The For-Sale-By-Owner Problem No One Talks About

Real estate has many ways it can be sold, and each approach has secrets. You can dig around online or talk with industry professionals and learn many of these secrets.

However, that does not mean you will be aware of every obstacle.

This is the case of one big unspoken problem for For-Sale-By-Owner (“FSBO”) transactions that frequently impedes the sale of homes by their owners.

For-Sale-By-Owner

First, let me give a quick background, then I’ll discuss the problem and its impact.

As most know, For-Sale-By-Owner is popular for some homeowners for a variety of reasons. For some, it is the avoidance of real estate commissions, while others in super-hot markets can find this approach easy enough for the owner.

For Sale By Owner

There are also a few people who choose this approach as a matter of financial principles (regardless of the money). These are the anti-Realtor people, and some may even take less money for their home just so they don’t participate in the traditional real estate brokerage model.

Conversely, some owners avoid FSBO due to various challenges (which, whether you agree or not, are often cited by real estate agents).

These oft-spoken challenges to For-Sale-By-Owner include establishing a viable, market-correct listing price and access to marketing for the home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Then add in the hesitancy of some agents to bring buyers to FSBOs, and the paperwork and process challenges of moving a home from “For Sale” to sold.

The Best Solution is The Best Solution

I want to be very clear that while I am in the real estate brokerage business, I am not anti-FSBO.

If my team is doing their job right, and other agents are doing their job right, we should provide a better outcome than alternatives. If we fail in our duties, then that failure is on us, not the consumer who finds a better solution.

I believe that the best solution for the customer is the best solution.

The real estate market is huge, and there will never be one singular market approach. I believe there is room for both For-Sale-By-Owner and the brokerage models in their many versions.

Why Has FSBO Not Gained More Market Traction?

When we decided to take leadership roles at Lake Homes Realty, we first spent fifteen months evaluating all types of real estate business models.

During this evaluation, one of the questions I found particularly interesting was this:

chalk drawing of for-sale-by-owner-house with key in doorway next to $100 bill

In this day of easy access to information, including “how to sell a home,” why have For-Sale-By-Owner transactions not made a bigger dent in market share of real estate across the country?

There was a time where real estate brokers were the almost sole keepers of “how to sell a home and complete the transaction.” But that day is long gone.

So if the “how to” is now easily available to anyone online, and many MLSs now allow listing FSBO properties, what’s keeping FSBO from dominating real estate?

The Secret Problem No One Discusses

The answer to my question includes the challenges I noted above. This includes how to obtain market exposure and concerns about properly executing the paperwork.

There is also one other problem confronting FSBO sellers, the unspoken challenge: Greater than normal “price separation.”

Put another way, the sellers AND buyers both believe THEY should get the money that would have gone to agent commission.

And that is a monster obstacle in negotiations.

For Example

Let me explain it like this: Bob is selling his home using a For-Sale-By-Owner approach. He has done a number of real estate transactions before and has the home listed on the local MLS. Bob has embraced FSBO to save the cost of agent commission.

Bob is comfortable with the process, knows what he is doing, and sees no reason to pay an agent for work he is very capable of doing himself. This is reasonable and practical.

Here’s the hitch. Sally, the potential buyer for Bob’s home, knows Bob won’t be paying a commission. So Sally believes that without a commission to be paid, the price should be discounted.

FSBO Buyers are “Looking for a Deal!”

In other words, buyers often look at FSBOs when they are looking “for a deal.”

In exchange for “a deal,” buyers will accept some additional discomfort with risks (perceived or real) of buying a home without an agent’s assistance. But there better be a price advantage!

The buyers may not even be able to verbalize this feeling. However, their logic has some method to it.

FSBO home buyers shaking hands

The voice in their head tells them that if comparable homes sell for some consistent price, which includes the agent commission, then by logical deduction those homes’ actual value must be less.

