August is the natural continuation of having helped and assisted families in finding and renovating holiday homes abroad. Our founders realised that having to settle for only one location and dealing with the many expenses and burdens that come with owning a second home didn’t make sense for most, especially when using it 35 days a year on average.
The idea of co-owning a holiday home with others is not new, many friends or families have done that in the past. We have streamlined the DIY home-ownership and developed a structure that gives our home-owners full ownership , transparency but also zero hassle.
August is founded by Mélie and Nico. August is a vertically integrated real estate group with 30+ years of experiencing developing and designing holiday homes across Europe.
August is for people who are considering purchasing a second home but are reluctant to pick a single location and deal with the many burdens associated with owning a second home abroad. It is for people who love travelling and discovering, yet appreciate the comfort of feeling at home without the hassle of always finding new accommodation. Shared ownership removes the hassle and unforeseen expenses of second-home ownership. All your properties are managed and serviced, leaving you to relax and concentrate on the bliss of doing nothing.
Our expert team can gain access to homes not available on the open market having spent years developing relationships with the communities in the areas in which we buy. With prior experience in property development and renovation, we understand perfectly which properties have the right potential as the perfect holiday homes. We understand the cost associated with renovating properties abroad and have a strong team of advisors and partners, ranging from estate agents, design and build companies and interior designers.
To become an August holiday home, a property must meet certain key criteria: located in one of the key locations we have carefully selected, proximity to an international airport, a beautiful view and surroundings, local charm, plenty of bright, communal spaces, great outdoor areas (terrace, garden, pool), new bathrooms and kitchen appliances etc.
It is often challenging to find the perfect property that meets all our requirements and at the right price. We therefore much prefer to find an older yet charming house full of potential in the perfect location that we can renovate to our standards.
Once we have assessed the property and are confident that we can transform it into a perfect charming apartment, townhouse or villa, we purchase it. The renovation works will follow. We exclusively work with the most renowned local tradespeople in each area.
We think it doesn’t make sense to own 100% of an asset but use only 10%. We also believe that you shouldn’t be limited to a single location when you can choose multiple, for a fraction of the cost of one home. As a co-owner of an August collection, you own a share or share(s) of the properties purchased by the collection.
The collection is structured as a Real Estate company, so this is an equity purchase. All shares of a collection are equal and all home-owners enjoy the same rights. August does not own any equity, therefore the home-owners own 100% of the homes. Collections tend to have up to 16 or 21 families, depending on the number of homes. This equates to on average 8-12 weeks per year across your homes, but can be more depending on when you travel.
August is fundamentally different to a timeshare. With August, you become a co-owner of multiple homes through a corporate entity. In a timeshare, you typically purchase the right to use one dwelling for a specific period. You can only exchange your weeks if the person renting the weeks you are interested in is willing to exchange their weeks with you. It is extremely hard to sell a timeshare as you need to find someone interested in both the same location and the exact same weeks that you have.
With August, you own not one but five properties, and it is not tied to any particular weeks. Most importantly, in a typical timeshare, once all the shares have been sold the property developer has no incentive to find new potential buyers and you are left alone to find a potential buyer for your share. On the contrary, August will assist in finding a buyer for your share when you choose. Typically we have seen re-sales occur in a matter of days as demand for completed collections is high. All those who have sold a share to date have done so to move to another collection that they choose as opposed to exit.
We take care of all the heavy lifting so you do not have to visit local notaries in various countries to become an homeowner. Once you have had an initial call with a dedicated advisor we will ensure there is a perfect Collection fit for your needs and that you are joining the perfect Collection.
We ensure all families or individuals joining a Collection are a good fit and all are carefully curated. As we only launch a few Collections per year there may be a wait list or you will have an opportunity to join a later Collection.You become an owner by signing all the documents associated with joining a collection. You do not have to visit local notaries in various countries, as August will take care of everything for you.
Our Collections range from €340,000 - €1,450,000 depending on which you choose. You can buy multiple shares in the same Collection, or shares in multiple Collections.
You can find more details in our open collections here
It is entirely up to each co-owner to decide. You can be involved as much or as little as you want to. You will be invited to annual meetings (virtually) as well as have the option to participate in the community boards (Valeria and Facebook) if you choose not to participate in this and keep to yourself this is also fine. Many of our homeowners choose to meet one another when they are in the same locations and it becomes a real community.
