Ownership Questions
The answer to this question is based upon HOW MUCH you can use the cabin and HOW you will use it.
If you need 12 weeks of usage, then a quarter share ownership might make the most sense. Typically, quarter share ownership provides one week in each month and the weeks change each year. For example, in your first year you would have the first week of each week of each month and the second year you would have the second week and so on until you rotate back to the first week again.
If you need 10 weeks of usage, then a fifth share might make the most sense. When you buy a fifth share at the Cottages on Whitefish you get two weeks that are “fixed” in the prime weeks of summer – they don’t rotate from year to year so you can have a reliable tradition at the lake. The remaining eight weeks rotate – two of the weeks are in the shoulder season, two of these weeks are holiday weeks, and four weeks are Flex Weeks.
Yes. You may sell, gift and will this property just like any other property. You will receive a full warranty deed that may be registered as joint tenants, tenants in common or to other entities like trusts.
This property is organized as a condominium and your warranty deed includes an undivided interest in the common element so you will always have access to the lake and the beach. If you are comparing our Cottages to another property, be sure to find out exactly what you have deeded access to.
At Clamshell Beach, we asked people what they liked about coming to the lake, we looked at the Declaration of Fractional Ownerships that are used by other properties, and have solved one of the basic problems many people perceive. First, we defined the seasons that make the most sense to people who vacation in Minnesota and we have not carbon copied Declarations from another state or region. Secondly, your time here in the summer DOES NOT ROTATE. Rotating week in the summer does not allow owners to see familiar faces each year and makes it difficult to plan a family tradition. We invite you to read about each of the seasons here and compare our Declarations with other properties and see how it fits your vacation desires!
As a reminder, when you buy Condominium Fractional Real Estate, you get a condo Declaration and a Declaration of Fractional Ownership. This is the document which is recorded with your deed and defines who can use the cottage at what time. Think of it like the similar agreements that family members have when they buy a cottage together.
We define the summer season as running from the third week of June to the third week of August. Please remember this when you investigate exactly when “summer time” is defined and consider how it fits your needs.
The shoulder season runs from Memeorial Day to the third week of June and from the third week of August through the first week of October and the weeks during this time do rotate. This is a glorious time of year for enjoying a round of golf, fantastic fishing and the changing color of the leaves. Please note that unlike other properties, we do not call this the summer season.
After defining the summer season and the off season, we looked at the next most popular weeks of the year – namely the Holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, Easter, President’s Day, and the other best weather days in May and October. This time rotates so you can bring your family to enjoy your holidays at the lake art your cabin.
The time that is not defined as Summer, Shoulder and Holiday Seasons is defined as flex weeks. Owners can always trade their ownership time within their seasons and flex weeks are those time when we have the most flexibility in trading and you can place that last minute phone call to come and use the cabin. Maybe it is a glorious weekend snowfall. Maybe it is a special birthday you want to celebrate. You decide, it’s your cabin at the lake.
Yes. The ownership calendar that is part of your Fractional Declaration is easy understand and makes the most sense for people who want a reliable tradition at the lake. You can visit our Brochure Download Center at the bottom of the page for more details.
Basically, the way it works is you get one week in each of the seasons with the fifth week changing each year. The weeks are fairly divided between the owners – the calendar inside will show you more details, but you should note that you get one week during one of the prime ten weeks of summer that is fixed every year and the rest of the weeks rotate. If you buy the fourth of July week, this week will always be yours and you can enjoy seeing the same familiar friends each year. You should also note that we don’t try to tell you that you will get two weeks in the summer and then tell you that summer runs from Memorial Day weekend to Mid- September. answer here
You can buy the cottages in increments of five weeks – we start at five weeks because that is close to the national average for second home usage. If you are fortunate enough to have more vacation time, you can always buy another five weeks – the total price is still less than what a bare lot would cost you – plus you can start enjoying it today! Some families are buying two or more fractions so you get more time and more flexibility. Discounts exist for multiple fractions, be sure to ask us so we can craft an ownership to fit your budget and needs.
When you buy a cottage here, not only do you get a great cottage with lake access, you also get access to fantastic amenities. We have two heated outdoor swimming pools, a swimming beach with diving raft and water trampoline, playgrounds and a full service lodge. You definitely get much more than when you buy a stand alone cottage somewhere.
We have a large storage facility for all your toys. You don’t need to haul your boat home when you leave and we can make sure your boat is in the water when you arrive. If you have personal items you only use on vacation, you can store those here too!
We have a brand new aluminum dock system with skid-proof composite decking. While you are here you will get a spot to dock your boat.