Are Fractional Shares For You?
Fractional shares ("fractionals") are sometimes confused with other vacation property options, such as time shares and condo hotels. While there are similarities, there are a number of things that make fractional shares unique, and thus suited for a certain type of vacation property buyer.Fractionals, also referred to as private residence clubs, are similar to condo hotels in that they can be put into a rental pool when the owners are not using the property. Also, fractionals are considered a second home purchase with interest and equity benefits that go along with ownership. But unlike a condo hotel, fractionals are typically luxurious private homes located in the most exclusive areas.Although they are available in studio and one-bedroom units, most are larger with several bedrooms, family rooms, pools, decks and outdoor recreation areas, and a host of other features that make them exclusive properties. A fractional property would be out of the price range of most individuals, but because ownership of the home is divided between a small group of people, this upscale lifestyle becomes affordable.Typically fractionals are split in 4 to 8 shares, which means that arranging time at the property is less competitive than other types of shared ownership properties.
There is no requirement that you have contact with the other owners, but many do develop friendships or at least get to know each other at annual ownership meetings. How involved you want to be with the other owners is up to you.Even those that could afford to purchase a million dollar vacation home may only be able to use the property for a total of a month or two during the year and might feel that it is not a wise investment. Fractionals allow owners to decide how often they want to use the property, with packages ranging from two weeks to three months (not consecutively). Prices vary accordingly. This is an ideal situation for those who enjoy staying at quality lodging when on vacation and prefer to put money toward their own investment, rather than putting that money into the pockets of a hotel chain or resort management firm.
When you own a fractional, you can rent it out yourself or offer it to friends and other family members. And if you decide that you want to sell your share of ownership, you are free to do so at any time. Or you can will it to your children or other designee.Fractionals first became popular in the posh ski resorts of Colorado and Utah and beach communities of California and the Caribbean but have spread to other areas of the country, including Florida. In fact, fractionals are the fastest growing sector of the timeshare industry, growing over three times faster than the industry as a wholeOne of the reasons they are so popular is because since you purchase deeded ownership to your share of the property, banks offer more favorable financing for fractionals than for other shared ownership options, often treating them as second home purchases. Because there are far fewer fractionals available than timeshares, their value tends to increase, making them a better bet for banks to finance.Another benefit of fractionals that makes them popular to buyers is that many of them come with an option to upgrade to a larger residence if one is available.
And some fractional properties are owned by organizations with units in other parts of the country or world, and they will allow you to transfer your scheduled time to one of these other properties. So you may own an oceanside unit in Florida, but can spend a weekend skiing in Aspen, while staying in the same luxurious comfort, often for no additional cost.And with a fractional, you don't have to worry about maintenance, repairs, or other ownership responsibilities that can get overwhelming with a second home. All of these services are included in your annual maintenance fee, which is similar to membership fees paid by those who belong to a homeowners association or gated community.Many fractional properties are managed by lodging and hospitality experts like Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. This ensures that your property will be well maintained and offer the best in guest services and amenities. And if you have the option of placing your unit in a rental pool on a rotating basis, the reputation and sales clout of the management company increases the likelihood that the unit will be rented.Perhaps the biggest appeal of fractionals is the personal service you receive from the staff.
Prior to arriving, they will ready the residence for you, decorating the home with photos, artwork, books, DVDs, bedding and other personal items you keep in storage. They will purchase food according to your instructions and add a hide-a-bed or crib if needed. Everything is ready for you when you get there. If your home is located in a resort community or luxury hotel property, you also receive the services and amenities that go along with the location. This often means access to golf courses, marinas, spas, and other desirable extras.
All of this comes at an average price of $100,000 to $500,000 depending on the total sale price of the home, the number of weeks in your package and the number of other owners.There are many benefits and perks that come with fractional shares, but they can come at a hefty price. Before searching for fractional shares, make sure they're right for your budget. If not, there are other vacation property options that may suit your needs..
Leon Altman is the founder of the InvestingIN Real Estate Letter - http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/LtrSignup3.htm For more on finding and buying the right condo-hotel, check out Make Your Next Home a Resort, the 2005 Guide to Condo-Hotels, Fractional Shares and Resort Residences. You can download the Guide as a pdf file at http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/resorts/fractionals.htmAre Fractional Shares For You?
Fractional shares ("fractionals") are sometimes confused with other vacation property options, such as time shares and condo hotels. While there are similarities, there are a number of things that make fractional shares unique, and thus suited for a certain type of vacation property buyer.Fractionals, also referred to as private residence clubs, are similar to condo hotels in that they can be put into a rental pool when the owners are not using the property. Also, fractionals are considered a second home purchase with interest and equity benefits that go along with ownership. But unlike a condo hotel, fractionals are typically luxurious private homes located in the most exclusive areas.Although they are available in studio and one-bedroom units, most are larger with several bedrooms, family rooms, pools, decks and outdoor recreation areas, and a host of other features that make them exclusive properties. A fractional property would be out of the price range of most individuals, but because...
Are Fractional Shares For You?
Hotels > Are Fractional Shares For You?
