Branson/Tri-Lakes News: Vacation rental home market keeps real estate ticking

New developments such as Branson Canyon, located on Taney County Highway P south of Hollister, are targeting out-of-town owners looking for an investment as well as a second home in the Ozarks.

Mike and Tyann Marcink bought a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in November in Branson Canyon, primarily for the vacation rental benefits. The Marcinks and their three boys travel every two or three months to Branson from their hometown of Union. The Branson home, which can sleep up to 14 people, is rented the rest of the year at a rate of $2,500 for seven nights. “That’s $25 to $30 per night per person (based on 14 occupants),” Tyann Marcink said.

At the 87-acre Branson Canyon development, 20 houses have sold, with another 280 homes to be built in future phases, according to Rick Roedel, who heads up sales and marketing for project developer Affinity Development Inc. of Overland Park, Kan.

Roedel said the estimated cost of land and development is $6 million to $7.5 million.

A 3,700-square-foot clubhouse and pool are among its amenities, and homes will range in size from 1,300 square feet to 3,500 square feet and are priced from $189,900 to $350,000.

One-third of the homes will be available for vacation home rentals, according to Gerald Brokate, who is Branson Canyon’s listing agent, along with his wife, Laurie.

Homeowner Marcink, who manages rental properties in the Union area, said the vacation home rental is “a completely different kind of real estate.”

To attract guests, Marcink invested in king-size beds and plenty of Eddie Bauer-style décor. The 700-square-foot family room has pool and poker tables and a 50-inch TV.

Linens and kitchenware are furnished, and Marcink has hired a housekeeper to inspect and clean the home each time guests leave.

The Marcinks have created the Web site www.vacationhomeinbranson.com to manage bookings, but they also use Vacation Rentals by Owner, HomeAway and other vacation home rental Internet sites. They often rent to larger groups, including college students on spring break, men’s retreats and family reunions, Marcink said.

Another ownership benefit of the vacation home rental is the lawn and landscape maintenance. “They are single-family homes zoned as condominiums. You own (the property) under the house and two feet around it,” said Brokate, who is affiliated with Coldwell Banker Home Team Realty. “It’s condo-platted so all the grounds are maintained.”

Because Taney County is not incorporated, it doesn’t have to categorize building projects into segregated zones such as residential or commercial. Instead, the county planning and zoning board reviews projects through performance zoning, said Taney County Planning and Zoning Administrator Eddie Coxie.

Coxie said Taney County has seen growth in single-home vacation rentals during the past 12 to 18 months.

“It is a style of ownership, not a type of building,” he said. “If you go to www.vrbo.com, you will see a tremendous amount of these types (of) homes. That’s the reason Branson real estate is holding.” Coxie said several other Branson-area residential communities, such as Fieldstone Bluff at Branson Creek, offer similar rentals.

An open house at Branson Canyon is scheduled for May 23.

Project No. 2

Branson Canyon is not the first development near Branson for Affinity Development Corp. Managing Partner Mike Duncan.

Duncan also is developing Branson Commerce Park in northwest Branson. The park is a 350-acre multiuse community of light industrial business and residential homes, townhouses and condominiums. Affinity Development has a similar commercial-residential development in Basehor, Kan., and residential projects in the Missouri towns of Westin and Grandview.