FAQ About Lake Homes You May Not Have Thought About

The beautiful town of Claremont is home to some amazing lakefront homes. It is just one of the many reasons so many people love living in Claremont. Unlike a traditional land-locked home, there are more considerations to take into account when purchasing a lakefront property. Some you may have thought to ask and others you may not. Here are some good things to ask and consider when you are interested in purchasing a lakefront property that you may not have thought about.  FAQ About Lake Homes You May Not Have Thought About

Current State of the Home and Special Maintenance Required 

Living alongside a large body of water brings its own special set of maintenance requirements to a home. The added moisture in the air from living lakeside, for example, puts added wear on a home. Make sure you know the exact type of home you are purchasing from foundation to building materials to the land surrounding the home. This will help you to ask the proper questions from a home inspector on what special maintenance needs the home requires to keep it in great shape and help it stand up to the harsher environment.  

 

Do Your Homework on the Actual Lake Itself 

Each lake is different from the next and before buying a home along the shores of the lake you want to make sure it is one you are going to want to live by. Find out as much information about the specific lake the home is on that you can.  

 

Some great things to know about the lake you plan to live on are: 

  • Is the bottom rocky, sandy, or muddy? 
  • How busy does the lake get? 
  • What recreational activities are allowed? What are the limitations? You don’t want to plan to go jet skiing in the summers to discover the lake has a no motor craft rule. 
  • How is mosquito season? 
  • What wildlife live at the lake and how do they behave? 
  • Is the shoreline sandy/rocky/muddy? 
  • Does the water level rise and lower with the seasons or time of day? 
  • What are the native plants and do things like duckweed pose an issue? 
  • Has there ever been a flooding issue? Where is the flood line? 
  • What are the rules around boat access and private docks? How easy/difficult is it to get your particular boat in the lake? 
  • Are there any environmental protections? 
  • How deep is the lake near the shore, in the center, at certain areas? 
  • How clean is the lake water? Has it needed to be cleaned in the past? 

 

Is There a Lake Association? 

Who or what organization is in charge of lake upkeep and rule monitoring? It is a great idea to find out as much info about this organization from its rules to its organization and communication to what the board is like. These organizations vary drastically from neighborhood to neighborhood. If you are hoping to encounter a specific type of association it is best to know before your buy.  

 

Septic or Sewer? 

This is an important question as living on a septic system requires a different way of doing things than living on a public sewer system. If the property has septic there are things to consider like the condition of the system, the size of the system (important to know how much daily use it can handle), how often it requires pumping, and if the neighborhood plans to upgrade to sewer in the future (added cost to homeowners).  

 

Future Building 

If you are looking at a home that is fairly secluded it is good to look into the possibility of further development around the lake in the future. It could end up making your once beloved quiet spot a much more crowded space or even alter your personal view of the lake from your home.  

Another thing to look into is your ability to build other structures on your property. You don’t want to make plans for a boat or guest house in the future only to have them thwarted. 

 

Privacy 

Living right on the shores of a lake makes your yard visible to others on the lake. The closer your home is to the water the more boaters and other people on the water can see what is happening at your home. Ask yourself how much privacy you prefer to have and if the particular home you are interested in will provide that.  

Are you looking for a lake home in Clermont? I am happy to help you find and purchase the perfect waterfront home to meet your needs and lifestyle. Contact me anytime.  

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Potential Problems When Buying Water Front Homes

Potential Problems When Buying Water Front Homes

Living on the water front in Orlando is peaceful and tranquil. No one can argue with that, but you must protect it. How? By thinking through these top five issues with water front property and by doing so preventing the disruption of your peace and tranquility.