Since this seems logical, the buyer believes they deserve that amount as a price discount. And any owner who wants to keep that amount is often seen as greedy and unreasonable.

This leads to the buyer and seller having a much larger than normal gap between them about price expectations. And this occurs with no third-party in the middle to explain or negotiate this gap.

Each party genuinely believes they are right and cannot understand why negotiations struggle (if there is even an offer to begin with).

The Odd Agent Impact on Price Separation

This price separation is a reason I believe many former-FSBO homes sell faster once represented by an agent. Why? Once buyers see an agent is involved they tend to lose some of the  FSBO-anchored expectation of getting “a deal.”

Are there homes where the owner really will drop the price and the home sells?  Of course.

However, this action actually perpetuates the expectation for other buyers that FSBO is where you find the lowest prices. That is, it reinforces the believe that FSBO is where you go to find low price “deals.”

Stacking pennies for for-sale-by-owner home purchase

And yes, there are many transactions where the FSBO owner and buyer negotiated a price they both found acceptable.

These can occur anywhere but is most common in very active “hot” markets, where marketing is not as critical and buyers know homes will sell in only a couple of days.  This is a feeding frenzy that negates the buyers thoughts of finding a low price. They just want to get a house before they are gone.

Outside of these transactions, many FSBO owners finally give up the approach and engage a real estate agent. What they don’t realize is that in addition to whatever skills and tools the agent brings, this action alone changed buyer expectations to some degree (regardless of the capabilities and skills of their new agent).

Is There a Solution?

Is there a solution for For-Sale-By-Owner sellers to this issue (beyond engaging a real estate agent to represent them)?

I can’t say. And not because I need to defend the brokerage model. (Heck, if I could solve this challenge, there is a big business opportunity in having that answer!)

This problem of an exaggerated price separation is not limited to FSBO, it is just greatly enhanced. It remains true that buyers and sellers the world over often disagree on an acceptable price.

What I can say is that FSBO sellers and buyers have to work through more issues than each may realize.

It can be done, but it is always best to plan your financial transactions by understanding as much as possible about the property, the transaction process, the market, and, of course, the target customer (the buyer).

While it may not always work, my suggestion for the FSBO seller is to address this unspoken challenge head-on.

Talk with potential buyers about the FSBO approach and have very good data to support the current market value of the home.

Sellers will either get better engagement from buyers or they will learn more about the market behavior of these buyers.

The Good and Bad of Relisting a Home for Sale

Senior couple meeting Lake Homes Realty real estate agent

Even celebrities can struggle to sell a home, as discussed in Natalie Way‘s recent Realtor.com article Christie Brinkley Relists Her 2 Homes in the Hamptons: Why Haven’t They Sold Yet?

Brinkley’s homes are luxury properties, much like many lake homes across the country. Unlike other homes, such high-end and niche-market homes face challenges that other homes don’t when it comes to selling fast.

These types of homes are all discretionary purchases, meaning their purchase is optional. Like dinner at a high-end restaurant, no one has to pay that much just to have food, or in this case, shelter.

Because of this, selling luxury homes often requires more time on the market. Sellers have to wait to match up with a buyer that has both the means to purchase such a property AND the inclination to buy now.

The more expensive the home, the longer sellers should be prepared to have their home listed. This extended time commitment is just one of many reasons sellers may choose to take their home off the market and relist it later.

Why Homes are Relisted

Lake house locatedon the southern shores of Lake Rosseau
Photo courtesy of Muskoka Living.

High-priced homes rarely sell in a timely fashion. This can be attributed to several reasons:

  • The home was previously over-priced for that market and wasn’t going to sell.
  • Real estate market conditions have changed.
  • As a sales strategy, home is removed from the market in hopes it will appear “new” to the market sellers relist.
  • The homeowner has a change of heart about selling, then recommits to selling.
  • Sellers decide to use the home for a period of time, perhaps as a break from the interruptions caused by showings and selling.
  • The owner chooses to try a different real estate agent and/or a different marketing strategy.
  • The owner has “finally had enough” and is ready to be more aggressive in price and strategy to get the home sold.

