The Homestead

The Resort & Its Setting

The Homestead sits in Glen Arbor, a small village on the Leelanau Peninsula in northwest Michigan. It's a timeshare property affiliated with RCI, meaning owners can use their week at The Homestead or trade it through RCI's exchange network for stays at other participating resorts worldwide. Glen Arbor itself is quiet and low-key — more about trailheads, galleries and lake views than shops and restaurants — which suits owners who come back for the scenery rather than a packed activity schedule.

The Area and Things to Do

Lake Michigan's beaches are just a few minutes from the resort, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — with its towering dune climbs, scenic drive and overlooks — is about 12 miles away. Closer still, the Glen Arbor Arts Center hosts rotating exhibitions and studio shows from regional artists. Wine lovers can work their way along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, roughly 9 miles from the resort, stopping at tasting rooms scattered across the peninsula's farmland. For a bigger night out, dinner, or shopping trip, Traverse City is about 22 miles away and is the obvious base for anything Glen Arbor itself doesn't offer. Summers bring beach and water activities, autumn brings foliage and the wine harvest, and winter turns the whole peninsula quiet and snow-covered — each season draws a different kind of owner back.

Selling or Renting a Week Here

Listing a week at The Homestead on BidMyTimeshare works as a private, owner-to-owner sale or rental — you set your own asking price, buyers and renters contact you directly through the platform, and there's no commission taken on the sale. Sellers simply pay a one-time listing fee to get their week in front of genuine buyers.

Because The Homestead is RCI-affiliated, it's worth telling prospective buyers clearly whether your specific week includes RCI exchange privileges, since that's often a deciding factor for buyers who want the flexibility to trade rather than return to Glen Arbor every year. Beyond that, resale transfers at The Homestead are handled through the resort's owners' association or management company rather than through BidMyTimeshare, so before agreeing a price with a buyer, confirm directly with The Homestead what the current transfer fee is, whether the association holds a right of first refusal on resales, and what the current annual maintenance fee stands at. These figures vary by unit and season and aren't published in general resort material, so get them in writing before you commit to a sale price — it protects both you and your buyer.

Buyers should also ask what transfers with the week: the usage rights and RCI affiliation (if applicable) transfer with an ownership sale, but any points, credits, or loyalty perks tied to the seller's own account typically do not.

Practical Notes

Glen Arbor has limited dining and shopping options locally, so owners and renters planning a stay should either stock up in advance or plan a trip into Traverse City. A car is genuinely useful here — the peninsula's beaches, wineries and trailheads are spread out, and there's no real way to see them without one. RCI members exchanging into The Homestead should book well ahead for summer and fall weeks, as these are the periods owners tend to use themselves rather than release for exchange.