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Is a second home ever worth it?

Assume you spend 2 weekends each month and most of the summe...
self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig
  12/07/25
Yes
Nofapping Glittery New Version
  12/07/25
LJL
garnet idea he suggested
  12/07/25
but where would i get a million dollars
Mischievous Confused Tattoo Dilemma
  12/07/25
Its consumption. But better than most consumption
tantric embarrassed to the bone point liquid oxygen
  12/07/25
only if you're really locked into where you live + where you...
puce church building people who are hurt
  12/07/25
If you have kids seems a bit weird to have them spend summer...
Charismatic Smoky Base Antidepressant Drug
  12/07/25
Or you have a community with second home. Obviously not enti...
aromatic talking stag film
  12/07/25
You left out the part where said-Grandfather did a lot of mo...
odious aqua field
  12/07/25
that's why i kept asking for an invite up until i found out ...
aromatic talking stag film
  12/07/25
If you’re a nokidsmo or emptynestermo AND an outdoorsm...
brass provocative menage
  12/07/25
nokidsmo. i like being outdoors but not an outdoorsmo
self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig
  12/07/25
For this purpose you don't need to be some Arcteryx adventur...
brass provocative menage
  12/07/25
basically this It's a dogshit thing to do to kids IMO
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
Depends on the type of home but most homes need a shitton of...
boyish karate
  12/07/25
being middle class sucks, huh?
floppy university
  12/07/25
If you’re in need of tax deductions and have the infra...
twinkling zombie-like brunch mediation
  12/07/25
of course? its basically free? by the time you sell and d...
bronze cracking potus
  12/07/25
lol, you don't know wtf you're talking about.
odious aqua field
  12/07/25
As someone who grew up in a family with a vacation home - I ...
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
(SP's kid)
bronze cracking potus
  12/07/25
I suppose you think you're making a fun joke here but you're...
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
now I just feel bad. fuck. anyways, wanna shower?
bronze cracking potus
  12/07/25
wait, what? did you have your own “Uncle Dave?”
floppy university
  12/07/25
By "longer" I meant there were ages where it happe...
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/07/25
What the actual fuck.
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/07/25
🙄
floppy university
  12/07/25
?
shivering affirmative action
  12/08/25
I can’t stroke it to that
floppy university
  12/08/25
please let us know why. tyia.
Filthy lemon wrinkle stage
  12/07/25
yeah why's that? i have somewhat fond memories of a (small,...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/07/25
For me it was far more than occasional use. We went to the c...
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
ty, and you didn't like it because you preferred being at ho...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/07/25
I would have preferred something approaching a reasonable hi...
shivering affirmative action
  12/08/25
oh that sucks - and yeah you must've been going to the secon...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/08/25
I forgot to mention the #1 thing that was missing in my life...
shivering affirmative action
  12/08/25
huh. i had sort of an opposite reaction: lots of religious i...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/08/25
so like a cottage or something? Yes, its worth it. I know lo...
Laughsome Parlour Chad
  12/07/25
Retiring in the second home is something of a pipe dream. ...
shivering affirmative action
  12/07/25
i would definitely not want to retire in the second home. wo...
self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig
  12/07/25
Shit ton of upkeep on the high end homes sitting vacant. Ev...
cocky exciting principal's office multi-billionaire
  12/07/25
We have a 3 season cabin on a pretty but pretty remote lake ...
Olive orchestra pit idiot
  12/07/25
Why not just get an Air BnB? You don't have to pay any of...
