Melita and Liam

Isn’t it time to start enjoying the good life? So why should owning holiday homes be any different? We know the reality of buying and owning properties abroad is not an easy endeavour and there are many hassles associated with homeownership that can sometimes impact the enjoyment of being on holiday. This is why August is the perfect alternative to owning second homes in Europe for one of our latest Australian co-owners. Having already gone through the process of buying and renovating in France, it's something they're no longer prepared to take on again as they begins the next chapter of life.

Melita, Melbourne, Australia and her son Liam and nephew Hayden, are a close knit family who have lived, renovated and own properties in France. This well-travelled family are often between their homes in Melbourne and Europe and enjoy visiting new places. As Melita has experienced first-hand renovation projects, she appreciates the time it takes for characterful properties to be beautifully restored with care but is ready for someone else to take charge so that she can enjoy future solo trips, family adventures, and a new way to travel without any home worries.

Hello Melita, welcome to August, can you please tell us a little about yourself?

I currently live with Liam, my son and and Hayden my nephew in Melbourne, Australia. I've worked on property projects in France and Australia so I'm familiar with designing and renovations. I also still own a second home near Geneva. When Liam was younger, we spent 7 years in France, so I know first-hand what it takes to purchase, restore and design homes and to be frank, it’s just not something I want to take on again. Don’t get me wrong,  it’s very rewarding, but there’s are lots of issues and dealing with workmen in another language... If something were to go wrong, getting people to sort things out from a different timezone is just a nightmare, so I won’t be doing that again.

Why August?

I'm at a stage where I’m ready to change my whole lifestyle. My son and nephew are growing up and we’ve just downsized our big house. So with the boys studying and doing their thing, I’m up for the next chapter, and ready for more adventures. I can’t wait to travel again! We have a second home in Crest-Voland, my happy place, so we will use this as our based when we are in Europe.

It just made sense when I came across August! Someone else to take care of the hassles and maintenance of the homes so we can focus on the fun stuff, like meeting the locals and settling in.

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Are you familiar with the August home destinations?

The destinations in the City Collection are just perfect for us and the size of the homes are great too. Being in the heart of the town like the Mallorca home is ideal to just take in the area and chill. It makes it easy to explore at your own pace. We visit Barcelona every year already so it’s a no brainer. Our home in Crest-Voland is about an hour from Chamonix, so it’ll be our cosmopolitan break that we can easily get to, and we go to the coast (South of France) all the time so we’re very familiar with that area too. Not to mention Tuscany, who doesn’t love Italy? A lot of friends love to meet in Italy so that would be a great meeting spot.
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How do the August homes compare to your homes?

When it came to the homes, I was drawn to the open, airy designs as well as the unique characteristics of each home. I like that the homes are existing properties that have been carefully designed to highlight original features; it creates a very authentic atmosphere that makes it easy for us to settle in. They also appear to be extremely comfortable, functional, and well-designed. There's no clutter, it's simple to maintain, there's no fuss, and it's easy to live in. That is important.

How will you be enjoying your homes?

I'm excited to unpack my wash-bag again; it's a symbol for my travels. It's been packed and ready to go for quite some time. Having five new places to call home strewn across Europe will be fantastic. We'll try to visit a few different places on each trip, but I'll be spending six months in Europe and six months in Australia, so I'll have plenty of time to take it all in. It's also fantastic that there's a sense of community, allowing you to share your experience with others, and having August assist you in getting started with a local guide is great idea.

I will start with my solo trips and look forward to the boys visiting when they have holidays. I have a trip that I promised myself for 2023 to cycle from one side of France to the Black Sea, then I'll spend some time walking, something I enjoy very much. The Tour of Mont Blanc where you can finish the tour in Chamonix is just perfect!

To discover more about how you can own holiday homes with August, join our next information webinar or book a call to speak with our sale agents today.