Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Buy Your Dream Vacation Home
COVID 19 has taught us that second homes are more of an opportunity than we realize. Many people are choosing not to get on a plane and get away but that doesn’t mean their wanderlust and adventure-seeking spirit has faded. Maybe in addition to working your way through our staycation suggestions, you are feeling the need to connect with nature and get out of the city. In recent weeks and months, we have found that many of our clients want to find the perfect home-away-from-home and use their travel budget for their second mortgage.
Vacationing in your own home also gives you peace of mind about potential exposure to COVID 19 and gives you the ability to get away and social distance at the same time. For some, a second home is a sacred getaway to share with trusted friends and family; for others it’s the opportunity to rent it out to short-term guests when they aren’t home, offsetting expenses, or in the right location, your vacation home can pay for itself and then some! At the end of this article we’ll tell you how to do it.
There are some great locations within three hours of Kansas City. Perfect for a quick getaway! If you want to venture out a little farther, think of how amazing it would be to have your own little corner of heaven in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, or more specifically my personal favorite… Aspen.
Once you find your idyllic vacation home, you can still use your Kansas City-based lender in each of these locations. We also have trusted partners in every city, people who know and work with personally, not just a database we pull agent information from!
And best yet? I can still be your partner on the sidelines through the entire process.
Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks is only a 2.5 hour drive from Kansas City. Close enough that you can head out on a Friday and be back at your desk by 8:30 AM Monday morning. It’s also a very affordable option, with the median price of houses being in the upper $300,000’s and condos available for under $300,000.
From maintenance provided condos to high-end luxury properties, you can be sure to find something that checks every box on your dream vacation home list.
There’s a lot to do at Lake of the Ozarks. Live on the lake or play golf all day. Whatever your perfect day on the lake looks like, there are enough options to make it happen. Don’t have your own boat? No worries here. Everything from speedboats to pontoons to fishing boats can be rented by the day or hour. If you just want to relax the day away, slow-paced lake cruises are available.
And when the sunsets on your fantastic day on the lake, a vibrant nightlife awaits you. Go for a dinner cruise or have fresh-caught catfish at a restaurant right off the lake. The music scene is energetic with karaoke bars and live music from country to jazz. Tiki bars, comedy clubs, and lakeside hangouts are yours to discover at Lake of the Ozarks.
Table Rock Lake
Table Rock Lake is another desirable option for your second home. Three and a half hours from Kansas City, Table Rock Lake offers great hiking and unique terrain. Boating, biking, kayaking, and golfing are just a few of the many activities you can enjoy on a regular basis if you choose Table Rock Lake as the spot for your second home. Many families really enjoy Table Rock Lake for paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing because of the many coves and quiet secluded stretches.
Enjoy exploring Dogwood Canyon Nature Park where you can bike, hike, fish, or horseback ride. Table Rock State Park is another place to begin your outdoor adventures. Walk the trails right off the lake and enjoy the beauty that southern Missouri has to offer.
Head to Top of the Rock for great dining and breathtaking views without paying Aspen prices. Top of the Rock golf course is a Jack Nicklaus signature course where you can golf amidst nature with stunning views of the lake as well waterfalls, creeks, and ponds filled with bass. Visit Fun Mountain with the whole family and the kids will be delighted. Ride go-carts, play laser tag, or enjoy a game of underwater- themed bowling.
Have a memorable dinner at Osage Grill where you can enjoy fine dining with spectacular views and then head down the stone staircase to discover End of the Trail – All American Winecellar and whiskey room. With all this as well as shopping, a spa, and a marina, Top of the Rock is a fantastic destination for the whole family should you choose Table Rock Lake for your vacation home location.
A condo on Table Rock Lake would be an excellent choice for your second home. Beautiful views and this desired area are an all-around win. Cabins or homes with a lakefront or lake view are all great options depending upon your price point and what you are looking for. You will love the memories you will make here with your family should you choose Table Rock Lake as the spot for your second home.
Branson
You might think it’s cheesy but there’s so much more to Branson than just the main strip. It offers wonderful hiking in Busiek State Forest and a great base to explore nature. With easy access to Table Rock Lake – just minutes away- you can make your home base Branson and enjoy all that Table Rock Lake has to offer as well as Lake Tanycomo. Lake Tanycomo was once a section of the White River and looks and feels like a river even though it is officially a lake now. It offers some of the best trout fishing in the country.
