Published October 1972 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd A Dream Home in the Hills A significant spin-off of our country's increasing urbanization and affluence is the rapid growth in the number of families acquiring second or vacation homes. An urge to ''get away from it all" is widely noted among persons who reside in metropolitan areas, and more and more people appear to be gaining the means to do so. It is estimated that at least three million families in the U.S. already own or are buying vacation homes, and this figure may be growing by as many as 250,000 a year. These facts should be well noted by all who have a concern for the growth and development of our State. In the populous East, mountain and waterfront property lead in favor among those seeking weekend or holiday homesites, or places for possible retirement. West Virginia, to a remarkable degree, combines the best of both. With its beautiful mountains and valleys and its sparkling lakes and rivers, our State is far better endowed than most to appeal to those who seek escape "far from the m adding crowd.'' West Virginia is ideally located with respect to the population centers of the East, and the interstate and Appalachian regional developmental highways arc making it more accessible each year for city folk who dream of the recreational possibilities, or just the peace and quiet, of a home beside a mountain stream or lake. Golf, tennis, swimming, fishing, sailing, skiing (summer or winter), horseback riding--or just lying in a hammock under a tree--you name it and West Virginia can provide it. With its cool mountain summers and its invigorating winter climate and sports, West Virginia should be a natural for the person seeking a vacation or retirement home. Real estate investment, wisely entered into, is the best hedge against inflation yet devised. As is so often said about land, "they're not making any more of it." With West Virginia property still generally lower in price than property in or adjacent to metropolitan areas, real estate investment in the State could pay off handsomely in the future. A word of caution, of course, should be heeded by the vacation home seeker: Deal only with reputable agents or individuals; be wary of high pressure promotions; don't buy property you haven't seen; get a lawyer to check your contract before you sign. With that advice, West Virginia beckons all who dream of a dream home in the hills. OCT 25 1972