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Well, you can....and earn a little income as well. We all dream of taking the long deserved beach or mountain top vacation “someday” only to realize that work and family schedules prohibit this from coming true. What if you and your family created long-lasting memories EVERY weekend at a vacation home only a few hours away? Every weekend would be a vacation away from the stress of work and life. You would return to work on Monday rested and rejuvenated! Apparently that has become a very popular idea…Since 2011, the vacation cottage movement has been gaining popularity. Sales of vacation homes rose 10% last year, compared with 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors. And despite today’s threat of rising mortgage interest rates, there are many would-be buyers who still see good opportunities to buy a second home, said Tom Gilmore, chief executive and founder and of VacationHomeRentals.com, a listings website for vacation rentals. For one, it’s still possible to purchase homes at decent prices, and mortgage rates are still relatively low. Plus, vacation cottages can be income generators, if their owners rent them out when they’re not using them. Twenty-three percent of vacation-home buyers who participated in the Realtors’ annual survey on the topic said they planned to rent out their newly purchased home to others. Craig Venezia, author of "Buying a Second Home: Income, Getaway or Retirement," suggests focusing your search on destinations that are no more than two hours from your primary residence. “If you have to drive more than two hours, you won’t go there nearly as often as you think you will,” he says. In addition, Venezia notes, the farther away your vacation home is from your permanent home; the harder it’ll be to check on it or visit to take care of necessary repairs. Have I piqued your interest? If you are anywhere near Chicago market, take a look at Heritage Harbor Resort in Ottawa, IL! You can find everything from boating, water skiing, jet skiing, kayaking, canoeing, and even white-water rafting to off-road ATV riding, hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding...even sky diving is available! Would you rather kick back a little? Then you can also enjoy taking part in some more relaxing activities like bird-watching, yoga, theater, concerts, and nature photography...these activities are all available in the area... it is a perfect balance between recreation and relaxation. Looking for a vacation home builder in the Chicagoland area? How about a builder that can design your home as well? Go to www.CLDesignBuild.com , visit www.facebook.com/CLDesignBuild, or call 630-882-8822.