Heading into 2025, you might consider buying or selling a lake home. Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty, shares 5 helpful reminders about lake real estate in 2025.
Price Includes Location. Many lake home buyers, particularly first-time buyers, don’t realize the impact of the lake location on price. You may not be able to get the same amount of house at the lake as you would in your neighborhood because of the location.
“Sellable” Inventory is Limited. Over the last several months, the number of homes listed for sale has increased, and there’s also a lot of demand. However, since these homes have been sitting on the market, they aren’t appropriately priced. Many sellers are listing at aspirational prices to get a lottery ticket price. This means “sellable,” or appropriately priced, inventory is actually limited.
Prices Are Roughly At Peak. Throughout 2024, price appreciation became fairly limited. Lake home prices aren’t expected to significantly rise or drop.
Discretionary Product. Nobody has to buy a lake home for shelter. Unlike typical residential property, buyers can wait until they find what they want. This is also true for sellers. Lake home sellers generally aren’t in a rush to sell, so they can hold onto the property longer.
Niche Expert Agents Matter. Lake homes come with different contingencies that primary residential properties don’t have. Additionally, discretionary lake home buyers come from cities and states away. Expert lake agents can navigate this market and expose homes to nationwide buyers.
Lake real estate can be a tricky market to navigate and understand. With these tips, you’ll be better prepared to buy or sell your lake home in 2025. Visit lakehomes.com to connect with expert lake agents who are ready to help you navigate this market.
Selling your lake home is a big deal, so you’ll want to do it right. Glenn Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty, discusses 5 mistakes made by lake home sellers.
What Seller Paid for the Property. Similar to stocks, you often can’t sell your lake home for exactly what you bought it for. The buyer doesn’t care about how much you paid for the house years ago.
Price of Listed (i.e. Unsold) Homes. If the listed homes were priced right, they would be sold homes. When these homes sit for a while, it should be a warning about the price. Your neighbors aren’t getting that number, so it’s unlikely you will, too.
Seller’s Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Oftentimes, sellers get caught up in what they’ve done to the property or the memories they have there. However, buyers aren’t interested in those things; they care about the house’s value, according to them. In fact, sellers often intend to remove additions to the home the buyer made, creating negative value.
Outlier Sales. When a home sells for a fantastic price, sellers often want to get that price themselves. However, the price alone doesn’t tell the whole story of that transaction. There could be things like closing costs, additional property, and more that the price included that make the price deceptive.
Taking Offers Personally. Even if the “low” offer is fair, but under the listed price, you can’t get offended by it. A low offer is better than no offers. Low offers open the opportunity for discussion about prices that no offers don’t allow for. Keep the discussion going, and try to land that transaction.
Lake home sellers can often make mistakes when they aren’t familiar with lake property. Using these tips can help guide you to a better transaction. Visit lakehomes.com to connect with expert lake agents ready to guide you through the lake market.
“Underpinned by our desire for everyday pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence,” adds Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe.”
Instilled with understated elegance and a sense of organic earthiness, this richly appetizing hue appeals to our deep desire for comfort, enveloping us in sensorial warmth with its flavorful suggestions of cacao, coffee, and chocolate. Its universal appeal and infinite versatility make it an effortless shade to incorporate into your lake home environment. Applied liberally throughout your spaces or subtly with quiet accents, this approachable, user-friendly shade will transport your senses into the pleasure and deliciousness it inspires.
There is a growing movement to align ourselves more closely with the natural world. Characterized by its organic nature, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse honors and embraces the sustenance of our physical environment. Imbued with authenticity, it finds harmony and balance between the demands of modernity and the timeless beauty of artful creation.
“The everlasting search for harmony filters through into every aspect of our lives, including our relationships, the work we do, our social connections, and the natural environment that surrounds us,” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “Harmony brings feelings of contentment, inspiring a positive state of inner peace, calm, and balance while being tuned in with the world around us. Harmony embraces a culture of connection and unity as well as the synthesis of our mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. With that in mind, for Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a color that reaches into our desire for comfort and wellness and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.”
As comforting as it is approachable, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse harmonizes seamlessly with a broad range of color tones. Mix it with luscious creams and decadent chocolates that instantly conjure a warmly elegant ambiance. Or create vibrant color contrast with rich orchid tones, deep turquoise, and mustard-tinged yellows.
Pantone Palettes
For playful inspiration, check out these Pantone Color of the Year Palettes featuring Uniquely Balanced, Floral Pathways, Deliciousness, Relaxed Elegance, and Subtle Contrasts. “Infused with subtle elegance and earthy refinement, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse presents a discrete and tasteful touch of glamour,” Eiseman adds. “A flavorful brown shade, Mocha Mousse envelopes us with its sensorial warmth.”
