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1 The Shoulder Seasons are Likewise Incredible

Whether you've constantly wished to live by the water or you're expanding your real estate portfolio, these are the leading locations to buy a lake home.

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Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brand names and online publications-with a specific focus on travel, style, and way of life. She's also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com.

For many, lake homes are synonymous with summertime nostalgia. Barbeques, rejuvenating dips in the cold water, stunning sundowns, boat rides, and fireflies: If you have actually invested whenever by a lake in the warmer months, you're likely well-acquainted with this particular brand name of trip magic. You might even be aiming to recreate it for yourself by buying your own lake house. If that holds true, however you're not precisely sure which lake you wish to call your home (or your second home) right now, we can assist.

There are rather literally countless lakes with real estate opportunities in the U.S., so we talked to a couple of professionals to limit the selection. Below, they're sharing their picks for the very best locations to purchase a lake home this year.

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

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" Lake of the Ozarks is a great place to buy a lakefront residential or commercial property right now since, along with offering lots of year-round activities, the residential or commercial property is still cost effective," states Elena Novak, lead genuine estate researcher at PropertyChecker.com. Missouri-based Matt Smith Real Estate Group reports that, in February of this year, the typical sale rate of homes in this part of the state was $448,585, while Zillow approximates the average home value in the city of Lake Ozark is just above $340,000. "With genuine estate costs increasing, these homes might end up being out of reach within the next 5 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 purchase.

Southwest Lake Erie Region, Michigan and Ohio

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When identifying the finest places to a lake home, Julie Brinkman, the CEO at Beyond, a revenue management system for trip rentals, was focused on destinations that make the most monetary sense for those looking for residential or commercial properties to add to their rental portfolio. "The southwest Lake Erie region, bordering both Michigan and Ohio, has an average yearly earnings per listing of $34,000 and an average yearly tenancy rate of 40 percent," she says. As of May 2025, Zillow has a handful of homes in the area-in Luna Pier, Michigan