It is entirely up to each homeowner to decide. You can be involved as much or as little as you want to. As an August home-owner, you have access to ‘Valeria’ our home-owner portal, where you will be able to make your bookings, have access to your home's information, important documents and most importantly the community portal.
Our community portal is where each owner shares recommendations, tips and feedback on their experience in the August homes. Some owners sharing common interests end up being friends and spending time traveling together.
Many co-ownership platforms focus on newer, modern, single home propositions. With August our focus is on integrating our homeowners into the Community and restoring authentic properties to their former glory. With August you become part of multiple communities and multiple homes.
Unlike most co-ownerships, with August you are the homeowner of four or five properties as opposed to just one. This gives you greater flexibility, greater value and more time to spend in your homes. With a ⅛ proposition for example you will only get 6-7 weeks per year, with August this can be anywhere from 8-20 weeks, depending on when you want to travel.
The collections are divided into groups of homeowners. The first group (8 or 9 families) has access to the two first properties as soon as they are ready. The second group can enjoy their three initial holiday homes as soon as the third one is delivered, until the shares are fully sold, and we have delivered the five homes.
Once a group of homeowners is completed, you can expect between 3-6 months after the homes have been acquired to start using them. This depends on the type of renovation involved.
There's an August collection for every family. We understand there's different needs for different people however the quality of the properties does not differ. The main difference is the scale of the properties, how many bedrooms, reception rooms and ‘special features’ they have, as well as the destinations they are located. All are finished and interior designed ‘The August Way’. You can discover the open collections here.
If you recognise the feeling of having been interested in a holiday home, but unable to decide on any single country or place to commit to, then August is your ideal choice. With August, you have the truly exclusive opportunity of owning several holiday homes in multiple countries simultaneously. You are able to enjoy several countries and destinations before perhaps deciding to sell your August collection ownership in order to buy your own home, having made a uniquely educated decision. Perhaps you find the opportunity to visit numerous different places far more satisfying than being bound to the same place each time you travel.
Another major advantage, if you choose to take ownership in one of our August collections, and decide later to sell - we know you'll have a worthwhile and pleasurable experience, and one that will make any future choice of holiday home even easier.
To keep our homes fresh and clean for all homeowners, you are not permitted to smoke inside the properties. In many cases there will be ashtrays provided in outside spaces or on terraces so you can spoke in these permitted areas.
We will maintain the homes and replace furniture when it is needed in perpetuity. Your home will always feel as fresh and inviting as it did the first time you visited.
We have taken out comprehensive insurance policies on all homes. Rest assured that insurances are property and area specific.
No it is not possible to buy more than your allocated points, however you can still book more holidays by making a last-minute reservation up to 4 weeks before your arrival which do not cost any points.
There's a collection for every family and it depends on your needs and preferences. They have been curated to suit many family needs, from weekend getaway-ers in two bedroom apartments to large families who want to host many guests, so it really depends on your preference. Many homeowners have chosen to buy shares in multiple Collections to give them the flexibility and choice of all worlds.
There are a number of options, more information is available here.
The management fee is a monthly cost contribution that covers all expenses associated with running the five properties, including local taxes, insurance, maintenance, administration, etc. The only thing you have to pay on top is the direct expenses related to a stay in the property, which are the mandatory end of stay cleaning and use of utilities.
- In Pied à Terre the annual fee is €10,700
- In Signature the annual fee is €14,600
- In Premium the annual fee is €19,800
Our booking system is designed in such a way as to benefit both long-term planners and those who prefer last-minute spontaneous holidays.
It is a point based system, where weeks have been divided into four categories: from super peak to low season weeks. A week during the super peak season costs more points than a week in low season.
All home-owners get the same number of points per one share they own and are free to book whichever weeks they want every year. If you and your family decided to only book during super peak season you will have access to 7 weeks of holidays per year. If you only book during low season you and your family will have up to 12 to 19 weeks of holiday available.
We expect that the average use will be 8-10 weeks per family per year with one share.
Your points cannot be transferred to the next year. Points will expire if you have outstanding points at the end of the year.
