Despite increasing debate in recent years about the benefits of homeownership, for many it remains one of the benchmarks of security and their attainment of the American Dream. If this is the case, it stands to reason that owning more than one home is the proverbial icing on the cake. It also vastly increases the work, responsibilities, and costs with multiple home management, to the point that some find it easier to rent when they are on extended vacations or prefer more privacy than a resort can offer.
If you do own multiple homes, you know there would be no way to run them without substantial help, whether they are an hour’s drive or a plane ride away. This is not just about winterizing your place by the beach, but ensuring adequate security throughout the year and that items on the property, such as artwork or vehicles, are properly maintained. Choosing the right staff is critical, but having a digital tool, such as EstateSpace, will make it exponentially easier for them to coordinate with each other, and with you, to do their best work.
Imagine having a virtual library of your homes at your fingertips that allows you to access everything from day-to-day workflows to major projects – complete with photos, spreadsheets of tasks and budgets, and staff schedules. You can even create catalogs of items, such as your wardrobe, for each home so you always know where everything is located improving home management.
More importantly, you can grant access to staff and other trusted partners such as vendors and appraisers, so they can see exactly what they need to do and when. For example, if you are planning a sudden trip to the home, you can update the list of tasks so the estate manager there knows to have the appropriate number of staff members waiting for you and the fridge fully stocked with your favorites. Now imagine the time it would save you to just pop into the tool to see this information, rather than constantly having to check in with staff via phone, text, or email. Any updates you have can similarly be added to these documents, and if you have questions you can reach out through the tool’s messaging feature for clear, secure, communications.
The tool is especially valuable when it comes to home renovations and the inevitable hiccups such as issues with workers, supply shortages, and delivery delays. This would be stressful under any circumstances, and especially so when the work is being done hundreds of miles from your primary domicile or your schedule doesn’t permit you to be there to oversee things. You can simply tap into the documents any time to see what aspects are moving according to schedule, what is running over budget, et cetera, and address any issues in real-time.
Only you know if owning more than one home is best for you and your family. It will likely add another layer of complexity and several items to your already long to-do list. That said, many of these details can be easily managed with the all-in-one solution, and they should not be the deciding factor in how you define, or pursue, your version of the American Dream.
