There’s nothing as peaceful as a water view. People who search for homes on Lake Ray Hubbard typically don’t just want a house, they want a lifestyle. In more than 25 years of selling Rockwall real estate and waterfront homes on Lake Ray Hubbard, we’ve learned there are several things buyers need to know.
Almost every home search sparks intense emotion. It’s impossible to choose a new place to live without envisioning what life will be like after you move in. Clients picture themselves cooking in the kitchen, entertaining in the yard, soaking in the tub, and lounging by the pool. With waterfront homes, those dreams and the associated emotions are even more intense.
It sounds amazing to think of watching the sunset over open water at the end of every day. It’s a rush to think of taking the jet ski out any time you want or going fishing before breakfast. We can help you locate homes on Lake Ray Hubbard that let you live the life of your dreams, keeping in mind these tips.
Location is Everything for Homes on Lake Ray Hubbard
It just breaks your heart. Sometimes buyers see an online listing for waterfront homes near Rockwall that seem to check all the boxes, but when they do a drive-by, the area around the home isn’t the best. Like with all real estate, finding the best lakefront property is all about location, location, location.
If you have to drive for a long time across rough backroads to reach a waterfront home, that will impact resale. Some people don’t mind if their home is a long way from shopping and dining and completely out of range for delivery. For others, it’s a deal-breaker.
Buyers also sometimes want to turn a blind eye when they have to pass run down or derelict properties to get to homes for sale on Lake Ray Hubbard. Most of the time waterfront homes are a long-term investment. You want to be sure property values in the area will increase, not decrease because surrounding homes continue to decline.
View the Property as a Whole
You can update a house, but you can’t make a lot wider or water deeper. A steep slope will always create challenges. The sun will always rise and set in the same direction.
Buyers sometimes fall in love with a home, and they rush to purchase without thinking through the rest of the property. When shopping homes on Lake Ray Hubbard, spend time on each part of the property and evaluate as objectively as possible. How do you feel about water clarity and depth? Do you feel the amount of shoreline provides you with enough privacy? Is the view of what you hoped? What maintenance challenges will the lot and shoreline pose, and are you comfortable addressing them over the long haul?
Get to Know Your Neighbors
Visit several different times of the day and talk to the people you encounter. Streets and subdivisions tend to become communities, each with their own distinct personality. Because lake homes want to preserve open water views, there tends to be less privacy and more spillover into each others’ yards, waterfront area, and lives.
If you’re looking forward to enjoying watersports and entertaining, and you have children or teens who do the same, you’ll enjoy being close to neighbors with similar interests. But if you’re retiring and you want to fish in peace and quiet and relax in your hammock with a book, you probably don’t want to buy a Lake Ray Hubbard home next to noisy neighbors.
Check Insurance Costs for Waterfront Homes Near Rockwall
Sometimes waterfront homes cost more to insure than the same size and type of home would in an urban area. Lakefront homes near Rockwall are in rural areas where sometimes it takes longer for fire and EMS to respond in case of an emergency. Also, where there’s a large body of water, there are greater risks from weather and around-the-clock moisture. Check into it before you buy to avoid any surprises. Also, if you’re buying a home on the lake to use as a second home or recreation property, some insurers don’t provide the same type of coverage to second homes as they do to primary residences.
Water Depth Matters
Lake Ray Hubbard depends on area rainfall to maintain water levels. It fluctuates as much as three feet annually. The water you see today isn’t necessarily how it is year-round. Your view could change significantly from one season to the next. Find out the water depth at the shoreline so you know what to expect.
For example, if there are only six feet of water under your boat dock, you might not be able to get your boat out during some times of the year. If you’re in a very shallow cove, drought could mean you have a muddy swamp instead of a lake view. High water levels could erode unprotected shoreline.
Research Restrictions
Many Lake Ray Hubbard communities have an active HOA. Look into what fees you’ll need to pay and what your responsibilities are as a property owner within that association.
Even if you don’t plan to make any changes to the property, make sure you understand what’s allowed and what isn’t. Later you might want to build a dock or a boathouse, and most areas have regulations that dictate what’s allowed. Some communities have rules when it comes to where you can park your RV, where you can place a storage building or other outbuilding and so on.
Work With a Realtor Who Knows Lake Ray Hubbard Homes
Cyndi Garrett has a unique perspective when it comes to homes for sale on Lake Ray Hubbard because she owns one. She’s a true waterfront specialist who knows the joys of owning lakefront property and the challenges unique to the Rockwall TX area. She has experienced firsthand how lakeside communities and the lake itself have changed over time, so she’s your best source for finding, viewing, and purchasing the best homes on Lake Ray Hubbard.