No, this is taken care of by our local property managers. Every time you arrive in the home it will be cleaned to our 5* specifications.
To avoid all families impatiently waiting for the specific time that we release the points we have come up with a better solution. The points will be released in batches. By doing it this way, everyone is able to save for their favourite holiday week in a stress-free manner.
Because we release the points over a few weeks it completely removes the chaos and stress of booking your holiday weeks. It also allows flexibility for both long-term planning and spontaneous trips. If you cancel a holiday you will lose points as it prevents others from booking ‘uncertain’ weeks that you might want to reserve.
We have developed a smart and simple booking system. The system is arranged so that it ensures a fair distribution, and one can for example always be sure of at least one week in a home during school summer holidays.
There is plenty of room for everyone in the calendar - a total of 12 weeks on average per year, but you cannot be sure to always get your first choice. The weeks are weighted in relation to season and housing, which gives a fine balance in the utilisation. The booking system has a smart waiting list facility, which ensures that the homes are not empty if the owners wish to use them.
You can book up to one year in advance.
After each concluded stay you will receive an invoice based on actual direct cost of the mandatory end of stay cleaning. It will include linen service so you do not need to worry about bringing towels or bed linen.
The cost varies from property to property and where in Europe it is located. On average you can expect a final invoice to be in the range of €150 to €350 for a four person stay. We have a full rate card that will be shared with you, outlining the costs to expect for each property in your collection.
Lower capital investment than buying a comparable home on sole ownership.
Spread the risk by investing across different countries.
Your ownership of an August share is equated with owning a holiday home yourself.
If you sell a second home in the UK, you need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) on your profits.
It is always a good idea to run the paperwork and general August proposition by a lawyer or accountant.
The selling price is set by you and in dialogue with August. We have a liquid secondary market, with 10 resales fully completed (achieving an average 27% capital gains). 90% of these resales were people upgrading or changing to another collection to better suit their lifestyle.
We expect to always have a 'waitlist' of buyers waiting to enter a new collection, as access to an existing collection has the benefit of immediate use and therefore adds a premium to the price of your share.
You can find a buyer yourself or ask August to do it for you - or combine the two. If you find the buyer yourself, you will only pay the trading costs and August’s administration fee.
No.
The money goes directly to the homes, the purchase of them, refurbishing, furnishings and August’s fee - nothing else.
Tax payments are made locally and vary from country to country. They are part of the ongoing direct cost contribution.
No, unless decided by the homeowners’ association itself.
Yes, you can share weeks with your friends and family as much as your points allow.
No, you can decide to opt out until final signature signing. Once you have signed the documents you are legally bound by them. It is obviously not in August’s interest to have homeowners who are not interested in being part of a collection.
Irrespective of the form of property ownership, due to inflation, the ongoing expenses of a property will continue to increase over time. You should therefore expect an increase corresponding to the general price increases in society.
As we only find the properties once the collection is founded, it is not possible to visit them beforehand. However, we will always show you examples of similar homes that we will be sourcing for your collection.
No, as you are sharing the properties with 20 other families you unfortunately cannot have any personal belongings kept in the property.
It is always possible to suggest joint investments and or projects related to each collection. At the general assembly everyone will vote for which projects to undertake or items to invest in.
- In Pied à Terre: there will always be at least 2 bedrooms.
- In Signature: there will always be at least 3 bedrooms.
- In Premium: there will always be at least 4 bedrooms.
Yes, all properties will have a modern TV installed.
Yes, all properties are equipped with the best internet solution available.
The selling price is set by you and in dialogue with August. We expect to have a very liquid secondary market as we expect to always have buyers waiting to enter a new collection. Accessing an existing collection has the benefit of immediate use and therefore adds a premium to the price of your All properties are located an easy reach from an airport and will be close to a local village and key activities in the area. See more in the homes section.
You are responsible for replacing any items that might be broken or damaged during a stay.
Yes, each owner will be handed their own key for each property.
No.
Every August home showcases unique architecture, superior craftsmanship, and curated design.
Explore these breathtaking living spaces, reflecting a blend of comfort, sophistication, and timeless elegance.
August is always here to welcome new owners and talk them through the details. You are also welcome to join one of our biweekly webinars.
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