Should I consider purchasing the family vacation cabin?

[Barry Darsow]

DW's parent bought a cabin on a river 15 miles from home. They also bought an RV. They spent all their free time taking the RV up to the cabin to w*rk. Cutting grass, clearing sticks and downed trees, replacing dry wall when the place flooded, etc., etc. They owned it for 40 years and never spent a single night in it. It had no bathroom (FIL with my help) dug a septic system with fingers.) FIL NEVER hooked it up!

If in doubt, don't!

Just 15 miles away? That's really close for a vacation property.

40 years and not one night? They must have enjoyed working on it?

 

[Sunset]

Just 15 miles away? That's really close for a vacation property.

40 years and not one night? ...

I can see that, it's a lot more work to pack clothes, food, drinks, etc to stay there than a 15 mile back home where everything is located.

 

[Music Lover]

I can see that, it's a lot more work to pack clothes, food, drinks, etc to stay there than a 15 mile back home where everything is located.

One of the reasons we like our lake house (54 minutes away) is that we can go anytime and our clothes, a stocked pantry, spices, a full freezer, and basic fridge stuff is already there. All we have to do is take some fresh food.

If you're going to pack everything you need every single time then you may as well just rent a place.

 

[Koolau]

Just 15 miles away? That's really close for a vacation property.

40 years and not one night? They must have enjoyed working on it?

Yeah, apparently they did. They even tried to rope DW and me in on the "fun."

 

[marko]

While I agree with the concensus that this is not a good fit for OP, as far as vacation home maintenance, has anyone ever heard of landscaping services??

They come once a week, cut the grass, trim whatever needs trimming, mulch what needs mulching and do spring/ fall cleanup.

If you're really loving your vacation home, a few bucks hiring out yard, painting and plumbing can make it a "vacation" instead of a maintenance burden.

At the higher end, there's services that will open/ close/winerize your place for the season. A friend has a local lady who he calls the day before and she stocks the fridge/cupboards/bar with whatever he orders and does some light cleaning; changes the beds when he leaves.

If you have a decent second home (vs a plywood shack) you're already in the "disposable income" category, so why not make life easier instead of facing a weekend of dreaded chores?

C'mon, BTD!

 

[Koolau]

While I agree with the concensus that this is not a good fit for OP, as far as vacation home maintenance, has anyone ever heard of landscaping services??

They come once a week, cut the grass, trim whatever needs trimming, mulch what needs mulching and do spring/ fall cleanup.

If you're really loving your vacation home, a few bucks hiring out yard, painting and plumbing can make it a "vacation" instead of a maintenance burden.

At the higher end, there's services that will open/ close/winerize your place for the season. A friend has a local lady who he calls the day before and she stocks the fridge/cupboards/bar with whatever he orders and does some light cleaning; changes the beds when he leaves.

If you have a decent second home (vs a plywood shack) you're already in the "disposable income" category, so why not make life easier instead of facing a weekend of dreaded chores?

C'mon, BTD!

DWs parents would never have even considered such a solution. For one thing, they would never have trusted anyone else with the keys to their cottage! It was all we could do (once they were too decrepit to go to the cottage) to get the keys to go check on the cottage. WE hired the next door neighbor to cut the grass and pick up the sticks. DW's parent never knew that or they would have thrown a fit. I guess they expected US to do it.

 

[street]

Even a paid off place has ongoing costs...insurance, taxes, maintenance, utilities, etc. Those costs are included in any place you rent. But renting removes almost all of the hassle, and if you don't like the place you can stop renting or find another place more suitable.

If you're only going to use a cabin a few times a year it's probably best to rent. If you plan on spending a lot of time there AND don't mind all the work that comes with owning a second property then owning might be the way to go. We have a lake house and every time we come here we have to cut the grass and weed whack. Plus we have to take care of all the normal maintenance issues that come with a home. This is in addition to our city home so obviously it's twice as much work.

Yes, I agree there is always on-going expenses in whatever purchase you make (car, RV, vacation home etc.)

I look at the ranch and yes, I could save more money not having it, but why?

My maintenance I don't consider it work or a waste of time because I enjoy being there and is great exercise to boot. I have three different mowers all stationed around the place to cut grass, so I don't have to haul/move mowers around to place to place on the ranch to mow. That cost is triple for me but still well worth the money and time I spend mowing. In the overall time I do work that needs to be, is a very small amount compared to the leisure and enjoyment of what the property gives me back. Owning or renting really comes down to how much time you want to spend there and what your priorities are with your time.

 

[skyking1]

I don't think anyone has a situation quite like yours, street. That place brings you much joy.
It is evident with how you write about it and share it.

 

[skyking1]

Recently I went out with my friend to share our beach lot with his DD and DGS.
It has been 3 years and it was not as badly overgrown as we feared.
Happy grandma shared these pictures from last weekend.

I built this picnic table from recycled deck boards that I ran through the planer, 15 years ago.

That "porch" was used as a bridge across a tiny creek, where our friend would use it for Boyscout ribbon ceremonies.
I put down recycled trex planks here and there to keep the folding chairs from tipping over in the sand.

A boy and his dog. Priceless

We were so happy to share it. I had forgotten a bit how sweet it was to listen to the surf.
We will go out mid-July this year.

 

[street]

Looks great skyking1. Now this isn't the lot you are intending to build your new home on is it?

 

[skyking1]

No, that was a foreclosure auction lot we got for camping in 2008 after the banking fiasco.
It will be too far away from the new place so the plan is to do a 1031 exchange for something closer to home.
So far we have poured about 14K into that money pit, and currently the lots are listed now at a low of 49K and on up in the same area. Annual costs are ~$350. The low end of the prices are lots that have not been cleared. Ours is cleared and fenced, with a shield of brush around it that makes it very private.
We had good times there and it is very nice to always have a camping reservation, but we currently don't go there enough and I don't see that improving.
Here is one with power that is totally cleared, and a bit overpriced at 125.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/521-Ocean-Shores-Blvd-SW-Ocean-Shores-WA-98569/55061748_zpid/

 

[skyking1]

It started out as this impenetrable wall of brush.

I dove the excavator off the trailer and punched a hole in it as I came off. Then we took the tailgate off and hauled away 6 loads of wax myrtle brush.

The first thing you put down is this red clay, or the gravel just disappears into the sand.

I made two fingers of gravel there so we could have friends out with their RVs.

 

[street]

Very interesting! You would think they would sell good and have an increase in value through the years.

 

[skyking1]

they did. the property peaked at about 45K and 2008 just whacked the values. They have made it back to where they were in 08.