Wyndham Nassau Resort - The Perfect Vacation Home Starts With You

Take a moment to think bigger, if you're thinking about buying or building a vacation home.

And how will this new vacation home fit into my life down the road? Thirty years? Ask yourself: What will my life be like in the next ten years?

A whole new set of lifestyle and family planning choices come into play, and with the baby boom generation's retirement on the horizon. They've expanded and evolved. People's reasons for buying or building vacation homes haven't simply changed over the years.

Here are three important aspects of your life to consider when making a decision about your vacation home plans:

The needs of your current - and potential future - lifestyle. 1.

Choosing the location of your second home should factor in the kinds of activities you want to pursue. And "active" means something different to everyone, here's one way to look at it: Some folks are more active than others.

And just need a small and efficient kitchen, other people would prefer to dine out while on vacation. And would want a great kitchen in their vacation home, here's another way: Some people love to cook.

And you'll be off to a very good start, answer those questions. How will that change over the years? What's your life like now?

The growth of your family. 2.

Or will it just be a couple of people enjoying the quiet spaces now and again? Separately or in big get-togethers, and might they be spending a lot of time at your vacation home? Will the family get bigger over time, if not? Do you have a large family?

And even the choice of whether to buy condos or property within a vacation resort, interior design considerations, the size of the home, the answers to questions like those can affect decisions regarding the community you choose.

The length of your visits. 3.

Or the lack of a seasonal porch or deck - could become issues in the long run, for example, things you might tolerate in small doses - like a bathroom unattached to the bedroom. Could easily turn into a permanent residence upon retirement, in which you spent a precious few weeks per year, what was once a vacation home.

But wouldn't it be better - and easier - to get it right the first time? Then more power to you, if you don't mind making the investments in home renovation projects later on.

What roll will your vacation home play for your future self? What will you have achieved? Who will you be? Take some time to imagine your future life, before you start the process. Make it fun, to make it easier! The idea of planning a vacation home to suit your future life doesn't come naturally to a lot of people.

You might learn as much about yourself as your new vacation home in the process.