Where Are the Most Affordable Vacation Homes in the US?

We have all dreamt about escaping the worries, monotony, and generally unpleasant greyish colors of our modern-day living defined by the urban environment. And what is a more delightful and lovely way to accomplish this than owning a second home in the countryside? The vacation home is a wonderful retreat you can visit any time of the year when you intend to have a break. Let’s pick up the pace, and imagine this!

Did you ever happen to have a sudden revelation to go on a journey using an unconventional vacation idea? And, soon, your adventure takes you to a non-traditional vacation rental? There you fall in love with the idea of a recreational home, and you decide to purchase it by any means necessary. We will give you a helping hand in that!

Buying your dream vacation on a budget

Owning a vacation home sounds exciting, right? Nothing genuinely compares to having a second home far from the maddening crowd of your current location in a jam-packed metropolitan area. You can come back to this house in a pleasant rural environment, to recharge your batteries with some fresh air, while you relax and enjoy a simpler life free of modern-day worries. 

Pitching the idea of buying a vacation home isn’t a particularly difficult task. It sells itself like a bottle of vintage wine. People use a secondary dwelling instead of their main residence for recreational purposes, such as respites and holidays. You may often hear vacation homes referred to as recreational property, and it’s no longer the sole privilege of high society. 

This article will check whether the places offering the best low-cost vacation homes match with the most affordable cities and counties to live in the US; and how beachfront condos make for good investment properties.

On the other hand, you might also be interested in vacation homes around the world if you consider yourself a world citizen, and you need a base in Palermo, Italy, or Aruba, for instance.

Corpus Christi, Texas

With a median home value of approximately $150,000, Corpus Christi, TX, is a true champion amongst exquisite yet affordable vacation homes! Texas doesn’t come first when you think of surfing, for sure! However, the people of Corpus Christi can certainly explain why you should rethink buying a vacation residence here, as their tiny but lovely city on the Gulf Coast is recognized as a surfing hotspot and beach resort. Moreover, if it comes to finances, the relatively high rent and low median house price propel Corpus Christi right in the middle of our favorite destinations! All aboard!

Think big! If you are considering purchasing a vacation home in “the Real Windy City” (because of the Gulf winds), you should contact the local realtors in Corpus Christi TX. You won’t be sorry you did!

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Suppose you are looking for an inexpensive vacation home that walks the line between a beautiful rural setting and a highly developed metropolitan area; we have excellent news for you! The city of Chattanooga just turned into a beloved destination for those searching for a recreation home this year, primarily because the median home value dropped to $145,000. 

With 182,000 residents, Chattanooga is without question a thriving metropolis. The local University of Tennessee unquestionably contributed to the city’s hard-earned prestige, which excels in engineering, chemistry, psychology, business program, accounting, music, and education. For this reason, there are plenty of scientific events and venues to visit in the city: the Science Center and Museum, the Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences.

The “smartest city” in Tennessee will amaze you with a large variety of special nightlife events. Sink your teeth into the genuine Southern cuisine at privately owned little restaurants and the groovy atmosphere with the Tennessee Aquarium, Lookout Mountain, Raccoon Mountain Caverns, and the Railroad Museum.

We sincerely hope this charming little city captivated your attention, and you might entertain the idea of buying a vacation residence here. Then, don’t be shy, and contact our real estate agents in Chattanooga TN, today for an offer not to be missed!

Daytona Beach, Florida

Welcome to “The World’s Most Famous Beach” or “The Spring Break Capital of the World”! Daytona Beach not only features, well obviously, first-class beaches, but it accomplished a superb setting for house hunters and snowbirds with an affordable housing market. The median vacation home value was approximately $142,000 in the first quarter of 2021. 

The world-famous beach and it’s hard-packed sand enable motorbikes to travel on the shoreline in certain places. Because of the sand’s characteristics, Daytona Beach became a racing hotspot, and the original Daytona Beach Road Course staged races for almost 50 years.

Though often beach living can be a mixed blessing, that is not the case in Daytona. Don’t stand too much thinking of surprising yourself with the best secondary condo! You can get in touch with the local realtors in Daytona Beach FL, who will get you a low-cost vacation home for a song! More free time, leisure, and a healthier lifestyle await you here. 

Indianapolis, IN

In Indianapolis, IN, the median vacation-home value was about $135,000 in 2021, making it quite the prize for vacation home hunters. If you are a fan of motorsports, then the Indy 500 race will indeed convince you to purchase a vacation condo in Indianapolis. The state capital of Indiana, “Indy”, is without a doubt a massive city that showcases many tourist attractions and new green spots for the adventurous in spirit. Waterways and phenomenal memorials will await you with plenty of opportunities to inspect world-famous cars at exhibits since Indianapolis hosts the nation’s second-largest car industry.