Branson is a win-win for families with younger children. Silver Dollar City is always a great time for the kids. With amazing rides, attractions, food, craftsmen, and entertainment, Silver Dollar City is a destination all of its own.
With so many fantastic dining options, great entertainment and so much to do for the kids, Branson is the ultimate midwest vacation destination for families.
Think how awesome it would be to have your own getaway spot right here. And another plus is that there is so much to do year round. Branson comes alive during the holiday season so even when it’s too cold to spend time outside exploring, you’ll still have tons of fun and exciting ways to spend your vacation time.
Branson is the crossroads of Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas… so you can branch out and adventure in all three states!
Whether you are looking for a condo, cabin, house or cottage, there are so many real estate options for you here and a perfect fit for you in Branson.
Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Oklahoma
Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is also just a 3-hour drive from Kansas City. This is a super affordable, family-friendly option for a second home. Everyone thinks you have to go to Missouri for all our amenities but Oklahoma has plenty to offer too!
Known for some of the best bass fishing in the country, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is lake life to the max. It’s close proximity to Spavinaw WMA makes it a hunter’s dream getaway as well.
Water sports and 1,300 miles of shoreline make this a great place for families with small children. And when you aren’t on the lake, you can spend the day at the nearby charming small towns and beautiful botanical gardens.
Grove Oklahoma is located right off Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees and is known for Har-Ber Village, an interactive museum where you can experience what life was like in Oklahoma in the late 1800’s early 1900’s. Also in Grove is Lendonwood Gardens, a botanical garden that is 8 acres of more than 1,200 different types of plants.
Find your perfect lake house at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs is truly a hidden gem! Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, it’s eclectic, artsy, and full of things to do. With Victorian architecture, set among peaceful streets that wind through the mountainside, and lined with dozens of restaurants, art galleries, and boutique shops selling one of a kind finds; Eureka Springs a fantastic destination for the traveler who is looking for the out of the ordinary.
Eureka Springs is recognized as a top arts destination. It’s a one of a kind town, that is, in fact, on the National Register of Historic Places.
Eureka Springs rose to fame for its dozens of natural springs that flow through the town that were believed to have healing properties. In the Victorian Era, those looking for healing and wellness traveled to Eureka Springs and created a little oasis surrounded by the green beauty of the northwest Arkansas Ozarks.
Beautiful nature to enjoy and explore is all around you in Eureka Springs with three lakes and two rivers surrounding the area. Boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking are some of the many water activities that you can enjoy. With scenic state and national parks and many trails and parks, even throughout the town, the hiking and biking is fantastic here. Explore magnificent waterfalls in Buffalo River National Park.
And when you’re done adventuring for the day, enjoy food and drinks in one of the many unique restaurants this town has to offer. Or relax at one of the several spas.
Cabins and quaint homes nestled in the mountains surrounding Eureka Springs are incredibly affordable. If you are a little bit hippie and love nature and art, Eureka Springs is definitely your own personal paradise.
Colorado
Of course we can’t talk about where to look for your dream vacation home without mentioning the Rocky Mountains! Although further away than anything we’ve mentioned so far, this is still driveable for a long weekend. If you time it just right, you can find bargain flights too.
Your home in the Rocky Mountains can be the base for an annual winter ski trip, summer getaway or family reunion. Perfect for both winter and summer, the Colorado Rockies have endless options depending on what you are looking for.
My personal favorite is Aspen, with its breathtaking views and world-renowned dining and shopping, in addition to your favorite mountain sports, you absolutely can’t go wrong with a mountain cabin in Aspen.
Steamboat Springs, Crested Butte, and Vail are also great places to experience a true vacation, different climate, and a vastly different terrain. Steamboat Springs has incredible hot springs and hikes and is an absolutely idyllic mountain town.
If you want something a little more hidden away, Carbondale is a charming and artsy town surrounded by beauty and boasts great dining, shopping, and hiking as well as being right off the Roaring Fork River which is some of Colorado’s best trout fishing. It’s also not far from other interesting towns such Glenwood Springs with its hot springs and caverns. Carbondale is actually nicknamed the “Ultimate Rocky Mountain Hideout.”
Just imagine yourself on the back deck of your cabin or the balcony of your condo surrounded by mountains drinking wine and watching the sunset…no buyers remorse on this decision that’s for sure!
Hope this list has got you dreaming about your vacation home! Next time you take a little break from working in that ideal home office you just set up, start planning your must-have list for that ideal vacation home and let’s turn that dream into reality.
