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THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING
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Surfing for vacations off the beaten path
By Anna Kasabian, Globe Correspondent, 2/5/2001
In fact, having so many choices at your fingertips can change the way you think about vacations. Suddenly new possibilities open up, and that's where the real adventure begins.
Let's say you want to rent a house on Cape Cod. If you weren't online, you would have to set aside a few weekends to go and see the houses with a broker. If you didn't find anything you like, you'd have to start over again. And more important, working only with ads and brokers still doesn't show you all the choices out there.
But at www.weneedavacation.com you can visit and tour hundreds of homes on Cape Cod that fit your needs.
You can narrow your search by choosing homes by location, price, the number of bedrooms and baths, sleeping capacity, and whether they have outdoor grills, VCRs, and dishwashers, among other things.
Jeri McKernan of Anchor Real Estate in North Eastham said her firm was listing on this site and now has its own site at www.anchor-realestate.net, and both have proven successful. She says brokers are renting faster than ever.
''I don't have to do as much faxing anymore,'' McKernan says. ''People call us all the time and tell us it's a wonderful Web site, and they're renting. People who know the area well enough and know the street often rent without even visiting the house. Often people call and get more details, and then rent.'' [Italics added by All Seasons.]
Other sites worth checking out are www.cyberrentals.com, www.vacationspot.com, and rentnet.worldres.com.
You're bound to come across unusual properties and places. For example, at www.cyberrentals.com, I found a unique little home in Provincetown, steps away from the water. No ride through Provincetown would have surfaced this little gem.
Vacationspot.com revealed a special property in Bridgton, Maine, not too far from North Conway. The 1920s lodge sits on a private beach at Highland Lake, a place I'd never heard of. I would have booked it if dogs were allowed. Some sites, by the way, are clear about that in their listings.
Another way to search for a vacation rental is to zoom in on specific locations. I wanted to explore the lake regions and found rentals@lakesregionrealestate
.com. This site will show you tons of properties - from Sebago Lake to private islands off Lake Winnipesaukee. Again, once you begin to see the unusual choices before you, your plans may change.
If going abroad is of interest, do not miss www.myhomeinfrance.com. This site introduces you to Terry Avery, who takes small groups (four to six people) to his home in Provence for a weeklong antique shopping adventure. He even makes arrangements to get your possessions flown home.
The Web site shows La Bergerie, a four-acre property situated in the vineyards. The 18th-century house is completely restored, has a shady terrace, a 30-foot by 50-foot pool, and impressive countryside views. Go to the site for a complete tour of the house, and it just might inspire a whole new way to take a vacation.
Here are other vacation homes and destinations worth visiting:
www.robertsgrove.com, a seaside resort in Belize.
www.theparkercompany.com, villas, cottages, castles, farmhouses, and apartments throughout Italy.
www.wimco.com, Caribbean and European villas.
www.lodgingquest.com, worldwide private homes for rent.
This story ran on page D02 of the Boston Globe on 2/5/2001.
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hether you're searching for a seaside getaway on Cape Cod next summer or a countryside chateau in France, you can use the Internet to show you what is available when and for how much. Best of all, it's easy, fast, and you get your own personal tour of properties around the world.