Some of these factors sellers have no control over, such as the real estate market changing; others are just part of life.

Risks of Relisting a Home

Door County, Wisconsin lake house landscaping
Photo courtesy of Architectural Digest.

Relisting a home for sale is not without some market challenges. Some of these risks include:

  • Today’s knowledgeable home buyers (and local agents) know this property is not a new listing. Buyers may wonder if the home has some problem that is making it difficult to sell.
  • The home may get a reputation as having “been on the market forever.”
  • Taking a home off the market and relisting at a new price may lead buyers to believe if they wait long enough, the price may drop again.
  • If a home isn’t on the market, it can’t sell. During the time the home is unlisted, sellers are missing out on buyers that could come along.

Tips on Relisting a Home for Sale

Log lake home at night
Photo courtesy of BPImaging.

Relisting a home may not be a magical solution, but there are steps to take that help make the most of relisting the home for sale.

  • The marketing strategy must be very different when sellers relist. A new approach is needed to be successful before dropping the home back onto the market.
  • Make a meaningful change in the price.  This signals to buyers the seller is serious about a sale.
  • Update the property in some manner, but don’t go overboard since some of this money will not be recouped. However, yard landscaping, new paint, new carpet, or better staging can help a home sell faster.

There are really only two reasons a home does not sell: it is not marketed well or priced correctly.  However, the higher-priced the home, or the more specialized the home is (like a lake home), the more time it usually takes to sell.

Removing the home from the market and relisting is one approach used by people selling such homes. Though it does come with some risks, relisting can sometimes be another useful tool in the sales plan.

Still having trouble selling your lake home? Read “3 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Lake Home“.

6 Exercises That Are Better At The Lake

For the fitness fans, exercising can be fun, but it is even more fun to exercise at the lake. Anything from swim routines to yoga can be refreshing at the lake. The following are six exercises that you can do at the lake and enjoy every minute of your fitness routine.

Swimming at your lake

There are several types of swimming that can be done at a lake. With a large, refreshing, and scenic body of water at your disposal, swimming can whip you into shape quickly, or help maintain your fitness goals.

Distance swimming is easily done in lake waters without the confinement of laps in a pool. Water Aerobics are fun in a shallow area that you can easily touch bottom. It is a guaranteed way to get your heart rate up while simultaneously strength training.

The resistance of the water serves the same purpose as weights, and high repetitions will burn calories and tone muscles in no time. The water also provides buoyancy, which will help build muscle endurance at low impact. Jogging in place, jumping jacks, and leg kicks are great examples of exercises to include in your regimen.

Running around lakeRunning around the lake

Find a trail through the woods and take off. Dodging limbs, shuffling over roots and hurdling fallen logs not only add interest to your run, but also shakes up the monotony. The variations in movements make a great cardio workout and allows for upper body toning.

Natural inclines and declines change up the terrain of your path without pressing a button on a treadmill. Fill your lungs with fresh air, indulge in the shade of the trees, and allow yourself to get distracted by the beautiful scenery.

It will make the time go by faster and will likely become a healthy addiction.

Ground Cardio

Take advantage of the ground’s natural cushion and stretch out on your back. Crunches and sit-ups are a great way to work abs, and there are many variations that employ other muscles such as arms and legs to get the most out of your workout. Flip over and do push-ups.

For the fitness ambitious, add squats, burpees, and hold plank for a minute or two. If you work up a sweat, no problem. Take a dip in the lake water to cool off, then start up your exercise again!

Cycling at your favorite lake

Hop on your bicycle and do two things at once: cycle and explore. Find smooth pavement and follow the curves and hills, or take your bike off-road for a cycling challenge. Keep your mind occupied with the beauty of your surroundings and allow the RPM’s to do their job. But why go at it alone? Grab a bicycle for each family member and enjoy a great workout with great company.

