Lake house vs Beach house?

[Anonymous]

I would only want a lake house if it were on a real lake (the New England/Canada/Midwest kind).

I would have no interest in a lake house on a fake lake in this area (Lake Anna, Deep Creek, Habib, Smith, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is too far from any decent ocean or lake location to justify getting a house IMO. Unless you plan to live there over the summer.

+1

[Anonymous]

What lake within 3-4 hour drive from northern VA would you recommend to purchase a home?

Requirements:

1. Water sports allowed
2. Skiing in the winter
3. Close to a town for dining, groceries, icecream, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What lake within 3-4 hour drive from northern VA would you recommend to purchase a home?

Requirements:

1. Water sports allowed
2. Skiing in the winter
3. Close to a town for dining, groceries, icecream, etc.

What do you mean by water sports? Sailing, canoeing? Motorized?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are either a lake house person or a beach house person. I am posting from my beach house now and I wouldn't trade it for 10 lake houses.

X10000

I have heard this from my beach house friends. I think beach houses are seen as less "working class". Since it's DCUM, and the word is thrown around so often - I think it is pertinent here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What lake within 3-4 hour drive from northern VA would you recommend to purchase a home?

Requirements:

1. Water sports allowed
2. Skiing in the winter
3. Close to a town for dining, groceries, icecream, etc.

What do you mean by water sports? Sailing, canoeing? Motorized?

+1

My lake house friends are the ATV/jet ski/shootin',hootin',hollerin' types with more a penchant for hanging deer heads in their living space; and my beach house friends are more refined, sailing, golfing types. I don't own either, and I am happy to be invited to both, just an observation. You are born into being one or the other - it doesn't "just happen" - it depends what you we're raised doing and what you are used to.

[Anonymous]

Wrightsville is nice, but it's disappearing. Probably not a good investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are aiming for a Chesapeake house. Less issues than the beach (salty air), less traffic, more locations, closer to us (and hence more year round usage), and less hurricane risk.

I'll rent a beach house, but never buy one.

Me too.

We have a house on the eastern shore in Maryland. Less than 2 hours each way, even on weekends. We fish and swim in the river (which is really more like open bay), sail, kayak and canoe, and power boat to explore the huge bay. We also have great space to entertain, with lawns for outdoor play and a pool. We have a large garden, and a pretty big house to share with guests. There is also a nice downtown area with restaurants and bars. We like the nature and watching fisherman all year round.

I didn't see anything a lake could offer other than skiing, which is not a particular interest for us. And, for what we paid, we'd be in a 2 bedroom condo at the beach, with less to do. So the bay is the preferred option for us. You should check out Oxford, Cambridge and similar areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are either a lake house person or a beach house person. I am posting from my beach house now and I wouldn't trade it for 10 lake houses.

X10000

I have heard this from my beach house friends. I think beach houses are seen as less "working class". Since it's DCUM, and the word is thrown around so often - I think it is pertinent here.

This is the truth. Lake house owners tend to be of the low rent variety -- fish'n, boat'n and hunt'n. Just the way it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wrightsville is nice, but it's disappearing. Probably not a good investment.

yes- one good hurricane and it could be gone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are aiming for a Chesapeake house. Less issues than the beach (salty air), less traffic, more locations, closer to us (and hence more year round usage), and less hurricane risk.

I'll rent a beach house, but never buy one.

Me too.

We have a house on the eastern shore in Maryland. Less than 2 hours each way, even on weekends. We fish and swim in the river (which is really more like open bay), sail, kayak and canoe, and power boat to explore the huge bay. We also have great space to entertain, with lawns for outdoor play and a pool. We have a large garden, and a pretty big house to share with guests. There is also a nice downtown area with restaurants and bars. We like the nature and watching fisherman all year round.

I didn't see anything a lake could offer other than skiing, which is not a particular interest for us. And, for what we paid, we'd be in a 2 bedroom condo at the beach, with less to do. So the bay is the preferred option for us. You should check out Oxford, Cambridge and similar areas.

PP here:
Thanks for the suggestions. The real estate seems to be pretty cheap too for waterfront access. We've actually been looking directly south of PG County along the Potomac, Wicomico, and Patuxent Rivers. It's not as chic as the Eastern Shore proper, but the prices reflect that and I don't need to deal with the bridge traffic. We also have the option to work from home a few days a week, so it would be lovely to be based out of a condo M-Th then F-M at the shore house.

How's the traffic with the bridge; is it a major ballache? Also, did you buy a fixer-upper or a newer home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would only want a lake house if it were on a real lake (the New England/Canada/Midwest kind).

I would have no interest in a lake house on a fake lake in this area (Lake Anna, Deep Creek, Habib, Smith, etc.).

+1

Too murky and stagnant - EW!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What lake within 3-4 hour drive from northern VA would you recommend to purchase a home?

Requirements:

1. Water sports allowed
2. Skiing in the winter
3. Close to a town for dining, groceries, icecream, etc.

What do you mean by water sports? Sailing, canoeing? Motorized?

Waterskiing and kayaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What lake within 3-4 hour drive from northern VA would you recommend to purchase a home?

Requirements:

1. Water sports allowed
2. Skiing in the winter
3. Close to a town for dining, groceries, icecream, etc.

What do you mean by water sports? Sailing, canoeing? Motorized?

Waterskiing and kayaking.

Following ...

[Anonymous]

On Cape Cod you can have both. Lots of lakes/ponds and plenty of beaches. But you need to be able to spend extended periods here given the distance. We are here all summer and a few weekends during the off season. It works pretty well.