The Future of Vacation Properties: Fractional Ownership

Just 35 miles from our home base of Bend, Oregon is the fly fishing and outdoor paradise known as Camp Sherman (located along the Metolius River). We visit Camp Sherman at least two weekends each summer, walking the trails along the Metolius River and enjoying the beauty of an area that truly should be a state park. The scent of the pines in summer and peaceful nature of the Metolius keep us visiting year after year. For more information on Camp Sherman and the Metolius (and some great photos), click here: http://www.metoliusriver.com/

One of our favorite walks is to the Camp Sherman store, a beautiful old lodge-style store that serves as Post Office and locals store, selling groceries, fly-fishing supplies, sandwiches and what our family considers to be the finest cheeseburger ever created. Somewhat serving as the community center for the 200 full-time residents of the area, the store has a bulletin board and we smiled when we came across a hand-written note saying “Cabin on the Metolis River — Shares or Complete Sale.”  Cabins in the area consist of buildings located on land leased from the US Forest Service; an arrangement no longer available for new construction. The existing cabins rarely come up for sale and we smiled when reading that the owner is electing to turn ownership into co-ownership (fractional ownership).

Apparently, the cabin is available in fifth-share portions, with only two shares available out of the five.  $90,000/share is the asking price for a very unique property. We’ve emailed the owner (onthemetolius@gmail.com) for more information and will post it here when received.

Fractional ownership of vacation homes is the future.  It just makes sense, as witnessed by the fractionalization of this little bit of fly-fishing heaven, just a two hour drive from Portland, Oregon.  For $90,000, an owner gets a rare and unique vacation home on the Metolius River, a quiet and peaceful weekend family retreat from the hustle-and-bustle of daily metropolitan life in Portland.  Perfect.