August — Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What is August?

Accepted Answer

August is a lifestyle platform. We create private collections of beautiful homes across Europe's finest regions. Owners don't buy into a single property; they join a curated collection of exceptional homes that unlocks a European way of life. Each residence is thoughtfully restored and designed with leading architects, interior designers, artisans and local craftsmen, creating homes as inspiring as the places themselves. August is built around belonging: to a collection of homes, to the richness of different regions, and to a community shaped by travel, design and exceptional living.

Question 2

Where did the idea for August come from?

Accepted Answer

August began with a feeling every family knows. The last morning of a holiday, wondering what it would be like to stay. To have a place that's yours, in a part of Europe you love, waiting for you season after season. August answers that feeling, and removes everything that stands between a family and that home: the search, the renovation, the upkeep, the quiet worry of a house sitting empty most of the year. We find exceptional homes, restore them with expert teams across renovation and interior design, and care for them year-round, so that ownership feels the way it always should have: effortless. The idea hasn't changed since the day August was founded. The care behind it has only grown.

Question 3

Who is behind August?

Accepted Answer

August was founded in 2018 by Mélie Dunod and Nicolai Watzenig. Together with Studio RioLondon, the interior architecture and design studio behind every August home, the team brings more than 30 years of experience finding, restoring and designing holiday homes across Europe.

Question 4

Who is August for?

Accepted Answer

August is for people drawn to more than one part of Europe, who would rather not choose a single place or take on the upkeep of a second home abroad. It suits those who love travelling and discovering new places, and who also want the comfort of arriving somewhere that already feels like home. Every home is looked after year-round, so your time there is simply yours.

Question 5

Does August own any part of the homes?

Accepted Answer

No. Once a collection is formed, the homes belong entirely to the owners of that collection.

Question 6

What is August’s role once a collection is formed?

Accepted Answer

August runs the collection on the owners’ behalf: looking after the homes day to day, preparing budgets and financial statements, and organising the annual owners’ meeting. August also provides a director to the Board of the company that owns the homes.

Question 7

What does owning with August mean?

Accepted Answer

An August collection brings together four or five homes across some of Europe’s finest regions, held by a small group of owners. Owning with August gives you a place in the entire collection, rather than a single home, giving you the flexibility to spend different seasons in different places. August takes care of the homes throughout the year, so everything is ready for you when you arrive.

Question 8

How do we become an owner?

Accepted Answer

It begins with a call with one of our advisors, who will get to know your family and how you like to travel, and help you find the collection that suits you. As each home is found and restored, we’ll share its story with you, from the first visit to the finished design. When you’re ready, you join by signing the documents for your collection. There’s no need to visit notaries in different countries, as August takes care of all of that.

Question 9

How is August different from other models?

Accepted Answer

August isn’t a co-ownership or fractional model, and we don’t think of ourselves in those terms. While there are some overlaps in structure, the product and the brand are fundamentally different. August is a lifestyle platform. We create bespoke, private collections of beautiful homes across Europe’s finest regions. Owners don’t buy into a single property; they join a curated collection of exceptional homes that unlocks a European way of life. Each residence is thoughtfully restored and designed with leading architects, interior designers, artisans and local craftsmen, creating homes as inspiring as the places themselves. That’s the essence of the difference. Fractional and co-ownership models are built around a transaction in a single asset. August is built around belonging: to a collection of homes, to the richness of different regions, and to a community shaped by travel, design and exceptional living.

Question 10

How do the collections differ?

Accepted Answer

Each collection type is designed around a different way of travelling: the places you want to spend time in, and who you travel with. The care that goes into the homes doesn’t change. Every home is restored and designed the August way.

Question 11

Can I own in more than one collection?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many owners hold more than one place, either in the same collection or across different ones, combining city homes with homes in the countryside, on the coast and in the mountains.

Question 12

How do I get to know fellow owners?

Accepted Answer

You’ll be invited to the annual owners’ meeting, held online. Each collection also has its own WhatsApp group, set up by August and run by the owners themselves, where recommendations and tips are shared. We host owner events through the year too, most recently in London and Mechelen, and it’s common for owners to meet up when they happen to be in the same place.

