Just about everyone would like to own a recreational dream home in the gorgeous mountain setting of Fairmont, B.C.

But few of us can get away from the office enough to make the purchase of a vacation home a worthwhile investment.

The answer to this dilemma is co-ownership, an increasingly popular real estate investment strategy that takes the pressure off your vacation planning without breaking the piggy bank.

However, co-ownership, in which like-minded investors take ownership stakes in a particular property, only works to perfection if it is a highly desirable property at an equally appealing destination, and if the property and related matters are handled by a reliable professional management company.

Marble Canyon's exterior at dusk

Enter the good folks at Marble Canyon Condos in the popular resort town of Fairmont.

The Marble Canyon development, with vacation homes ranging in size from two to five bedrooms, offers luxury living with a palatable price tag.

"My husband and I have been looking for a real estate investment like this for a long time, and am I ever glad we found Marble Canyon," says Patricia Jones, who recently purchased a two-week interest in a five-bedroom home that backs on to the 17th hole of the beautiful Mountainside Golf Course.

"It just doesn't make any sense to buy a big, beautiful mountain property, use it two or three weeks of the year and then spend the rest of the year worrying about the fact that you're not using it and how you're going to have it taken care of.

"We both work, so two weeks' vacation is perfect, and the condo is gorgeous. It sleeps 14 people comfortably, so we can invite another family or two to join us without cramping anyone's style."

Jones says she and her husband had been looking at recreational properties in Whistler and on Vancouver Island, but that the majesty of the Marble Canyon properties and their proximity to Calgary made the decision a "no-brainer."

"We didn't want to spend all our vacation time getting to and from our property," she says. "Fairmont is a beautiful three-hour ride through the Rockies for us, and if our friends in Edmonton want to join us, it's only six hours, as opposed to the 14-hour drive to the West Coast."

Small-town charm Fairmont is just off the main highways, which has allowed it to maintain its small-town charm while providing a world-class recreational playground.

Located within a stone's throw of the famous Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in the Windermere Valley, Marble Canyon boasts a great family ski resort and incredible snowmobiling access for your winter retreats. World-class ski resorts including Panorama, Fernie, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Kimberley and Kicking Horse are all just a short drive away.

In the summer, there are several championship golf courses within a half-hour drive, with two great courses (Mountainside and Riverside) right in Fairmont. Hiking and cycling opportunities are endless, and crystal-clear lakes abound for fishers, boaters and beach bums alike.

Marble Canyon's spectacular interior

While you're on the slopes or at the beach, your vacation home will be made spotless by the diligent cleaning crew - one of the many benefits of owning a property managed by Fairmont Creek Property Management Ltd. Fairmont Creek also handles the renting out of your suites and offers concierge services to all clientele.

When you return after a day of outdoor fun, you can recline in luxury with friends and/or family.

Each of the dream homes has a brilliant floor plan with plenty of common space to go with the spacious bedrooms.

The four- and five-bedroom condos have up to three large balconies each from which you can enjoy the incredible views. These homes are fully furnished with a billiard table, washer/dryer, dishwasher, oven/stove, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, and the list goes on.

A lot of people are using them to gather their family or friends, because of the spaciousness and the fact that everything is right here so there's no need to spend six hours packing your minivan to the roof.

Indeed, Marble Canyon truly has it all covered. The resort town and surrounding mountain landscape are world class, the properties are spectacular, the property management company ensures your stay is hassle-free, and the co-ownership option makes it a rock-solid investment.

"If you look at the numbers, co-ownership is an ideal way to invest," says Marble Canyon sales rep Dana Bjorkman. "If you're staying in hotels two weeks a year, you're looking at about $36,000 over 20 years for the average hotel room at today's prices.

"At Marble Canyon, we can get you a full share for $24,000, and these are by no means an average-hotel type of accommodation. This is luxury living at its finest."

RRSP-eligible investment The real topper: it's an RRSP-eligible investment, which means you can start enjoying the fruits of your retirement planning immediately.

"The money you get back on your tax return is going to cover the down payment, and then you've got this incredible dream home two weeks a year," adds Franklin.

"If you can pay it off right away, great. Otherwise, it's a very reasonable monthly payment."