Kayaking 

Kayaking on lakeAnother way to take advantage of lake waters is to toss a kayak into the water and go on a water adventure. Kayaking is primarily an upper-body sport, but it also works core muscles in your back and stomach. Be sure to have the right equipment, such as a helmet, life jacket, and throw ropes. Don’t let cool weather stop you. Just pull on a wet suit and paddle away!

Pilates and Yoga while at the lake

yoga at lakePilates and Yoga work every muscle group effectively. By nature, yoga is calming. But take the routine outdoors lakeside and refresh the body as well as the soul. Pilates is much more challenging and involved with moves that will make calories and muscles burn. Choose one or the other, or throw them together in a Pi-Yo combination to get the best of both worlds.

Many exercises can be done outdoors. Get creative and use your natural surroundings at the lake to your advantage. There’s no reason that you couldn’t combine fitness and fun for yet another outdoor activity that can be done at your lake home.

Trotline Fishing: Fill Your Freezer

A trotline is a long rope or cord, used for fishing, which features with multiple hooks that dangle from it.

These lines require little attention or effort to maintain.

The wonderful thing about a trotline is that you are fishing without standing there for hours on end.

trout on trotline

You can put the line out and then in the morning go back to it for your fish.

As you take the fish off the line, you can replace the bait and throw it right back in the water!

Setting up Your Line

First, bait the hooks with the bait of your choosing. Live bait, such as worms, shrimp and minnows, usually work well.

After baiting each hook, simply attach one end to a tree limb or something similar on one side of the lake.

Next, extend the rope out to its full length, and tie to opposite end to a second anchor. Be sure the line is submerged in the water and not sitting at the surface.

Caution and Local Laws

Make sure to always clearly mark your trotline, as it can be dangerous to others who are swimming or fishing in the area.

You can mark these lines by attaching such things as plastic jugs to the anchor points to call attention to where you line extends to and from.

Many states have laws in place limiting how long a trotline can be out, how it has to be marked, and a limit to the number of hooks that can be used.

Check with your local game and wildlife ranger for more information.

Making a Trotline

The easiest way to get a trotline is to buy a pre-made one, like this one from Bass Pro Shop.

You can also create one out of rope, cord, and fishing hooks, dangling a hook from the rope every three to five feet or so. You can find easy, step-by-step instructions here.

Why a Trotline?

Trotlines are fantastic for catching a large number of fish in a relatively short period of time, particularly catfish.

These edible fish are perfect for throwing a big get together at the lake, such as a fish fry!

Or you can always filet and then freeze the fish, which can keep for up to six months and is an excellent source of protein.

 

How Living on a Lake Can Reduce Your Stress

Research has shown bodies of water, including lakes, seas and oceans and rivers, can have significant positive impacts on one’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

These “blue spaces” as the article calls them, can reduce stress levels and increase feelings of happiness.

People who live close to lakes often experience a variety of these benefits including the following:

Privacy

Unlike noisy, overpopulated, and polluted cities, lakeside properties are generally more secluded and properly maintained to promote remoteness and privacy.

This is a great advantage for people who prefer to keep to themselves or are looking for a nice place to which they can retreat after a long day at work.

This privacy also often means homes are away from noisy highways and nosey neighbors.

Relax

SunsetWaking up and seeing a magnificent view is sure to please any home owner, but nothing quite parallels the breathtaking view of a sunrise over the lake.

The sound of water flowing or lapping against the shoreline is soothing, and is commonly used in mental health clinics and on sound machines for aiding sleep.

Unwind in the evening with a peaceful, colorful sunset and the tranquil sounds of crickets singing and fish rolling on the water.

Fun & Entertainment

Lake FunThe lake practically screams excitement.

With so many activities to choose from, from boating and fishing, to swimming and skiing, the lake is the perfect spot for some summertime fun.

