Two of the leading residence funds on either side of the Atlantic have just announced a strategic alliance. Equity Estates Fund is the biggest and fastest growing North American equity based residence fund, while The Hideaways Club is the leader of the pack in Europe. Their tie up creates the largest global portfolio of equity based fractional residences, offering owner members nearly 30 vacation homes in 23 stunning locales across the world.

“This alliance is ideal as it facilitates international growth for both companies and enhances the already stellar value proposition for owner members of both funds,” said Adam Capes, co-founder of Equity Estates. “We cannot imagine a better way to begin 2010 than doubling our portfolio of accessible properties.”

Under the agreement terms, Equity Estates and The Hideaways Club will each make nights available for reciprocal use for travel beginning in 2010. Both companies have experienced impressive recent growth, a testament to their common unique model of shared ownership of a portfolio of vacation homes.

Equity Estates owner members, who have been enjoying homes in locations including Turks & Caicos; Telluride, CO; and Maui, HI; will now have access to such locations as Tuscany, Italy; Cape Town, South Africa; and Croatia; through The Hideaways Club relationship. The Hideaways Club has 18 properties in 12 locations that will be part of the shared pool of residences. In return, The Hideaways Club members will have access to the 11 properties in 11 destinations currently offered by Equity Estates.

“Our companies have a common goal: to provide unparalleled vacations coupled with a sound investment, so it seems natural to create this strategic alliance for the benefit of our individual companies and our respective owner members,” said Mike Balfour, Chairman of The Hideaways Club.

Equity Estates is a luxury residence fund designed to offer spectacular vacations in addition to a real estate investment opportunity. Membership is structured as an equity interest in the fund that owns the vacation homes and offers use of these residences, in addition to appreciation when the homes are sold. For more information visit www.equityestatesfund.com.

The Hideaways Club is Europe’s leading property investment fund, offering its members usage and ownership of a portfolio of luxurious properties for a fraction of the cost of buying a single home overseas. For more information visit www.thehideawaysclub.com.

The way both of these funds work, is that members own a share of the fund that owns the homes. So rather than buying into one fractional development and owner member buys into the fund and has use of all the funds homes.