Lake houses are gaining more and more popularity as summer destinations for travelers and vacationers. But what if you’ve never purchased a lake house before? What do you need to know before you pull out your checkbook? Here are just a few tips for finding and selecting a worthwhile property.
1. Choose Your Location
First things first: You’ll need to decide which lake that you want to spend your summers around. You’ll also need to decide how close to the water that you actually want to live and play. Despite their name, lake houses don’t have to be built right on the shoreline. If you’d prefer something a little more remote, you can find properties that were built in the woods or on cliffs that overlook the water.
2. Think About Amenities
What kinds of amenities are must-haves for your lake house? Maybe you can’t live without a fireplace when it gets cold. Maybe you need multiple bathrooms for a large and busy family. There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to the home features that you want; just make a list and find a property that includes a good number of them. You might not be able to find your dream piece of real estate that has everything, but you can probably get close.
3. Consider the Future
This is especially important if you’ll be buying the grounds around the lake house in addition to the property itself. Who will mow the grass? Who will handle pollutants in the water? Will you need to look into things like aquatic weed control? Can you hire locals to maintain the lake house even after summer ends and you go back home?
These are just a few things to consider if you’re thinking about buying a lake house. It can be a great investment for family vacations and summer getaways, but you’ll need to be careful that you’re buying a good property with a good long-term value. If you choose correctly, your lake house could be in your family for generations!
