With high demand and low supply, selling your lake home might seem like the right move, but is it? Lake Homes Realty’s CEO, Glenn Phillips, gives reasons why you may want to reconsider letting go of your lake property now.
Lake Life Matters: If you love the lake lifestyle, life is too short not to enjoy it. Spend time making memories on the lake of your dreams.
Where Do We Go?: When your lake home is your primary residence, it can be daunting to find a new place to live. It could mean it’s time to make your lake home, your permanent home.
Money Does Not Matter: Even though we are currently in a seller’s market, if you’re in a stable financial situation, the money may not matter. The value of life at the lake may overshine the money you’d make from your home now.
Don’t let the lake life you love pass you by if you’re not ready to let it go. Take some time to enjoy your lake home before you put it on the market!
Upkeep and maintenance on a lake home can be tough, especially if it’s a second home. With vulnerability to dust, smoke, and other particles in the air, you’ll want a reliable air filtration system to keep your home air circulation clean and fresh. With so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose which works best for your lake house. Today, we’re taking a look at some of the best whole house air filters on the market in 2022. We’ll be including both small and large air purifiers, for a variety of lake house types!
We’ll start with the one which covers the smallest amount of space. The Alen BreatheSmart Air Purifier is ideal for homes that are 1100 square feet or less. With a unique HEPA filter, it can capture airborne bacteria and small particles that would otherwise float throughout your home. Extra quiet, this machine comes with a “pink noise” that helps you achieve better sleep. If you live with pets, this one is especially recommended for dust, dander, and pet fur. Plus it helps relieve symptoms of allergies and asthma!
The Medify MA air purifier is great for larger homes of up to 2,500 square feet. The HEPA H13 filtration system offers a powerful cleaning tool for these large spaces. It also offers automatic quality updates so you can be assured that each time you walk into your lake home, you’re achieving the best possible medical-grade filtration. With four fan settings (and the lowest one nearly completely silent), you can customize the speed and efficacy of this air filter to your preferences. It also comes with a child lock that works great for both kids and pets!
Small yet powerful, PureAir3000 Air Purifier cleans the air in spaces up to 3,000 square feet. Its size makes it simple to set up and use, and it doesn’t require frequent air filter replacement. In action, this air filter removes mold and other harmful pollutants, as well as invisible irritants and odors. It’s built to refresh the air even while you’re away, making this a perfect choice for a second home.
If you have an especially large lake house, the Aprilaire 5000 might be for you. According to product reviews, it’s able to filter more than 3,000 square feet of space. This high-tech filtration system can hold up to 400 pounds of air at once. Although it does require being plugged in to an outlet, it’s ultra-quiet, allowing you to hear the sounds of nature, rather than the whirring of an air filter. The best part — it’s great value for your money. If you were to leave this device on all day, every day, it would only cost $70 per year.
The Honeywell 5300 one doesn’t have the same “quiet” pro as the other options. However, its plentiful benefits outweigh this cost. According to its product reviews, it can clean a 4,500 foot home, making this option excellent for large lake homeowners. It contains three steps of filtration – the first step collects larger particles like dander and dust, the second step is the HEPA 13 filter, and the third is electrostatic technology which increases the air purification speed. As a bonus, the Honeywell 5300 has a low electricity cost. Lower than the typical whole-house air filter, it only uses 36 watts of power.
We hope you find the right whole house air filter for your lake home!
Increasing mortgage rates are inevitable, and as a lake homeowner, you need to know what that means for the value of your property. Lake Homes Realty’s CEO, Glenn Phillips, shares four things to consider as interest rates rise.
Less DIRECTLY Important: The fluctuation in mortgage rates will influence the demand for your home. Selling before the rise in mortgage rates will ensure a larger pool of interested buyers.
Slow Price Appreciation: With inventory being so high and demand being so low, prices have skyrocketed in recent times. The increase in mortgage rates will contribute to slowing this down.
Influences Buyer Mindset: As interest rates go up, buyer demand goes down. Inflation can cause buyers to be more conscious of their spending habits.
Think About Timing: If you want to maximize the return on your investment, you have to time the sale of your home to the market’s peak.
Owning a lake home is an investment, and as a homeowner, you want to maximize this investment when you’re ready to sell. Be sure to research the current state of the market before you decide to list your home!
One of the key ingredients for a quintessential summer night at the lake is outdoor lighting. With the right lights, the barbeque party doesn’t have to end after the sunsets. You can keep enjoying the outdoors, as well as the company of friends and family.
