Last year vacation home sales and investment homes took off, as investors took advantage of homes that were selling well below their retail value. According to the National Association of Realtors, vacation home sales rose 64.5% to 1.23 million in 2011. 41% of these buyers even picked up more than one property during the year, compared to 34% from the previous year. And interestingly enough, almost half of these buyers paid for their homes in cash, according to CNN Money. Buyers who took out a mortgage to finance their homes even forked over hefty down payments compared to previous years. The average down-payment for both investment and vacation home buyers was estimated at 27%, with the median home sale estimated at $100,000. Many investors have taken advantage of the foreclosure surge for the 2nd home sale and it will be interesting to see what vacation home sales will be like in 2012. For more information, visit CNN Money.