Owner Testimonial: Affordable second home in Park City

Growing up in Texas, Kevin Peranio had few opportunities to experience the thrill of fresh powder. After moving to the West Coast and starting a family, he was excited to introduce his children to the joy of skiing. Kevin and his wife Rebecca began exploring their options for a second home with easy access to ski slopes. “Our search was a couple of years in the making. Our kids are young, so I wasn’t in a big rush, but I was still eager and we knew we wanted something in a ski town.”

Second home destination: Park City

After several idyllic visits to Park City, Utah, Kevin started scoping out properties in the area. Although the family enjoys local destinations like Big Bear, car rides with four young children — ages 2, 3, 6 and 8 — on winding mountain roads include the inevitable litany of “are we there yet?” at best, and one or more carsick kids, at worst. Their home in Newport Beach is minutes from the airport, and they find the short flight to Utah more convenient and relaxing than a long car trip.

Ski town sticker shock

The problem was finding a place they could afford. “Prices in Park City had been going up astronomically,” said Kevin. “My ideas about what I wanted and what I could actually afford were on two different levels.” But then an opportunity opened up: A friend in the real estate business happened to mention Pacaso in an Instagram post. Kevin checked out Pacaso’s website and found a single listing in Park City. “I jumped on it right away. I was the first person to buy and the first owner to stay at the home. It was really exciting to be the first one.”

More home for less

For Kevin, the cost savings of co-ownership were fundamental to his purchasing decision. “I couldn’t pay for this house in full. This is kind of a Texas phrase, but I have champagne taste and a beer budget. All the homes that I wanted to get into were really pricey, but co-ownership brought properties that I thought were out of reach into grasp.” Beyond the price, the idea of right-sized ownership was “like a lightbulb going off” for Kevin. “You’re only going to use a second home part of the year, especially when it’s in a ski town and you’re planning around kids and school breaks. It’s hard to justify the cost, so then you have to rent it out and play landlord, which is a real pain. Here’s this turnkey concept that allowed us to get right in this house. Perfect timing, perfect fit.”

Pacaso vs. whole homes and timeshares

Kevin has a unique perspective on Pacaso, as his Park City home isn’t his first experience with second home ownership. “Owning a second home means dealing with maintenance, upkeep, furnishings — it’s a lot of work, especially if it’s far away. With Pacaso, I don't have to worry about any of that — it’s a breath of fresh air.” How does that compare to his experience owning a whole second home? “We own another property in Rancho Mirage. It took forever just to finish the buildout and find subcontractors, and we have to drive there and deal with issues year-round. Two different second homes, and the starkest difference in upkeep.”The fact that Kevin doesn’t have to worry about his fully managed Pacaso doesn’t make him feel like less of an owner, however. “This is completely different from staying at a hotel or buying a timeshare. With Pacaso, you actually own a piece of this property and get appreciation. As an owner, you feel invested — it’s not 100% ours, but you feel like it’s yours. You treat it like your home because it is. And then when I'm not using it, I don't have to worry about it.”

Satisfying his ‘champagne taste’

Kevin’s Park City Pacaso fulfilled all of his luxury home aspirations, which was a bit of a gamble, considering he purchased the property sight unseen. “We bought the home for the price, location and amenities we saw in the photos, but what was really cool was discovering some of the other features during our first stay. Heated floors, the steam shower, amazing appliances — seeing how dialed in the home was in terms of decor and design was the icing on the cake. The care and the quality of everything that was put into the home was so apparent.” That care extends to the entire process of buying and using the home. “Pacaso has gone out of their way to make sure we’re happy,” said Kevin. “The ease of closing, the intuitive scheduling app — every step of the process was very well thought out. Your experience before, during and after is customer-centric. It’s not just about the sale.”

Adventure awaits in your Park City Pacaso

For skiing, mountain biking, the Sundance Film Festival or just a place to get away, there’s nowhere quite like Park City. Co-ownership with Pacaso puts second home ownership in this mountain getaway within reach. Browse our collection of Park City second homes today.

From SoCal to the slopes: Park City Pacaso offers ‘a breath of fresh air’