Previously on the Lake Homes Blog, we’ve covered a popular outdoor lighting choice — fire pits and various kits that make the setup easier. However, a fire pit isn’t the only option for lighting up the night in your backyard. There’s no shortage of creative ways to illuminate your landscape, from practical ideas like floodlights to more decorative options like lanterns. Today, we’ll be covering a non-exhaustive list of possibilities for inspiration.
Made to illuminate a stairway, entryway, or garage door, floodlights are perhaps the most functional of these outdoor lighting options. Designed to discourage intruders, floodlights emit a strong spotlight on a specific area of the home. Since they’re usually fixed to the home’s exterior, they are less useful in providing direct light to your backyard. However, these lights will help you and your guests easily navigate back to the house. Check out the best types of floodlights to include at your lake house.
As lake homeowners, we know curb appeal has two sides — the front yard and the lakefront. Path lights are perfect for installing along the walkway from your driveway to your home or on the pathway from your back door to your boat dock. Soft and moderately light, this form of outdoor lighting helps with both navigation and aesthetics.
Two primary options for path lights include solar or low-voltage wired lighting. If you have an outdoor outlet (also known as a CFGI outlet), you can run low voltage wired lights. Compared to solar outlets, these offer extra features like photo sensors and clock timers. They also may last longer because they don’t depend on the battery charge from a solar panel.
String Lights
String lights always give off a calming ambiance. The low voltage light and soft glow add perfect accent lighting for your yard that isn’t too harsh. These twinkling lights would look particularly stunning in a smaller enclave of your backyard, such as a gazebo or boat dock, especially on a top deck. The closer you get to the lake, the more critical it is to ensure that you’re choosing waterproof string lights.
Another way to protect these lights from water is to look for battery-powered or solar-powered lights. This way, you’re not reliant on electric plugs, which may be in danger on a rainy day. Lake Living Guide’s blog offers some insight on different types of outdoor string lights to choose from.
Another soft outdoor lighting option, lanterns are typically installed closer to the home to shed light on a front or back door. Usually made of glass and metal brushed with a metallic or black finish, lanterns evoke a classic and traditional look. However, lanterns also come in various styles, such as these rattan lanterns that showcase a more bohemian feel. You can also opt for the DIY paper lanterns route, following instructions like these from A Practical Wedding.
Embedded within the wood of an outdoor deck, these lights give off a medium to high-intensity glow. Usually installed on the stairs, they’re designed to help people navigate steps at night to avoid falling. Aside from their safety features, deck lighting also illuminates your nearby garden — functioning both for beauty and practical support. We hope these outdoor lighting ideas help you enjoy the summer at your lake house!
Do you own a lake house and are not sure whether or not you should keep it? Here are a few things to consider if you are on the fence about keeping or selling your lake home.
Use or habit? Do you use your lake home on a regular basis? If you find yourself not visiting the lake as often as you’d like, then odds are keeping your lake home is probably not worth the time or money.
Right size? Your kids might’ve moved out or you’ve added a few new family members since you first bought your home. So, the question is: “Is your lake home the right size for your life right NOW?” If the answer is no, then you might want to consider selling it.
Family REALLY use it? Would your family actually use it if it was inherited? Just because you enjoy having a lake home doesn’t mean your family would appreciate it as much as you did.
Duration of peak market? By holding on to your lake home for too long you might run to risk of missing out on the “peak” market. Lake real estate doesn’t always appreciate in value in the short-term interim.
Whether you’re buying or selling your lake home or property, our agents at Lake Homes Realty can help provide insight into today’s lake real estate market and guide you in your home journey.
Indoor plants add a sense of life to any room. A dull furniture set immediately becomes more colorful with hanging plants or potted flowers on a side table. Especially at a lake house, bringing the outdoors in is a relevant trend. It allows natural lakeside scenery to integrate into your home decor seamlessly. Plus, the beauty of indoor plants is that you aren’t bound by gardening zones.
Indoors, you can engineer the environment for them to grow. However, it would be best if you still considered seasonality for house plant care. As the seasons change, so do plants’ needs. For this season, check out these fall indoor plants to maintain your lake house’s bright, happy atmosphere.
Red aglaonema is one of the most colorful house plants with a green base. Its varying shades of red and pink add color variation to fall’s typical orangey-brown tones. Plus, it’s simple to care for this slow-growing plant that only requires indirect sunlight. That ability to use lower light environments makes it perfect for a home office.
If you’re working from your lake home during COVID-19, keep in mind that office plants have tons of psychological benefits from stress reduction to increased creativity. If you’re new to plant care, this is the perfect, low maintenance addition to your lake home.
