These fractions often can add up to luxury

These fractions often can add up to luxury http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/05/R...advertisement | your ad here Print This Article Backto ArticleThese fractions often can add up toluxuryValerie Fahey, Special to The ChronicleSunday, July 5, 2009 More...These days, you can buy a portion of a jet, avineyard, a yacht, fine art - even truffle trees in Tuscany. But perhaps most popular amongso-called fractional ownership is sharing a vacation home.It has its advantages - daily maid service, dedicated concierge - but buyer beware, you will have toshare your toys.The practice of joining with family members to share ownership of vacation property is not new.The evolution of a fairly robust fractional property market began in Europe decades ago, but itdidn't really gain traction in the United States until the early 1990s, with the ski resorts of theRocky Mountains.Today, fractionals are practically everywhere, from uptown New York to upscale Vail.Three recent Northern California entrants offer some close-by getaway locations for Bay Arearesidents: the Orchard at the Carneros Inn in southern Napa County, Mayacama in northernSonoma County, and Calistoga Ranch in northern Napa County.Fractional ownership simply means the division of an asset into portions. If the "asset" is aproperty, the title or deed can be legally divided into fractions or shares. Time share, you ask? Utterthe words at your peril.The difference here is that ...