Having guests over for entertaining is better at the lake too!

Many lake homes have giant decks, pools, or docks designed to accommodate large parties and are great for holiday celebrations and cookouts.

Health & Fitness

In addition to benefits mentioned above, living on the lake also gives you the opportunity to focus on your fitness.

By living on the lake you will most likely have easy access to activities such as canoeing, paddle boarding, biking, swimming, or hiking, which are all fun but also great cardiovascular workouts.

Lake living comes with many built-in benefits that can positively impact your mental and physical health and is a great way to reduce your stress levels. For more ways the lake can benefit you, check out our article about the healing affects of water therapy!

Tips for Dealing with Spring Pollen

Spring Lake

Allergies are a horrible thing to deal with, especially when spring pollen comes into play. It can cause many symptoms from a runny nose to headaches and at times, fevers.

Spring brings sunshine and flowers; however, it also brings misery to so many people every year. There are many that have to seek relief from medical experts in order to just function daily.

One of the keys to controlling your allergies is to know what triggers you personal symptoms. Since there are millions of particles flying through the air, finding relief from allergies can be almost impossible.

However, knowing the trigger will help you keep some of the symptoms at bay. Here you will find some tips on how to help your allergies this spring.

1: Wardrobe

You may be thinking this is a weird one, but it is quite scientific. Wear clothes made of natural fibers.

Synthetic materials can create an electrical charge that will attract the pollen to you. They will also breathe better and will not harbor any mold.

2: Time Your Activities

If you exercise outdoors, watch the news. Your local news channel will give an announcement daily of the pollen count. If you do not catch the news, you an always check online.

Another useful bit of information to know is that the pollen count is at its lowest just before dawn. If you have to miss that part of the day, then take a non-drowsy antihistamine 30 minutes before leaving the house.

3: Gardening

If you have an issue with pollen and you are a gardener, you are asking for allergy problems. However, if you take an antihistamine 30 minutes before going outside, it will drastically cut down your allergy issues.

Digging in dirt sirs up a lot of pollen. You should also wear a facial mask while tending to your garden. Make sure to wash your hands, clothes, and hair when you enter the house to remove any pollen that has attached to you.

4: Keep it Clean

By “it”, this tip refers to your house. Vacuum the rugs, carpet, and furniture often. Leave your shoes by the front door as well. (This is another reason a mud room can come in handy.)

Take down any drapery and wash them regularly to ensure that pollen coming in from the outside while the door is open is washed away. Make sure you dust your home and have a dehumidifier running with a filter.

Although these tips are here to help you, there are some individuals that will suffer from the allergies even when the list is performed. For those with serious allergies, there are shots available. Speak with your physician about a long-term allergies shot to help you through the spring months when pollen is extremely high.

Home Not Selling? The Two Real Reasons Why (and How to Avoid Them)

For sale sign in front of home

Every real estate market, in any economy, has a number of homeowners dismayed about their home not selling. These houses just sit on the market. They become stale inventory, frustrating the home seller, real estate agents, and even buyers (yes, buyers).

Over the last three years, I’ve had the very unique opportunity to travel to a number of states and have multi-hour, face-to-face conversations about local real estate markets with scores of real estate agents. Some work with our brokerage, many with other brokerages.

These agents may work in urban, suburban, or rural markets. A lot of these agents work in my niche of real estate: lake homes and land. However, I have also spent a very significant time with agents who focus on typical primary residential homes.

The Two Reasons for a Home Not Selling

One topic I find interesting to discuss is the number of homes listed for sale for long periods of time, longer than should be expected. What factors lead to a home not selling? Here is something I’ve learned, something that is very consistent across every market.

There are ONLY two reasons for a home not selling in a reasonable amount of time. Only two. Either:

1. The home lacks proper market exposure and/or

2. The home is not priced appropriately.

That’s it. Every other issue will fall as a subset of one of these two reasons.