New Year’s Eve Central has Found a New Home -- or Rather, a noo One, at noo.com
New York, NY (ContentDesk) December 19, 2005 -- noo.com, a one-stop portal dedicated to browsing events, group planning and purchasing tickets for New Year's events, begins its first countdown into 2006. Formerly NYCNYE.com, the new resource which launched October 2005, has been soliciting event details from hundreds of New York City venues over the last three months. noo has also made a move to offer its services in other destination cities. The listing service features New Years Eve events for both adults and children in New York City, Miami Beach and Toronto, offering events in many different categories, such as nightclubs, restaurants, cruises, theatres, hotels and comedy clubs.Events publicized by noo cater to all ages and preferences and are held at a wide range of venues including new nightclubs like Nest and Rock Candy, cruises such as Bateaux New York or City Lights, and other venues - Planet Hollywood, the New Victory Theater, Tribeca Rooftop, the Altman Building, and St....
New Year’s Eve Central has Found a New Home -- or Rather, a noo One, at noo.com
Hotels > New Year’s Eve Central has Found a New Home -- or Rather, a noo One, at noo.com
10 Ways To Find The Best Price On Hotels
Planning a trip has become increasing difficult as there are so many options to choose from. After finding a hotel that suits all your needs you need to ascertain whether you are getting a good rate. When you ask a travel agent or refer to a brochure for rates what you get is the generally quoted rate for room. But if you are wise you can get a better deal and save a lot of money.
1. Surf the net and see what online travel sites like Expedia, Hotels.com, or Travelocity are offering. Or you could browse the hotel web site to find a good deal.
Many sites list special offers as well as discounts.
2. Use a search tool to like BookingBuddy.com or Travel Axe to compare various offers and rates.
3. Look for what is known as "lowest rate guarantee" these are mainly on offer online but are subject to advance booking and very harsh cancellation policies. Even if the price offered online is attractive do call the hotel up...
Hotels > 10 Ways To Find The Best Price On Hotels
Poker rooms in Las Vegas
Friday night poker will never be the same once you get a taste of playing poker in Las Vegas. Being an avid poker player since childhood (yes we were taught to play cards as children in our family), we have risen to new heights with playing in the sumptuous poker rooms in Las Vegas. Poker has come to the attention of the younger set and is probably one of the most favorite ways to gamble at the moment.Poker tournaments abound in Vegas, and guaranteed you'll find a poker tournament going on every day at one or another of these casino hotels. The most popular Las Vegas poker games are Texas Hold 'em, Seven Card Stud poker and Omaha poker. Whether you play small stakes or high stakes poker games, there is a poker table for you.The cost to buy in usually ranges from about $40 up to $2000.
A few years back I was attending a meeting and one of the theme nights was "Poker Night". A Las Vegas dealer filled us in on what and how to play "Texas Hold 'em" and life has never been the same....
Poker rooms in Las Vegas
Hotels > Poker rooms in Las Vegas
Zunch Provides Search Engine Optimization Services to La Quinta Growing Hotel Company Looking to Attract Guests
DALLAS, TX (ContentDesk) December 15, 2004 -- Zunch Communications of Dallas was chosen to provide search engine optimization services for the La Quinta Corporation after La Quinta added nearly 200 Baymont Inns & Suites branded hotels to its existing system of almost 400 La Quinta branded hotels.
With online travel becoming the norm, La Quinta wants to ensure that its brands are displayed high in consumers' search results when looking for lodging options.
La Quinta Corporation is one of the largest owner/operators of limited service hotels in the United States with more than 560 locations in 39 states.
Providing consumers access to efficient and easy-to-use booking channels is essential to the Company's long-term growth strategy. "Just being listed in industry directories is not enough," said Paula Vanderburg, Director, Brand Websites for La Quinta.
"By working with Zunch, our aim is to bring our search engine presence to the top."
Tony Wright,...
Hotels > Zunch Provides Search Engine Optimization Services to La Quinta Growing Hotel Company Looking to Attract Guests
JobFlash Recruiting Innovation Ends the Chaos of Job Fairs
JobFlash, the award-winning pioneer of Voice Recruiting, has announced the successful launch of a new product ? FlashFair ? aimed at companies in need of making immediate, qualified hires on a large scale.Recruiters hold job fairs to deliver a certain number of hires. But job fairs today simply don't have the return on investment they've had in the past, deliver too many unscreened applicants, thousands of unmanageable paper applications and huge advertisement bills. Screening and scheduling of applicants occurs days after the job fair ends and hiring can actually takes weeks.FlashFair automates the entire job fair so that hiring managers meet fully qualified applicants for current openings on a pre-set schedule. At the end of the day, hiring managers have hires ? not applications."FlashFair transforms chaotic, unpredictable job fairs into guaranteed hires," says Reena Jadhav, JobFlash's co-founder and CMO. "On the day of the job fair, recruiters have clear visibility into the number...
JobFlash Recruiting Innovation Ends the Chaos of Job Fairs
Hotels > JobFlash Recruiting Innovation Ends the Chaos of Job Fairs
The Chimney Flashing Brake Co. LLC Launches a New Safety Railing for Contractors Working on Ladder Jack Scaffold Systems
Battle Creek, MI (ContentDesk) August 15, 2006 -- The Chimney Flashing Brake Co. LLC is proud to introduce a new safety railing for contractors who use a Ladder Jack Scaffold System called The Siders and Painters Barrier Rail Support.