odious aqua field
  12/07/25
Because an AirBNB would be too fucking expensive if you are ...
Buff senate famous landscape painting
  12/08/25
You can rent Airbnbs by the month for pretty reasonable pric...
Peach boltzmann
  12/09/25
if youre actually rich sure. if youre a wagie then no.
crusty stirring location
  12/07/25
Buying a beach house and renting it for 80-90% of the summer...
orange motley chapel
  12/07/25
Summer = 9 weeks when kids aren't in school?
big mexican
  12/07/25
I have looked at the mortgage payments on beach homes versus...
Buff senate famous landscape painting
  12/08/25
if it is close enough that you'll actually use it that much ...
Orchid house
  12/07/25
...
odious aqua field
  12/07/25
The sweet spot IMO is a 4/5/6 hour drive (or 1 hour flight)&...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/07/25
It depends on the scenery; you just want a different environ...
poppy site
  12/08/25
I think you also have to factor in getting away from the peo...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/08/25
I think anything you have to fly to kills it, flying is not ...
Orchid house
  12/08/25
Ideally if you’re flying you’re using your own p...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/08/25
lol tyvmft
crusty stirring location
  12/09/25
helicopter better for mountain cabin access and uses less pe...
Laughsome Parlour Chad
  12/09/25
six hours is really pushing it for regular weekend use
Avocado half-breed business firm
  12/08/25
Yeah. Even 4 is a stretch for regular weekend use. Assuming ...
shivering affirmative action
  12/08/25
six is insane.
crusty stirring location
  12/09/25
its simply not feasible. its 2-2.5 hours or nothing
Laughsome Parlour Chad
  12/09/25
This is stupid. 4-5 hours is easily doable. You cut out of t...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/12/25
6 works for long weekends but not regular weekends. 4-5 is f...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/12/25
holy shit at all the pearl clutching analysis in this thread...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/07/25
Growing up my family had a beach home and a ski home, neithe...
poppy site
  12/08/25
...
floppy university
  12/08/25
your boomer parents bought houses for 1.5 and sold for over ...
crusty stirring location
  12/09/25
We have had a second house for 22 years. It's a winter escap...
vibrant very tactful puppy lay
  12/08/25
Sounds like a 180 set up. You've really got a wonderful life...
twinkling zombie-like brunch mediation
  12/08/25
I have been blessed.
vibrant very tactful puppy lay
  12/08/25
sounds cr. you seem pretty handy though, you haven't had to...
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/08/25
The older I get the more I hire out. Second house is pretty ...
vibrant very tactful puppy lay
  12/09/25
ty
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/09/25
Its worth it to have a second home in Italy.
Vengeful Forum
  12/08/25
Maybe counterintuitively I’d argue having a second hom...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/08/25
European countries are rapidly making it prohibitive to have...
Peach boltzmann
  12/09/25
...
Galvanic hell son of senegal
  12/12/25
I'm thinking of doing this because I live in a place where s...
Buff senate famous landscape painting
  12/08/25
But where will I get a first home
Multi-colored box office fortuitous meteor
  12/09/25
...
floppy university
  12/09/25
...
Laughsome Parlour Chad
  12/09/25
i had a second forever and it honestly was just of a pain in...
soul-stirring stain old irish cottage
  12/09/25
this would be a lake cabin
self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig
  12/12/25
huh, wouldn't have thought of a few of those ty
Vigorous khaki shrine
  12/12/25
I have a lock picking kit and have access to dozens of unman...
Turquoise Rebellious Office
  12/09/25
I like the idea of a vacation home in the mountains but it s...
Bistre lascivious center
  12/12/25
It's not in the mountains and not isolated, but we are gone ...
vibrant very tactful puppy lay
  12/12/25
...
self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig
  12/23/25