Lack of Proper Market Exposure

One reason for a home not selling is it has not been marketed correctly. The homeowner and their agent are trying to sell a secret! If the potential buyers of this property don’t know it exists, the price is irrelevant. You can’t even give away something if no one knows about it.

By “not marketed correctly,” I don’t necessarily mean not marketed at all. The home must be marketed to THE RIGHT prospective buyers.

For instance, a “For Sale” sign in the yard may look great but the neighbors and their friends are rarely going to buy that home. How do you reach the buyer who is somewhere else than around the corner?

For sale or for rent maybe

Lack of precision marketing is one of several reasons why For-Sale-By-Owner homes are typically much slower to sell. These homes may not be on the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which feeds a host of real estate websites. Even if the home is listed in the MLS,  there may not be enough other marketing efforts to break through the thousands of homes typically for sale in each market.

While in a few markets an open house may be a viable marketing tool, this typically makes the seller feel happy but often does little to find the right buyers. The same can be said about much of the local print advertising.

What Creates Proper Market Exposure

The most productive marketing in today’s world of real estate is online marketing coupled with strong agent presence. By online, I’m not limiting this to a Multiple Listing Service and websites like Zillow and Realtor.com.

I’m talking about very focused marketing for homes directed at the correct potential buyers.

This targeted marketing uses an understanding of the age, financial status and motivation of the right buyers for each particular home.

Zillow on iPhone mobile device

Highly targeted online marketing can include specialty websites, targeted online ads, and targeted and boosted social media engagement. And these are rarely free, even if it is just the significant time required to present the home and community correctly to the targeted buyer population.

Want to sell a home? First, make sure the most likely buyers can easily learn about it.

Home is Not Priced Appropriately

When I say a home is not priced appropriately, I don’t necessarily mean that it must be the lowest price in its local market. (Although rare, I’ve seen instances were even underpricing created problems. But that is a story for another day).

Instead, an appropriately priced home will be seen as reasonably priced when all other factors are considered.

Those factors include house condition, neighborhood, school system, local real estate market conditions, location, lot size, traffic, next-door neighbors, house age, nearby culture/restaurants/shopping/parks, historical significance, public services and a host of other items.

Person holding set of keys with dollars and change next to figurine of house

If there are problems with the home, smart pricing can overcome those issues. No matter how bad the issues are with a home, pricing can still make the home appealing to someone.

Let’s consider a home for sale with reasonable market exposure.

If that home has been on the market for a period as short as two weeks without much buyer interest, the market is speaking. No, correction… the market IS YELLING! The market is letting the seller know the home is not appropriately priced. Period.

Buyers Understand Prices (Better than Most Sellers)

Today’s buyers are savvy. They research online, they watch home prices, and they know an overpriced home quickly. You WILL NOT fool these buyers into even touring a significantly overpriced home. Their time is valuable and house hunting starts at home (or, admit it, at work) on the Internet.

Woman using laptop to look up real estate

Even if you do fool buyers into coming to see an overpriced home with careful photography and crafty descriptions, if the home is much less than the buyers expect, you will piss them off for wasting their time. They will feel deceived and likely never make an offer.

Buyers are often much better than sellers at understanding the reality of homes not selling. When setting the price of a home, the smart seller will work hard to think like the informed buyers, avoiding the emotional (and false) price justifications.

The Danger of Starting High then Cutting the Price

A home seen as overpriced will be left by buyers to soften… or rot.

Even if price drops begin, this signals to the home buyers they can continue to wait. They know more price drops will be coming (even when the seller has not realized it yet).

As more time passes, even with price cuts, the home now develops a compounding problem. “What’s wrong with it? Why has it been on the market for so long?”

