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vacation home

Shelter Island, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates


Newsday's Real LI led me to this summer retreat in Shelter Island, New York. This home sits on 3.6 acres and has six bedrooms. It has a great room, dining room, two wood burning fireplaces, elevator, central air conditioning, and a two-car garage. The interior is in need of major brightening up and updating but the grounds are phenomenal. The property includes a freshwater pond, tennis court and a long dock into the sound. A variety of terraces offer views and much needed shade on a hot day. It is listed at $4.9 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Balcones Del Atlantico Development

Filed under: Real Estate Developments


For second homes at a lower price, the Dominican Republic is fast becoming more popular. Balcones Del Atlántico is a beachfront community in the village of Las Terrenas on the Samana Peninsula. Balcones Del Atlántico has more than 250 units situated on a former coconut plantation. The development has 15 pools throughout the property including an infinity pool, a pool with tranquil waterfalls and a party pool with swim-up bar. Residential options range from one to five bedroom units that include villas, town houses and condos some with rooftop terraces with solariums, Jacuzzis and pools. Residents will have access to the beach, a commercial plaza, a heliport, a club house and beach bar/club. Recreational opportunities include beach volleyball, tennis courts, a children's playground, a spa and gym. Prices range from $475,000 to $1.7 million. It is already under construction with final completion of all phases scheduled for 2011.

Sundowner, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates


When it comes to remote vacation homes ease of management can be almost as important as location. That's one of the major selling features for the Sundowner on Nevis, an idyllic Caribbean island. The Sundowner is part of the Four Seasons Nevis where all homes come with security systems, provisioning services for food, and routine maintenance of the homes. The home is prepared for your arrival and locked up when you leave. You also get access to the resort's championship golf course, clay or hard tennis courts, a full range of watersports, the fitness center, and the full-service spa. The home has five bedrooms (each with walk-in closets and refrigerators), large living room and a kitchen.

The home sits on 1.19 acres in the hills for views of the ocean and St. Kitts in the distance and, a bit closer the 13th hole of the award-winning Robert Trent Jones II golf course. There is an infinity pool with a large terrace and there is a bar downstairs for poolside entertaining. The home also has a wraparound terrace. The decor doesn't seem to quite match the home's pricetag and the kitchen is a bit less than fabulous but you aren't there to cook, you are there to soak up the sun. This home is listed at $4.5 million.

Gallery: Sundowner

The Vacation Homes of the Stars

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping


Very few celebrities have only one home -- owning multiple residences in locations around the world is key to keeping any sense of normalcy and routine in their lives. But although first homes are usually in cities like New York and LA to be close to work, where do celebrities like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and Oprah choose to buy vacation homes? Where do they go when it's entirely up to them and they want to relax?

Well for Clooney it's a waterfront villa in Lake Como, Italy, for Depp it's a 50 acre farmhouse in France, and Oprah prefers her ocean-front ranch in Santa Monica. Where would you live? Check out this list of celebrity summer homes and see who's taste is closest to your own.

The Orchard At Carneros Inn

Filed under: Estates, Journeys


The San Francisco Chronicle recently covered one of the latest fractional residences. If you want a piece of Napa life you might want to check out the Orchard at Carneros Inn. The new offering is 17 cottages with 10 owners each. Each share costs $275,000 each.

The Carneros Inn is a 27-acre resort in Napa that has 86 guest cottages, million dollar homes, three restaurants, a spa, pools, fitness center, boutiques and even a deli. It is basically a small village unto itself. The cottages will have a rustic feel but with all the requisite amenities like stainless steel appliances and flatscreen TVs as well as access to all the Carneros amenities. Your $275,000 buys you three weeks a year plus additional time as available. The cottages will also be in a rental pool where they are expected to bring in $1,200 to $1,800. owners also have to pay dues of $8,100 plus a property tax that works out to around 1% of the purchase price each year. The first six cottages will be ready in August; the remaining ones will be finished in November.

Travel and Leisure's list of top 100 real estate developments

Filed under: Estates, Journeys

In the market for a second home? Travel and Leisure has compiled their list of the top 100 dream vacation home real estate developments around the world. There are slideshows grouped by region with details on price and amenities offering a wide variety of both fractional and full ownership opportunities. Don't pack your bags yet, many of the homes aren't completed yet. They don't all break the bank either. For prices starting at $207,000 you can move into 550 Wellington, a condo builiding in Toronto that has all the amenities of the built-in 94-room hotel. It will cost you a bit more to head to the Temenos Anguilla, a white property perched high on a hilltop with some homes bordering the Caribbean island's first 7,100-yard golf course Prices there start at $1.4 million.

Beach House on Lake Charlevoix, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates


Gorgeous beach houses aren't just for the coasts, this beach house sits on Lake Charlevoix in Michigan. This house sits on the end of a road and is surrounded by water on three sides. It has a deep water pier and the exterior features a wraparound deck. The 5,580 sq. ft. home has four bedrooms, two fireplaces, a large kitchen with granite counter tops, two wet bars and a lower level entertainment area. The third floor is a multi-use area with its own bath, wet bar and balcony overlooking the lake. Every room has a view of the lake. It is listed at $3.599 million.

HGTV Dream Home 2006

Filed under: Estates

This year's HGTV Dream Home is is more understated than luxurious. The AP reports that for the 10th edition of the Dream Home giveaway, Home and Garden Television created a 5,700-square-foot home in the Blue Ridge foothills overlooking Lake Lure in North Carolina. The home has porches to take advantage of the mountain views and is designed so that the home's owners can live in one wing and guests stay on the other side. Other details include a game room, crafts room, wine cellar and exercise room. If you like the location you can build your own home at Grey Rock in the Lake Lure community which is a collection of over 900 homesites. Pictures of the HGTV home are available on their website.

Please note: To enter the contest: please visit the HGTV site.


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