After two decades of investing in luxury second homes, Matt Taylor had built an enviable property portfolio. The 50-year-old entrepreneur owned properties in Marco Island and Port St. Joe, Florida, as well as Deep Creek, Maryland. Yet despite owning multiple homes and having the means to buy more, Matt felt fundamentally trapped.

‍

"I always shortchanged myself and my family on what we ended up with and regretted it," Matt reflects.

‍

Early Lessons in Shared Ownership

Looking back, Matt sees those early decisions as part of the learning curve. His first glimpse into shared ownership came through his parents’ twelve-week timeshare in Hilton Head. The system worked well initially, and Matt even used exchanges for his honeymoon in Mallorca twenty years ago.

But timeshares became victims of their popularity and inflexibility. "If I wanted to use that same timeshare today and go to the same location, I would probably have to settle for the worst week of the year," he recalls. The flexibility that once made timeshares attractive had disappeared entirely, leaving owners with depreciating assets and diminishing options.

This exposure to shared ownership, both the promise and pitfalls, proved invaluable as Matt navigated his property investments.

‍

The Reality of Traditional Ownership

Despite his parents' mixed experiences with timeshares, Matt believed traditional ownership would be different. Over two decades, he acquired luxury properties but each became another anchor, limiting where the family could create memories.

‍

"No matter what we owned, we never used it as much as we expected. We wanted to go to a lot of new places," he admits. The Taylors had traveled across Australia and Europe. BBut their vacation homes kept pulling them back to the same few American spots.

‍

Managing the properties personally taught Matt harsh lessons. The Marco Island condo exemplified the challenge: homeowner associations consistently chose cheap contractors and delayed upgrades, eroding the property's value. This experience taught him to appreciate professional hospitality management. Companies like Ritz and Four Seasons maintain appeal because they understand that consistent investment creates lasting value.

Eventually, they learned to value experiences over price tags.

‍

“We realized something important," Matt says. "The places we dreamed of visiting, and the memories we wanted to make, were worth more than any price tag.”

The Search for Something Better

The idea of doing things differently had begun to take shape. After researching fractional ownership as an alternative to second home ownership, Matt discovered GoForth. Unlike other models that felt like expensive timeshares, GoForth's approach immediately resonated.

"With GoForth, I'm getting access to top-tier locations and properties, and I'm only paying for what I actually use while still building equity," Matt discovered. The model eliminated the trade-off between quality and use that had plagued his earlier investments.

The approach aligned with Matt's entrepreneurial instincts. "No good financial investor would tell you to take your million dollars and put it all in Apple stock," he observes, drawing parallels between portfolio diversification and vacation property strategy. "From an investment standpoint, this is a brilliant way to diversify your second home portfolio."

A European Dream Realized

Matt chose a Dolce & Gabbana-branded residence in Marbella as his first GoForth property. His family had always loved visiting Europe, but buying in Spain had never made financial sense. This new approach gave him access to a place he loved and the confidence that the property would be well cared for. With a trusted brand behind it, he felt sure the investment would hold its value.

"Everything in America is only a couple of hundred years old, but in Europe, you can walk by buildings that are 1200 years old and still standing. We love the history and culture, it’s something we can’t get in the US," Matt reflects, his enthusiasm evident as he describes what draws his family back.

The Mediterranean appeals to the Taylor family for practical reasons. Unlike American coastlines, it offers predictable conditions that make vacation planning simpler. "There are no tides like there are in the US, and it's clear water everywhere, and there are no big hurricanes. Safety is a big priority for my family," he notes.

His most recent trip to Spain was one of his favorites. The Taylors spent days in Mallorca exploring Palma, experiencing local culture, and visiting small towns. “We do beach days, spend time in the city shopping and trying local food, and explore small towns,” Matt explains.

Matt is taking his family back to Spain this summer to check on the build of their new property. The location also offers easy access to North Africa, and the family will take the ferry to Tangiers, Morocco, just an hour and a half away for a new experience.

‍

Appreciation Beyond Expectations

The lifestyle benefits were immediate, but the financial returns proved equally compelling. "I've called real estate agents in Spain, and they’ve told me the apartments are selling for 50% more than what we're contracted for. The property has already appreciated significantly, and it's not even finished yet!” he reveals, amazed.

This appreciation validates his belief that fractional home ownership delivers both lifestyle and investment benefits without traditional trade-offs. "As long as you can have a little bit of vision, I believe they are as good an investment as they are a lifestyle experience."

The returns feel even sweeter without the maintenance headaches. Professional management handles everything while appreciation occurs in the background, creating the passive investment experience that traditional second-home ownership promises but rarely delivers.

Expanding the Vision

This combination of strong returns and hassle-free ownership has Matt exploring expansion that would have been financially impossible with traditional luxury second home ownership. He’s now set to invest in a St. Regis property in Turks and Caicos, a destination he’s visited every year for the past five.

"I know more about Turks & Caicos than most people do," he says confidently. "I've stayed on all sides of the island." His destination knowledge gives him confidence in this investment decision, but more importantly, the fractional model makes it financially feasible.

"I would rather buy four properties in four different locations than own one vacation home outright," Matt emphasizes, outlining a vision that represents the future of how affluent families will approach vacation ownership. The fractional model enables geographic diversification while maintaining quality standards across all properties.

They can swap weeks between properties, giving them flexibility as the Taylors map out future trips.

“One year might be four weeks in Spain; the next could be split between Spain and the Caribbean." This adaptability creates a sustainable model for family travel.

From Doubters to Believers

His own excitement naturally spilled over into conversations with others. Friends and colleagues often ask for his take on vacation property strategy, and he finds himself explaining how to own a second home without the traditional drawbacks.

"The first response when I bring it up is always 'so it's a timeshare,'" Taylor says. "And then I have to talk them through the fact that it's really like buying a home with three siblings."

The analogy helps people understand the fundamental difference between fractional ownership and the stigma associated with timeshares. "If you're smart, you create a limited liability company so that people can't work against each other over details. And that's what GoForth does," Matt has learned.

He shares what he’s learned because he genuinely believes the model can change how families travel. "I would say that it's something anyone considering luxury second homes should look at. It may not be right for them. However, if they don't know that this exists, they won't know that this could be a better option for them."

The Future of Family Travel

For the Taylor family, fractional home ownership represents the culmination of a twenty-year education in vacation property ownership. All the lessons learned from multiple purchases, the challenges of underutilized properties and maintenance issues, and the trade-offs between quality and practicality have led to this solution.

When Matt travels with his daughters to their Spanish property this summer, they'll experience Europe as residents with genuine stakes in the places they visit. They'll explore Marbella's old town, witness their investment taking shape, and even venture to Morocco for the day. They won’t be hotel guests passing through but owners creating lasting connections to places they love.

Matt's evolution from traditional luxury second homes owner to sophisticated fractional owner offers valuable insights for families facing similar decisions. The journey requires patience, perspective, and a willingness to embrace a better model when it appears.

“Fractional ownership isn’t for everyone,” Matt concludes, “but anyone considering a second home should at least know it exists. It might just be the better option.”

The journey requires patience, perspective, and a willingness to embrace a better model when it appears

‍