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Cowracer
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:34pm
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Well poo...
Just when we get our cabin and lake lots pretty much done, I stumble into a chance to buy 2 lake-front "on the water" lots for a really good price. Even the worst, steepest, undeveloped main-channel lots on our lake go for $50k. I will pay substantially less than 100K for the pair. They are on a pretty little cove, and low-level developed already. Cleared, reasonably flat, with a real nice deck and a pole-barn carport that had a 5th wheel camper under it and electric already run to them.
Our current lots (with my cabin) are not on the water, which makes using my boat a bit of a PITA. As such, we don't go out on the water as much as I would like. These lots have a dock, where I could leave my boat. Just walk down, fire it up and cast off lines. Oh that would be SOOOOO nice.
We don't have to move to the new lots. I would be perfectly happy staying put and just using the lake-front lots for the dock. But the attraction of waking up to that glorious view is gonna be hard to resist. I can foresee selling off the current lots (with my cabin) in a year or even less, and having to build a new one. Oh well... At least I have some practice. LOL.
Changes I would make when starting over...
Definitely would be single story. Would probably downsize a bit. I find we use our bottom-floor "living room" nowhere near as much as I thought we would. I would probably buy a pre-made shell and then finish it out, rather than stick building it from scratch again. That would cost more, but would be MUCH quicker. I would have it skidded and set on a firm base of gravel, rather than pier it (the new lots have the space for that).
So... Some time this week, I'll find out if I can pull everything together and come away with lake-front property. I'll post up pics if and when I find out. Wish me luck!
Tim
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ICC
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:54pm
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As long as there is a reasonably good chance the lake level will not rise or fall enough to be a problem, and it is affordable, why not?
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FishHog
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2019 07:24pm
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Worth it to be on the water. I say do it
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2019 09:27pm
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My childhood home was on a lake, I jumped in boat, fished anytime, we ice skated on the lake, swam from my dock. Heaven on earth.
Cowracer, you always do a better job the second time around. 
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RiverCabin
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# Posted: 24 Apr 2019 10:31am
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Cowracer, I have followed your cabin construction from the beginning and have been impressed. That being said, I know where your cabin is (I live in the general area and recognize the location) and I have always been dubious of lake developments.
Nonetheless, upgrading to a lakefront lot would be a very good choice. Non waterfront lots and cabins seem to be somewhat slow sellers. As you have said, the waterfront lots do seem to hold a lot of value.
Resale aside, in my opinion water frontage absolutely makes the best cabin experience. As toyota said, there is nothing like walking directly to water for fishing, swimming, whatever. My typical summer day at the cabin starts with early morning fishing followed by a day of kayaking, swimming or just lounging. Nothing beats ending the day with a midnight skinnydip.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 24 Apr 2019 11:36am
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Quoting: RiverCabin I have always been dubious of lake developments
The secret is... Just do your own thing, don't worry about the other guy. Our lake have a VERY active facebook page where people post (rant) about whatever perceived transgressions have been visited upon them. It gets really heated. I only read it for the humor. Like any HOA, school parents organization, or most Elks lodges, these groups are worse than junior-high girls with their cliques, infighting, backbiting and general all around low-grade bullsh*t. I stay away from all of it.
With that said, things are moving...
Talked to the bank on Monday about financing options. If there was a house on it, no sweat. But as just a land purchase, the terms were less than favorable. (High DP required, only 10 year term, excessive APR). Loan officer at the Credit Union suggested possibly a Home Equity loan. Rates are good, no real DP requirement (even though I will throw cash at the deal to minimize the amount financed) and up to a 15 year term. I honestly didn't know how much equity I had in the house. Turns out WAAAAYY more than I figured. Cool. Should hear something by the end of the week.
Here's a quick teaser... It's pretty much everything left of the driveway. I took the picture getting in the truck to leave, I shoulda took a minute to frame it better. But you get a small taste of the view. (hint: Its gorgeous!)
Tim
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Brettny
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 01:34pm
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That place looks prety crowded. I can see where the bickering come from like people living in condo complexes.
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RiverCabin
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 01:39pm
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Quoting: Cowracer It's pretty much everything left of the driveway
Looks great. You'd better skip the midnight skinnydipping with neighbors that close. That is unless you're a heck of a lot better looking than me.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 04:10pm
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Quoting: Brettny That place looks prety crowded. I can see where the bickering come from like people living in condo complexes.
Actually, it's not terribly crowded. The waterfront is full up, but there are miles and miles of roads with nothing on them. You have to be a property owner to get into the community, and people just buy 'access lots' and never do anything with them.
The bickering generally comes from 2 different disputes. "Full-timers" vs. "Weekenders" and "Lakefront owners" vs. "non-lakefront"
I am a weekender, and some of the full-timers treat us like invaders and second class people. Last time I looked, my assessments and fees were exactly as much as theirs. That sometimes gets fairly ugly.
The lakefront vs. non-lakefront is lower key, but it stems around dredging. Lakefront owners in shallow coves want dredging done (paid for by the community) non-lakefront owners are like "why waste our money on something benefiting only a few people". It did get heated for a while when the people on the coves tried to tell other boaters they coulnd't be in them. That didn't fly very long...
Honestly, its very easy to ignore all of it and just have a good time if you want to, just like it's very easy to get involved and worked up into a lather over middling stuff if you want to do that too.
Tim
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 04:12pm - Edited by: Cowracer
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Quoting: RiverCabin Looks great. You'd better skip the midnight skinnydipping with neighbors that close. That is unless you're a heck of a lot better looking than me.
I have seen me naked, and it's not a something to share with people with weak constitutions. LOL
I will admit to late night skinny dipping, but only off the boat.
