii, Florida, and Massachusetts

by Deidre Woollard

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It’s no surprise that Hawaii captures the imagination of people dreaming of a getaway. Tropical breezes, the deep blue Pacific, technicolor sunsets, and lush greenery set the stage for a dream vacation or the ultimate home away from home.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and Luxury Portfolio International have announced the winners of the HGTV Ultimate House Hunt, a month-long online contest held on HGTV.com each year.

The contest highlights exceptional homes from across the globe in eight exciting categories: Waterfront Homes, Master Retreats, International Homes, Living Large in Small Spaces, Bringing The Outside In, Kids’ Spaces, Classic Living and Making an Entrance. All featured homes are represented by members of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and Luxury Portfolio International. Consumers vote for their favorite, and a winner is chosen at the end.

This year, Hawaii cleaned up, winning honors in three categories as well as the overall winner. Massachusetts homes won in two categories, as did Florida homes and the International award winner is located in Lugano, Switzerland.

(more…)

cohasset, Florida, Hawaii, Hgtv, jacksonville, kauai, kukio, longboat key, massachusetts, pacific ocean, pool, ultimate house hunt, vacation homes, waterfront

Vacation Home Trends

06/20/16 10:58am

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Vacation Homes: Safety, Luxury, Entertaining the Kids & Homes Over Hotels

by Candy Evans

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The vacation home market is estimated to be at $100 billion worldwide. In New Orleans at NAREE this month, I gathered five top vacation home experts, including Bill Furlong of HomeAway, Jackie Doak of Dart Enterprises Ltd., the developer ofCamana Bay on Grand Cayman Island, Hunter Harman, Broker/Owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida, Tina Necrason of Montage Hotels & Resorts, and Tyler Niess of Crescent Communities.

Learn from the experts on what is hot in the vacation home market, and see the whole panel discussion from the National Association of Real Estate Editors 50th conference, after the jump!

(more…)

Beach properties of Florida, Camana Bay, Crescent Communities, Grand Cayman, HomeAway, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Palmetto Bluff, Seven Mile Beach, vacation homes

House Candy

09/04/15 3:38pm

Kathy Fielder Creates Personalized Space For ‘The Bold and The Beautiful’ Actor Sean Kanan

by Joanna England

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Soap star Sean Kanan asked Dallas designer Kathy Fielder to create a vibrant, personalized space.

When you envision the interiors of your second home, you might gravitate toward relaxing color schemes and open spaces with comfortable furniture. It should be a space for relaxing and letting go. A space for enjoyment, not practicality.

Not everyone has the talent to create that kind of space, nor the time. That’s why Sean Kanan, a renowned daytime TV star, enlisted Dallas-based veteran designer Kathy Fielder to create the perfect environment for his vacation home in Palm Springs.

“The combinations that Kathy put together echo my taste,” Kanan said. “She utilized a combination of bold patterns with solids all within a neutral palette that I love.”

But how do you achieve that look without succumbing to design ennui? We asked Kathy for a few tips on designing the perfect spaces for your vacation home.

(more…)

A.J. Quartermaine, Celebrity Design, celebrity real estate, Deacon, Deacon Sharpe, General Hospital, Sean Kanan, second homes, The Bold and The Beautiful, Vacation Home Design, vacation homes

Texas Hill Country

08/20/15 3:33pm

Terra Verde Group Acquires Texas Hill Country Escape Boot Ranch

by Joanna England

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I was sitting in Craig Martin’s office up at Windsong Ranch — if you haven’t seen or experienced the amazing Windsong Ranch in Prosper, then you don’t know North Texas real estate greatness — and he was telling me about this amazing ranch in the Hill Country just north of Fredericksburg.

Boot Ranch I asked? I love the place!

Yes, he said. We are buying it!

But I was sworn to secrecy until the deal was closed. Closed, signed and sealed it is: Terra Verder Group LLC, the devloper of Windsong Ranch, has indeed purchased the 2,000 acre Boot Ranch north of Fredericksburg. Terra Verde and financial partner Wheelock Street Capital bought the luxury vacation home golf course community from Lehman Brothers.

Boot Ranch, the brainchild of Texas golfing great Hal Sutton, opened in 2006 just in time for the Great Recession. Like so many of its brethren, Boot fell into foreclosure. But during the four years that Lehman Brothers operated it, the community slowly, steadily kept the momentum moving forward. In fact, Boot Ranch may well become a poster child success story for how a vacation home community survives a downturn.

“The previous developer opened the project at the wrong time in the market,” said Terra Verde founder Craig Martin. “Our plan is to complete the development.We like Boot Ranch because of its proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Midland-Odessa – within a 4-hour drive.”

Read more about this amazing acquisition on CandysDirt.com!

Boot ranch, Candy Evans, Dallas real estate news, fractional ownership, House Candy, How to buy a second home, Luxury Real Estate, second home news, Second home sales, second homes, Texas, Texas Hill Country, Texas real estate, Vacation Home News, vacation homes

Lake homes

07/03/15 2:35pm

Live Big on Lake Worth: 3.2 Acres, 500 ft. of Lake Frontage Just 15 Minutes From Downtown Fort Worth

by Joanna England

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Sometimes we want to get away, but the thought of travel is just too much. Packing up everything, getting the kids ready, and climbing in the car or in a plane for hours is enough to keep us at home, ensconced in air conditioning and watching the latest releases on Netflix.

But what if you could enjoy a lake house that was just 15 minutes from downtown Fort Worth? What if there was a property big enough to host you and your extended family without feeling cramped and uncomfortable? What if you could enjoy all the best things about lake living without the drive?

We’ve found just the thing! Go check out this hip pocket listing from Williams Trew over on CandysDirt.com, as it is the absolute perfect spot for a low-key family Fourth of July getaway that feels private.

Candys Dirt, Fort Worth, Fort Worth Lake House, Fort Worth Real Estate, How to buy a second home, Lake Estates, Lake Homes, Lake Living, Lake Worth, second home news, Second home sales, second homes, second shelters, Texas, Vacation Home News, vacation homes, Williams Trew

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