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According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors, 2.82 million vacation home purchases were made in 2004, up 16 percent from the previous year.

With the rising demand, prices also escalated; the price of a typical vacation home increased 21 percent from 2003 to 2004, about twice the rate of appreciation for the overall home market.

In addition to vacation homes, sales in the second-home market were bolstered significantly by those searching for steadily appreciating investments. Nearly 25 percent of all homes purchased in 2004 were done so for investment purposes - a 14 percent increase from 2003.

Against this backdrop, real estate firms are recognizing the importance of understanding and servicing this influential group of homebuyers.

“Second-home buyers represent a vital and growing part of the overall market,” said Brenda Casserly, president and chief operating officer of ERA Real Estate. “These discerning buyers have extremely specific and often widely varying needs, and real estate firms looking to lead in this segment must continue to provide these consumers with an efficient mix of one-on-one and Web-based services and resources.”

ERA Real Estate has been an industry leader in this area with its established Resort Properties International program. The program features a team of trained resort experts who can instantly access key resources from around the world and provide specialized information on second-home properties across all price levels and comfort needs.

ERA Real Estate also recently launched Resorts.ERA.com, a Web site designed specifically to meet the needs of second-home buyers. Visitors to the site can search for properties categorized by state or other criteria, such as waterfront locations, ski resorts and golf club communities.

Through the site, consumers can connect with sales associates who specialize in the resort and second-home market, and access links to state and local resources as well as market trends.

1. Value: Buy low – Sell high! Sounds easy, right? So, why not take advantage of today’s lower property values? Real estate values have dropped significantly making it more affordable for buyers. With the market being flourished with homes for sale, it is a great time to make offers to homes with great values. The same applies to vacation properties. The choice is yours.

2. Income: Buying a vacation property will give you the opportunity to generate cash flow which is something most retirees are looking for when they no longer have salaries.

3. Equity: While collecting rental income from your vacation property, your equity over time (historically proven) will continue to grow. That is of course, if you pay the right purchase price. Be careful not to over pay for your property. With today’s prices, you may be able to get a real bargain.

4. Pleasure: Wouldn’t it be fun to own a condo on a golf course so you could play golf every day? Or how about on your favorite beach so you and your friends can hang out at the pool all day? Maybe you like to fish in fresh water lakes and would like to own your very own cabin. Whatever your hobbies are, make sure you choose the location that’s right for you! Imagine, having someone else pay your expenses while you get to use it whenever you choose.

5. Age: Now is the time to reflect and a time for planning. When can I retire? What can I do to create a cash flow to supplement my income when I retire? How do I maintain the life style I have become accustom? This could be a great time to purchase a vacation home, use it for several years and when the time is right, sell it for a profit. Thus, giving you a nice lump sum to add to your retirement fund. As with any financial matter, always talk to your financial advisor and/or tax consultant before making major decisions.

We all talk about what we would like to do when we retire. It can happen if you plan for it. Design your plan today and make your dream a reality. For more information www.howtorentvacationhomes.com

If you like those out of the way places that are hidden gems then you will love the Heise Hot Springs located near the Snake River close to Idaho Falls. This resort has been family run since 1898 and it offers many fun activities for tourists and even locals. Fun things include a 350 foot water slide that is wonderful for all ages, a nine hole golf course, swimming pools, and even float and fishing trips down the Snake River. There are two options for housing and this includes the RV park where you can park
your own RV or else you can stay in a two bedroom cabin. The hot springs are closed in November, but are open for your enjoyment the rest of the year.

The hours of the Heise Hot Springs are 8 am until 10 pm daily Memorial Day to Labor Day and in the winter from 2 pm to 10 pm on weekdays and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am until 10 pm. The fee for entrance is $6 for adults and $3 for kids under 11. This makes for an ultra affordable vacation if you are on a budget and even if you aren’t you will still appreciate an affordable outing for your entire family for once.

The hot springs are located at 5116 E. Heise Road in Ririe, Idaho. If you are traveling by RV in Idaho you must include the hot springs on your list of things to do. There are of course many other fun activities in Idaho as well include mining era towns, museums, canyons, and even theme parks. When you think of places to vacation Idaho might not jump to the top of the list but there are many beautiful places in this great state and lots of fun things to do. You will be surprised at all Idaho has to offer not to
mention relieved at the affordable prices of many of the tourist attractions.

