We provide an ingenious and reliable way for potentially any second home owner (there are 7 million in the U.S.) to sell shares of the title keeping a portion for themselves.  That means those who want to invest in a second home can take title for a small percentage of the property’s value.

Can I tell you what the inspiration was for this innovation?  This is my true story!

For decades, I was captivated by the lyrics of the late, great John Denver. Do you remember these lines from the once fabulously popular “Rocky Mountain High”?

“He was born in the summer of his 27th year; coming home to a place he’d never been before.”

At the age of 46, these words suddenly resonated with me in a profound way. I had moved from the heart of the country and bought a home near the base of what the locals call “the Wasatch Front.” While new employment brought me to the mountains, the change of address transformed every workday into what seemed like a vacation. In winter, I marveled at majestic snowcaps daily, and in summer, I dreamt of their crystal reservoirs.

Not long after my relocation, I felt an unyielding temptation to incur debt.  Yes, it was a mountain property; that’s what I wanted.  Retrospectively, it was the kind of debt I was not fully prepared to assume.  But, if I took that chance, it would allow me to inhale the fresh air of the high desert and mountain canyons.  It would sometimes place my loved ones much closer to seemingly everything that was worthy of a world-class label.  Miles and miles of groomed snowmobile trails, the exhilaration of alpine skiing, the daring downhill of snowboarding.

As I settled into my new home, I began to wonder if I had the energy or money to master all the recreational offerings available: rock climbing, biking, hunting, boating and fishing, to name a few. Financially, I knew these activities would have to be enjoyed only in spurts. This realization cast a shadow over my dream of owning a second home.

But then, a lightbulb moment struck me: if I couldn’t justify the cost of a second home due to infrequent use, how many others felt the same way? Could co-ownership be the solution? Sharing costs?  Alternating the use of a shared dream?  Why, yes!

But how could I make it happen?

With no roadmap or blueprint, only a hazy vision in my mind, I set out to discover a solution. I described my desire to a friend, who referred me to a real estate lawyer. To my surprise, my new attorney friend helped me more than I could have imagined—and at no cost! His curiosity fueled my journey.

I launched a rudimentary website, and a mortgage broker stumbled upon it. Soon, at his invitation, I found myself speaking to audiences of 6, 10, and sometimes 15 people. Each interaction brought new questions and valuable insights. Although progress toward co-purchasing a home was slow, it was fun to scale the learning curve.

Through these experiences, I discovered that many second homeowners were contemplating selling their beloved properties due to the prohibitive costs I had previously considered.

Well, the first purchase I was involved in happened in Colorado.  Interestingly, I was not one of the purchasers.  I was a facilitator.  With the help of my attorney friend, I crafted an agreement that would set up a framework for the new co-owners in cooperating with each other.  (And by the way, I recently confirmed with a past client that my agreement is still in use today – about 17 years later).

My speaking engagements and facilitation eventually took me to numerous states across the country.  But it was the Colorado experience that crystallized my understanding.  It happened after I  discovered the existence of yet another second home product.  “Quarter-shares”, the locals would call it.  I could see that quarter-shares were the offering of an established business enterprise selling its own real estate.  Quite different and in stark contrast, I was facilitating something to benefit potentially any existing second home owner – or purchaser.

Although I don’t begrudge them, can you see that all the other businesses, to date, are offering to sell something from their own portfolio?  That’s fine for them; but we’re scaling co-ownership that is independent of any business portfolio.  I mean, after all, there are 7 million second homes in the U.S.  Many owners would love to sell shares and keep a portion for themselves.  Millions more would love to buy!  And that’s what we facilitate. It is independent co-ownership.

I call it “indy-co”.  And if you are looking to reduce cost, whether as a Buyer or Seller, I promise, we can help you.