  1. Community Waterfront versus Private Waterfront.

Many waterfront and water access properties are located in developments where the original developer subdivided a large tract and reserved the waterfront for the use of all of the houses in the neighborhood. Homes in the interior of the development may be listed as “water access” properties and have affirmative rights to community beaches, boat ramps and other facilities. In many of these developments, there is also a strip of land that lies along the water and surrounds the entire community and was intended to allow for members of the community to walk and have access to the entire waterfront. The ownership structure of these walks can vary widely, but if they are present, there are special concerns for the homes nearest the water. Those homes may have the right to build and maintain a pier — but the pier may actually be owned by the community and be available for all of the members to use. Or there may be no right to a pier at all. The possible variations are too many to list, but an owner purchasing in a community like this should be certain to understand exactly what the obligations and benefits are.

  1. Waterfront versus Waterview.

A true “waterfront” property is one that has waterfront rights associated with it. Such rights would include the right to apply to construct a pier or other waterfront improvement. Or the first right to apply for permits for waterfowl hunting, and the right to prevent others from impeding access to the water or the view of the water. In contrast, a “waterview” property is generally one that is close to the water, but has land owned by someone else between the land and the shoreline. A waterview may have a limited right to build a pier or no right at all and may not have any guarantee that another owner will not build a fence, structure or put in plantings that obstruct the waterview. Careful consideration should be paid to what might be placed between the waterview property and the water.

  1. Pier Locations, Boundary Lines and Permits.

Having or keeping a pier is a first thought and most important thought for many waterfront lots. It is not relaxing and fun to have a dispute with a neighbor about whether a pier is on his property, your property, on the line, should be shared, or whether a pier that you were counting on using is even legal. If you are thinking about a home where there is currently a pier or where you would like to put in a pier, its continued viability should be investigated. Find out about its zoning, its legality and if their could be any disputes with neighbors.

  1. The Obligation and Ability to Maintain the Waterfront.

There are always erosion concerns for properties on bluffs or with a lot of wave action. For all waterfront properties, there are significant legal restrictions on the owners’ ability to clear growth and trees, to fill eroded areas, and to construct shoreline protection. The cost and ability to obtain permits for waterfront repairs and maintenance should be examined.

  1. Choose the right professionals.

The reason people purchase waterfront is to improve quality of life, and doing so is usually successful. There will always be an unfortunate few that end up purchasing a large, unexpected and expensive dispute, and their quality of life is definitely not improved. Without question, the best means of avoiding unexpected difficulties is to communicate with professionals with experience and interest in waterfront properties.

Image by  Chris Bartnik Flickr

Best Parks in Clermont Florida

Clermont, Florida Parks

There are around 20 parks in the Clermont, Florida area but in this article we’ll give you information on two of these great parks; Palatlakaha River Park and Waterfront Park. These are great parks to visit especially if you live in one of the area’s lakefront properties.

Palatlakaha River Park

This park offers boater’s access to the Crooked River and the Clermont Chain of Lakes. Here, you’ll find two fishing piers, a playground, and a pavilion with a grill as the main features. The area is great for birding and especially so in the Spring and Fall. Palatlakaha Park has a 0.8 mile loop trail that goes through the 18 acres of habitat kept for the Florida Scrub-Jay, as well as a Live Oak-Bald Cypress Hammock. Other animals that can be found in the park include butterflies, and various wildlife. Additionally, the trail is equipped with many educational signs that point out different plants along the way.

Complete amenities at Palatlakaha River Park include: 4 ball fields, full concession, restrooms, soccer field, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball court, racquetball court, fitness trail, enormous wooden play yard, pavilion, picnic area and a fishing pier/nature walk. This park is home of the South Lake Little League.

Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park

Located along Lake Minneola( see Lake Minneola Real Estate), Waterfront Park is right between East Avenue and Eighth Street. Weekly festivals happen at this park, such as Pig on the Pond, a host of triathlons and new water competitions, like the Champions’ Dragon Boat Festival and Leader of the Lake Regatta.

Running through the park, is a trail that is part of a 30 mile system and will eventually be part of the coast to coast trail.

Waterfront Bikes and Boards offers rentals of paddleboards, kayaks and bicycles. The park also includes picnic areas, a swimming area, fishing piers and a playground.

Image by Jared FLickr

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