There is a website that has great information on USA Vacations and Unique Travel Spots Listed State By State and Season, the website is called: Seasonal Vacation Spots, and can be found at this url:

http://www.seasonalvacationspots.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Sure, vacations can be hazardous to your health: Beachgoers get sunburned, campers get poison ivy, air travelers get headaches. But stay home, as record numbers may be doing this summer, and your health could suffer much more.

“Vacation deprivation,” as it has been dubbed by Expedia.com, has been spreading for years as Americans’ vacations get shorter or are skipped entirely. But this year’s high travel costs, flying hassles and spooky economy may be creating a “perfect storm” that keeps people hunkered down as never before, says Geoffrey Godbey, professor emeritus in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University.

(Even before the summer of $4-a-gallon gas arrived, a record-low 39% of Americans said in April that they planned a vacation trip in the next six months, says the non-profit Conference Board.)

The possible health toll:

•More heart disease and death. Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease were 20% less likely to die of any ca use and 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations, a study published in 2000 in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found.

•Poorer sleep. People not only sleep better during vacations, but they also keep sleeping=2 0better afterward, some studies show.

•More tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin, published in 2005 by researchers from the Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic.

“Vacation is not a frill,” says Joe Robinson, a life coach and author who founded Work to Live, a group that advocates for more leisure time.

But one in four American workers get no paid holidays or vacation time, a 2007 study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research showed. The average worker gets 14 paid days off but works three of those days, an Expedia survey found. That survey found Europeans also give up a few vacation days but have more to squander: 26 in Great Britain, 33 in Italy and 37 in France.

The vacation gap has been proposed as one reason Americans are not as healthy as Europeans.

Why vacation might have that power is not clear. But studies do show “people walk more, they watch TV less, they read more and they talk to each other more” while on a trip, Godbey says. Some eat better, too. And vacationers literally slow down: They stroll along the golf course instead of racing through it; they stop and taste the berries at a fruit stand instead of rushing through a supermarket.

Studies have to yet to show how long a vacation must be to boost=2 0health. Also unknown: the benefits of a “staycation,” in which people take time off at home. “The idea makes me cringe,” Robinson says. “If you stay home, it’s not a vacation.”

Cathy McCarty, the researcher who led the study of rural Wisconsin women, isn’t so sure. One friend, she says, takes off one week each summer just to garden. “That’s absolutely a vacation for him.” She is more worried about the 20% of women in her study who had no vacation in six years.

Godbey says he just hopes people with tight budgets will consider low-cost options — such as Tours to Africa or Mexico to beat the high euro— before staying home this summer: “The people who need a vacation most may be most likely to cancel.”

Have a travel question or story? E-mail robert@lojtravel.com Please include your name, city and phone number. Selected questions will be answered and stories published online.

READERS: When was the last time you took a vacation? Do you think time off is a matter of physical or mental health? Share your views and experiences below.

Sound far fetched? Not really! Nude recreation is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. It is a booming niche market with over $400 million in annual revenues. In a recent Roper poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny dipping.

Historically, Americans had to travel to Europe or the Caribbean to find upscale nudist resorts and hotels. However, in the last 10 years, nude recreation in America has taken off. Now, the finest nudist and clothing optional resorts in the world are found in the United States. The meccas for nude sunbathing are Palm Springs, California and Florida. Palm Springs by far is the most popular as they have 350 days of sunshine per year, beautiful, warm weather, and no mosquitos (a big plus when you aren’t wearing any clothes). Palm Springs http://palmsprings.com has world championship golf, casinos, shopping, theater, art galleries, museums, Joshua Tree National Park, hiking, and a host of other fun activities. Or, you just relax by the pool all day long sipping cool drinks, wonder why it took you so many years to work up the courage to consider vacationing at a clothing optional resort and get a great all over sun tan.

If you are tired of the same old boring vacations that you have been taking at chain hotels, now is the time to try something different and fun. Go ahead and call a clothing optional resort. The only thing you have to lose is your tan lines.

The top ten reasons are:

10) No funny tan lines
9) No need to take a vitamin D supplement
No Laundry when you return from vacation
7) Waves don’t knock off swim suit top
6) The natural look takes on a whole new meaning
5) No luggage to check at airport
4) No shoes, no shirt, no problem
3) No sand in swimsuit
2) Everyday is really casual Friday
1) Clothing optional resorts are just plain fun!

