Finding fractional (ski) to buy?

[spike]

When I retire, I’m looking to purchase a fractional, ideally at a western ski resort for 6 months usage. My plan is to use the summer months and then snowbird down to Arizona or other warm places during the winter. The other partner(s) would get the ski months.

The fractional marketplace seems disorganized and confussing to say the least. As an example, www.luxuryfractionalguide.com They seem to want to give you weeks in both winter/summer seasons, but I don’t ski and I hate the snow. I’ve placed a few ads on Craigslist for Jackson Hole, Banff, Tahoe and Park City. Zip meaningful results. Any input as where I should be searching or insights on how to find a place?

 

[BevL]

I'd frankly probably be contacting realtors in the area. Whistler has fractional units but I don't know more than that.

 

[Twinkstarr]

Well most fractionals I have looked at over the years, will not give you a whole summer or winter somewhere. Longest I've seen is 2 weeks at a time, then owner B gets the unit and so on.

You might look at whole ownership and rent out the winter season and have summer to yourself.

 

[gnorth16]

Why fractional?

Why not buy four or five solid summer weeks in Colorado and a one or two points based systems to fill in the shoulder and mud weeks. Check out the Hyatt points chart during the mud weeks, INSANE !!! You can pick up super cheap weeks with getaways in II and RCI during the mud weeks as well...

It would involve more planning and a few check ins and outs, but it would keep me busy with a hobby while I was retired... I REALLY need to get some hobbies!!!

 

[MaryH]

Unfortuantely most of the fractionals in CO I know bundles either 1 or several decent ski week(s) with other weeks or maybe some good summer week(s) with some float weeks.

Do you know any friend(s) who really like to ski and maybe you can go into a condo together and split it 6 months each or even 2 friends and you take 2/4 and they take 1/4 of each snow and winter shoulder season.

 

[spike]

...bundles either 1 or several decent ski week(s) with other weeks or maybe some good summer week(s) with some float weeks.

Yeah, that seems to be the model, at least at most formal fractionals. I think I may have to use a realtor...perhaps buy my own place, and then sell via a fractional ownership to as of now, unidentified ski bum. Perhaps I'll keep the shoulder season too. I guess instead of a fractional co-owner I could rent it out for the winter, buy I don't want that type of hassle in retirement.

However, I'd be reluctant to buy a place without a partner in the wings. Frankly I may just give up on the idea and just rent a summer home in a ski town.

 

[Twinkstarr]

However, I'd be reluctant to buy a place without a partner in the wings. Frankly I may just give up on the idea and just rent a summer home in a ski town.

That's what the retired partner of our dentist does. He bought a place in Palm Springs for the winter and rents a condo in Park City Utah in the summer. He gets a good deal because he rents from late spring(mid May)-mid October, so the owner doesn't have to deal with multiple renters. I

He has been doing this for about 6 yrs now, since they moved out to Palm Springs.

 

[MaryH]

That's what the retired partner of our dentist does. He bought a place in Palm Springs for the winter and rents a condo in Park City Utah in the summer. He gets a good deal because he rents from late spring(mid May)-mid October, so the owner doesn't have to deal with multiple renters. I

He has been doing this for about 6 yrs now, since they moved out to Palm Springs.

so maybe you have to find a ski bum that already bought a condo and want to rent out the summer and shoulder season.

 

[Twinkstarr]

so maybe you have to find a ski bum that already bought a condo and want to rent out the summer and shoulder season.

I think "they found each other" via VRBO initially.

 

[Rent_Share]

so maybe you have to find a ski bum that already bought a condo and want to rent out the summer and shoulder season.

Which makes more sense than having the "bum" as your winter Tennant, provides an easy exit strategy

 

[Robert D]

I think renting a condo for 6 months would be a lot better. For one thing the rent would be a lot less than paying 6 months of maintenance fees in a fractional ownership timeshare and you don't tie up money to buy a fractional ownership that will likely depreciate in value while you own it, and you (or your heirs) won't have to sell it.

 

[jlp879]

Well, Spike I guess you may be my ideal partner. When I retire, I want to spend my winter months skiing at a ski resort, preferably one where I can drive to. I want to be the model retired ski bum.

Perhaps we should buy a Western place and show all the other Tuggers what a true fractional ownership could look like.

 

[Pmuppet]

I'd frankly probably be contacting realtors in the area. Whistler has fractional units but I don't know more than that.

Summer in Whistler is awesome and growing in demand, but the supply is significantly higher than demand.

I wouldn't recommend buying cause you can easily find a six month rental in the offseason for 1/2 of your MF's. I bet you could find a 500k property for 2k/month in rent for the offseason.

Tahoe might be more difficult as they have a lot of watersports, but I bet you could find screaming deals in Colorado or Utah.

My personal plan is to retire in Arizona and escape the hot summers by moving to college towns. Most schools are out in the summer, so there should be a plethera of short term rentals available for 60 cents on the dollar.

 

[gnorth16]

Well, Spike I guess you may be my ideal partner. When I retire, I want to spend my winter months skiing at a ski resort, preferably one where I can drive to. I want to be the model retired ski bum.

Perhaps we should buy a Western place and show all the other Tuggers what a true fractional ownership could look like.

Have you looked at "housesitting"?
http://www.luxuryhousesitting.com/homes.php