If you have just bought your dream holiday home, then firstly congratulations, because it is the start of an amazing journey of ownership.However, without wishing to burst your bubble, owning a second home (especially one in a different country), is not always quite the dream that you first imagine it to be when you get handed the keys.
This is not to say that it can’t still be an amazing experience to own your dream holiday home, only that you need to be prepared for some potential challenges, obstacles and irritations along the way. For example, you will have to think about how you are physically going to get around when you have arrived at your property. Relying on public transport is rarely a smart idea – especially if you want to cultivate a sense of independence when living in your holiday home.
Moreover, you need to make sure the house is regularly used, to prevent any issues with the house (such as frozen pipework) which can result from lack of use.You should also be prepared to remain a tourist in the eyes of the locals. While you might imagine owning a home and living in their town for much of the year makes you an accepted member of the local area, you are unlikely to be regarded as a local.Here is some more information on these secret tips for owning a holiday home
You need to have your own transport at the property
One of the most underrated irritations of owning a holiday home is not having your own transportation when you are at the property. While you might think it is not a massive issue, and that you can rely upon public transport, if you intend on spending any longer than a few days at a time at your holiday home, you need your own car or motorbike.This is because you will never feel any more than a tourist if you are waiting around for buses, trains or ferries to take you around the local area, and you will be constricted in terms of locations you can realistically explore.
In contrast, when you have a car or bike, you will be able to be self-reliant and flexible – able to go wherever you want at any time.If storing a car down at the house is impossible or too expensive, then consider using a scooter or motorbike instead. A clever way of doing this is to buy a scooter in your native country and then transport it to the property usingscooter transport from the likes of https://www.shiply.com/us/scooter-transport.
Keep the house lived in throughout the year
Another useful tip that you should bear in mind is that you need to keep the house active and lived-in as much as possible.While you might want to keep your holiday home protected from potential wear and tear at first, this will actually cause it more harm than actually using it.
If you leave a house dormant for months then the pipework will start to become blocked, cracked or frozen over altogether, and small issues will start creeping in.Instead, keep the place functioning all year round to troubleshoot problems, keep the pipework flowing and the rooms clean.
Don’t expect to be fully accepted by the locals
When you buy a holiday home you might reasonably expect to become a glorified local when you start to learn the language and embrace the local culture. Unfortunately, the locals rarely see you in the same way, and while they may be welcoming towards you, don’t expect to become close friends with everyone.This is especially true in small villages where everyone knows everyone, and any outsider is seen as just that, an outsider.