Question 13

When can we start using the homes?

Accepted Answer

A new collection opens in stages, so that everyone has fair access while the homes are being restored. Owners join in groups. The first group, of five families, can book the first home as soon as it is ready. The second group joins them in the first two homes once the second home is ready, and so on until the collection is complete. Once your group is complete, you can usually expect your first stays three to six months after the homes are acquired, depending on the restoration involved.

Question 14

What do we do if we have used all of our points? Can we buy more?

Accepted Answer

Points are allocated each year and don’t carry over, so any you haven’t used expire at the end of the year. You can’t buy additional points, but the calendar still leaves room for more time away: if a week is still free within 30 days of its start date, you can book it for 0 points, whether to extend a stay or for a last-minute trip.

Question 15

How do I book my stays?

Accepted Answer

You book through Valeria, which is designed for those who like to plan a year ahead and those who prefer to decide at the last minute. Weeks fall into four seasons, from super peak to low season, and a super peak week uses more points than a low-season week. Every owner receives the same number of points for each place they hold, and you’re free to choose whichever weeks you like. Most families use around 8–12 weeks a year. Points don’t carry over to the following year.

Question 16

Do I have to clean before I leave?

Accepted Answer

No. Our regional team takes care of it, and your home will be ready for you, to the same standard, every time you arrive.

Question 17

Why are the points released in phases?

Accepted Answer

So that no one has to wait for a single release date, we release points in batches. This gives everyone the chance to save points for their favourite week without the rush, and leaves room for both long-term plans and spontaneous trips. If you cancel a stay more than 40 days in advance, the points are returned.

Question 18

Can I always get the week I want?

Accepted Answer

There’s plenty of room in the calendar, around 8–12 weeks a year on average for each owner, but you can’t always be sure of your first choice. Weeks are weighted by season, which keeps the calendar balanced. Points are released in three batches, so you can use the first for the weeks that matter most to you and the others for the rest of your year. A waitlist for each week means homes are rarely left empty when owners want to use them. Around 90% of the calendar is booked, leaving about 10% for last-minute 0-point stays and the planned care that keeps the homes at their best.

Question 19

How far in advance can I book?

Accepted Answer

You can book up to a year in advance. In complete collections, points for the following year are released in three batches: 12 points in April, 14 in June and 12 in September. In collections that are still opening, each group's points are based on when its own home opens, and released at least 10 weeks before it welcomes its first owners.

Question 20

How much does a stay for a week cost?

Accepted Answer

After each stay, you’ll receive an invoice for the end-of-stay, which covers housekeeping and linen, so there’s no need to bring towels or bed linen. It varies by home and region, and depends on how many bedrooms you use. You'll find each home's current rates in Valeria.

Question 21

What is a Collection?

Accepted Answer

A collection brings together four or five homes across several of Europe’s finest regions, held by a small group of up to 21 owners. Every collection has its own name and character, inspired by the places and stories behind it. There are five collection types, each designed around a different way of travelling. Underneath it all is real ownership: the homes belong to a company, and the owners of the collection own that company.

Question 22

How do I choose the right collection?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how your family likes to travel. Some collections are made for weekends in Europe’s great cities, others for large families who love to host. Many owners choose more than one collection, to have the best of both.

Question 23

Can a single home be sold on its own?

Accepted Answer

No. The homes are held together as one collection, and that’s what owners join. It’s what gives every owner time across all of them.

Question 24

Where are August homes?

Accepted Answer

August finds, restores and designs homes in five European regions and five cities. The regions are Tuscany, the South of France, Mallorca, the French Alps and the Cotswolds; the cities are London, Paris, Cannes, Barcelona and Rome. Each was chosen for the regional knowledge and local relationships our team has built over many years.

Question 25

How does August find its homes?