Of all fall indoor plants, this one might be the easiest to grow. As a succulent, it tolerates low light and is quite forgiving towards forgetful owners. It’s considered a plant of steel due to its hardiness. This trait makes it perfect for a second home like a lake house, where you won’t be readily available for plant maintenance.
Snake plants are also strikingly beautiful with a combination of yellow, light green, and dark green. Additionally, it’s an unintrusive floor plant because its thick leaves grow upright. Like aglaonemas, they require indirect sunlight so you can place them in most rooms of your lake home — provided it’s not a pitch dark basement.
When it’s cold outside, and trees are bare, the amaryllis’s red, white, and pink shades add a rare vibrancy for your selection of fall indoor plants. Its colors also bring out a festive, decorative flare during the cold-weather holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
To grow them, pot the bulbs yourself and keep the soil damp but not wet. However, growing the bulb in water is also an option. Whichever you choose, remember to plant your amaryllis in a heavy pot. If the pot is too lightweight, the flower will keel over once it grew to full size.
Native to Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica, this house plant comes in 25 different types. Its name comes from the bright orange blooms that resemble goldfish among tiny dark leaves. These colorful blooms are most vibrant in the summertime. However, they’ll keep their fiery tone in the fall, as long as you care for it properly.
To keep your goldfish plant alive, place it in bright but not direct sunlight with some humidity. Because of its curved leaves, it looks attractive as a hanging plant.
You may think of aloe vera only in relation to sun protection. However, it’s status as one of the best fall indoor plants shouldn’t be ignored.
As a succulent, it’s tough and requires little water to stay alive. Mostly, it just needs indirect sunlight, making this plant perfect for your lake house’s kitchen or den.
Although its juices can aid in healing cuts and burns, be sure not to ingest this plant as its toxicity can cause nausea and indigestion.
As indicated by its name, the Christmas cactus’ beautiful colors will help you start celebrating the winter holidays. These tubular, bright blooms will be a perfect addition to your windowsill this fall.
Unlike typical cacti, this plant isn’t native to arid environments. It’s native to the rainforests in Brazil. Since they’re accustomed to humid environments like this, you’ll need to water more regularly.
Croton Plant
Photo courtesy of KOMARGALLERY/GETTY IMAGES via mydomaine.com.
When it comes to fall indoor plants, the croton plant is a particularly fun choice. Usually grown outdoors in tropical climates, it also makes a great house plant. The shades of dark gray, orange and yellow create a whimsical yet striking look.
Because it’s native to a tropical environment, it dislikes humidity. Keeping the plant on a pebble tray and regularly misting it should do the trick! Also, it’s crucial to avoid moving the croton plant if possible. It doesn’t like being transferred to new environments, and doing so will result in leaf loss.
If you’re in search of a tall, sturdy house plant, a rubber tree is perfect. When it’s young, it can fit comfortably on a desk. However, it can reach extraordinary heights. In the rubber tree’s native home of southeast Asia, it can grow up to 100 feet tall, and domestically, it stretches between six and ten feet. It prefers indirect light, so a placement by a sheer curtained window is perfect.
In addition to preparing your existing house plants for fall, we hope you add one of these new fall indoor plants to your collection. No matter which you choose, they’ll help evoke a peaceful atmosphere in your lake home.
The demand for screened-in porches keeps increasing — especially for lake houses. There are countless ways to use it. “It doesn’t have to be nice weather to enjoy it,” homeowner Barb Kurz told the Washington Post in an article about screened porch popularity. “Let’s face it; there’s a limited time to be completely outside.” During the fall, these systems are especially appealing. A screened porch setting exposes you to crisp, autumn air while maintaining a semblance of cozy indoor privacy. Essentially, it’s the best of both worlds.
But screened in porches have come a long way since their early days of wooden planks and staples. We chatted with Gregg Terry, marketing director of Phifer Inc., and Guerry Green, founder of Screen Tight, to learn the latest technology and trends. If you’re looking to build or remodel a screened-in porch at your lake house, check out these popular innovations in 2020.
If you’re a car owner, you might use Rain-X for your windshield to protect your car against the elements. Now, a similar technology exists for porches. As the largest screening company in the world, Phifer is a pioneer in this technological development. “We’ve taken two of our products, BetterVue and UltraVue, and treated them with a hydrophobic coating,” says Gregg. “When it rains, it sheds water without giving a ‘window paning effect’ in which screen holes fill with water.” This watershed technology has been a beloved product for a good reason. Aesthetically, it doesn’t leave rain residue, and functionally, it assists in keeping the screens cleaner for longer.
