Donate a Week

By Christopher S. Cain
Published: 04/12/05 Topics: Comments: 0

If you use or rent your vacation property 100 percent of the time, don't bother to read this article. If, however, you have some vacant weeks that you cannot rent, trade, or barter, here's another option: Give them away.

Donate a week to your favorite charity. Many fund raisers hold events including an auction, or silent auction, with items typically including dinners for two, spa treatments, golf greens fees, and trips. Bidders might get a great deal or the price might end up above market value, but it doesn't matter, as the proceeds all go to the charity.

Tsunami Relief

Perhaps your Chamber of Commerce is holding a silent auction to raise money for the Tsunami relief effort. You could donate a week at your vacation property to help raise money for these victims.

What's your favorite charity? Get involved. The American Cancer Society, YMCA, American Heart Association, Boys and Girls Clubs, Coalition for the Homeless, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Diabetes Association, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity will all welcome your participation.

At the Florida Association of Realtors (FAR), where I worked as Director of Media Relations, I donated a week at our Kiawah Island, SC, vacation villa to a fund raising auction for the FAR scholarship fund. By donating a vacation, I turned a vacant week into funds to help a student.

Charity Begins At Home

Here's another charity consideration: they say charity begins at home, so don't forget to use your vacation property to provide some fun and excitement to those closest to you. Generosity is a good thing.

If you know that your property is vacant for a certain week, give the week to your brother or sister who needs some time away with their family. Or, block out a week during prime time to give to your sister to celebrate her 20th marriage anniversary.

A week at your vacation property might be the ideal college graduation present for your son or daughter. Or, a great wedding gift.

About the Author -- Chris Cain wrote "Maximize Your Resort Property Investment" (1984), "Road Map to Your Vacation Property Dream" (1998), and dozens of articles on vacation property. He is a nationally-known speaker on the topic and he sells vacation property in Orlando, FL. Chris bases his writings and counseling on his 16 year ownership experience of a seaside villa at Kiawah Island, SC. Contact Chris Cain at vacvalue@aol.comvacvalue@aol.com.

Author: Christopher S. Cain, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0061 – 04/12/05