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For Rik and his family, travel has always been a way of life. With three children and a love for exploring Europe, they spent over a decade returning to the same second home on Spain’s Costa Brava, until the upkeep and limitations of owning abroad began to outweigh the joy. That’s when they discovered August. Drawn in by the flexibility and unmistakable quality of the experience, what began as casual interest soon turned into a full commitment—not just to August, but to the Prime Collection, the brand’s most premium tier of homes. It was a decision that reflected not only their evolving lifestyle but also a desire to make long-term investments in how and where they spend their time together.
We sat down with Rik to talk about why they chose Prime over Premium, how the process unfolded, and what they’re most looking forward to as they prepare to explore a new world of travel, this time, on their own terms.
Rik: We’re a family from the Netherlands. My wife and I have three children: our eldest, Anna, is almost 16; our son is 13; and our youngest girl is nine.
We love to travel and explore different parts of the world. We particularly love to travel and holiday in Costa Brava, Spain. We did have our own second home there for about 10 years, but over time we realised it was a lot of work and hassle to maintain. We also found that we wanted to explore places beyond the Costa Brava. That was really one of the main reasons we decided to sell the house, which has now sold and we started looking for a different kind of experience.
At first, we weren’t thinking about buying another home. It was more about having the freedom to travel, see the world, and maybe in 10 years down the line consider something new. I then came across a magazine article featuring the August concept, and it immediately caught my attention. I thought this could be an interesting option. So I got in touch with Mitchell from your Advisory team, who did a great job explaining how it all works, including the pros and practical details. It took us about two weeks to decide. We discussed it as a family, and everyone really liked the idea of having access to multiple locations instead of being tied to just one place. The flexibility to travel and experience different destinations really appealed to us.
Rik: Of course, there are a few common concerns. One is the idea of sharing a home with other people and not having your "own" bed, but honestly, it's not much different from staying in a hotel or renting a holiday home. So for us, that wasn't an issue at all.
The second concern is about flexibility. Some might feel that you lose a bit of freedom in choosing where and when to go. But in our case, we need to plan our holidays in advance anyway as our children are in school, we have work commitments, and they’re involved in sports. We’re already a pretty organised family, so having to choose between Location A, B, or C isn’t a problem. We think all the destinations are great, and there’s always something new to discover, so we’re happy to be flexible.
Rik: The legal process went very smoothly. Kirsten and Mitchell from the August team provided clear explanations, which made everything easy to understand. I also spoke with a few Dutch homeowners who are already part of August, and that was really helpful.
One thing I really appreciate is the monthly project updates. I think that’s a great touch as it helps you feel involved and gives a clear sense of where each home is in the renovation process.
Rik: For us, there were really two options: city or non-city homes and we were more interested in the latter. We also felt that if you're able to spend a bit more, the locations and properties in Prime are of a really high quality. That’s why we decided to go for Prime. The homes are in very desirable locations, and with a larger family, we were definitely drawn to the five-bedroom options. Of course, it is a significant step up from the Premium collection in terms of cost, but we believe it’s worth it. Not only for the added space and quality, but also as a long-term investment.
Rik: The South of France is a region we know quite well, and it's where we usually spend our spring or summer holidays, along with northern Spain. The other three locations, Tuscany, Mallorca, and Megève are completely new to us. We’re especially excited about exploring these new places. I think Megève, in particular, has a lot to offer not just in winter, but also in spring or even summer. So overall, it’s the three new destinations that we’re most looking forward to discovering.
Rik: We do tend to travel year-round. Of course, the children have a six-week school break in the summer, but we’re not the type of family to spend that entire time abroad. We typically take shorter trips during the summer.
I think we’ll be using the different homes throughout the year. One great advantage is that, since the properties are owned by people from various countries, we all have different holiday schedules. While Christmas is the same for everyone, other holidays vary, for example, we have a May holiday, whereas in England, they have theirs in early April, and some others at the end of April. This variety in holiday timing among homeowners is really helpful and allows for better availability and flexibility.
Rik: Yes, definitely with family and friends. Mostly with family, parents or parents-in-law, but then sometimes with our friends. So, it will be a nice mixture!
Rik: Before signing, I visited the location in the South of France because I wanted to be sure that what August considers a good location would also feel right to me. When I arrived, I immediately knew it was a good fit, we were on the same page.
I believe it’s very helpful to visit the locations beforehand, and especially once the first home is completed, to ensure it meets your standards. It’s also valuable to speak with existing members, their insights are always helpful. If you can check both of these boxes, it makes the decision much easier.
Hundreds of families trust us with their holiday homes and are a part of the August Community. Hear from them directly and discover their experiences with our Collections.
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