A high number of “Days on Market” can lead even newly interested buyers to avoid the home, regardless of price, out of doubt or fear of an unknown issue.

home not selling price reduced home sign

Repeated price cuts also suggests to buyers that the seller is willing “to make a deal.” So when buyers finally do decide to make an offer, they will often make a very low offer, genuinely expecting the seller to continue price cutting.

Over time, multiple price drops signal that price cuts are (finally) acceptable to the seller, so buyers will expect another big price cut before they buy. And the seller has themselves to blame for the home not selling, as they repeatedly helped train the buyers to think this way.

Even in markets with a large number homes that are not selling, many buyers can and will wait until the market prices adjust downward.

Sellers who believe they are smarter than the market (that is, smarter than the buyers) often win the “prize” of keeping their house (and its associated expenses) for even longer.

How To Get a Home Sold

There are many factors that can help sell a house quickly and for a satisfactory price.

The key is that, when all things are considered, the home is directly marketed to the correct potential buyers and the price makes this house one of the best values in that neighborhood.

Saving up money to buy a lake house

If you use a real estate agent, don’t just pick a friend or a friend-of-a-friend. Evaluate them. Find out how they really will market the home. See if they know who the likely buyer will be AND how to reach them. Your agent should have a process, a success history, and be able to communicate all of this very clearly.

Forget the emotional “logic” of house pricing. Use current market data about SOLD homes (not list prices) to set a price the buyer will believe is reasonable.

Want a higher price for your home? Then do real improvements to increase the real and perceived value. Make sure the home and yard is in great condition, clean, well-staged, smells great, and feels bright. Be sure the right buyers know all this through accurate and truthful marketing. Hire an agent who can target market and is up-to-date on marketing techniques.

Even when done right, finding a home buyer for your home can take some time. Increase the odds of a timely sale by pricing appropriately and marketing directly to the right buyers.

Greater Challenges when Selling a Lake Home

Niche property, such as lake real estate, can make the market exposure and pricing challenges become even more obvious. The buyers for such property are rarely local, so exposure to the right buyers in other cities and states is critical.

Furthermore, lake home and land values vary more than in typical residential real estate markets. This makes it very hard for home owners (and inexperienced lake agents) to determine the correct marketable price.

Lake House on the Water
Photo courtesy of BeachPretty.

If you have a lake home or land you are simply considering selling or your home is not selling, you may need more expert help. The nation’s largest lake-focus real estate company, Lake Homes Realty, has agents in many lake markets. These lake real estate agents and brokers can give you market-specific advice and expert guidance.

A Lake Homes Realty agent can also help you determine if now is a good time to sell and provide unique information about the current market price expectations. They have access to technology to help your home be found by buyers from other cities and states (as many buyers for lake real estate are not local). You can learn more at Selling a Lake Home.

Whether a home is located downtown, in the suburbs, in a rural market or in a specialty niche like lake real estate, the reasons a home does not sell are rarely complicated. The right buyers have to know about it AND the property has to be priced within the market’s current and real expectations. Period.

Trying (or rather pretending) to sell otherwise is usually a waste of time and, typically, money.

Outdoor Fun At the Lake: Cornhole

Cornhole is a fun recreational activity similar to a bean bag toss game. It is played on a lawn and requires players to throw bean bags at raised platforms. This has become a very popular game to play at picnics, tailgating, and other social events.

The great thing about cornhole is that you can build a cornhole set with just a few supplies. Also, it takes hardly any time at all. In fact, you can build your set and start playing as soon as this weekend!

Regulations

The American Cornhole Association states that platforms must be 48 inches by 24 inches in a rectangle shape made from plywood of about one half an inch thick.

The front part of the platform will be about 2.5 to 4 inches in height, and the back will be about 12 inches or so off of the ground. Bags, according to regulation standards, need to be made out of a duck canvas filled with corn feed and can only be 6 inches wide.

Corn Hole BoardYou are able to purchase these bean bags online for about $30. There are also ones that are filled with plastic and that are weatherproof, so if you leave the bean bags out in the rain, they will not be damaged.

