Friends Family, Travel
Jim and Cindy Sobeck of Greenville, South Carolina have always loved to travel. They typically took anywhere from six to eight trips each year before selling their business in 2023 and investing with Equity Estates. Now they’re enjoying one or two getaways a month, visiting their family lake house in Northeast Pennsylvania, exploring Equity Estates destinations, or vacationing with friends.
“About half of our trips these days are to Equity Estates homes,” says Jim. “The balance is with friends to other locations. We don’t get to travel with our children as much now that they are grown with careers and young children of their own. But our daughter, her husband, and our grandson did recently spend a weekend with us at the Equity Estates apartment on the Upper East Side of NYC, and we hope they, and our other children and grandchildren, can join us on more trips in the future.”
Happy Investment
The couple’s initial introduction to Equity Estates happened through word-of-mouth while vacationing in Turks and Caicos.
Jim explains, “We met some Equity Estates members while we were there and, based on their recommendation, we decided to investigate it more. When we found that several of our friends in Greenville, whose judgment we respect, were also very happy members, that clinched the deal.”
“I love not wasting money on rent,” he continues. “With EE we have an equity stake that has the possibility of being returned—with a profit—at the end of ten years, and in the meantime, we get to travel to wonderful destinations. Who doesn’t like vacationing for free in gorgeous homes? Really, there’s nothing we dislike about Equity Estates since joining.”
Besides the potential return on investment and world-wide destination options, the Sobecks say they also appreciate the “plug and play” aspect of Equity Estates.
“We like not having to go to a grocery store upon arrival, as well as not having to research restaurants, private chefs, and things to do,” Jim says. “With EE, it’s plug and play. They have everything ready and waiting for you to arrive, and if there’s ever a problem while you’re there, you can call the Local Host and know it will be fixed. All you have to do is show up and enjoy your vacation.”
Unforgettable First Trip
For their first trip, just after investing, the Sobecks traveled to Belize, accompanied by a few close friends and family members. And everyone was impressed not just with the stunning beachfront house, but with the level of service provided by the Equity Estates team.
“The house was fantastic and came with a six-person golf cart, which was a necessity in Belize,” Jim recalls. “Equity Estates arranged for us to be picked up at the airport, and when we got to the house, we found it fully stocked with food and beverages. The daily housekeeping was also nice versus most rentals homes that aren’t serviced while you’re there. A friend who was with us said that the home was better than any 5-star resort he’d ever stayed in. He called it a ‘6-star home’ and wished he’d known about Equity Estates before purchasing his family’s vacation property because it would have been a better investment.”
“We had an amazing experience,” adds Cindy. “Our Destination Manager chartered a boat for some of us to go fishing, then the restaurant next door cooked the fresh catch for us. Jim and his brother spent an incredible day traveling into the jungle with a private guide to tour Mayan ruins. And we woke each morning to staff raking the sand on the beach in front of the home, clearing away footprints from the day before. That trip convinced us we’d made a good decision investing with Equity Estates.”
Mother’s Day in Wine Country
Since then, the Sobecks have enjoyed vacationing in several other EE destinations. Most recently, they spent five fabulous days with friends in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, enjoying the luxurious home there, as well as special tours and tastings arranged by their Destination Manager.
“We’re wine collectors and consumers,” says Jim, “and take a few trips a year to wine regions around the world. It had been eight years since we’d been to Sonoma though, so we were looking forward to visiting some of the new wineries, as well a few of our old favorites.”
Both enjoyed dinners out at great restaurants (Dry Creek Kitchen was a favorite), time in the home’s private pool, and of course, having the opportunity to explore some of the region’s best wines. Full-day, multi-vineyard wine tours were a highlight of the trip for everyone, with Cindy especially appreciating the private tasting at Square Peg Winery, as well as the wonderful drivers that were arranged for them during their stay.
For Jim, the wow factor—and another of his favorite benefits from the investment—was seeing how connected the Equity Estates team is in Sonoma and beyond.
“Because of the connections, we got the best tables at every restaurant we ate at. We were able to meet with winery owners and have time to talk with them and have private tastings instead of regular tasting room experiences,” he says. “Part of what made the tours so special is that we were able to have real conversations with the owners, hear their stories, and realize the things we had in common. The connections Equity Estates have built made that possible.”
Another highlight of the trip was having a private chef come in and prepare dinner for them—a meal of “amazing short ribs, the most tender octopus, jumbo prawn appetizer, and a chocolate mousse dessert” that they still rave about.
“The whole meal was absolutely amazing,” says Cindy. “Chef Omar was amazing. He was the best private chef we’ve ever had, with Equity Estates and on other vacations. Another wonderful touch was that my kids sent me flowers for Mother’s Day while we were there, and Chef Omar’s team arranged them beautifully as a centerpiece on the table for our meal. It was special.
“The entire vacation was great,” she continues. “We enjoyed the wines and the food. We loved the house—it was the nicest we’ve stayed in out of all the incredible Equity Estates homes. And all of our drivers were phenomenal. Everyone was pleased with everything.”
Favorite Trips
When asked, the Sobecks say it’s impossible to choose which Equity Estates trip they’ve enjoyed the most so far, though a couple of destinations definitely make the list.
“It’s actually hard to pick a favorite,” says Cindy, “because they’re all great, and it really comes down to what kind of vacation do you want—skiing, island, wine tasting? They’re all wonderful, but right now it’s between Sonoma and the Big Island of Hawaii for me.”
Jim agrees, “I’d say our trip to the Big Island is a favorite. The house and its location were great, and the Destination Manager lined up golf, a snorkel trip, a luau, a tour of the island, and a visit to Volcanoes National Park for us. It was nice to not have to make all those reservations ourselves. The house manager also booked a private chef who was amazing, and she made restaurant reservations at places we loved. It was perfect.”
Upcoming Adventures 
The Sobecks are looking forward to two more amazing Equity Estates vacations in 2024, with stays in the Miami home in November and St. Croix in December. They’re especially excited about the St. Croix trip, as Jim’s brother and several close friends will be joining them there to celebrate Jim’s 70th birthday.
And after that? Anything is possible.
They’re looking into booking the Equity Estates villa in Provence for some time next year because they “love the food and wine of that area.” And, as their grandchildren get older, they’d “like to take them to Italy and on ski trips too.”
“We both also love the beach,” says Jim, “and appreciate all of the Equity Estates homes in beach areas, so we’ll be planning more of those trips as well.”