All in all, we recommend “Crossroads of America” not only for motor enthusiasts but for baseball fans, craft beer, pulled pork, and square donut lovers too. If you identify as one of these, contact the realtors in Indianapolis, IN, so you obtain a competitively-priced secondary home. Now, you can fully enjoy Indy perks during your recreation!

Allegany County, New York

People highly praise this area of New York due to its spellbinding water activities and lush green forests. Therefore, embark on a journey to the Allen Lake Forest, enjoying a captivating Sunday drive through the Wiscoy Bridge! On the 58-acre artificial lake, you can practice ice fishing for trout. At the same time, you can also study the rich and rare aquatic fauna with brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, bluegill, and green sunfish. Another similar pastime activity is kayaking through the Moss Lake Preserve, rich in colorful wildlife. 

As you must have noticed, Allegany County presents its travelers with mostly rural countryside with rolling hills, valleys, and vivid streams. There are fewer cities and towns scattered along. The predominant rustic environment might be one of the most notable advantages why house hunters choose this area to buy a second home. The critical factor still is the low costs of living and the affordable housing options. The median home value in Allegany County, NY, is approximately $76,500 in 2021.

However, the most prominent cities in Allegany County Belmont, Angelica, Belfast, and Rushford boast a vivid variety of museums and libraries, featuring colonial-style architecture designed for art and culture enthusiasts. Allegany County is well worth visiting even while you are exploring the best places in New York.

Because of the availability of budget-friendly vacation homes, now is indeed the perfect time to move to this tranquil county and enjoy its scenic beauties. We hope the wondrous land made you realize to buy a superb tiny vacation home.

McKinley County, New Mexico 

Many pieces of evidence point towards the direction that McKinley County successfully de-throned our second favorite, Oscoda County, in terms of low-priced holiday homes on the US county level. With a median home price of about $65,000, this county became the cheapest place to buy a vacation home! Having Gallup as its county seat, the county has managed to collect the world’s most incredible natural beauties with 170 summits, rocky ridges, and perfect trails to hike. 

Family-friendly adventures will most definitely capture your folks’ imagination with diverse outdoor activities: skate parks, ski locations, ice skating, nature centers, the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the Sky City Center, and Haak’u Museum, the world-famous train museums, etc. Indoor artistic and cultural activities are also pretty recurrent in McKinley cities with great museums, for instance, Rex Museum and the New Mexico Mining Museum.

Having in mind such intriguing prospects financially and in terms of beautiful landscapes to explore, we wholeheartedly recommend not only McKinley County but New Mexico in its entirety! Once you are convinced, please get in contact with the real estate agents in New Mexico, and they will help you purchase a budget-friendly vacation home for you to enjoy your spare time!

Oscoda County, Michigan

Based on the 2019 median home sale price, $77,000, Oscoda County should be ranked as the number one cheapest place to purchase a secondary home. Although the median list price went up to $90K, 4.1% higher than the previous year’s, it is still impressively inexpensive compared to other locations in America.

Oscoda County showcases just the perfect spot for a snowy cabin surrounded by a breathtaking wintry setting. This environment entails 35,000 acres of Michigan hiking and skiing tracks. Therefore, if you are a devotee to hiking, backpacking travels, and skiing, you will be up for quite a sweet surprise! The Huron-Manistee National Forest provides such an adventurous terrain, arguably, the most important tourist attraction in Michigan.

Discover significant sightseeing spots for all seasons in Oscoda County, such as the Lumberman Monument, the River Road Scenic Byway, the Oscoda Beach Park, and Wurtsmith Air Museum! As you noticed, the county’s most illustrious cities, Mio (county seat), Comins, Fairview, and Luzerne, came up with unique and family-friendly events and destinations for you to sink your teeth into.

Conclusion

Vacation homes don’t belong to a wild fantasy world any longer. Take matters into your own hands, and buy a low-cost vacation house; you deserve it! We won’t count down the advantages, which are plenty. You just let your imagination run wild! Besides the additional repairing and maintenance costs, we can’t find any disadvantage to owning a secondary home. And expenses can also be covered once you cash in the rent.

So what’s stopping you? Now that there are top-notch realtors specialized in vacation homes, get in touch with a top real estate agent, and make yourself happy!

Did you find your vacation home someplace else? Are you delighted with it? What are the pitfalls to your holiday home? We are very curious about your experiences! Please share them with us in the comment section below!

In addition, if you liked reading about the most affordable vacation homes, like it and share it on your social media! And, as always, come back for more fascinating reports on inexpensive places to visit/buy real estate in!