Many years ago, almost every screened in porch was identical. Now, you can choose among a wide variety of screen types. At Phifer, the three primary materials are fiberglass (most common), aluminum wire (most classic), and polyester (for specialty products like pet screening). Within those subgroups, you can pick your favorite style. Ultimately, your screened-in porch depends on what you prioritize. “You can’t have airflow and sun control at the same time,” explains Gregg. “When choosing your screen, the most important thing to decide is what’s important to you. Do you want sun blockage, pet control, or visibility?” To help you decide, check out Phifer’s screening quiz designed to help consumers pick their ideal screen based on their priorities.
For 30 years, Screen Tight’s best selling system, Original System, could be found in three million homes. While their original style is still popular, buyers have become interested in alternatives to the traditional wooden frame over time. In turn, Screen Tight has continued to innovate new products to cater to their customers. Guerry adds, “Aluminum and vinyl systems have been popular recently, and these styles are also low maintenance. A hot trend this year is a black border around the screen.” This way, homeowners can customize the material to their personal lake house aesthetic.
Especially at the lake, buyers want an unobstructed view from their back porch. While a screened-in porch is effective at insect prevention and providing some privacy, it, unfortunately, meddles with the lake view. To remedy this, lake homeowners have invested in heavy-duty screens with larger openings. Guerry says, “A design trend that we see is larger openings of 12 to 15 feet in the screened porch. It’s popular in Florida, but now we see it everywhere. It all goes back to having an unobstructed view.” For example, a product like MeshGuard eliminates the need for pickets or other visual blocks between you and your landscape.
Whether your home is old or new, a screened porch is part of the lake lifestyle. There’s nothing more relaxing than time spent on your screened-in porch with family and friends, protected from biting and annoying insects. We hope these new screen technologies and trends inspire you to create your dream porch!
Owning a lake home has countless perks — a peaceful family retreat, access to nature, etc. However, being a homeowner also comes with the less glamorous territory, which includes repairing foundation problems. Although this responsibility can be a headache, homeowners can benefit from developing competency in this prevalent issue. According to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, 25% of all U.S. homes will undergo some structural distress. Further, while winter presents concerns, summer is when foundation settling is most noticeable.
Although foundation issues are similar for both traditional and lake homes, lake homeowners must be extra cautious due to the surrounding body of water. Especially in the case of a house that isn’t properly elevated, the home is at greater risk for foundation damage. To answer lake homeowners’ key questions about this important topic, we connected with Chuck Naish, founder of City Residential Foundation Repair. With his advice, we’re here to help you keep your investment on solid ground.
Upon noticing a crack in the wall, many homeowners blame the original builder. However, most foundation problems are a result of active soil rather than human error. The damage is often due to either an excess or a shortage of water. Either can cause the soil beneath the home to shift over time. This movement disrupts the home’s foundation. Soil movement causes more property damage in the U.S. than natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. Active soil has several causes. First, a surplus of rain is common at the end of winter and spring, resulting in extra water in the soil and more leaks. This damage increases if your lake house is below a hill, which directs rainwater back towards the home. Chuck Naish adds that certain structural issues can exacerbate these leakages. For example, a cracked or broken gutter system causes improper drainage. Additionally, air pockets called “honeycombs” create cavities where water can easily enter and cause problems. Chuck comments, “These leaks can wreak havoc on the structure of your lake house, which could result in the need for costly repairs.”
Many homeowners downplay cracks in the wall, dismissing the issue as “not a big deal.” However, they can be cause for concern. Chuck specifies, “If a dime can fit into the crack, it could potentially lead to significant basement leaks.” He adds that it’s most crucial to conduct a thorough inspection before and after the winter and during the high-tide season when homes are most vulnerable to cracks. They can happen anywhere along the home’s foundation and can be of any size. However, horizontal cracks are more severe than vertical because they indicate increased pressure on the house. Besides cracks, other problematic clues include pooling water around the home’s exterior, mold growth, musty odors, and buckling floors. Since mold thrives in moist spaces, its presence points to leaks in the foundation.
Further, if you notice gaps under your window or have difficulty closing doors, it could mean trouble. To check if your foundation is shifting, set a tennis ball on the floor, and see if it rolls. If so, the floor is uneven.
If you’ve noticed foundation issues at your lake house, the next step is addressing them. For filling cracks in the wall, Chuck says that it’s integral to use the right material, which varies depending on the crack’s nature. “After that,” he comments, “it’s all about reinforcing the walls’ strength and integrity. That means filling the cracks, smoothening them out, and then sealing the material to further prevent water from entering and damaging the area.” For long term prevention of water damage, install a sump pump. Chuck explains, “Any water that poses a risk to your foundation will be collected in the sump basin and then directed away from your home.” This tool prevents and reduces flood damage. To correct existing damage that’s resulted in uneven surfaces, consider foam jacking. A modern alternative to “mudjacking”, foam jacking involves inserting a high-density expanding foam beneath the damaged surface. Then, the foam expands and lifts the foundation. This intense foam can lift thousands of pounds of concrete without infecting the soil with chemicals. Whether you’re repairing a wall, preventing future damage, or fixing existing damage, there’s a solution for you.