As summer comes to an end, many vacationers and “snowbirds” are planning their retreats down to Florida. From Pensacola down to Key West, Florida’s coastlines offer breathtaking ocean scenes and some of the nations finest golf resorts.

Many travelers today are looking to couple luxurious amenities with variety for their vacation plans. Florida offers activities that everyone can enjoy. As a result, a Florida Yacht Charter Vacation is one of the most popular ways to travel the peninsula and make stops along the way.

The experience of staying aboard a Luxury Yacht Charter is comparable to a stay at the Ritz Carlton on Water. With a crewed motor yacht, a captain and crew are there to cater to their guests’ every whim. Before each charter a full itinerary is created to include all of the activities that a family or couple request for their personal vacation. Whether the guest is looking to fish, Jet Ski, golf or swim, a luxury yacht charter will have it covered.

For this upcoming winter season Golfing destinations will be showcased as a major highlight for charterers. With first class marinas located along the Florida Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, arranging a car service from the marina to the country club is no problem at all. Florida has quite a few innovative and prestigious golfing destinations that will challenge your skills and have views that will take your breath away. Most golfers won’t even have to leave early to warm up at the driving range because some of today’s luxury vessels have a personal driving range located on the top deck. Here are three fantastic golfing locations with exceptional designs and splendor that are unsurpassed.

The Breakers Palm Beach is one of Florida’s finest resorts. This paradise has two championship golf courses that challenge both pros and vacationers. The courses were meticulously designed for players of any caliber. The Ocean Course was Florida’s very first 18-hole golf course. The course was recently redesigned to preserve its traditional character but with less than 6,500 yards, shot precision is crucial.

If your looking for a designer course the Breakers Rees Jones® Course is located only a few miles away. This course was recently reconstructed and named to be one of the premier golf experiences in the southeast U.S., reflecting the unparalleled new-classic style of renowned golf course architect Rees Jones.

One of Florida’s most recently designed golf destinations is located in Port St. Lucie. Another water front fairway retreat is about to begin construction and will boast a challenging Jack Nicklaus Signature Designed Golf Course. Santa Lucia River Club will include a resort, condominiums, villas, spa, country club and a 67-slip deep-water marina with Ocean Access from the St. Lucie River. This exclusive locale will accommodate the complete mariner and country club lifestyle for discerning travelers and residents.

If the Keys are more appealing, then cruise down to Key Largo and try your luck at the Card Sound Golf Club. Golf Link.com’s viewers gave the Card Sound Golf Club a five star rating. This par 71 course located moments from the flats of the Keys, features 6,553 yards of golf and the course has an overall rating of 71.3 and has a slope rating of 127 on Bermuda grass. This magnificent oasis opened in 1976 and was designed by Bruce Devlin/Robert von Hagge.

No matter what your prescription may be, a luxury vacation with Open Ocean waters and emerald green fairways will remedy any soul. For more information about a Florida Yacht Charter please visit http://www.eyachtcharter.com to learn about what other gems that Florida has to offer.

1. Hawaii resort You can choose to put your frequent flier miles to good use and take a beach vacation on the island of Hawaii. Here, you can relax on the beach, swim in the ocean, play golf, and even indulge in one of the many innovative spa treatments. Hawaii enjoys some of the best weather in the world - making it a great choice for your beach vacation.

2. Golf and Beach in Georgia Popular among the East Coast, the Cloister at Sea Island in Georgia offers you 54 holes of championship golf, sandy beaches, and a wide array of things for you to do.

3. Oahu beach vacation At the Kahala Mandarin Oriental you can expect to be pampered like never before. You can visit the spa, take scuba diving classes, or choose to swim it up with the dolphins. The resort is conveniently located 15 minutes away from Honolulu and Waikiki Beach.

4. Virgin Islands vacation At this vacation destination you can enjoy blue waters and sandy beaches. The Ritz Carlton, and St. Thomas resorts offer you the best of luxury hotels during your beach vacation in the Virgin Islands.

5. Half Moon Bay California Located just 30 minutes by car away from San Francisco, the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is a quick beach vacation away from the normal busy life of the city.

6. Luxury Beach Resort of Bermuda Two hours away by flight from New York City, Bermuda is a quick and ideal vacation away from the East Coast. Ariel Sands offers you 47 guest rooms with gourmet food and breathtaking views.

To see the rest, please visit: http://www.theflaminhottip.com/beach-vacations/9-beach-vacation-ideas.php