August is transforming how high-net-worth individuals approach European holiday home acquisition through a sophisticated co-ownership model spanning five curated properties. Rather than concentrating investment in a single location with limited annual usage, this London-based company provides fractional ownership across Europe’s most sought-after destinations—from metropolitan apartments in London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and Cannes to countryside retreats in Tuscany, the South of France, Mallorca, the French Alps, and the Cotswolds.
The model addresses fundamental inefficiencies in traditional second-home ownership while providing access to a diversified European property portfolio. August handles every operational aspect, from acquisition and renovation to ongoing maintenance, ensuring each residence maintains the highest standards. With occupancy rates between 75-80 percent, these properties achieve utilization levels that significantly exceed conventional holiday home patterns.
A Smarter Alternative to Traditional Second-Home Investment
The conventional second-home model presents a number of inefficiencies. Properties remain vacant for substantial periods while requiring ongoing maintenance, local management, and regulatory compliance across international jurisdictions.
“The idea began by seeing firsthand how frustrating the process of buying a second home can be. The process is often overwhelming: finding a trustworthy agent, navigating foreign paperwork, dealing with renovations from abroad—it becomes a nightmare,” said Mélie, co-founder of August. “Locals would pay half what foreign buyers were being charged,” she adds.
Curated Property Collections Across Europe’s Premier Destinations
August addresses these challenges by grouping four to five homes into a collection, each collection is designed around distinct lifestyle preferences, spanning multiple countries and regions, providing diversification while maintaining authentic design narratives for each location.
Properties are selected based on architectural significance, location desirability, and cultural authenticity. The portfolio emphasizes restored homes with substantial character—properties featuring vaulted ceilings, period details, and materials that reflect regional craftsmanship traditions.
“We seek out homes that reflect their surroundings, with layered interiors and a sense of permanence,” explains Mélie Dunod, co-founder of August Collections. The selection process prioritizes homes with historical significance and architectural integrity over newly constructed properties.
Hassle-Free Homeownership
The operational framework removes traditional ownership complexities through comprehensive property management services. Legal structuring, renovation oversight, ongoing maintenance, and local compliance are handled entirely by August’s professional team.
Each property maintains full-time local support, ensuring immediate readiness for owner arrivals. The infrastructure includes cleaning services, utility management, and concierge services across all locations, creating a seamless ownership experience comparable to premium hospitality standards.
This approach transforms property ownership from an operational burden into a passive investment that truly enhances families’ lifestyles.
Owners gain access to prime European properties that would require substantially higher individual capital commitment under conventional ownership structures. Each collection provides twelve weeks of annual access across five properties, creating substantial usage flexibility for individuals and families seeking exposure to European markets without the stress of traditional homeownership.
Sustainable Development and Quality-Focused Growth
August Collections emphasizes architectural preservation and local craftsmanship integration. Properties undergo restoration rather than wholesale renovation, maintaining historical character while incorporating contemporary comfort standards. Local sourcing for materials and services ensures economic integration within destination communities, contrasting with traditional second-home development patterns that often create economic isolation in high-demand regions.
“We only curate a few collections each year,” notes Dunod. “Every home must meet our standards for design, location, and story.” This selective approach prioritizes quality over expansion velocity, ensuring each property meets institutional investment criteria while preserving the exclusive character of collections. The company’s growth strategy emphasizes curation over scale, maintaining quality control and owner experience standards as the portfolio expands across European markets.
The Future of European Holiday Home Investment
August offers a fresh, thoughtful approach to owning a second home, designed for how people actually want to live and travel today. Through co-ownership, you enjoy a beautifully curated home in Europe’s most sought-after locations, without the stress or complexity of traditional ownership and at a fraction of the cost.
“It’s more of a lifestyle investment than anything else. Buying a single high-quality holiday home requires an initial budget starting at around €1 to €2 million. With August, you can pay a fraction of that to get five homes,” says Dunod.
August is also an investment in a liquid asset. While the resell market for individual holiday homes can be sluggish, selling a share in August takes a few short weeks or months – and is often more lucrative than selling a single property. But many owners choose to upgrade or move to a different Collection, while others buy more than one share, giving them greater flexibility and variety.
Whether it’s summers in Provence, long weekends in the Balearics, or winter escapes to the Alps, August turns second-home dreams into reality.
For more information about available collections and the co-ownership model, contact August via the form below:
