holiday homes

[northernlass1]

Anyone got one? - is it worth it? - with holidays in the summer getting so expensive does it even out?

Don't know about costs etc, but round here we're not too fond of people with holiday homes as they're pushing the house prices up and preventing first time buyers getting somewhere affordable. Its usually rich southerners looking for somewhere quaint in the country, and they get short shrift from anyone other than estate agents.
Best thing to do is to find an area that you like and regularly book into the local hotel or guest house. That way you get to visit your favourite part of the country, and you help to boost its economy rather than leave it a ghost town that's only occupied in the summer and at weekends.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so "get orf moi laaand" as that! Just meant that holiday homes cause resentment from the people that can't afford to buy houses in their own towns and villages.

well, you can buy a spanish apartment for about 40k, let it out a few weeks of the year and travel on a low cost airline - if I could afford it - I'd do it

DH and I had thought about a holiday home abroad, but wondered how much use people get out of them when restricted by annual leave/ school holidays??
We thought we would get more use out of a UK holiday home, while we are both still working, somewhere not too far away that we could use alot on weekends as well.
However, MIL lives in Spain and we get to spend long weekends with her from time to time, as BMI baby fly from our local airport, very cheap as well.

or go for a posh lodge or something on a posh holiday park. There are some round here- look very nice as well- and they help the local economy rather than destroy it as badhair says. And of course you get a swimming pool etc.

Or you could buy one of those Holiday Property Bonds - the Judith Chalmers thing - the more you invest the better the holiday you can get, they have properties all over Europe inc lots in the UK, they seem to increase in value and the bonds can be passed on to your children. Min cost 3000GBP.

You have to pay a weekly sub for each trip you go on but no other responsibilities. My brother has one and gets about 3 decent hols a year out of his. Website here . We would love to do it but haven't enough spare cash.

We bought a holiday home in Northern france, small coastal town about 1hr30 from Calais, we can do door to door in 4hrs so weekends are fine. One of the reasons for buying was that with 3 children, hotels are difficult. I couldnt really say its cost effective-DH certainly wouldnt! But it is an asset thats unlikely to depreciate, may increase in value and is fun. Nice to let friends and family use it too. I think the big problem with renting out a holiday home abroad to recoup some of the expenses, is not being on site to do change overs etc.