Who owns a Lake Home ? Advice needed

[tgrace98]

I think it all comes down to how you plan to use it. Is it a weekend get away or will you be spending weeks at a time there?

Me personally I am in my mid 30's. My wife and I both work full time jobs so my lake get away is just weekends and then a week here and there in the summer when I can take vacation time from work. We have a very active border collie and so far having the condo and the dog is a non issue. We just put a leash on and walk him up and down the hills around the condo complex and a few nature trails near by and he is always worn out.

Now 20 years from now. I will be looking to buy/build my lake home that I spend 6+ months a year in. That will be a house on TRL that is a short golf cart ride to the dock. Or maybe something in a neighborhood that has a community dock.

I find it kind of funny all the people saying you need a bigger boat. I think it will come in time if you end up buying a place on LOTO because everyone gives into the urge. I use to take my 27ft baja to LOTO all the time. If you want to go lower than the Grand Glaize bridge on a busy Saturday. Yes you need a 33ft+ boat. But if you stay at the 30mm or higher you are just fine.

The people that own the condo next to me are from Iowa. It takes them 8hrs to get to TRL so I can see why LOTO is your choice because it is doable for a weekend get away. If I were in your shoes that is for sure where I would be looking. Like I said in an earlier post we are at TRL almost every summer weekend. Where I only see my Iowa neighbors on the big holidays where they can take a week off. The rest of the time they use it for rental income.

And as far as home values go. Seriously look over the winter. I bought my 2br/2bth condo in december. Then in April 2 more popped up on the market in my complex really similar and they both sold for 20-30k more than what I bought mine for.

[BIGGUSBLOCKUS]

Bigblock, what city/area of Iowa do u live in? That way we can help u with your search.

We live in Johnston, which is a NW suburb of Des Moines

[LOTOHEAD]

My wife and I keep a camper full time in osage beach and our 282 stays on a lift in a rented slip about 5 minutes from it. We almost pulled the trigger last year on a condo but I keep hearing horror stories from friends and families with condos. Our current setup is pretty great and inexpensive which is nice. We drive the 200 miles every weekend from Easter to Haloween with a couple weeklong trips mixed in. What we have found over the last three years is that prices are definitely at a 3 or 4 year peak right now. My father lives in Lazy Days which is in the state park and just an amazing location but if you are a non smoker and a smoker moves to the condo next door and they also like to sit on their deck and enjoy the view it can be frustrating to say the least. Another friend hasn't had use of his spare bedroom in his condo all summer due to mold issues from a burst pipe above his condo. If you add in association fees (which can change anytime) I think condos cost almost as much out of pocket. My advice, find a way to spend a LOT of time at LOTO to make sure where you want to be first. I think you'll find anything under 28 ft on the busy weekends is somewhat undersized in the main channel. I did it every weekend with a 24 foot Larson but my family started wanting to skip the boating because of the big water beating us up all day. Good luck and invite us over for a dock party when you find your paradise!!

[Holy Smokes]

IMHO Condo vs. lake house depends on a couple things....
1. What value do you place on privacy?
2. Are you able to maintain a 2nd home from a distance?

We've owned our lakehouse at LOTO (41MM) since 2012 and have enjoyed every season since. Our commute is 2:45 and I wish it was about an hour closer. We were able to find a cove location that's secluded by trees from our adjacent neighbors. We bought with the intention of sharing the place and really enjoy inviting friends/family hanging out on our personal dock and everyone having their own space. Our 3BR house is low maintenance exterior and can easily hold 8-10 comfortably. We get down a few weeks early season then after son's baseball season is over in late June, we come down most weekends usually stretching it a day or two on either end and stay for a week usually in mid to late July. We get down 3-4 times in the off-season, just to get away from everything. Same like when we travel, often go VRBO renting an entire house.

Call me conceited, but I never liked the idea of shared spaces and really loathe the idea of monthly/quarterly "maintenance fees". We have an invaluable full-time neighbor that keeps any eye on things as well. If they weren't there, I'd install a full video security system. I get concerned when we haven't been down for several weeks so I make a trip down to check on things.... always looks like we just left the day before.

When you're ready, find a local realtor (I have a great recommendation BTW) and take the plunge. You'll kick yourself for not doing it earlier!

Best of luck!!

[Table Rockin]

Cant say i really have much to add here. Your in an enviable position and whatever your decision it will undoubtedly be awesome. Being from iowa id consider LOTO over TRL...yes i said it....its another 1.5 hours at least to TRL from your direction and convenience is a huge factor for weekenders. All that said, my guess is after several weekends down there your gonna quote that dude from the jaws movie...were gonna need a bigger boat

[Tuscany]

This may or may not help you.
I don’t own a lake home, but IMO, a long ride like 5 hours may get in the way of using it as frequently as you would like. A 5 hour drive would definitely get in the way for us. Driving sucks, and a 10 hour total commute would be a reason to look closer to home.