Accepted Answer

Over many years, our team has built close relationships in the places we work, which often gives us access to homes that never reach the open market. Our background in restoration means we know which houses have the potential to become exceptional holiday homes, and what it takes to restore a house abroad. We work with a trusted network of estate agents, builders, architects and designers in every region.

Question 26

What are the main criteria for selecting the homes?

Accepted Answer

Every August home is chosen for its setting and character: a beautiful view, local charm, bright spaces to gather in and generous outdoor areas, from terraces and gardens to pools, all within easy reach of an international airport. Homes that meet every one of these are rare, so we often prefer an older house full of potential, in the right place, that we can restore properly, with kitchens and bathrooms made new. Once we’re confident a house can become an August home, we buy it and the restoration begins, always with local craftspeople we know and trust.

Question 27

Can I smoke in the homes?

Accepted Answer

To keep the homes fresh for every owner, smoking isn’t permitted indoors. Most homes have ashtrays on the terraces or in outdoor spaces.

Question 28

How often do you replace the furniture?

Accepted Answer

We look after the homes and replace furniture whenever it’s needed, so your home always feels as fresh and inviting as it did the first time you arrived.

Question 29

How are the homes insured?

Accepted Answer

Every home has comprehensive insurance, tailored to the home and the region it’s in.

Question 30

How large are the homes?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 31

Is there a TV in all the homes?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every home has a modern TV.

Question 32

Is there Wi-Fi in all the homes?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every home has fast, reliable Wi-Fi.

Question 33

Can we visit the homes before we join?

Accepted Answer

In a new collection, the homes are found once the collection is formed, so they can’t be visited beforehand. We’ll show you examples of the kind of homes we’ll be finding for your collection, with the minimum specification for each. A few founding owners in each collection serve as directors and have a say in the homes chosen. If you join a collection that is already underway, you’ll see each home as it’s chosen. Through a private sale, you can see the whole collection, complete, before you join.

Question 34

What do I own with August?

Accepted Answer

You own a real, registered stake in the company that owns the homes, alongside the other owners in your collection. In the legal documents, this is described as a shareholding in the collection company.

Question 35

What does the Annual Dues cover?

Accepted Answer

The Annual Dues is a single annual charge that covers the running of every home in your collection, including local taxes, insurance, maintenance and administration. The only other costs are those of each stay: the end-of-stay charge.

Question 36

How does August compare with owning a second home on my own?

Accepted Answer

One collection gives you several regions instead of one, for less than the cost of owning a single home outright, without the upkeep, the paperwork, or the empty months in between.

Question 37

How are local taxes handled?

Accepted Answer

Taxes on the homes are paid locally and vary from country to country. They are covered by your Annual Dues.

Question 38

Could the Annual Dues change?

Accepted Answer

Only if the owners in your collection decide to change them.

Question 39

What is a private sale?

Accepted Answer

Private sales give future owners the opportunity to join a collection that is already complete. Places become available from time to time when an existing owner decides to move on. You join the collection as it stands, including any bookings already in place, and become part of its existing community of owners.

Question 40

Why join through a private sale?

Accepted Answer

All of the homes are finished and ready to enjoy, so you can see the collection in full and begin spending time there within weeks of joining, rather than waiting for a new collection to complete. Places are rare and tend to generate a lot of interest, so we let future owners on our waitlist know first when one comes up.

Question 41

How much interest is there in private sales?

Accepted Answer

A great deal, because every home is open from your first season, rather than after a new collection is complete. When an owner decides to move on, we handle the process on their behalf.

Question 42

How is the price of a private sale agreed?

Accepted Answer

The price is agreed between the owner moving on and the owner joining, and we guide both through the process from start to finish.

Question 43

What happens when an owner decides to move on?

Accepted Answer

Circumstances change, and there may come a time when an owner decides to move on from their collection. When that happens, August supports them through the private sales process, introducing their place to future owners and managing everything from beginning to end. The collection continues as before, with a new owner taking their place.

Vragen, beantwoord

Over August

Het August-model

Boekingssysteem

Collecties

Huizen

Financiën, belastingen en kosten

Private sales

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