So, whether you apply a little or a lot, the choice is yours to select a palette that reflects your individual taste and lake lifestyle. You can also introduce soft touches throughout your home with accent pieces, including artwork, lamps, rugs, pillows, throws, and tableware.
This exclusive collaboration between custom furniture manufacturer Joybird and Pantone seeks to redefine how we perceive neutrals in our homes. A collection of sumptuous Mocha Mousse-inspired upholstered pieces enables Joybird’s clientele to embrace luxurious tranquility while indulging in creature comforts through fabrics that are both accessible and aspirational.
“The collaboration features Joybird’s top-selling performance fabric, Royale, and stars the Pantone Color of the Year 2025, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, available in over 300 of Joybird’s silhouettes, including sofas, sectionals, sleeper sofas, upholstered bed frames, accent chairs, ottomans, pillows, slipcovers, and more,” say the color experts at Pantone. A fine knit velvet weave selected explicitly for its silk-like hand, Royale provides an exceptional sense of warmth, indulgence, and comfort. Shop the collection at Joybird as well as all 12 Joybird showrooms.
Soothe your senses by infusing your spaces with this richly mellow-brown hue that is both grounding and sophisticated. Spoonflower’s partnership with Pantone for the Pantone Color of the Year 2025 “brings together the authority in color and the authority in surface pattern design,” say the Pantone color experts. “Four distinguished Spoonflower Independent Artists have unveiled exclusive designs for print-on-demand wallpaper, fabric, and home décor—bringing the Pantone Color of the Year 2025 to life. The creativity continues in January with two Spoonflower Pantone Color of the Year 2025 Design Challenges. With everything from floral-printed wallcoverings to graphically-inspired runners, cocktail napkins, pillows, and throw blankets, The Spoonflower x Pantone Collection celebrates PANTONE 17-1320 Mocha Mousse in superb style.
To further celebrate the universal appeal of Mocha Mousse in the home, Pantone partners with Society6, an artist-driven e-commerce retailer selling wall art, home décor, accessories, and apparel. With impeccable designs suiting styles for every personality, Society6 offers bespoke made-to-order creations from independent artists with more than 75 premium products, including art prints, throw pillows, curtains, rugs, iPhone cases, bedding, and more. Shop exclusive artist-designed pieces featuring Pantone’s Color of the Year 2025 and discover how unique creative minds reimagined PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse in this limited edition Society6 x Pantone collection.
Collaborating with Pantone for the third year, the Japanese-crafted, New York-based Ultrafabrics will share its expertise through interactive events, exclusive color palettes, and color customization across the brand’s vast range. “Together, they will tap into the essence of PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse by celebrating the harmonious balance between modern design and timeless simplicity,” say the Pantone color experts, “inspiring designers to create interiors that evoke sensorial comfort, connection, and warmth.” Constantly pioneering new ideas and partnering with leaders in 11 industries, including Jaguar Land Rover, Fitbit, MillerKnoll, Airstream, Virgin Galactic, and Gulfstream, the brand’s bold vision continues to demonstrate how color can revolutionize interior environments. To learn more about their Pantone partnership, visit Ultrafabrics.
As you seek out the cozy moments at your lake home this year, let PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse inspire harmonious comfort, thoughtful indulgence, and feelings of contentment throughout your spaces. From all of us at Lake Homes Lifestyles—may your 2025 reveal a warm and mindful sense of renewal.
New Year’s Day at the lake is a perfect time for a relaxed, make-ahead brunch that lets you ease into 2025! It can be a cozy and intimate meal or a celebration surrounded by friends and family. If you’re a lake enthusiast who loves spending time at your retreat over the holidays, you most likely already know how stress-free it can be when you have things prepped and ready before the ball drops. After all, New Year’s Eve is about festivities—staying up late, enjoying the night’s buzz, and perhaps watching fireworks over the water. So why not make the next morning easy on yourself? Make-ahead brunch dishes mean you can wake up at your leisure, grab a fresh cup of coffee, and indulge in a warm, flavorful meal without the fuss of cooking everything from scratch.
With that in mind, here are some fantastic make-ahead brunch ideas—from savory one-dish wonders and seasonal veggie sides to fresh fruit, warm bread, and a sweet dessert starter or finale. Plus, we’ve included a brunch cocktail to toast the new year! These recipes ensure everyone can relax and enjoy a comforting lakeside brunch, kickstarting the new year with great food, laughs, and breathtaking waterfront views.
