What Type of Vacation Home Owner Are You?
Would you prioritize personal enjoyment, profit, or a mix of both? (And why does it matter?)
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Life Without City-Sized Limitations
Imagine this: you wake up to the sound of waves crashing against the shore, sunlight slipping in through the curtains, coffee brewing in the kitchen—the kitchen you actually own. Or maybe for you, it’s not the ocean but a cabin in the mountains, and you’re watching the first snowfall of the season out your oversized picture window. Or perhaps you’re in a cozy cottage near your favorite lake, bouncing between playing board games with the kids and recreating an old family recipe with your parents. Wherever it is, you’re not just visiting—you’re at home. This is your place.
But before we get carried away with the dream, let’s talk about you. Why do you want own a ‘second home’? What excites you most about the idea? Is it the wealth-building potential? The memories you’ll create? Or a bit of both?
For me, it started with imagining summer nights spent around a fire pit with friends—something impossible on my shared NYC patio. I envisioned movie marathons with my kids, snuggled together on a couch big enough for all of us. And milestone birthdays toasted with loved ones, with room to laugh, sing, and celebrate without worry of noise complaints from neighbors. My dream didn’t start with spreadsheets or financial projections. It began with imagining life without city-sized limitations. And then, the numbers proved it possible.
That’s why we’re starting here. Before we go further, we first need to uncover what matters most to you. Getting clear on your priorities now is essential, because it’ll serve as your compass, the lens through which every important decision will be vetted, to determine the path to vacation home ownership that is right for you.
Take the Quiz
Vacation home owners tend to fall into one of three camps: a Profit Maximizer, a Sweet Spotter or a First Dibber. If you haven’t done so already, take the Vacation Home Owner Archetype Quiz to find out which one you are.
And you might be wondering—why does this matter? Well, your results will impact every important decision in your vacation home ownership journey, including:
Where you should buy
How often you plan to rent
Who should manage the property
And most importantly, what you can afford
Archetype-Hopping
The archetype you are today is not set in stone. Over the course of a 30-year mortgage, it will almost certainly shift with changes in your lifestyle, family stage, and financial goals. Maybe you start off as a Profit Maximizer, laser-focused on building wealth, but evolve into a Sweet Spotter once you have kids and want more family time. Or perhaps you purchase as a First Dibber, but gradually move toward profit as career obligations fill your calendar. Chances are, you’ll identify with each of these archetypes at one point or another in life.
Your archetype can also change within a single year. As a mom to two young kids with a full-time job myself, I mostly consider myself a Profit Maximizer. I view these homes as investments—vehicles through which I’m building my family’s wealth in hopes of ensuring a relaxed retirement and a manageable college tuition bill. Any profit that I make I reinvest back into my homes or use to purchase another. But from time to time, a certain occasion or milestone turns me into a Sweet Spotter—particularly in the last three months of the year, when peak season has passed and I’m confident our annual costs will be covered.
Remember, your archetype isn’t a label that locks you in—it’s a tool to help you make smarter choices. As your life changes, so will your approach. For now, lean into whichever one fits you best, and let it guide your decisions ahead.