syd1

LOL! I'm cracking up. My DH said he'll only take a lake that will allow motorboats! So, we're looking for the same. These tips are fantastic and I'm going to print this thread out and save it! Thanks for the great advice.

elaine

Lake Blue Ridge does allow motor boats.
Many homes have their own floating docks, there is also a commercial marina.

starrsville

Hwy 76 parallels the NC border and you need to take a look at a map and then just get out and drive it. There are several mountain lakes (all allowing motor boats) along 76. At the eastern end, you'll drive over Burton before you get to Clayton. Kingwood is east of Clayton on 76 before you enter SC.

LOTS of Atlantans moving up to that neck of the woods. I prefer Rabun County for many reasons. The "cheapest" you'll find something to buy on the lake is in the $900,000 range although in the winter months I did see a listing in the 700's. Some folks are a bit nervous about buying lake homes now wondering what will happen (if anything) when the 99 year lease expires on the land. Georgia Power will probably not do anything, but that's a scary thought - at least for me. A small percentage of lake property is owned outright - the rest is owned by Ga Power.

Most folks own property that is not lake front or lake access. Chances are, if you want to own a boat you'll have to put in or have a service launch your boat for you. I used to use Gil's - he stored the boat and launched it at Moccasin State Park when you want it. I do have a boat in the only marina on the lake now, but it's hard to get in there. Developers bought the two former marinas and closed them. So, Anchorage is the only place to store boats or buy gas right on the water.

The water is crystal clear and virtually free of pollution. The creeks feeding into the lake are spring-fed and there are few pastures and 1 golf course draining into the water supply. I almost bought lake access (and sometimes I wish I hadn't pulled out that contract) but I love my place and I'm 8 miles from the lake.

I definitely would stay within 3 hours from "home" and within 2 hours is even better.

Smokeyboy, we are almost neighbors. You drive past my turn-off on the way to your place. Are you north of Otto?

a2dal, yes, there's another Lake Lanier. My friend sold their home on the south end of Lake Lanier in GA and ended up buying a much smaller and quainter lake home on Lake Lanier in SC.

The only small lakes that don't allow motors that I know of would be very small subdivision lakes.

a2dal

I can't resist imposing on all your knowledge one more time - and thanks again for being so helpful!

I have started looking into many of the areas suggested for the late-August visit with my sister's family, and see there are lots of rentals to be had. Any suggestions from past experience? We will be 2 families of 4 - her kids are 6 and 8 and mine are both 3 (twins). No one is really old enough for water skiing yet, but would enjoy water, maybe fishing, other "kid stuff", light hiking, and pools/hot tubs (water is the best kid-distracter out there). I love horses, though the kids are too small, but that doesn't mean I can't steal a ride! I just want to get close enough to some of these areas to start to do some poking around, so it's OK if where we stay isn't exactly where we might buy - but if the kids aren't busy, ain't no one gonna be happy

The other main objective is to get heat relief and be able to do things without sitting by a pool in Atlanta all day. I don't want my sister to regret coming to visit me, though I did make sure to mention, "You do realize you are coming to ATLANTA in AUGUST, right?"

syd - I forgot to say congratulations - my boys were September babies. . .I know this is NOT your #1 choice of timing for the current and upcoming heat!

bebalm

My dad lives in Mid-town Atlanta, and has a town home in Flowery Branch Georgia right at Lake Lanier. Doesn't take long to get there, but plenty to do when you are there. The town has a very nice small town feeling to it too. How about getting a boat?

starrsville

Kingswood that someone mentioned earlier has rental condos and they have a nice pool. You could stay there and drive around a bit too. Definitely will find heat relief. There are lot of cabin rentals but no pools.

You can take a trail ride at the stables at the Dillard House. If you choose the riverside trail you will actually be walking IN the river for a while (well, riding the horse while he walks in the river). Maybe sis can watch the kids while you ride. The Dillard House if famous for their family style country cooking.

A nice scenic walk is along the rim of Tallulah Gorge. There's another short walk to a waterfall at Black Rock Mountain State Park (if you really go, I'll give more specifics on a short drive to look at a great place to buy). Black Rock Mountain State Park is the highest state park in GA (not sure why Brasstown Bald isn't unless just the peak at BB is higher). If you REALLY want heat relief, rent cabins up there.

