By Frank Eaton
Quiet morning coffees on your deck, working at home in an office with a view, sun rises, sun sets, picnics on the water, dips in the lake on warm afternoons, water lapping on the shoreline, and still getting in a full day’s activities makes living on the lake all worthwhile; full time or part time.
Here are things to consider when deciding to live on the lake.
If you can work from home and do not need to commute into the office in another city, make enough money to afford a lake house, and have the desire, you could live on the lake full time. Lake houses are expensive and may require additional monthly or annual fees.
You might decide to start a home business or move your existing business to your new lake home.
Some lake associations, town houses, condos, and gated communities require an association fee to maintain the properties. Some do not allow businesses out of your home. Check with the lake association on this.
Living on the lake part time and owning a weekend lake home involves greater expense and budget to afford to do so. You will now have two homes and expenses to pay for, not to mention the time and cost to commute back and forth from home to home.
If you invest in a time share condo or town house to enjoy the lake part time, this is a monthly expense you will have, will only get to use the unit sparingly, and sometimes not on the weekend you want.
You do not have to own property to live on the lake. Rental properties like a lake cabin, house, condo, or townhouse may be available by the day, week, weekend, or month. While there, look around the area, ask local residents about the costs, and see if you can afford to live on the lake.
Some gated communities, town homes, and condos have pools, courtyards, spa facilities, eateries, and marinas on the property as part of their offerings and may have rentals available.
If you can afford to live on the lake and work out of the house, it’s worth it.
Make a room in your lake house an office with a view of the water. Work from your home office. Take conference calls on your cell phone sitting on your deck. Eat lunch at the dock. Escape from the grind by looking outside.
The peace and tranquility of lake-front living can help relieve stress in your life. The chance to run your boat during the week, when fewer people are on the lake than during weekends, is another benefit of owning a home on the lake. Watching the moon and stars over the water at night is amazing.
Living on the lake can be fun. Whether it is full time or a part time weekend retreat, you can afford the lifestyle!
Posted by:
Scott Freerksen “The Lake Guy”, Owner/Broker, Realtor®, Lakefront Living Realty, LLC, Office: (508) 377-7167, EMail: scott@lakefrontliving.com