Second home 2 hours v 3 hours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

I think we are still all confused, but I guess you need to name the city.

I suppose I understand a one BR in NYC and then a house in Scarsdale.

Outside of NYC, it’s hard to understand doing the equivalent in any other city…maybe Chicago but the nice suburbs are much closer in for Chicago.

This is a DMV centered website. Also, in my first post, I said that the closest beaches to the DMV were a hassle to get to. So it should be pretty clear what city I'm talking about.

I said we're 90 minutes to 2 hours tops west of the city. That far out of DC is a whole new world. Our second home is not in the suburbs. It's in a rural area just outside of a charming small town with plenty of amenities.

This is why it's frustrating sometimes when non-DMV folks take over this website. You don't really understand our geography.

[Anonymous]

We bought our second home on the bay at right by Solomons and love it. It’s 1.5 hrs away, Solomons is cute, we love the sea and have a dick, boat, and view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

I think we are still all confused, but I guess you need to name the city.

I suppose I understand a one BR in NYC and then a house in Scarsdale.

Outside of NYC, it’s hard to understand doing the equivalent in any other city…maybe Chicago but the nice suburbs are much closer in for Chicago.

This is a DMV centered website. Also, in my first post, I said that the closest beaches to the DMV were a hassle to get to. So it should be pretty clear what city I'm talking about.

I said we're 90 minutes to 2 hours tops west of the city. That far out of DC is a whole new world. Our second home is not in the suburbs. It's in a rural area just outside of a charming small town with plenty of amenities.

This is why it's frustrating sometimes when non-DMV folks take over this website. You don't really understand our geography.

You are a very rude person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

I think we are still all confused, but I guess you need to name the city.

I suppose I understand a one BR in NYC and then a house in Scarsdale.

Outside of NYC, it’s hard to understand doing the equivalent in any other city…maybe Chicago but the nice suburbs are much closer in for Chicago.

This is a DMV centered website. Also, in my first post, I said that the closest beaches to the DMV were a hassle to get to. So it should be pretty clear what city I'm talking about.

I said we're 90 minutes to 2 hours tops west of the city. That far out of DC is a whole new world. Our second home is not in the suburbs. It's in a rural area just outside of a charming small town with plenty of amenities.

This is why it's frustrating sometimes when non-DMV folks take over this website. You don't really understand our geography.

You are a very rude person.

Why? For pointing out the obvious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

Don't be so pedantic. I have a second home too (first home in NWDC then bought a beach house and also vacation elsewhere), but it still makes no sense to me why anyone would want a second home without first identifying the type of location you're compelled to spend more time.

Your ridiculous commentary on second home vs vacation home doesn't clear up the matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

I think we are still all confused, but I guess you need to name the city.

I suppose I understand a one BR in NYC and then a house in Scarsdale.

Outside of NYC, it’s hard to understand doing the equivalent in any other city…maybe Chicago but the nice suburbs are much closer in for Chicago.

This is a DMV centered website. Also, in my first post, I said that the closest beaches to the DMV were a hassle to get to. So it should be pretty clear what city I'm talking about.

I said we're 90 minutes to 2 hours tops west of the city. That far out of DC is a whole new world. Our second home is not in the suburbs. It's in a rural area just outside of a charming small town with plenty of amenities.

This is why it's frustrating sometimes when non-DMV folks take over this website. You don't really understand our geography.

You are a very rude person.

Why? For pointing out the obvious?

I'm a going to hijack this as a New Yorker. I don't see a difference. Our vacation home is at the beach, 90 miles east of the city . . . and also a hassle to get to. Go 90 miles north or west, and you're not in the suburbs . . . you're in rural areas with small towns with differing charm and amenities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me it totally depends on what you want to do when you get there.

If we’re just talking a third bedroom for guests? No. Not worth it.

But if 3 hours has a dock and the whole point is boating, then yes.

