Finding The Perfect Lake House For Sale

Lake houses are a great long-term vacation plan for many, as it gives the opportunity for investment and a stable place to spend you leisure time, be it just a night or a month stay; but once you have decided to look into the purchase of a lake house, the fun has just begun. You will need to decide what you want and need from of your lake house. This varies greatly from person to person and needs to be addressed to make your lake house experience ideal.

One important area of consideration is your overall budget. Lake houses range from single-room cabins to huge mansions, and figuring out what your budget will allow is an important first step. Be sure to consider every aspect of the lake house into your budget. These fall into a variety of categories, one of the largest being your budget for boating activities.

By far some of the most popular activities of a lake house vacation are jetskiing, boating, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. Although some lake houses come with an option to buy all available watercraft and supplies used by the previous owner, many do not. For those that do, make sure to thoroughly inspect all accessory equipment, especially rope, skis, and wakeboards, for wear and take any found into consideration. If you are not particularly mechanically inclined, find someone who is to do a full inspection of jetskis and boats, both the engines and outside, and even below the water-line.

For lake houses without the option of included equipment, if you wish to have a boat, you will have to find the kind that suits your activities best. If you plan on using the boat to cruise around the lake with large amounts of people and use as a floating island, a simpler pontoon-style boat may be best suited for your needs. However, if you intend to wakeboard, waterski, or tube, you will need a quicker boat with more horsepower and appropriately safe ways to attach tow-ropes to those participating in these activities.

In addition to selecting the perfect boat and/or jet-ski, you will need to consider storage. You have several options as it relates to the storage of your watercraft. Many people use a mechanical lift system and a covered dock to store their own watercraft safely away from the water. If this is not your preferred method, you may instead choose a third-party storage system and have your watercraft stored for a monthly fee. These come in two varieties – those that you can boat to (such as marinas and dry-dock storage areas), and those you will need to bring your boat to by land. You will need a vehicle capable of towing these watercraft, the necessary trailers, and a public or personal launch-ramp. It is important not to store your watercraft floating in the water, as they will be exposed to the elements during storms as well as accumulate potentially damaging build-up (unless they are properly maintained for this purpose).

One possibility that must be considered in your budget, if you plan on relaxing as much as possible and do not want to spend portions of your vacation on regular maintenance, is to consider inquiring locally about caretakers. These individuals will come by as often as you require, notify you of necessary repairs and suggest local contractors, and will even stock your lake house so it will be ready for you and your guests to relax and enjoy as soon as you arrive.

Another important consideration is the main purpose of your lake house. Do you intend it to be a place of solitude and relaxation away from city noise and crowds? Or, on the other hand, is your lake house going to be a celebratory, family oriented kind of place where entertainment is a high priority? Make sure to examine the lake house’s proximity to neighbors, the number of people on the lake, and the activities of those who use the lake to see if your ideal lake house would fit in with the surrounding community (or lack thereof). In the same vein of thinking, but easily overlooked, are meals and supplies. Do you plan on cooking every meal in your home, or do you want other options to alleviate the amount of work that must be done? If you do plan on cooking every meal, you will need to make sure the kitchen can support both the storage of supplies for the duration of your vacation(no one wants to go running to the store every day on vacation!), as well as a kitchen capable of cooking the meal you plan. If you need other options for meals you may consider the distance to the nearest town and restaurants, as well as any boat-in restaurant options available on the lake you select.

When selecting the lake for your perfect lake house, there are other factors to consider than those listed above. If you plan on fishing, it is extremely important to find a lake that suits this sport. You should find out about native fish species, if the lake is stocked (or if there are plans to stock in the future), if the fish in the lake are edible (based on the conditions and health of the lake), and any other pertinent details of fish population you can find. The same kind of thought process needs to take place if you plan on hunting on your lake property. You will need to check for specially enforced laws for the surrounding area of the lake, as these may differ from normal laws of the region. The populations and health of local game must also be taken into consideration, as well as if the property has been prepared as hunting land, with feeders and blinds. If not, this another area to consider in the above budget planning.

Once you have considered all this and found lakes that will accommodate your wants and needs for your future lake house, you will need to find the actual lake houses that fit your criteria. With more and more of real estate advertising, discussion, and purchasing taking place on the internet, it is truly the best place to begin your search. I suggest using a search engine such as Google to aid you in your search. Simply enter terms such as “lake houses for sale ” into a search, and begin your search with one of the websites listed in the results. Once you have some ideas as to which houses you are interested in, it is always recommended you check with a real estate lawyer for local laws, as well as area realtors for any community association or lake maintenance fees you may need to consider in addition to normal real estate sales taxes and fees.

Be patient in your search, and don’t be afraid to check back with sites you have found for new listings as well as modified prices, as these are both common as seasons change and progress. Before you know it, you will find the lake house perfectly suited to you and your guests to enjoy for many years to come.

Andrew Showell