The Misconceptions and Myths about Buying a Lake House in Ohio
Going on my 5th year being a lakefront specialist I get a lot of questions from clients about buying a lake house, I mean A LOT of questions. Which is a good thing, we love to have our clients well informed. But as time has passed I realize that a lot of these questions stem from a variety of myths about buying a lake house in Ohio. So today I decided to take the time to dis-spell some of the top myths out there in an effort to set the record straight on some of these common misconceptions.
Let’s start with one of my personal favorites:
Myth#1
Only the rich can afford a lake house
This is highly untrue…depending on which lake you are looking to buy at. Now it is safe to say that as a general rule of thumb lakefront homes are generally more expensive than regular residential, that doesn’t mean that you have to have invented Microsoft to be able to afford one. If a person is flexible with which lake they choose, and how far they want their drive to be, there are dozens of lakefront homes under the $300,000 mark, and some even under the $200,000 mark. That being said, at certain lakes $300,000 won’t even cover half the cost. But if you’re open to area and location and are working with a knowledgeable agent you can find an affordable lake house.
Myth#2
All the lakes in Ohio are shallow
False. Very false. I believe this myth came in existence because in reality there are several lakes that happen to be on the shallow side, like Indian Lake or Buckeye Lake. However, many lakes in Ohio such as Lakengren and Lorelei average a depth of over fifteen feet and places like Apple Valley Lake can hit up to 70 feet in depth! Many fisherman and boaters at lakes across the state can attest to this statement being a myth about buying a lake house in Ohio!
Myth#3
There aren’t a lot of lakes in Ohio
I can personally attest to this misconception as I happen to work at and drive to over 30 lakes in Ohio that all have available lakefront listings for sale. Now that being said it may have LESS lakes than several other states, and it may seem like it doesn’t have a lot of lakes but that’s because Ohio actually has quite a bit of land mass and a lot of lakes are more than 1 hour drive from your location. The truth is that most people I talk to aren’t aware of how many lakes are actually out there in Ohio. There are more than one lake in Ohio who’s motto is “Ohio’s Best Kept Secret” and for the most part it’s true. I will admit that a lot of the lakes are private or on the smaller side but that doesn’t demean the quality of the lakefront living experience or the availability of lake homes in reach of Ohio residents.
Myth #4
Buying a lake house is the same as buying regular residential
I can’t tell you how many horror stories I’ve heard from clients who realized this wasn’t true, AFTER it was too late. Buying a lake house in Ohio is much different than buying a regular residential home. Each lake has it’s own rules and regulations, boating rules, market value, views, water systems, pros and cons, not to mention owning a lake house requires knowledge that wasn’t previously required such as boating safety, seawall and dock maintenance, state water law, etc. Don’t let the cons out there get in your head by convincing you of possibly one of the biggest myths about buying a lake house in Ohio there is! There are way too many difference between buying a lake house and regular residential so make sure to get a lakefront specialist to guide you when buying a lake house in Ohio!
In conclusion don’t believe everything you hear, there are a lot of myths about buying a lake house in Ohio. Make sure to talk to your lakefront specialist about any questions or concerns you may have and let him or her dis-spell the myths for you!
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Written by Justin Shelton Lakefront Consultant – The Lake Team