| Do people dream of having their own amazing | | | | thumbs can turn humble farmhouses into amazing |
| vacation homes to which they can retreat when | | | | vacation homes with gardens paths, waterways, |
| the stresses of everyday life just become too | | | | and hidden floral delights. |
| burdensome? Apparently they do, because the | | | | Build Your Own Amazing Vacation Home |
| documentary series "Amazing Vacation Homes" | | | | Many amazing vacation homes, in fact, have been |
| was one of the Travel Channel's most viewed. | | | | constructed from other edifices from barns, |
| So if you find yourself, in the cold wet dark days | | | | railroad depots, schoolhouses, lighthouses, and old |
| of winter, fantasizing about amazing vacation | | | | country stores. If you think the idea of taking |
| homes in warm, sunny, palm-and bougainvillea | | | | buildings with decades of built-up character and |
| graced settings where the balmy breezes carry | | | | turning them into amazing vacation homes has its |
| the whisper of breaking surf through your | | | | appeal, you can start by calling realtors in the area |
| windows, you're not alone. | | | | where you'd like to spend your vacation time. |
| If just hearing the names of Santa Barbara, or | | | | Historical societies are also good sources of |
| Aspen, or Gold Coast or Lake Como floods you | | | | information on interesting properties and whether |
| mind with pictures of amazing vacation homes to | | | | or not they the can be used for residences. |
| which you can return each evening after a day on | | | | Transforming quaint old structures into amazing |
| the beach or on the slopes or water, and a dinner | | | | vacation homes is, above all, a labor of love, and |
| at a world-class restaurant accompanied by some | | | | can require significant financial resources and |
| of the world's best wine, you're not alone. | | | | years of time. But if you start when you're |
| Amazing vacation homes have traditionally been | | | | young, and spend part of your vacations creating |
| seen as the special domain of the world's rich and | | | | your amazing vacation home of the future, by |
| famous, but as the Baby Boomers are reaching | | | | the time it's complete it will be full of family |
| retirement age, and have more time to travel, | | | | memories and uniquely your own. |
| and the money to buy a second home in which | | | | If at all possible, look at a house in person before |
| to spend their winters, the market for those | | | | you rent it. At the very least, find out when the |
| looking for amazing vacation homes is growing | | | | pictures of the house were taken, and don't rent |
| rapidly. | | | | anything without seeing recent pictures of the |
| And there are amazing vacation homes to suit | | | | kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and main living |
| any taste; from mountain lodges, to beachfront | | | | area. If the hosue is shown with views of a |
| condos, to apartments in the heart of the world's | | | | nearby natural attraction like a beach, find out if a |
| great cities with easy access to sporting events | | | | zoom lens was used to minimize the distances |
| and cultural venues. There are country retreats | | | | involved. |
| where those with a yen to develop their green | | | | |