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Whether you have actually always desired to live by the water or you're expanding your property portfolio, these are the leading places to buy a lake home.
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Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than 8 years of experience editing and composing for both brand names and online publications-with a particular concentrate on travel, style, and way of life. She's also the creator of the travel site justpacked.com.

For many, lake homes are synonymous with summer nostalgia. Barbeques, refreshing dips in the chilly water, stunning sunsets, boat rides, and fireflies: If you've invested whenever by a lake in the warmer months, you're most likely well-acquainted with this particular brand of holiday magic. You may even be wanting to recreate it for yourself by purchasing your own lake home. If that's the case, but you're not exactly sure which lake you wish to call your home (or your 2nd home) right now, we can assist.

There are quite actually countless lakes with realty chances in the U.S., so we consulted with a couple of specialists to limit the selection. Below, they're sharing their choices for the best locations to purchase a lake house this year.

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

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" Lake of the Ozarks is a terrific place to purchase a lakefront residential or commercial property right now since, along with using lots of year-round activities, the residential or commercial property is still affordable," states Elena Novak, lead real estate researcher at PropertyChecker.com. Missouri-based Matt Smith Real Estate Group reports that, in February of this year, the average list price of homes in this part of the state was $448,585, while Zillow approximates the typical home value in the city of Lake Ozark is just above $340,000. "With realty prices rising, these homes might become out of reach within the next five years," Novak warns-so if you're interested in a peaceful lakefront home that's just a couple of hours from centers like Kansas City or St. Louis, now's the time to buy.

Southwest Lake Erie Region, Michigan and Ohio

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When figuring out the very best places to buy a lake house, Julie Brinkman, the CEO at Beyond, an income management system for getaway rentals, was focused on destinations that make the most financial sense for those looking for residential or commercial properties to add to their rental portfolio. "The southwest Lake Erie region, surrounding both Michigan and Ohio, has an average annual revenue per listing of $34,000 and a typical annual occupancy rate of 40 percent," she says. Since May 2025, Zillow has a handful of homes in the area-in Luna Pier, Michigan