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:08 AM
Author: self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig

Assume you spend 2 weekends each month and most of the summer

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491142)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:13 AM
Author: Nofapping Glittery New Version

Yes

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491150)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:25 AM
Author: garnet idea he suggested

LJL

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491177)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:28 AM
Author: Mischievous Confused Tattoo Dilemma

but where would i get a million dollars

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491181)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:15 AM
Author: tantric embarrassed to the bone point liquid oxygen

Its consumption. But better than most consumption

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491152)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:16 AM
Author: puce church building people who are hurt

only if you're really locked into where you live + where you weekend. otherwise, just do airbnb's

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491154)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:16 AM
Author: Charismatic Smoky Base Antidepressant Drug

If you have kids seems a bit weird to have them spend summers away from friends unless you're an ultra-richmo where your circle just moves around accordingly.

If you don't who cares the money isn't going to do anything for you when you're dead so might as well

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491155)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:31 PM
Author: aromatic talking stag film

Or you have a community with second home. Obviously not entirely applicable to OP, but knew a buddy whose grandfather had bought a lake place that his dad then inherited. Everyone else around the lake had bought at the same time, so his dad grew up with the other kids who now bring their kids there and it's like a second community where everyone knows each other.

If you're an extrovertmo you could probably recreate that.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491492)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:46 PM
Author: odious aqua field

You left out the part where said-Grandfather did a lot of molesting while alone at the lake house.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491675)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 3:10 PM
Author: aromatic talking stag film

that's why i kept asking for an invite up until i found out the grandfather died

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491726)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:44 AM
Author: brass provocative menage

If you’re a nokidsmo or emptynestermo AND an outdoorsmo, then it absolutely makes sense to have two homes and migrate seasonally. Very few other circumstances where it makes sense.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491234)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:16 PM
Author: self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig

nokidsmo. i like being outdoors but not an outdoorsmo

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491316)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:39 PM
Author: brass provocative menage

For this purpose you don't need to be some Arcteryx adventuremo or Basspro sportsmanmo. If you like gardening or jogging or cycling on a path or sitting on your deck and watching boats pass by or whatever, it's worth being somewhere nice.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491658)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:53 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

basically this

It's a dogshit thing to do to kids IMO

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491394)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:34 PM
Author: boyish karate

Depends on the type of home but most homes need a shitton of maintenance and it seems not worth the bother. We can barely manage to take care of one house and there's a long list of projects we need to get to and we don't have the time to deal with it.

If you're retired or generally have a lot of extra time on your hands then maybe it's worth it.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491346)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:42 PM
Author: floppy university

being middle class sucks, huh?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491664)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:46 PM
Author: twinkling zombie-like brunch mediation

If you’re in need of tax deductions and have the infrastructure for proper management and upkeep, I have known of people who profitably ran portfolios of secondary homes. Location and amenities are everything. You have to keep them rented out. And most importantly, don’t use debt and use other sources of income to live on.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491368)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:48 PM
Author: bronze cracking potus

of course? its basically free?

by the time you sell and deduct all you spent on having the home, you broke even or came out ahead, so you had a free 2nd home during that time.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491371)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:49 PM
Author: odious aqua field

lol, you don't know wtf you're talking about.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491681)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:51 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

As someone who grew up in a family with a vacation home - I would be extremely wary.

I would rather have grown up in a family without one.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491388)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:52 PM
Author: bronze cracking potus

(SP's kid)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491392)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:14 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

I suppose you think you're making a fun joke here but you're closer than you think.

The tick checks went on longer than they should have.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491453)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:34 PM
Author: bronze cracking potus

now I just feel bad. fuck.

anyways, wanna shower?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491499)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:43 PM
Author: floppy university

wait, what? did you have your own “Uncle Dave?”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491666)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 8:18 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

By "longer" I meant there were ages where it happened where it shouldn't have. The sessions weren't longer than necessary for the stated purpose.

I now think there wasn't any intent of sexual exploitation. But does this person's intent matter? IMO, what matters is how the other person feels. And at the time I felt highly exploited.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492474)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 10:59 PM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492837)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:18 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

What the actual fuck.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492871)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:50 PM
Author: floppy university

🙄

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492931)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 12:20 AM
Author: shivering affirmative action

?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492980)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 12:38 AM
Author: floppy university

I can’t stroke it to that

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492994)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:55 PM
Author: Filthy lemon wrinkle stage

please let us know why. tyia.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491538)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:41 PM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

yeah why's that? i have somewhat fond memories of a (small, cheap, shared, occasional summer use) vacation home

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491663)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 8:01 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

For me it was far more than occasional use. We went to the cottage to the complete exclusion of doing anything else.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492413)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 11:00 PM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

ty, and you didn't like it because you preferred being at home?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492840)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 12:22 AM
Author: shivering affirmative action

I would have preferred something approaching a reasonable high school existence. Sports, friends, dances, that sort of thing.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492984)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 8:44 AM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

oh that sucks - and yeah you must've been going to the second home a ton if it interfered with all that

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49493163)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 6:18 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

I forgot to mention the #1 thing that was missing in my life: church.

