Purchasing a second home can be an opportunity to create an alternative reality where there's plenty of time for family and friends, a chance to master the finer points of your golf game and, in general, create a meaningful second life. Or so we imagine.

While many may dream of a faraway residence in Costa Rica or hope to recall the carefree, misspent days of their youth in a place like Bali, the fact is that the majority of second-home owners want to remain close to family, friends and the amenities that have come to define our 21st-century lifestyle - island kitchens, golf, spas, dining and shopping. Oh, and don't forget WiFi access.

It's really the choice of a location - individual beach, mountain or island retreat versus a more resortlike setting versus feeding a pleasant obsession like wine, golf or a personal cause - that is more telling. Like a homeowner's Rorschach test, the destination of choice clearly telegraphs an individual's or family's interests and passions.

A getaway or a resort

The key elements of the "getaway" are an accessible location and the ability to spend time with family and friends. The location is usually tied to an activity linked to a mountain, lake or shore. Usually, the getaway is nearby and accessible by car (or, more specific to the Northwest, by ferry). According to the recently released National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2006 Survey, a typical second property is a median of 215 miles from a primary residence, with 42 percent of them closer than 100 miles.

However, the humble beach shack in need of a good paint job or the rustic mountain retreat has certainly evolved a bit in the past several years, as evidenced by the change in vernacular - from vacation home to second home. To create these well-designed retreats with first-home amenities, owners are working with architects to build stylistically stunning properties on land either inherited or purchased specifically for that special place.

When working with clients, architect Ben Trogdon, of Ben Trogdon Architects in Seattle, encourages them to think about commute time, children's sports commitments and their lifestyle choices. In the past year, 70 percent of his firm's business has been devoted to designing second residences from Hawaii to the Methow Valley. He cautions: "Don't ramp yourself up and then find it doesn't match your lifestyle or the regularity with which you're going to use the place. Look realistically at your schedule. Think ahead for your needs in the future. What's the experience you're looking for?"

Trogdon notes that "there are fewer people who are adventurous about building an isolated cabin out in the woods where services and access are limited and the conveniences are far and few between." He believes this is one of the major reasons Suncadia, located 80 miles east of Seattle, has great appeal. The estimated $1 billion, 6,000-acre, four-season resort community is slated for completion by 2010. Trogdon has designed homes in both the Suncadia community and the exclusive Tumble Creek division.

"Our demographics are really broad," says Christopher Kelsey, senior vice president of Suncadia. "We have everything from couples with kids to empty nesters. There is definitely a group that is saying, 'We're going to sell the big house, get the urban pied a terre, and build our bigger home in Tumble Creek.'" After looking in both Palm Springs and Scottsdale, that's exactly what Bellevue residents Hilary and Stuart Weiss are planning to do.

Using this as an opportunity to transition into retirement, the couple is currently building a 4,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home in Tumble Creek to be completed in late 2008, the same time their two-bedroom condominium in the new Bellevue Towers project will be completed. The NAR 2006 Survey found that 28 percent of those surveyed expected to use their second home as their primary residence in the future.