I mean you’re not driving all that way just to sit around and drink coffee, right? So figure out what makes the whole enterprise worth it and then get the closest version of that you can afford.

I agree with your points, but will say that I’m perfectly content to drive 2 hours and 40 minutes to Bethany (or longer in summer) to sit around drinking coffee while staring at the ocean for a large chunk of most days. I don’t really see much of a difference between a 2 hour drive and a 3 hour drive to a second home unless you plan frequent day trips, or even then. I wouldn’t enjoy driving 4 hours round trip for a day trip either.

[Anonymous]

From DC there are two centers of gravity for high end magazine quality weekend houses and quaint towns. We don’t really have a high end ocean front area, though Lewes maybe is the closest thing.

The two are Virginia hunt country inside 90 minutes and Maryland Eastern shore inside 90 minutes. That’s where the premium properties are.

As you get outside 90 minutes the desirability and prices go down. This tells me that 90 minutes or less is easy. As you get further it gets harder. Going west, 3 hours has you at places like Lost River or Shenandoah Valley… lovely area but much lower cost. If Lost River were within 90 minutes I expect it would be much pricier. Locations in the Valley are lower priced than their counterparts to the east of the blue ridge… Even Orange and Keswick east of the blue ridge are lower priced than Middleburg.

So it boils down to what you can afford… the travel time is real and people are willing to pay a lot to shorten the distance and that should tell you something as you think of more vs less time to get to the property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie -- we would have preferred a house on the beach, sure, but the hassle involved just wasn't worth it to us. The closest beaches to the DMV are just too far and difficult to get to for a carefree summer weekend, and outside of the summer season they're dead and you can't swim anyway.

We ended up looking west, and landed on a place that we love. On a bad day it's just under 2 hours; most of the time barely more than 90 minutes. Saving an hour to 90 minutes each way is a game changer.

That's great that you found a place that you love. But I never understand when people just feel like they want a vacation home without a strong desire for a specific type of location, such as the beach or mountains.

Because in our case it's not a "vacation" home. It's a second home outside of the city. We "vacation" elsewhere. We "live" in our first and second homes.

Not that complicated.

I think we are still all confused, but I guess you need to name the city.

I suppose I understand a one BR in NYC and then a house in Scarsdale.

Outside of NYC, it’s hard to understand doing the equivalent in any other city…maybe Chicago but the nice suburbs are much closer in for Chicago.

This is a DMV centered website. Also, in my first post, I said that the closest beaches to the DMV were a hassle to get to. So it should be pretty clear what city I'm talking about.

I said we're 90 minutes to 2 hours tops west of the city. That far out of DC is a whole new world. Our second home is not in the suburbs. It's in a rural area just outside of a charming small town with plenty of amenities.

This is why it's frustrating sometimes when non-DMV folks take over this website. You don't really understand our geography.

You are a very rude person.

That's why the second home works for them -- they don't have any friends to spend time with on the weekends

[Anonymous]

You have a to factor in traffic. We have a place on the Eastern Shore that is 2 hours door-to-door. Even where there is traffic, we know it will not be more than 3 hours. We used to have a place in the OBX, and while it was nice to be at the beach, the traffic was terrible, even at odd times. We ended up only going 2-3 x per year. We go to the Eastern Shore house almost every Friday in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From DC there are two centers of gravity for high end magazine quality weekend houses and quaint towns. We don’t really have a high end ocean front area, though Lewes maybe is the closest thing.

The two are Virginia hunt country inside 90 minutes and Maryland Eastern shore inside 90 minutes. That’s where the premium properties are.

As you get outside 90 minutes the desirability and prices go down. This tells me that 90 minutes or less is easy. As you get further it gets harder. Going west, 3 hours has you at places like Lost River or Shenandoah Valley… lovely area but much lower cost. If Lost River were within 90 minutes I expect it would be much pricier. Locations in the Valley are lower priced than their counterparts to the east of the blue ridge… Even Orange and Keswick east of the blue ridge are lower priced than Middleburg.