I can't recall ever going to church on a Sunday. We went on Christmas, maybe Easter, and *very* rarely attended weeknight services. I was sent to public schools. Wasn't given any religious instruction at home. It was a massive shock for me to find out as a teenager that we were actually a deeply religious family.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49494943)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 10:06 PM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

huh. i had sort of an opposite reaction: lots of religious instruction, but the teachers were generally very dumb. so it turned me off as a young autist. and it was only later when i found things like cs lewis that i came back to it to some degree.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495509)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 12:54 PM
Author: Laughsome Parlour Chad

so like a cottage or something? Yes, its worth it. I know lots of people who have 2nd, and they retire in the 2nd home/cottage usually, eventually, inevitably.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491400)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:23 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

Retiring in the second home is something of a pipe dream.

When you get older you need more medical care & 2nd homes are often in areas with fairly poor healthcare options

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491476)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:02 PM
Author: self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig

i would definitely not want to retire in the second home. would go somewhere else. but would spend holidays and summer months and 50% of weekends at second home.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491553)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 1:43 PM
Author: cocky exciting principal's office multi-billionaire

Shit ton of upkeep on the high end homes sitting vacant. Even more when you go the vacation rental route. Overall, if you can afford the monthly expenses and really like the location it's not a bad deal. I'm around mostly high-end second/third homes and the ones purchased for 3-4 million are all going for more than double in just the 10 plus years. Hard to lose if you use it often too.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491520)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:38 PM
Author: Olive orchestra pit idiot

We have a 3 season cabin on a pretty but pretty remote lake about 4 hours from the house. It's great and we use it a lot. Kids can bring a friend, sometimes friends or family use it. But it was cheap, 200k about 6 years ago. Every year or two my wife brings up buying a place at the beach or some expensive area and I just say no without discussion. Upkeep and rental bullshit all seem miserable.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491653)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:51 PM
Author: odious aqua field

Why not just get an Air BnB?

You don't have to pay any of the upkeep or other maintenance like you would for a home that you own.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491686)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:33 PM
Author: Buff senate famous landscape painting

Because an AirBNB would be too fucking expensive if you are going to stay there the entire summer. But AirBNB is probably TCR if you plan to use it for only 1-2 weekends per month. You avoid the headache of being a landlord, and it's probably cheaper, too.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49494004)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 6:06 AM
Author: Peach boltzmann

You can rent Airbnbs by the month for pretty reasonable prices if you are savvy about your search and a bit flexible on location. Like a whole house for $2-4k per month

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495902)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:53 PM
Author: crusty stirring location

if youre actually rich sure. if youre a wagie then no.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491690)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 2:55 PM
Author: orange motley chapel

Buying a beach house and renting it for 80-90% of the summer is one of the best investments a UMC shlub can make.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491697)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 7th, 2025 8:21 PM
Author: big mexican

Summer = 9 weeks when kids aren't in school?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492480)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 1:31 PM
Author: Buff senate famous landscape painting

I have looked at the mortgage payments on beach homes versus the revenue from AirBNBing them, and my first thought was, "Holy shit! Why isn't everyone doing this?" Then I researched it more carefully and discovered that there are some significant risks. If you get pwned by a hurricane and can't rent for a full season, the mortgage company still expects to be paid. Ditto if global warming causes your home to fall into the ocean. Also, you can't use your home at all during the summer (or you can use it for a few occasional weekdays at most). But if you are willing to take these risks, the potential profits are enormous.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49493993)



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Date: December 7th, 2025 3:13 PM
Author: Orchid house

if it is close enough that you'll actually use it that much sure, but then that brings up the question of whether you want to spend all of your time off in a place that is pretty much already where you live just with a prettier view

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491736)



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Date: December 7th, 2025 3:17 PM
Author: odious aqua field



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49491747)



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Date: December 7th, 2025 11:55 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

The sweet spot IMO is a 4/5/6 hour drive (or 1 hour flight)—long enough so there’s real separation between your primary home life and the vacation spot but close enough that weekends (or at least long weekends) are doable.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492940)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:18 AM
Author: poppy site

