Owning a winter vacation home means spending time with family and friends skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating or just sitting together around a warm fireplace.

But as with any real estate purchase, the first step is deciding if buying a winter vacation home makes sense for you.

Industry reports paint positive picture for Alberta recreational property market in 2018

Two major reports on the Canadian recreational property market are forecasting a healthy market across the country and growing demand within the province of Alberta for the rest of 2018.

Royal LePage's annual survey of their recreational property specialists predicts an average price increase of 5.8 per cent for the country as a whole, but varied results in British Columbia and Alberta because of new speculation taxes in B.C.

How to buy a vacation home without getting burned

While sunburn can ruin a holiday, getting burned on a vacation home purchase can sting for much longer. Fortunately, doing your homework will help you find your place in the sun without feeling the heat.

"The market has seen price drops lately, so a lot of people are finding vacation properties at $300,000 or below," said Bill MacDougall, a real estate professional with Optimum Realty Group in Calgary.