Bought a vacation home as an investment
Christine Flood, 37
Software engineer
Denver, Colorado


"I have been in the rental market since I was in college and thought owning a ski condo would be a good idea. What I didn't know is that vacation rentals are a whole new beast that I didn't understand. The operational costs differ greatly--for example, you need to hire a management company for guest services and housekeeping. That's 30% to 50% of your gross rents. And my vacation home is now worth $30,000 less than when I bought it."

My fix: "My dad told me vacation homes are a rich man's game--I should have believed him. When the market turns around, I am going to sell this baby as quickly as possible and settle with a traditional rental."


Last updated May 20 2011: 10:47 AM ET
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