Your Vacation Home Buyer's Guide!
Why Vacation Homes?
A Brief, Brief History
Own -- Don't Rent!
Maximize Your Dollar!
Enjoy More Flexibility !
Build Family Bonds!
Your Reasons!
"Vacations are to attitude as vacation homes are to lifestyle. vacation homes provide flexibility, choice and offer a great way to vacation!"
Today's vacation homes are about flexibility, choice and, for most, a great way to vacation. You can experience anything from chain rattling Scottish castles to the sun drenched beaches of Hawaii and Mexico! You can return each year like the swallows or venture to vacation in distant lands. However you want to vacation, it's up to you!
And vacation homes come in all shapes and sizes! They come as biennials (every other year) to multi-week stays or as deluxe studios with kitchens to luxurious 3 bedroom lock-off suites! Some even come 'all inclusive' with food, drink, activities and entertainment for all. Whatever your lifestyle... today's vacation homes are the vacation of choice.
Once Upon A vacation home...A Brief, Brief History.
Thanks to the advent of the freeway systems of the 50's and the airline travel boom of the 60's, modern vacationing, or leisure travel was born. And today, the dream of a vacation is more accessible than ever! But this wasn't always the case. For centuries only the privileged classes enjoyed this freedom. They played, as others toiled...
Leisure travel has always symbolized luxury, freedom, pleasure and satisfaction. In fact, the word luxury derives from the Latin word luxu, signifying sensuality, abundance and splendor. The Greeks even believed leisure was the quintessence of civilized living. Leisure they called school, the pursuit of experience and learning. An apt word, which we've adopted as our own: School!
Following the Industrial Revolution, our grandfathers and grandmothers, many born in foreign lands, yearned for a life of freedom and relaxation. It was after all . . . the promise of democracy. Yet for most of them the life of the Great Gatsby would remain a dream. Year's later, technology would leverage their hard work for our benefit and for the generations to come. And we thank them for that.
During the last century, our leisure time has almost doubled. And this trend promises to continue! In the last twenty years more wealth was produced than in the previous 4 million years! The next twenty years are expected to double the world's GNP (Gross National Product) - its output of goods and services. Our standard of living, after adjusting for population growth, will rise by almost two-thirds! As Oscar Wilde wrote: "Give me the luxuries in life and I can dispense with the necessities." Today's citizens no longer yearn for vacations and leisure travel, they demand it. And that's where vacation homes come in.
Timesharing as a form of vacationing began in the early 1960s in Europe, when various families shared in the ownership of a vacation home. Instead of one family owning a vacation home and only using it several weeks a year, it made more sense to share the time with others. This way each family owned what they used and shared the upkeep and costs proportionally.
When this "shared vacation home" concept arrived in America in the early 70's, it took the form of furnished condominiums and mega resorts offered as weekly increments rather than vacation homes.
Like any new concept, vacation homes have had their growing pains. Once renowned for high-pressure sales, long on promises and short on delivery, the industry has undergone regulation both from inside and out greatly improving public acceptance and security. And resort developers discovered that greater consumer satisfaction leads to greater profits. The more they improve their product, the greater its acceptance and popularity. Recognizable names like Disney, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Starwood and Wyndham now offer vacation home and they have helped improve the image.
Today more and more people are discovering the benefits of timesharing. To date, over 4.5 million households worldwide own a vacation home at some 5,000 resorts in over 130 countries! In fact, timesharing is now the fastest growing segment of the hospitality industry.
vacation home condominiums offer the luxury of staying in a world-class resort with all the comforts and privacy of your own home. Ownership creates substantial savings over renting hotels, houses or condominiums and provides additional comfort and security too. Expect to pay far more for a hotel room and enjoy it less.
With ownership you'll bask in a spacious vacation condominium with kitchen, living room, one or more bedrooms and a private balcony or patio -- even hot tubs and fireplaces are found. Don't stop there! Resort amenities often include swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, health clubs, restaurants and more! Think about it. By pre-paying future accommodation expenses, you save on the rising cost of future vacations. Why not take what you now spend on vacations each year and apply it towards ownership. You'll agree the best vacations are the one's you own!
Story: Danielle and Bryce Herbst of New Mexico worked hard over the years to build their dream home. They understood the benefits of ownership. If only they could enjoy the same quality and benefits in their annual Colorado ski vacation.
Before filling out the form on timesharetravel-vacationhomegetaway.com, the Herbst's had spent thousands each year on vacation rentals and "discount" ski packages. Once they researched the benefits of vacation ownership, they decided to purchase a winter week at Ramada Vacation Suites in Steamboat Springs. They got a great deal and saved a bundle compared to the so-called "discount" ski packages. They now own their vacation dream and their young son is quickly learning to ski. "Last one to the bottom... "!
