You can afford a second home. That's not the question. If you're reading this, you've probably already built the wealth to write a check for a $3-5M property in the destination you love.
The real question is: should you?
The Traditional Calculation
Most second home calculators ask the wrong questions. They calculate mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance — then tell you whether you can afford the monthly nut.
But they miss the most important number: utilization.
The average luxury second home sits empty 85% of the year. You're paying 100% of the costs for a property you use 4-5 weeks annually. That's not a calculation problem — it's an efficiency problem.
A Different Way to Think About It
What if the question wasn't "can I afford a $4M home?" but rather "what's the smartest way to access 12 weeks per year in a home I love?"
| Full Ownership | Co-Ownership (GoForth) | |
|---|---|---|
| Capital deployed | $4,000,000 | $800,000 |
| Annual access | 4-5 weeks (typical use) | 12 weeks (guaranteed) |
| Capital kept liquid | $0 | $3,200,000 |
| Annual carrying costs | $60,000-100,000 | Shared (1/4) |
| Rental income | You manage it | We manage it |
| Exit | Sell entire property | Exit guarantee |
| Management | You handle it | Fully managed |
You deploy $800K instead of $4M. You get triple the access. You keep $3.2M liquid for other investments. And you generate rental income on the 40 weeks you're not there.
What About Appreciation?
You still own real estate. Your 1/4 interest appreciates just like full ownership — because it is real ownership, deeded through an LLC with voting rights.
GoForth's existing portfolio tells the story:
- Deer Valley condo: purchased $4.2M → current value $7.5M (79% appreciation)
- Marbella villa: purchased $3.6M → current value $5M (39% appreciation)
- Punta Cana residence: purchased $1.9M → current value $3.2M (68% appreciation)
Your 1/4 interest participates in that appreciation. Plus you're earning rental income. Plus you're keeping the majority of your capital liquid.
The Question Nobody Asks
Can you afford a second home? Yes.
Can you afford to tie up $3-5M in a single illiquid asset that sits empty 85% of the year while your kids grow up and the moments you're trying to create keep getting deferred to "someday"?
That's the real calculation.
You've spent years building wealth with discipline and focus. You have optimized, saved, invested, made smart decisions. But is "success" really about accumulation? Or is it about what those resources make possible?
You built this wealth for a reason. This is the reason.