Tim
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silverwaterlady
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 07:33pm
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It's like that in rv parks too.
The people in the 500k coaches think they are better than everyone else. They all hang together.
The full timers or snowbirds that return every winter ignore the newbies.
We don't let any of that bother us. We're nice to everybody. We talk to everyone. They end up liking us.
We're here to have fun, fish, sightsee and meet new people.
Not here to put people in categories.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2019 08:49pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: Cowracer "Lakefront owners" vs. "non-lakefront"
At my lake, we called them water front and "back lots", if you were not water front, you were a back lot. It gets clickey.
There is the busy bodies, we all know them, then the controllers who are worse then just nosey. Then the rats, call fire department anytime they see smoke.
Then the mall cop types, lake patrol, make sure speeds are at specs, CCW lake rotation. Not sure if you are open enough for power boats etc.
But lakefront life was very good to me.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 26 Apr 2019 09:54am
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Not sure if you are open enough for power boats etc
Yeah, we have about 500 acres of lake. It do get crowded a might on the weekends (especially the big 3) We have a 22 foot fiberglass and 24 foot pontoon size limit and 250HP limit. Keeps it somewhat sane. .
I got a 24 foot Bennington Pontoon with a 125 merc. It is my floating living room. We generally raft up with friends in an area of 'party cove' (that is now going to be about 50 yards from my dock) and generally keep to ourselves. We have a blast with it.
Tim
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 26 Apr 2019 11:34pm
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I live on a lake now, but am a "back lot" Probably 1/4 mile from the public boat launch. Its a 8mph lake only, ie no wake. Just a slow lazy fishing lake.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 12 May 2019 10:17am
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so... it took a bit longer to get the transaction finalized than I thought, but its done. We now own lakefront property. It was one of those bucket-list 'dreams' that I never really thought we'd be able to pull off, but here we are..
Of course, as part of what comes with the great price is there is a bit of work to do now. The previous owners hadn't done anything to it since about 2013 or 14. It has a large 'carport' that the last guy had his camper under, and a nice deck. It's a bit grown up, weeds and grass wise. The dock is in moderately poor shape with a couple of its floats missing. There's a couple dead trees that need to come down, and a bunch of stuff left of the lots that need trashed (old BBQs, a dead fridge, etc)
We have pretty much settled on a plan for where to put the new cabins, (if/when we sell the current place) and other improvements. I will say, it's much farther along than where we started with the current lots.
Below are some more pics I took after we signed the papers.
View of the cove/lake from the camper carport. You can see some of the stuff/junk the previous owners left there., and the nice, cantilever deck in the background.
Nice view of the deck. It's really well made, just needs a cleaning and staining.
Our little cove. Property line to the right is the trees by the water. In reality, our property line technically extends across the cove to near that tree with the little white bench on it and then cuts back, leaving a wedge-shaped piece of our lot on the other side. Property line to the right extends past the end of the cove, as does the guys across from us. But as that guy has his dock near the mouth of the cove, the whole cove is pretty much 'ours'. Yeah... our dock needs some love.
View of the lake from our dock. Actually this area is a large cove that is know as "party cove" (I'm sure every lake has one). The main body of the lake is about a half mile or so to the left.
We're pretty excited to start this new chapter. Even my wife, who is generally pretty "frugal" and reluctant to my grandiose plans is looking forward to starting over with building a new cabin. 
Of course, updates will follow as we progress.
Tim
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 12 May 2019 12:09pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Tim, fantastic, now your cabin will be your home also? Or do you still have a home and this is recreational place? My childhood home was on a cove, we called it the lagoon, slow speeds mean no real wake to wash away real estate. Those "wake boats" shouldnt be allowed on lakes with soil at the waterline, maybe limit to rocky shore lakes??
Is your little cove a smaller cove to a bigger cove or is the area past that boathouse part of the main open lake. Nice work cowracer!
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 12 May 2019 12:56pm
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Our cove is on a cove off a branch off the main lake.
The star shows the location:
Zoom in of that locations showing our lots:
This is still a weekend recreational place. It's way too far to commute to work for both me and the wife, and we are not at the point of retirement yet.
Tim
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 12 May 2019 07:53pm
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OK, cool, I see you are in the no wake zone too, keep things a big quieter, especially from those personal water craft. You will still hear them form a long ways out. Nice. OK, I see a dam, man made lake? Is the otehr cabin now for sale or are you going to wait?
Taxes will be reduced if your lake lot is seasonal, not full time. They should give you a decent break.
Congrats Tim. I always loved growing up on a lake. Its priced much higher than it used to be now to live on a lake.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 12 May 2019 10:14pm
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Yep, man made. Originally, the lake was less than half the size. The original dam was in that narrow part between the beach arm and the main body. You can see it faintly in the picture as its only about 5 foot deep where the dam was.
Taxes on the old lot were reasonable as they considered the cabin a shed. They make no consideration for part-time or full-time. Just on the assessed value. Taxes and assessments run about $550. Not bad for a years relaxation. Not sure on the new spot because believe it or not, it's in another county.
We are not ready to let our lake friends know we own it yet. We are gonna fix it up a bit and hopefully have a surprise 4th of July blowout there. Everyone will be at the current lot anyway (we are kinda party central). It's just a matter of getting them all to saddle up the ATV's for a ride and lead them over there. I do like my flair for the dramatic. So if I 'officially' put the lots up for sale now, my phone is gonna ring off the hook from people wanting to know whats up. It'll go on the market after that.
Tim
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Liam
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# Posted: 17 May 2019 03:59am
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Looks good! I hope you are sincerely pleased with what you did. I wish you happiness!
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