Over the years, by owning this beachfront house, Claudio had been obligated to go to the same place every so often if only to inspect the place. Eventually he got tired of this. His experience, and other similar examples, taught me that it's not wise to own a second house or piece of land at a far off place. It's not only costly to maintain and take trips to it, but it makes you feel tied down and, to an extent, reduces your options of visiting new, interesting places within the country. I find that it's better and cheaper to spend a weekend at a good beach hotel than to own a house where, besides undertaking its up-keeping costs, your friends and relatives land to make your weekend one of work and stress.
Many expatriates visit a beautiful beach, decide it's paradise for them and, usually pressured by a real estate agent, proceed to spend top dollars for the purchase of a beachfront lot or house. Within a short time they realize that the idea of owning a property in a far off place was not a practical one and eventually decide to sell at a loss. Unless you are to live permanently in the place, it's advisable to forget about owning a second house far away.
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