As lake homeowners, we love the water — just not when it’s in our home! If you’ve noticed signs of leakage and other foundation issues, no need to stress. Local foundation repair experts like Chuck are here to help, so reach out to them about potential solutions. Ultimately, the goal is to keep your lake house on solid ground so you can keep enjoying your investment.
If your lake home is not on a municipal sewer plant, you’re probably familiar with septic tanks. If you’re new to this topic, we’re here to help. Septic systems collect wastewater in domestic residences and are considered a simple OSSF (on-site sewage facility). At a lake home, septic tank upkeep is more crucial due to water contamination risks. To help you remain an informed lake homeowner, we consulted experts to answer frequent questions you may have about septic tanks.
There are two types of septic tanks — concrete and plastic. The concrete tank’s durability makes it the ideal choice. Plastic tanks are the default when the installation company can’t access the site with heavy concrete delivery equipment. “This can be due to trees, fences, power lines, property lines, steep lots, and landscaping,” explains Jeanie Lentz of Lentz Wastewater, whose company covers Lake Norman and the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Beyond these two categories, nine different systems exist. You can visit the Environmental Protection Agency website for full descriptions of each type of septic tank. According to Justin Edwards, a septic tank installation contractor from Michigan, chamber systems are best for a lake house. “These are popular near rivers and lakes where excess water is common,” he explains.
If your lake house’s septic tank isn’t a concrete chamber system, no need to worry. “Ultimately,” says Jeanie Lentz, “the best type of system is a system that’s installed appropriately by a licensed installer and properly maintained by the homeowner.” As such, proper maintenance is more important than the type of septic tank.
Your required clearance from a body of water depends on the state in which you’re located. However, the average distance that local ordinances mandate is 50 feet from springs, lakes, or water streams and 100 feet from any public water supply. To be safe, Mitch Turner from Septic Masters LLC recommends 100 feet of clearance for lake properties. Be sure to check local regulations in your lake area.
Mitch Turner advises checking your tank every three years. This can change depending on other factors, such as how many people live in the home and how often you use it. For instance, a house with a family of five members would need more regular maintenance than a household of two. Further, if you live permanently on the lake, you’d need to check the septic more often than if your lake house is a vacation home. Another consideration with your septic system is proximity to the water. If you’re living next to a lot of water overflow, Justin Edwards says it would be beneficial to check and empty the tank annually. “It’s very important to clean septic tanks routinely. Otherwise, all the toxins will build up and kill the bacteria that is responsible for breaking down the waste in the first place,” he says. You may also notice other clues that tell you it’s time for tank inspection. For instance, if you see wet spots, hear gurgling, or detect a bad odor, hire a professional to check your septic system.
How Much do Septic Tanks Cost?
Depending on the type of system, the cost of septic tanks can vary greatly. On average, it’s safe to assume you’ll be between $400-$800 out of pocket. This spend is not much different from a residential home unless your property requires you to invest in a less conventional septic tank.
However, keep in mind that this cost represents the tank itself, not including the installation process. For more insight, Home Advisor posts the national 2020 average total costs. According to this report, you can expect to pay around $6,216.
Is Septic Tank Maintenance Different at a Lake House?
At a lake house, more is at stake. “Maintaining water quality is the primary concern with any water-adjacent sanitary sewage system,” says Jesse Silkoff, founder and co-president of MyRoofing Pal. Lake homeowners have a responsibility to the nearby body of water.
Despite the higher call of duty, there should be no difference in your behavior at a residential home versus a lake home. For instance, in both houses, you would not pour chemicals down the drain, use the garbage disposal, or park near the septic tank. “The biggest difference would be how often you perform maintenance on it since you’ll want to clean and empty lake home septic tanks more regularly,” says Justin Edwards.
Even then, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for septic tank maintenance at a lake home. The type and cost of maintenance depend on the topography, presence of bedrock, the height of the water table, and type of soil. For instance, a North Carolina lake house is likely more rocky and elevated than a Wisconsin home.
There are multiple considerations when deciding on the type of system and its maintenance. Septic systems are often necessary for the lake homeowner due to the often rural locations of many lakes. Consult a local septic tank expert for personalized advice on the topic and remember to consider the septic system when buying, selling, or building your next lake home.