Welcome the new year in style, and bring on the comfort food! This hearty egg casserole is a crowd-pleaser, loaded with Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and melted cheese over chunks of sourdough bread. It’s also easy to assemble the night before. Simply refrigerate overnight to let the bread soak in all those delicious flavors. Bake in the morning until golden, and serve hot for a complete, gratifying brunch dish. For the full recipe, visit Simplicity and a Starter.
For all the veggie lovers, this is for you! Packed with vibrant fresh veggies, this colorful frittata offers a yummy and nutritious start to the year. Perfectly balanced with earthy roasted vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and sharp feta cheese, this comforting egg dish hits the spot after a festive evening—especially if you overindulged the night before. Made with red bell pepper, zucchini, green onions, and broccoli, this warm and savory dish promises to be a brunch favorite you’ll want on repeat. It’s ideal for prepping beforehand—whisk, pour, and bake. You can also serve it at room temperature if you’d rather sleep in a bit. Visit The Mediterranean Dish for the recipe.
Bring a spicy kick to an ordinary fruit salad with Angostura bitters, Tajín Clásico (chili lime seasoning), nutmeg, and honey. The warming spices introduce a bit of winter flair to this eye-grabbing mix of fresh berries, stone fruit, melons, mangoes, pineapple, and kiwi. An unexpected twist on the familiar, this decidedly exotic Honey and Bitters Fruit Salad yields vibrant tastes that are both fresh and exciting. Allow the fruit to mingle in the honey and spice dressing for at least 10 minutes before eating to experience the full flavor sensation. You can also chill the salad overnight and cut the fruit into larger pieces to preserve some of the texture. Visit Bon Appétit for the recipe.
A fall harvest specialty you can also serve in winter, this root vegetable salad makes a colorful and healthy presentation at your make-ahead brunch table. This hearty side dish or light entrée features carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, and onions roasted with honey and fresh sage. The secret is to roast first, then brush with honey topped with fragrant sage, and roast again until your glaze is sticky-sweet. Serve on a bed of arugula dressed in vinaigrette and topped with herbed goat cheese. For a satisfying complement to your salad and your entire brunch menu, check out this Cheesy Herb Pull Apart Bread recipe you can make the day before and refrigerate before baking.
This ridiculously easy overnight casserole is your go-to if you want to wake up to something sweet and decadent on New Year’s Day. A delectable take on traditional cinnamon rolls, these beauties are drizzled with cream cheese icing and require no mixing or rolling out dough. Made with cubed challah (a traditional braided Jewish bread) drenched in milk, eggs, and cinnamon, the dish comes together in a snap and refrigerates overnight before baking in the morning.
You can also substitute with brioche if challah bread is unavailable. When you’re ready to throw this in the oven, drizzle on a cinnamon, sugar, and butter mixture over your casserole and bake for 25 minutes. While baking, you’ll have plenty of time to whisk together a heavenly cream cheese icing to wow your family and guests. You can serve this with coffee first thing in the morning or with your other brunch fare. Click here for the recipe and some helpful tips.
Bring some effervescence to your celebration with this Sparkling Citrus Champagne Punch. This easy-to-make punch combines the brightness of citrus with the crisp bubbles of champagne—perfect for toasting in the new year. And what’s even better? There is no prep. Simply combine the fruit juices of your choice, your champagne (Prosecco and other sparkling wines work well, too), and some ice just before serving. This recipe calls for freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices, but you can use whatever you’d like, including store-bought juices, pineapple juice, and other citrus blends. For this recipe, visit Sweet Life.
The lake real estate market is a unique type of market. Glenn Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty, discusses six things to know about this niche real estate market.
Unofficial Recession. Homes aren’t moving in the current market. Across the entire industry, it will be the lowest number of transactions in almost 30 years. This trend also applies to lake property.
Inventory Has Grown. More houses are on the market, so it looks like we aren’t in a recession. However, despite the strong demand for these houses, people won’t pay current prices.
“Phantom Inventory.” This is inventory listed at a price that buyers aren’t willing to make an offer on. Sellers set these aspirational prices to get their homes sold at their lottery ticket price.
Aspirational List Prices. You likely won’t get any engagement if you sell and list for an aspirational price. In fact, it damages how much money you’ll get over time. Once a home has been on the market for a long time, buyers begin to wonder if there’s something wrong with the house.
Prudent Buyers. Lake home buyers want what they want but aren’t willing to overpay for it. Prudent buyers and aspirational list prices create this unofficial recession.
Next: No Boom, No Bust. Lake real estate won’t experience more inventory to change pricing. Additionally, the lake market won’t bust with changing mortgage rates. So, lake real estate will be steady, with the same prices. Inventory will also loosen up a bit, with sellers becoming more practical and prudent buyers becoming impatient.
