LAKE HOME INFORMATION YOU NEED

Having lived on a lake for 20 years, I see a number of special items that must be addressed for a lake community home, purchase or sale, to be enjoyable for both the buyer & seller.

Here's a few of the questions to ask....

Location - How far are you willing to travel to work or a vacation home? If it's work, most folks look at one hour, max! For a weekend home, perhaps farther. But do keep in mind, if your weekend home is less than an hour from your main residence, you'll use it much more and perhaps even commute to work during the summer. You'll have many more "extended" weekends if it's an easy commute than if it's 2 hours away.

The Water - Water in the lake is one thing, but you need to think about the water coming down from the road & hills surrounding your home during storms. How does it get across your land to the lake? You need to be prepared to handle all the water during the worst storms This may take berms or drains on the driveway & perhaps excavation on your lot that slopes away from the home to a drainage area with piping to the lake. Fortunately, most lake homes have addressed this issue long ago, but it's up to you to keep these drain lines open.

The Dock - Is it yours? Some docks are right in front of your home, if you own a lake front property. But, what if the home is across the road?  Check & double check that the dock is yours!  Have the agent give you a "Dock Transfer Form" if it's required by the lake.  If you have any doubt, check with the Home Owner's Assn.

Permits - You will need permits & perhaps gate passes for all vehicles. Where do you get the form & who do you submit it to?  You will also need boat stickers for the lake... Where do you get these & from whom?  Know the hp limits & length limits for boats in the lake you are interested in purchasing property.

If you are building a new home or doing building renovation, you may need not only a county building permit, but also a building permit from the lake. Where do you get these & who must approve them?

Fishing Regulations - These vary from lake to lake, be sure to get a copy of your lake's current fishing regulations as they may change yearly!  You may also want to know if the lake is stocked regularly, when was the last time it was stocked & what kind of fish went in the lake.

Get a copy of all the lake rules & regulations from your agent!  Don't write a contract without reviewing these!

In order to maintain top quality lake subdivisions in Jefferson County, it takes the cooperation of all the residents & a volunteer board, all working together!  When you move into a lake community, see what you can do to help make the community a better place for everyone!

As you can see, it will help you as a buyer or seller of a lake community home to work with an agent that lives in a lake community, does a lot of lake business, & also understands everything involved in lake home ownership.  Leverage my experience to your advantage!