All would enjoy a day on the lake. You could drive to the small lake beach but a great idea would be to rent a pontoon or ski boat for the day. You can reserve for a day's rental - and rent half days if boats are available.

Lots to do in the area and good places to eat. If you head that way, I can send more details - as can Smokeyboy. The closest movie theatres are about 20 minutes away - which could be 4 miles in Atlanta, but not up there. No traffic. The best thing about seeing a movie at Ruby Cinemas in Franklin, NC = 2 adult admission, popcorn, coke and candy bar = still get change from a $20!

Can you tell I absolutely love it up there

syd1

I think we should change our Atlanta fodorites GTG to a mountain GTG one weekend when we're all up there! Sounds like it'll be easier to meet everyone!! Thanks for your good wishes a2dal! I'm excited to check out the areas and convince my DH that we indeed made the right decision to move here instead of Denver!

JJ5

Wow, it sounds like there are lots of lakes in the SE as well.

In the Midwest, especially Northern Midwest there are a many hundreds of lakes, some quite large, that do not allow motors- we aren't talking subdivision or man-made lakes either. The residents have preferred to keep it pristine as possible. They do have a point because the speed boats have flushed out a zebra mussel from their systems that has "bothered" my lake's ecology somewhat.

Have a great time finding your places. It can take 4 or 5 years of every other weekend looking, but you can have a ball. And take the ride to the one you never heard of- because it may be a great surprise. And in the renting you will also discover if you like to be close to towns or not at all. There are great perks to both. Anyother BIG, BIG tip that has worked for about 5 people I know successfully- and that is look at maps and stray FAR FAR from the expressways. The best places are not adjacent; and the access roads may be better for your actual commute anyway.
Eat in small, small towns and talk to the locals. There are hidden treasures out there that do not appear on any but the state maps. I bought a Rand McNally map of the state broken down into 20 or 30 mile grids with extreme detail- they have them for each state- even farm dirt roads are mapped on these.

And as far as the $$$ goes. If you find the place first or even twentieth- you will be able to accomplish it without limiting the rest of your life. I wish I had a dollar for all the people who told me I could never do it on my salary etc.and/or that all the good lakes are bought up. Not! And within 100 miles and within one county you may find totally different locale governing bodies with different permits/home-owner regulations etc.- so always, always use a lawyer from your exact county and vacation home's locale only when closing.

With 3 year old twins, remember that lakefront and some access with their own piers are extremely tempting. I just had a 2 year old grandson fall off the pier last month. No harm as he and all children ALWAYS have their vests on and also the Dad and my guy were right there to fish him out, but it is totally unforgiving and you know how fast they move. He was a pro at it, but forgot for just a second, backing up to throw some skip stones.

It really is an adventure with the looking and the rentals, have a ball.

lschu

JJ5, ur right about having to ignore the naysayers and just do it! We bought a lake home 4 years ago in southcentral Wisc. and I thank heaven whenever I get in the car to go that that we did it. Ur advice is practical and should be helpful to a2dal in her search.

Thanku Gotravel for getting my compass straight. We have friends who bought property on Lake Keowee which has gotten us interested in that area. From what we've checked out, the area looks breathtaking and all the property is owned by Duke Power and slowly being developed into gorgeous lakefront subdivisions. I've not been able to get down there but would love to read others' opinions if they should be so lucky as to spend time there. It looks real tempting for a retirement place!
Happy travels to all.

syd1

Does Lake Koewee also offer mountains?

starrsville

Yes, Keowee is a mountain lake. Jocassee (not sure about the spelling) is a completely undeveloped lake just north - some of the new planned Keowee developements offer put-ins at Jocassee. J is a great place to get away for a kayak/ canoe trip on a quiet, gorgeous mountain lake. Who knows what it's going to be like in 10 years.