Maximize Your leisure Dollars!
Why pay full time for a part time vacation? Owning a vacation home is like owning an affordable vacation home that fits your budget and lifestyle. Unlike owning a vacation home, typically used less than three weeks a year, you purchase your vacation home time based upon your needs and wants. Your year round obligations of home ownership are eliminated and annual expenses such as maintenance, taxes, insurance are reduced to fit your vacation lifestyle.
Story: For Gary Johnson of Indiana, golf isn't just a game, it's his way of life. For years, he traveled the country visiting all the best courses. Unfortunately, he also paid the exorbitant costs of hotel stays and non-member green fees. When a friend referred him to timesharetravel-vacationhomegetaway.com, he was skeptical of vacation home ownership. He filled out the form on our web site, and was contacted right away. He asked numerous questions and finally after feeling comfortable and confident with professional advice, he followed his friends' recommendation. He purchased a week at the Plaza Resort and Spa in Palm Springs.
Zoom To The Present: Gary enjoys nearly a 40% savings over what he was paying. He now plays golf more often and enjoys the extras that true vacations have to offer. Gary adds, "I often trade my week through the exchange company and visit other renowned courses around the country." All this for the same low price he pays at his home resort! You might not break par-owning vacation home, but you won't break the bank!
Vacation home owners enjoy flexibility in both time and place. When you own a vacation home you can join an exchange program that enables you to trade your time for weeks and times at resorts all over the world. You're never stuck in one place! Whether you want to trade your summer vacation week to winter, visit resorts in other lands, go cruising through the Caribbean or simply extend your stay at your own resort, today's vacation homes are meant to match your personal vacation style.
Story: During their retirement, Hanna and Tadd Christensen of New York always wanted to see more of the country. Work schedules and the costs of putting their three children through college had seldom allowed for an extended vacation. They then made a life long family decision and purchased three vacation home weeks after filling out the form on timesharetravel-vacationhomegetaway.com, knowing that they could trade these weeks for stays at other locations. This would give them the opportunity to travel to some of the places they'd always intended to visit. Even better, their three weeks at Shawnee Village in Pennsylvania served a dual purpose.
Their vacation home weeks provided a quick and easy getaway vacation that was close to home and, by depositing the weeks with an exchange company, the Christensen's also enjoyed the luxury of traveling throughout the world. Since their purchase, the Christensen's have already visited Hawaii, California, Las Vegas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Their next vacation will be to Orlando and Disney World. For one third of the original resort price and a small yearly maintenance fee, the Christensen's are fulfilling their life long vacation dreams. Watch out world here we come!
Owning a vacation home is an excellent way to enjoy quality time with your family. School, little league, friends and work, all play havoc on modern family life. There was a time when we shared the same dinner table nightly. Today's lifestyles make it difficult to even share the same fast food menu! Owning your vacation is like having 'family love insurance'. Every vacation home owner will confirm this simple truth. It is a commitment to a quality lifestyle and an investment in yourself and your family.
Whether your family is still under one roof or you're dedicated empty nesters, your vacation home membership can be a cohesive force. With multiple weeks, multiple bedrooms and flexible exchange plans, you insure your growing and ever extending family stays together for years to come.
Story: When sisters Christy and Jessa Peterson's mother died, the funeral was the first time they'd seen each other in two years. Christy's job as an attorney in Massachusetts and Jessa's job as an executive chef in California kept the two apart. Both agreed that they would spend one vacation week each year together so that they wouldn't lose touch. Since they grew up in the Lake Tahoe area, where they both enjoyed skiing, they agreed that a winter week at Tahoe would be an ideal way to spend time together. A friend of Claire's referred her to the timesharetravel-vacationhomegetaway.com.She was contacted and found an excellent deal on a vacation home week at Tahoe Beach and Ski Club.
Now, every January, the sisters meet, enjoying quality time and great skiing. A family bond that distance once threatened to break apart was mended thanks to timesharing and, of course, to the timesharetravel-vacationhomegetaway.com.
Your reasons can be as simple or complex as you like. It can be to save money in the long run, make memories, or have something fun and exciting to pass on to your family so they can continue making great memories long after you are gone!
They can be just to getaway, an excuse to leave the office, to take a last minute flight or last call cruise without breaking the bank! You can have the fun and flexibility that millions dream of everyday and you can have it now! Whatever your reason may be, your dream vacation awaits! Find Out More