Imagine sitting on the porch of your new vacation home, listening to the wind in the pine trees, enjoying the serene view of the lake, when…roar…the sound of speedboats comes blasting past you. Or, imagine going down to the dock of your new lakeside home, ready to zoom in your great new 90hp ski boat, only to be stopped by the sign: No PowerBoats Allowed. Lakeside living is great… only if the property you select matches your lifestyle.
To choose the perfect lake property, take time to ask questions: to yourself about preferences and to your agent about possibilities.
Lake front or Lake View?
As you search for properties, one decision you need to make is whether you want lake front or lake view property. Lake front has the advantage of accessibility and aesthetics, however it does have some down sides. If you have children, are you able to insure their safety? Does the lake have any potential for flooding onto your property? And, is lake front important enough to justify the higher price you are undoubtedly going to pay? Perhaps a beautiful lake view would be sufficient to meet your vacation needs.
PowerBoats or not?
Think about why you want to live near a lake and how you want to use it. If you picture swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and children playing safely, you might want to consider lake property which prohibits power boats. On the other hand, if you are interested in a more active lifestyle, such as waterskiing, motor boating, sport fishing, find a location where the community encourages those activities.
Accessibility
One “catch twenty-two” of lake property is the tradeoff between public and private access. If your property is not on the waterfront, then it is important to find out how much of the lake front is publicly accessible. On a large lake, it might be quite inconvenient to drive 20 miles just to swim in a lake that is virtually at your doorstep. Similarly, if you can get lakefront property, are you comfortable allowing public access if the community requires that? What about boat access? Are there public piers or do you need to build your own?
Polar Bear Club
If swimming is your favored lake activity, do check on the water temperature at different times of the year. Many of the most beautiful lakes are filled by melting snow, keeping the water temperature quite chilly most of the time. This makes for great fishing and boating but not so much fun for a swim.
View
Living on the lake evokes images of sitting in your home, looking out a picture window to sunlight dancing on sparkling water. Possible… but it’s also possible that trees which afford privacy also block your view. Don’t rule out a property just because the lake isn’t completely visible. For example, with selective pruning of lower branches, you can create a picture perfect view while keeping the trees healthy and alive.
Permits and Fees
As you look into a lake community, find out what additional costs are involved. If it is a state lake, can you buy a year-round permit? Do you need permits for boats or fishing? If it is a private lake, check whether there are maintenance costs to factor in.
Where to go now?
For exquisite lake properties, check out these destinations on EscapeHomes.com:
Lake Tahoe, CA
Door County, WI
Lake Huron Shoreline, Canada
Winter Park, CO
Berkshires, MA
Marquette, MI
Elk River and Ely, MN
Badin Lake and Lake Gaston, NC
Incline Village, NV
Lake Placid, NY
Clear Lake Area, TX
Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Lake Chelan and Lake Roosevelt, WA
Lake Geneva, WI