It depends on the scenery; you just want a different environment. Living/working in Sacramento and owning a home on lake tahoe would be fine, despite that it's less than 2 hours.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492976)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:20 AM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

I think you also have to factor in getting away from the people you see M-F. When it’s too close (e.g., your under 2h spot) you end up surrounded by all your workplace / hometown fags. That may be appealing for some people but not me, it makes it harder to feel psychologically separated from your primary home environment.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492981)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 6:27 PM
Author: Orchid house

I think anything you have to fly to kills it, flying is not a good experience and doing it twice in a weekend with kids is a hell of a lot of pain in the ass and money when you could just be flying to wherever and getting a hotel for the same effort

to me the deciding factor is if you live close enough to something that is interesting enough to justify going all of the time but is too remote to actually live by, lake houses, ski cabins etc make sense if you live nearby but can't possibly go fulltime on some random mountain

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49494968)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 7:13 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

Ideally if you’re flying you’re using your own plane to cut down on the travel time and making it less burdensome. An hour flight hoping into the plane from the tarmac is much different from having to fly regional Delta twice in a weekend.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495101)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 9:41 AM
Author: crusty stirring location

lol tyvmft

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496136)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 1:06 PM
Author: Laughsome Parlour Chad

helicopter better for mountain cabin access and uses less petrol

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496703)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 10:13 PM
Author: Avocado half-breed business firm

six hours is really pushing it for regular weekend use

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495523)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 11:26 PM
Author: shivering affirmative action

Yeah. Even 4 is a stretch for regular weekend use. Assuming no PTO use, that's 8 hours in a car just for a little over a day at the 2nd place.

IMO you want 3 hours or less. I feel kind bad for Chicagoans, there's not a ton of credited options all that close. I've never been to Lake Geneva but it looks really mid, just like a suburb on a lake.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495652)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 9:39 AM
Author: crusty stirring location

six is insane.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496133)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 1:06 PM
Author: Laughsome Parlour Chad

its simply not feasible. its 2-2.5 hours or nothing

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496704)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 5:19 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

This is stupid. 4-5 hours is easily doable. You cut out of the office a little early on Friday, you’re there for dinner, spend all day Saturday and Sunday, hit the road home around 5 pm and you’re back at a reasonable 9-10.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49505245)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 5:20 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

6 works for long weekends but not regular weekends. 4-5 is fine for regular weekends.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49505257)



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Date: December 7th, 2025 11:52 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

holy shit at all the pearl clutching analysis in this thread

Of course having a second house is great wtf is wrong with you people

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492938)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:01 AM
Author: poppy site

Growing up my family had a beach home and a ski home, neither of which were within driving distance of our actual home. I did not like it because it locked us into a disproportionate number of vacations at those two places. We never lived at either or stayed for more than 2 weeks at a time.

I will say that my parents are naturally gifted home repairers, additioners, and decorators who sold those properties at wild profits and have since done the same with several others. For some of these I'm talking from under $1.5 to well over $2 in the course of less than 5 years (this wasn't some one-off miracle; they consistently got great gains). They would also rent them (short-term vacation) out through local property management companies when we weren't there; my parents would handle some repairs and replacement of stolen/lost/broken kitsch, but none of the day-to-day.

If you don't *like* that shit then obviously don't do it, but this is not, say, buying a boat. It is not a bad financial proposition at all.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492949)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:09 AM
Author: floppy university



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492961)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 9:43 AM
Author: crusty stirring location

your boomer parents bought houses for 1.5 and sold for over 2mil? holy shit!

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496138)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:11 AM
Author: vibrant very tactful puppy lay

We have had a second house for 22 years. It's a winter escape. Swapping snow for palm trees is nice, and since we have friends and family in both places it's pretty homey feeling. Could I live without it? Sure, but I don't plan to sell it or rent it out unless one of us becomes debilitated so we can't use it. It's not that hard to maintain. We have a house watcher and a gardener. Things rarely break, and when they do we just get them fixed. The unrealized appreciation has far exceeded costs, but a stock market investment would have performed somewhat better. I wish it wasn't so far away, though. 2000+ miles is a PITA sometimes. It's an all day trip by air and several days of driving otherwise. We both prefer driving, esp. since we can visit friends along the way.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492964)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 9:44 AM
Author: twinkling zombie-like brunch mediation

Sounds like a 180 set up. You've really got a wonderful life!