Fun to Play Anywhere, Anytime!

Cornhole has taken off in popularity thanks to its simplicity and ease of transport.

It is common to see cornhole sets while tailgating for sports, at local breweries and pubs, and is even commonplace in your typical backyard.

Cornhole also pairs well with grilling. Particularly at the lake, you are provided spectacular views while the game is being played!

Supplies That You Will Need

The following is a list of basic supplies to give you an idea of what you will need:

  • Two 24 inch by 48 inch plywood sections for the bean bag landing zone
  • Four 2×4 x 21 for the frame
  • Four 2×4 x 11 and a half pieces for the legs
  • Circular saw or jig saw
  • Drill
  • Router
  • Hardware for the frame

For fully detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to construct your own set, visit the Cornhole How-To website. In addition to the free information on how to build a set, the site also offers an e-book for $4.99. This book details advanced game techniques as well as step-by-step picture instructions.

Whether you’re having a picnic or a cookout, or simply a fun Sunday afternoon, cornhole can be fun for everyone involved. It should not take more than a day to build your set, and then you will be able to enjoy it any time you want.

For more family fun article, check out our stories about geocaching and the hottest summer must-have lake toys of last year!

5 of the World’s Largest Man-Made Lakes

5 of the largest man made lakes

When dams are built, they create man-made lakes or reservoirs.

These dams and resulting lakes are important to society as they provide areas with water for drinking, farming irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and flood management.

While none of the world’s five largest reservoirs are located in the United States, it is interesting to take note just how big these completely man-made bodies of water are.

For comparison purposes, the following list contains the square mileage of several of the lakes in the LakeHomes.com footprint:

Smith Lake, AL: 33 square miles
Lake Lanier, GA: 59 square miles
Lake Murray, SC: 77 square miles
Tellico Lake, TN: 24 square miles
Lake Hartwell,GA/SC: 87 square miles
Kerr Lake NC/VA: 78 square miles
Lake Marion SC173 square miles

Guri Reservoir

guri reservoir with rushing water

The Guri Dam is located in the Bolivar State in Venezuela. Built on the Caroni River, the dam was opened in 1978.

The Guri Reservoir has a surface area of more than 1,640 square miles.

This dam has a power station that includes 21 turbines with the capacity of producing 10,235 megawatts of energy. It has an annual generation of approximately 47,000 gigawatts.

Lake Nasser 

serene lake nasser during the day

Lake Nasser is a reservoir located in the south of Egypt. The lake is approximately 341 miles long and 22 miles wide at its widest part.

This man-made lake has a surface area of 2,030 square miles. The deepest part of this lake measures 600 feet.

The majority of the lake lies in Egypt, but a section of the reservoir is also located in Sudan. The Sudanese refer to the body of water as Lake Nubia.

Bratsk Reservoir

The Bratsk Reservoir was constructed in Russia, on the Angara River, in 1967. This enormous body of water covers more than 2,110 square miles and is named after the nearby city of Bratsk.

the bratsk reservoir in russia located on the angara river

Lake Kariba

lake kariba, Zimbabwe sunset

Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume, but not by surface area.

The reservoir covers 2,150 square miles and is approximately 140 miles long by 20 miles wide.

Lake Kariba is located between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Studies have shown that the massive amount of water even caused seismic activity in the area, resulting in several earthquakes!

Lake Volta

lake volta located in ghana during the day

Lake Volta is located in Ghana and was built in 1965.

This enormous body of water covers a whopping 3,275 square miles and is bigger than the land area of Rhode Island and Delaware combined!

Lake Marion, one of the largest lakes in the South, could fit into the same area almost 20 times over!

There are, of course, bigger lakes by volume, as well as much larger naturally occurring lakes, but when it comes to man-made lakes and areas that they cover, these five take the top spots!

You might also enjoy: Top 5 American Lakes with the Highest Elevation

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