Real Estate Information
Home Find a topic Links Guest Book
Welcome

Condo-Hotels - A New Second-Home Alternative to Time Shares


Condo-hotels have evolved as a better, more reliable second home alternative to time-shares. They are usually attractive, high-rise hotels on the ocean or in other prime locations, and range in price from the mid $200,000s to over 1 million, depending on the size, location, and amenities.

Many of the biggest names in the hotel industry have condo-hotel buildings, including Hilton, Four Seasons, Clarion, and Ritz-Carlton. Donald Trump has numerous condo- hotel facilities across the country, including a building in Fort Lauderdale and another in Sunny Isles, Florida.

In general, condo-hotel properties have been highly successful with all or nearly all units selling out within months of the first offering. For example, the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne is a beachfront property with 188 condo-hotel units, all of which sold out a year before the building was even finished. Needless to say, the values of the condo-hotels in this building have gone up significantly.

There are several reasons for the popularity of condo-hotels. When you purchase a property, you purchase a condo unit in the hotel. Unlike a time share, you have access to the property whenever you want, and it is put into a rental pool when you are not in residence. Although developers can't guarantee the properties will rent, management by a well-known hospitality group will typically result in several weeks of rental income. This is one of the biggest appeals of condo-hotels because the rental income can offset some of the costs of owning a vacation property.

In addition, the management company takes care of renting the unit, using their connections and expertise. You don't have to worry about any of these details. Most rental agreements split the income 50/50 between the management company and the owner. However, some properties offer more favorable arrangements, and this is another aspect to consider when deciding which property to purchase.

Despite the fact that the property is in a hotel setting, a condo-hotel is considered a private residence, and owners are eligible for mortgage interest deductions and all the other tax advantages that come from owning a second home. However, most condo-hotels do not allow you to live in the unit year round. This is because the management company wants to rent out the unit when you are not there, so both you and they can profit from that rental income.

Each condo-hotel property has its own residence restrictions that indicate the maximum amount of time you can live in the property. This is an important piece of information to consider before purchasing a condo-hotel unit. Most owners do not intend to live in their condo year round, so this is not a concern in typical circumstances.

Why not just rent a hotel room? In addition to the investment aspect, condo-hotels usually offer more room than a standard hotel room. Most suites are one or two bedrooms, and larger units are available. Condo-hotels typically have cooking facilities and other homey features that hotel rooms do not. This makes it ideal to have family stay with you when they come to visit.

With the advantages they offer over time shares, it's easy to see why so many people looking for a vacation property investment they can also enjoy when they want are now looking at condo-hotels.

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/resort4u.htm

Leon Altman is the founder of the InvestingIN Real Estate Letter - http://www.InvestingIN.com/realestate/LtrSignup3.htm - and its parent website, http://www.InvestingIN.com - a website that provides articles and newsletters about opportunities in different areas.


MORE RESOURCES:

BBC News

German Stocks Fall Most Since January; Hypo Real Estate Slumps
Bloomberg - 13 hours ago
Hypo Real Estate, the nation's second-biggest commercial- property lender, tumbled 37 percent as the government and the country's banks and insurers agreed ...
German Govt rescues Hypo Real Estate in a Euro 50 bn package Hindu
Hypo Real Estate tripped by funding strategy MarketWatch
Germany Rescues Hypo Real Estate Deutsche Welle
Daily Mail - MarketWatch
all 1,098 news articles


Real estate roundup: BPA leases Vancouver space
Bizjournals.com, NC - 12 hours ago
New & Neville Real Estate Services represented Cricket. •Foam Street Investments LLC purchased The Parkview Apartments, a 104-unit complex at 7808 NE 12th ...
Real estate deals Sarasota Herald-Tribune
all 4 news articles


Agnew Launches Translation Task Force to Help Financial, Banking ...
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
There are even some that still believe that the real estate professional's commission is paid by homeowners rather than by the seller, and do not know that ...


McCombs, other Texas businessmen form new real estate venture
Bizjournals.com, NC - 6 hours ago
A group of Texas real estate and business veterans are launching a new development company. Dually based in San Diego and Austin, The Flagship Group is ...
Development and Business Veterans Announce The Flagship Group MarketWatch
all 13 news articles


Windsor Star

Deals of the Day: The Last Days of Lehman Brothers
Wall Street Journal Blogs, NY - 16 hours ago
Fortis and Hypo Real Estate Bank: A Belgian government takeover of Fortis failed, so it will be sold to France’s BNP Paribas in a forced sale. ...
Deepening financial crisis fears rattle global markets AFP
Relief in Germany as bail-out agreed for Hypo Real Estate 06/10 07 ... euronews
European crisis deepens as bailouts continue MarketWatch
Bloomberg - Bloomberg
all 130 news articles


CB Richard Ellis Realty Trust & Duke acquire real estate portfolio
Bizjournals.com, NC - 7 hours ago
As part of a joint-venture agreement, CB Richard Ellis Realty Trust and Duke Realty Corp. have acquired four fully leased properties for $139.1 million. ...
Duke Joint Venture Acquires Four Properties Inside INdiana Business (press release)
CB Richard Ellis, Duke Realty purchase 4 industrial properties Dallas Morning News
all 9 news articles


Real estate wrap: Rowan opens first building at technology park
Bizjournals.com, NC - 12 hours ago
BPG Properties Ltd., a private equity real estate fund manager, bought two apartment complexes in Connecticut, making its first acquisition in that state. ...


Alico Restructures Real Estate Contract, Receives $2.5 Million
MarketWatch - 8 hours ago
The West and Crockett parcels appear to be ideally situated for future growth when the real estate market rebounds." Alico, Inc., a land management company ...


DWS RREEF World Real Estate & Tactical Strategies Fund, Inc. (DRP ...
MarketWatch - 7 hours ago
NEW YORK, Oct 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DWS RREEF World Real Estate & Tactical Strategies Fund, Inc. (DRP: , , ) declared a distribution of $0.08 per ...


Blumberg Capital Partners Completes Two-Year Real Estate ...
International Business Times, NY - 11 hours ago
based investment fund manager, today announced it has completed atwo-year strategy to dispose of its major commercial real estate holdingsnationally, ...
Westshore sale marks turning point in Blumberg Capital strategy Bizjournals.com
all 10 news articles

Real-Estate - Google News

Home | Guest Book |Site Map | Recommended Resources | Search

Powered By: TJTMEDIA

© 2006
Google