We have a home in the Naples Florida area. It’s a 6 hour commute from door to door thanks to Southwest Airlines, but you have to consider a big chunk of the day committed to travel one way and settling in.

The other side of the coin...For us, snow and cold is a motivator, and makes the trip very easy to swallow. Maybe a nice lake home with a boat will be yours.

[Ytmsn]

Heres a thought bigassblock.. Have you considered a houseboat on LOTO?

I have a buddy that bought a camper trailer to put at a Marina on our lake, and rented a slip with a lift for the summer. His monthly lot and slip rent was $550. He started looking into a houseboat and discovered a 15'x50' slip with power is only $285 a month.

If you got into something similar on LOTO you could leave your boat on Saylorville and get something else on the lake, like a couple of seadoos, and just stay on the water. Drag your boat down when you want, or leave it there. That would give you time to shop for the perfect permanent place!

[Table Rockin]

YT i so want to own a houseboat and sell our condo. Never off the water that way......but wifey not interested....yet

[tgrace98]

YT i so want to own a houseboat and sell our condo. Never off the water that way......but wifey not interested....yet

There is no way in hell I would ever get Erin to live on a house boat down there. I can barely get her down to the docks after dark when I want to plug in the battery charger.

[Table Rockin]

Evil things come out after dark....

Seriously been thinking of randomly asking one of the houseboat slip owners if we could take a walk through their setup in the evenings. While creepy, it might help my cause.

[NautiGirl]

YT i so want to own a houseboat and sell our condo. Never off the water that way......but wifey not interested....yet

There is no way in hell I would ever get Erin to live on a house boat down there. I can barely get her down to the docks after dark when I want to plug in the battery charger.

REALLY? Why? Houseboats are cool...if you aren't the one that owns it...everyone I know with a houseboat is always fixing something...doesn't matter how new or old it is...there's a lot going on to make that houseboat fun and functional and it seems like everyone I know spends a good part of the weekend tinkering with something. I'll take a low maintenance lake house or condo any day...even though I love waking up and being right on the water.

[LOTOHEAD]

If you want to see if you like the houseboats call my mechanic at LOTO. Brandon just started renting out two houseboats this past season and I saw him at Paradise Saturday and he is probably going to get two more. Comes with a slip next to it to keep your boat and I think they sleep like 8 or 10 people. http://www.lotosalesandservice.com/ The price seems pretty reasonable too. I would want to spend at least a week on one before I made the call. GOOD LUCK!!

[BIGGUSBLOCKUS]

We have some friends that have a big cruisers that rent slips at LOTO Marine Max all year long. They live on board and use the marina to shower and get their mail, groceries, etc. They use the restaurant and bar there as well. They hang out on the docks at the Marina and seem like they have a great time - but that's just not for me. I'd rather have a house that friends and family can come stay an be comfortable.

[tgrace98]

We have some friends that have a big cruisers that rent slips at LOTO Marine Max all year long. They live on board and use the marina to shower and get their mail, groceries, etc. They use the restaurant and bar there as well. They hang out on the docks at the Marina and seem like they have a great time - but that's just not for me. I'd rather have a house that friends and family can come stay an be comfortable.

yep I am right there with you. I keep my boat in a private marina and there are a lot of houseboats and large cruisers that people sleep on at night. It is not for me. I have to be on land when I sleep and like you said want to have friends and family down. Our 2br place comfortably sleeps 6 and that is the most we will do. Maybe one day I will upgrade to a 3-4br place so I can have more. But that will be a few years down the road.

[cmattj]

Being on or near the water at night is magical. Sure you have nocturnal animals that enjoy those hours and stirr around. You will hear and see things never to be shown during the day.

They stay away mostly from humans as they probably think we’re creepy at night too.

I think regardless of waterfront or anywhere, it’s important to just go stay the week or weekend and explore. How many of use have bought a house and walked the Niehborhood and just felt it? And as we are in escrow we stalked daily.

I’d go to Loto and try a couple or few spots. Ask the locals if they could push a magic button where they’d live.
Find the restaurants. Gas docks. Social scenes. Freeway and main towns.

I’ve met people in Georgia lakes that I toured that either don’t want to be disturbed and want seclusion, or the other that want to see a Starbucks from thier driveway.

Yep I’m the Starbucks guy.