Lake real estate has several nuances that are not present in other real estate markets. With these tips, you can more successfully navigate this market. Visit lakehomes.com to connect with expert lake agents ready to help you.
During winter at the lake, outdoor activities aren’t always in the cards. Sometimes, you just want to get cozy on your front porch with a nice, hot beverage. Whether you choose a simple cup of herbal tea or a flavorful peppermint mocha, nothing is better than a little wintertime warmth. Check out these best winter beverages to enjoy at the lake for some recipe inspiration. All you need is a mug!
Mochas are the delicious intersection between chocolate and coffee. With this sweet, caffeinated beverage from Taste of Home, you also get hints of cinnamon. The mix of flavors is the perfect drink to transition your palate from late fall to early winter. Since this recipe makes six servings, it’s perfect for a group gathering at your lake house.
Ingredients:
6 cups of hot coffee
¾ cup half and half cream
6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
7 teaspoons sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
Whipped cream
Directions: Combine coffee, cream, chocolate syrup, and sugar into a large saucepan and stir over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved, pour into six mugs and stir with a cinnamon stick.
Nothing says “winter holidays” like a mug filled with eggnog. As the name suggests, it consists of several egg yolks mixed with milk-based ingredients and warm flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. This classic recipe from Stay at Home Chef can be served both with or without alcohol — and it’s delicious either way.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups milk
4 cinnamon sticks
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
7 egg yolks
¾ cup white sugar
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions: Mix the milk, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and vanilla into a saucepan on the lowest heat for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Then, turn the heat under the milk to medium high and remove the cinnamon. Whisk in ¼ of the hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture, then pour it all into the saucepan. Whisk for 3 minutes. Then pour eggnog into a large bowl and let it cool for one hour. Finally, stir in the remaining ingredients and cool for 4 hours.
For a warm alcoholic beverage that’s perfect for wintertime, look no further than mulled wine. This recipe from Cookie and Kate combines quintessential cold-weather seasonings such as cinnamon, anise, cloves, oranges, and cranberries and marinates them in warm wine on a stovetop. Serve fresh to a group of guests at cocktail hour.
Directions: Slice oranges and place into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Squeeze juice from remaining oranges into the pot. Pour wine, then brandy into the pot and add 1 tablespoon of sweetener. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves. Warm mixture over medium heat until steaming, then reduce heat when you see bubbles. Continue to add sweetener to taste, then serve with your desired garnishes!
Ditch the Swiss Miss instant packets in favor of this amazing hot chocolate recipe from Striped Spatula. From a health standpoint, the peppermint flavoring provides digestive benefits, while the chocolate and marshmallows bring out an extra element of sweetness.
Serving size is 1 large or 2 small mugs.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
¼ cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
3 ounces of finely chopped semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Whipped cream, marshmallows, crushed candy canes
Directions: whisk together milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extracts, and salt. Heat on the stove until bubbles form. Reduce to low heat, add chocolate and extracts, then whisk together until melted and thickened. Pour into a mug and top with marshmallows and candy canes.
If you’re looking for a less sweet, more citrus flavor, try out this spiced cider recipe from Tablespoon. The mixture of fruit flavors and autumnal spices makes for a flavorful afternoon treat.
Ingredients:
1 can of Mango Orange frozen juice concentrate
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
3 whole cinnamon sticks
1 sliced orange
1 tablespoon of whole cloves
1 vanilla bean
½ tablespoon almond extract
Directions: pour juice concentrate into a large pot, then add 60 ounces of water. Add pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon sticks, orange slices, cloves, vanilla bean, and almond extract. Heat over low heat and allow flavors to melt together for 20-30 minutes. Serve in big mugs with gingersnaps.
We hope these beverages help you stay warm and cozy at the lake!
When selling your lake home, and especially when setting your price, you need to think like a buyer. Glenn Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty, shares a few questions to get you in the buyer mindset.
“Would I Rent This?” Think about whether or not you would rent your property for a week if you saw it on rental websites. Try to take emotion out of your thinking and act as if you’ve never seen it before.
“Would I Rent This Again?” After asking yourself if you would rent your property, ask if you would rent it again. Think about if your house has things that would make you come back over other lake properties.
“Would I Pay More Than List?” Before setting a price, ask yourself if you would pay more than the price you plan to list.
“Would I Buy at This Price?” You should also consider if you would pay the current list price of the property. The price you paid for the house a few years ago is probably relatively the same, if just slightly higher.
“Is it The Best Value In This Market?” The best value doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest price. Working with an expert lake agent helps you determine if your property is the best value in your market. Additionally, you want your property to be the best value compared to other lakes.