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49493249)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 9:50 AM
Author: vibrant very tactful puppy lay

I have been blessed.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49493258)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 10:15 PM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

sounds cr. you seem pretty handy though, you haven't had to do much maintenance yourself?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495527)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 12:40 AM
Author: vibrant very tactful puppy lay

The older I get the more I hire out. Second house is pretty low maintenance. Had it painted and reroofed last year, so there's not much else to do. Could use some interior updating, but it's not urgent. I fix minor stuff that breaks, but don't intend to crawl around laying flooring.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495762)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 9:24 AM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

ty

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496100)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:17 AM
Author: Vengeful Forum

Its worth it to have a second home in Italy.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492974)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:23 AM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal

Maybe counterintuitively I’d argue having a second home in some far flung other country is LESS credited. Better to just rent in those situations. The second house needs to be someplace you can fairly easily access for when shit goes wrong. I suppose a condo in a major foreign city would be fine.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492986)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 10:21 AM
Author: Peach boltzmann

European countries are rapidly making it prohibitive to have a second home. Like crushing vacancy taxes, severe limits on renting it out short-term, etc.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496216)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 5:21 PM
Author: Galvanic hell son of senegal



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49505265)



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Date: December 8th, 2025 12:17 AM
Author: Buff senate famous landscape painting

I'm thinking of doing this because I live in a place where summers are miserable but there are some nearby mountains with a mild summer climate and tons of outdoor opportunities. I think I would get enough utility from being able to hike and mountain bike all summer to justify any maintenance expenses (especially if I try to keep it rented when I am not using it). I'll have to see if the numbers add up, though.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49492975)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 12:51 AM
Author: Multi-colored box office fortuitous meteor

But where will I get a first home

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495776)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 5:17 AM
Author: floppy university



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49495877)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 1:09 PM
Author: Laughsome Parlour Chad



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496711)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 9:50 AM
Author: soul-stirring stain old irish cottage

i had a second forever and it honestly was just of a pain in the ass. youre always traveling to it in peak traffic (Friday night to Sunday night).

youre constnatly buying groceries and stuff like milk that you have to throw out. you have to maintain it because it still gets dust and yard needs to be mowed. so if you dont want to sopend your whole weekend vacuuming you have to pay someone to do it. and yhour paying tax for services you dont even use.

if i were much richer sure or if it was a lake cabin with a boat sure, but it mostly sucks just get a hotel or stay home

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496160)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 10:18 AM
Author: self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig

this would be a lake cabin

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49504114)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 10:48 AM
Author: Vigorous khaki shrine

huh, wouldn't have thought of a few of those ty

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49504153)



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Date: December 9th, 2025 1:10 PM
Author: Turquoise Rebellious Office

I have a lock picking kit and have access to dozens of unmanned forest fire lookout towers all winter long for free

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49496713)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 10:28 AM
Author: Bistre lascivious center

I like the idea of a vacation home in the mountains but it seems like you'd need to pay someone to routinely check on it, do maintenance while you're away, clean it, etc.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49504125)



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Date: December 12th, 2025 12:16 PM
Author: vibrant very tactful puppy lay

It's not in the mountains and not isolated, but we are gone from our winter house for 8 or 9 months/year. I have a neighbor who checks on it periodically and a gardener who comes a couple of times/month, plus a bug service to keep the scorpions out. Otherwise there's not really anything to do. I have security cameras and it's in a safe neighborhood with numerous permanent residents. If you're in a area with a mix of permanent and part time residents it's easy to find someone to keep an eye on it for a small fee.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49504394)



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Date: December 23rd, 2025 8:41 AM
Author: self-absorbed slate dysfunction filthpig



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807480&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310893#49533272)