Weekend Boat Cottages and a place to put your mastercraft

[gsxrjtt]

Been throwing this idea Around of finding a couple acres of land not a big crazy house or any thing.. im in my 30's and no kids but thinking this might be good for the future? So looking for just enough space to throw a small "cottage" "Airstream"or what not. But with a little of it waterfront on a great ski / Party lake.. To go for the weekends for for just a little time to hang out. My budget is limited but been looking on larger lakes and finding some parcels 20-60K ... has any one else done this or know of places or think That this is feasible.. ??? just looking around and letting my mind wonder as to the possibilities..

[LittleFuss]

Oh yes I have dreamed of it for a while...however...

problem is it has to be close enough that it is not an ordeal to get there, far enough away I feel like I am getting away, inexpensive enough that I am not breaking the bank for a weekend or 2 a month during which I am sure I end up having to do yard work and other maintenance...

Had a friend try this 2 years ago. He bought a place a little too far out of the way, with a host of maintenance and upkeep issues and crap lunatic thieving neighbors with 3 teeth in a family of 7...

he sold it in less than 2 years...

scared me away from ever tying it...

[aquaman]

Take a slip on a marina for 6mos to see if you are committed to the commute, and like the lake enough to buy ?

maintenance and bad neighbors are the main downside to weekend places that you cannot avoid.....only tolerate.

all things considered, a place on the water can be wonderful, just keep it manageable.

location, location.

[Brian B]

I'm buying a Super-C motorhome. That way I have a place at any lake I like, and one in the sand dunes for the winter!

[SSMoose]

Try checking on smaller lakes in your area. Here there is a 1000 mile shoreline Corps of Engineers lake that stays full of boats and the associated idiots. I bought property on a county-owned lake that is for recreation where about half the homes are occupied year round. There are some (as everywhere) problems but nothing I can't live with. We
have a full pool all the time so no worries about any but the sandbars that we know. Prices are lower than on the bigger lake. We have a converted weekend cottage that is livable in winter when we want. I have 150 ft waterfront and lots of dock area on three docks. This got long winded but its worth a shot if there are smaller lakes near you.

[toolz]

We bought a little place on a quiet 1000 acre lake that's about an hour from home. It's a refurbished older mobile home with a good sized add-on and a car port. The back door is 15' from the water, with a nice deck and a dock. Small lot with very little maintenance. We get there about twice a month, even in the winter. It's about the only place I can relax- far enough away not to be bothered, and the cell phone doesn't work. Lots of good neighbors with very little risk of theft. We're old enough to be past the party phase, but our 24 y.o. takes care of that part on his weekends. The key for us was easy and cheap. Used to have a houseboat, and worried about it every day. This place doesn't bother me. You gotta buy what fits you.

[epnault]

Check out this link from when we were shopping for our place. My advice would be to buy something with an existing structure with power, water, and sewer at a minimum. Keep the commute to under an hour.
http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/...ad.php?t=45231



Not trailer boating for us has been a dream come true and all the upkeep/maintenance doesn't phase me one bit but like most stated if you are close you don't have to let all those tasks build.

[timvan]

I used to have a 36' camper on lake Wedowee at a camp ground. They had locked garages to put the boats in when not in use, it was a great setup and rather affordable.

[pmkkdx]

yep, we've been looking for years for something even close to affordable on our area lakes ... anything that touches the water around here on anything desireable is crazy high ... example on Lake LBJ (constant level) bare lots (little to no improvements) on shallower narrow cove start above $100k. The wife and I keep looking for anything waterfront or even across the street with deeded boat slip within short walking distance with small cabin/house, but still $250k+ which makes it difficult to justify unless we make it our main home putting me out to at least a 90 mile one way commute. Maybe one of these days ...

[gsxrjtt]

Thanks for the insight... Im in tampa Fl Born and raised on a lake .. Yes there are lakes here but not really the same as lets say some larger ones in around nc or kentucky. I prefer fresh water to the salt water playing. But for me trying to find a different place im trying to go north on a large lake where you can go boating for the weekend and possibly do some camping on a different part if that is in the cards.. Was looking at lake norman in NC or lake Cumberland if any one has heard or been on these lakes..