So it boils down to what you can afford… the travel time is real and people are willing to pay a lot to shorten the distance and that should tell you something as you think of more vs less time to get to the property.

Multiple posters have said Shenandoah Valley is 90 minutes from DC because it's basically a straight shot west taking 66. Horse country is also 90 mins menage your going north and west of DC. Just depends on if you like winding rivers and blue mountains or green rolling piedmont hills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From DC there are two centers of gravity for high end magazine quality weekend houses and quaint towns. We don’t really have a high end ocean front area, though Lewes maybe is the closest thing.

The two are Virginia hunt country inside 90 minutes and Maryland Eastern shore inside 90 minutes. That’s where the premium properties are.

As you get outside 90 minutes the desirability and prices go down. This tells me that 90 minutes or less is easy. As you get further it gets harder. Going west, 3 hours has you at places like Lost River or Shenandoah Valley… lovely area but much lower cost. If Lost River were within 90 minutes I expect it would be much pricier. Locations in the Valley are lower priced than their counterparts to the east of the blue ridge… Even Orange and Keswick east of the blue ridge are lower priced than Middleburg.

So it boils down to what you can afford… the travel time is real and people are willing to pay a lot to shorten the distance and that should tell you something as you think of more vs less time to get to the property.

Multiple posters have said Shenandoah Valley is 90 minutes from DC because it's basically a straight shot west taking 66. Horse country is also 90 mins menage your going north and west of DC. Just depends on if you like winding rivers and blue mountains or green rolling piedmont hills.

You have to drive through horse country to get to the valley so they’re not both 90 minutes away. You can get to a highway gas station in the valley in 90 minutes. Thats about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From DC there are two centers of gravity for high end magazine quality weekend houses and quaint towns. We don’t really have a high end ocean front area, though Lewes maybe is the closest thing.

The two are Virginia hunt country inside 90 minutes and Maryland Eastern shore inside 90 minutes. That’s where the premium properties are.

As you get outside 90 minutes the desirability and prices go down. This tells me that 90 minutes or less is easy. As you get further it gets harder. Going west, 3 hours has you at places like Lost River or Shenandoah Valley… lovely area but much lower cost. If Lost River were within 90 minutes I expect it would be much pricier. Locations in the Valley are lower priced than their counterparts to the east of the blue ridge… Even Orange and Keswick east of the blue ridge are lower priced than Middleburg.

So it boils down to what you can afford… the travel time is real and people are willing to pay a lot to shorten the distance and that should tell you something as you think of more vs less time to get to the property.

That's not accurate. Bethany, Lewes, and Rehoboth are generally more desirable second home locations than some that you mentioned. There's limited interest in homes in hunting and fishing rural areas. There was a spike during the pandemic but that demand has waned.

[Anonymous]

I took a different approach, buying an expensive home locally with all the amenities I want, and just going elsewhere from time to time when I want a change of scenery. I can't imagine spending hours each way to go to a second home, paying for maintenance and insurance on it, tying money up in a more vulnerable RE market as are rural and vacation area, and being always tied to a specific location. You're signing up for financial and administrative commitments, and for a lack of flexibility. But, each to their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took a different approach, buying an expensive home locally with all the amenities I want, and just going elsewhere from time to time when I want a change of scenery. I can't imagine spending hours each way to go to a second home, paying for maintenance and insurance on it, tying money up in a more vulnerable RE market as are rural and vacation area, and being always tied to a specific location. You're signing up for financial and administrative commitments, and for a lack of flexibility. But, each to their own.

I think this makes a ton of sense.

I’ve owned 2 houses before - never rented either of them so it was a true second home. It takes a ton of time and/or money to do it right. I’m reasonably well off and to keep both houses in tip top shape year round in the cost of going on a pretty nice vacation every month.