Smokyboy

Sorry it took so long to get back to you starrsville. Indeed we are almost neighbors. I am about 9 miles north of Otto in the Clarks Chapel community. Where are you located? Speaking of Mocassin State Park, did they close LaPrades? And your right, you just can't beat the value at Ruby Cinemas! We wait till the weekends to see just released movies. It is truly amazing what the area in northeast GA, northwest SC, and western NC offers. I have been hundreds of times and still haven't "seen it all".

starrsville

Yes, they closed LaPrades. A developer bought it and a huge amount of property - half of which went back to the owners/sellers. Ga Power is putting a kink into the development - saying they own the property into the lake. Sounds like they are doing everything possible to keep condos/ timeshare/ development off the lake - which I think is a great thing.

And, in the last month the actual restaurant burned to the ground. What a loss.

I'm out of Mountain City. Give me a wave when you drive past! See you at Ruby Cinemas. I hope to see Batman this weekend.

syd1

CAn someone explain the whole "If GA POwer owns the lake" thing to me? Does this mean that you own your house but not the land around it? And how does that impact a decision to buy there? Thanks so much!

starrsville

First of all, this is normal for most dammed lakes - Corps of Engineers, TVA, state utilities, etc.

Georgia Power bought up a lot of farmland (most folks didn't know what the project was going to be - GP had a local negotiate the exchange of land or purchase). Then, they built the dam and flooded the area to make the lake. Very little land that touches the lake is privately owned. Georgia Power owns the land and leases it to the homeowners. The original leases were 99 year leases - which seemed forever back then I guess. But, lease renewal is around the corner, real estate values have sky-rocketed, etc. I'd be a bit nervous.

GP is restricting what the developers what brought LaPrades wanted to do at water's edge. The land was privately owned.

Again, I don't have the data but the majority of SE mountain lakes are utility company created and have various restrictions on them.

Lake Lanier was built by the Corps of Engineers and they very definitely will tell you what you can do with your land. I've known folks that have sneaked out at night to cut down saplings and pray they won't get caught (or neighbors will report them) and get fined. But, you get fined for cutting trees on your land in Atlanta too.

Shop for a mountain home near a lake, own your own land and don't worry about the restriction - or the taxes on waterfront property!

starrsville

"what the developers what brought LaPrades"

That isn't a mountain twang coming through - it was poor editing. I meant

the developers who bought LaPrades

My WSI instructor cautioned about diving into Lake Lanier - said you may get stuck in a house's chimney that's still there. He was kidding - sort of! There are folks who dive Lanier and find fences and barns and houses, etc. underwater.

I have a neat painting of the town of Burton that is now under Lake Burton. They did move the cemetary, but the rest of the town is under the lake. Stuart Woods wrote a book with the lake as a setting.

JJ5

I would never buy or build on leased land. There is just too much out there to be partners with entities such as described.

Waterfront is worth almost anything, but not that, IMHO- unless you have oodles of money to spent without wanting or necessitating much equity value increase.

syd1

i think i'm more confused now than I was before...

1scs1

One lake that has not been mentioned is Lake Sinclair. It is also a Georgia Power lake that is separated from Lake Oconee by a dam. Much of the property at the southern end of the lake is leased land. However, you can purchase waterfront land on Lake Sinclair. It is not as built up as Oconee. Therefore, besides Milledgeville at the southern end of the lake, there is not a whole lot to do besides enjoy the lake. We actually really like the fact that we can "get away from it all" when we are there. We spent a ton of time looking around at all of the lakes around Atlanta, and found most of them out of our price range. Sinclair is a very clean lake, but it's not crystal clear water as the northern mountain lakes are. When it rains the water can get stained from the Georgia red clay. It takes us 2 hours from Cobb county - very easy for a weekend.

beachysis

Maybe check out Alabama for a lake house. I went there a few years ago, to Smith Lake, which seemed relatively undeveloped. It's also one created by their power company flooding a river. They did allow motor boats, and it was a pretty big lake, so not congested with them. It may be too far for you, since MapQuest says it's 3 hours from Atlanta (I'm not from GA or AL, so don't know that portion of the country well like other post-ers).
Anyway, Smith Lake may be too far, but there are several other lakes in Alabama outside Birmingham, I believe. It's something to consider that's different from the rest. Good luck hunting.
Enjoy Spain (I'm planning on going there next year!).