When It Doesn’t Sell, You Won the Bidding! Every day your property doesn’t sell, you win the bidding by getting to keep it for another day. This can help you determine if you need to change your mindset to a buyer’s perspective.
Selling your home can be challenging if you don’t have the right mindset. Using these questions and guidelines helps you to think like a buyer and get your lake property sold. Connect with expert lake agents at lakehomes.com and sell your home faster.
With wintertime approaching and the holiday season in full swing, we’ll be spending a lot of time in our lake houses. As such, it’s bound to be a cozy few months filled with blankets, hot chocolate, and books by the fireplace. These activities evoke a sense of comfort and relaxation, which is better encapsulated by the Swedish word hygge. Pronounced “hoo-gah,” this concept is all about finding a state of contentment. To help you get into the spirit of coziness this winter, we’ve compiled this ultimate hygge playlist. Between classical music and instrumental covers of your favorite songs, we’ve got you covered!
Sweet Night Instrumental – V
Beautiful (Instrumental) – Crush
The Four Seasons – Violin Concerto in F – Antoni Vivaldi
Moonchild Ballad (Instrumental) – Lyn
Hygge – Lizlov
Strawberry Moon (Instrumental) – Lydia Luce
Please Forget Me Instrumental – Standing Egg
Give You My Heart (Instrumental) – IU
September Song – Agnes Obel
Copland: Appalachian Spring: VII – Aaron Copeland
Valse du caribou – Hannu Kella, Matit ja Maijat
Here Comes the Sun – Alan Jameson
Take My Hand (Instrumental) – JANNABI
Hygge – Miro
In Your Eyes – Leonardo Reyes
What a Wonderful World – Wayne Mack
Canarios – Gaspar Sanz, Rolf Lislevand
Visa vid vindens angar – Adrian Edblad
Thank You For the Music (Instrumental) – Benny Andersson
All Night Long – Car, the garden
How Far Will I Go – Tim Raymond
Circles – Mike Ilyas
Krivo polska – Hazelius Hedin, Esbjorn Hazelius
Intentions – Jean Cruiz
Photo of My Mind (Instrumental) – Song Ga In
Game of Thrones Theme (Piano & Cello) – Benny Martin, The Wong Janice
The Sound of Silence (Instrumental Guitar) – Guus Dielissen
Le Festin – Cao Son Nguyen
Northern Lights – Charles Avnik
Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major – Johann Sebastian Bach
Moon River – Gustav Lundgren
Colors of the Wind – Ned Michales
Hallelujah – Eddy Tyler
River Flows in You (Solo Cello Version) – Nikola Zolkiewska
Rainbow (Instrumental) – Allen & Bright, Lance Allen
Someone Else’s Story – Benny Andersson
Annie’s Song (Instrumental) – Lance Allen
Somewhere Only We Know – Jesse Brown
Moondance – Midnite String Quartet
Dawn from “Pride & Prejudice” Soundtrack – Jean-Yves Thibaudet
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out our other playlists!
Sellers often get confused when their lake home doesn’t sell. Asking questions helps to get rid of the confusion, but some questions are better than others. Glenn Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty, discusses questions to avoid asking when your lake home doesn’t sell.
“How Many Views?” Sellers ask how many views their property has, but this can be deceptive. There’s no good answer to this question for sellers. If a property has millions of views, they’ll wonder why it hasn’t sold. If it doesn’t have any views, they wonder why it’s not getting exposure. The only number of views that matters is the one that buys the property.
“Can We Promote It ‘Better’?” Some agents promote homes better than others, so this can be a valid question. However, if the property is populating in the MLS and other websites, the consumer knows it’s there; they just aren’t willing to buy it.
“Have an Open House?” Buyers for lake homes typically come from some distance away. This means they won’t arrange their weekend around your open house schedule. They know if your home is for sale and they’re coming into town, they can see it.
“Should I Change Agents?” Has your agent properly promoted and priced your home and given sound advice? If they’ve done all this, you probably already have a good agent. Once they bring the buyers, it’s on you to get the negotiating going.
After Exposure, Price Fixes Everything. When asking yourself why your house hasn’t sold, the answer is almost always the price. An appropriate price will answer all of these questions.
Be the Best VALUE. This doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest price, but being at a price that people are willing to invest in your home. Buyers are ready to buy lake homes but aren’t willing to overpay.
Talk with your agent when confused about why your lake house isn’t selling. Every agent would bring a buyer if they knew one that would get a transaction. An unsold home always boils down to price. Visit lakehomes.com to connect with expert lake agents ready to help get your home sold.
