Advice for lake front property

[erick26]

We have been looking at properties on the lake for the past 2 years mostly in the Alton-Laconia/Gilford area due to travel time and access. It will be a second home, mostly summer use with some winter use for skiing etc. Our biggest question seems to be around view/functionality meaning we are trying to figure out if we want a quiet cove area for water sports etc that may not give us the best view "on the lake" vs being out in the open water areas and constantly being pounded by wind and boat waves. We've talked to a few people and seem to get conflicting views, some say the open areas are not that bad and others tell me their swim platforms broke off the chains. Not sure if there is a happy medium but thought I would put this out there if anyone has an opinion 😜 (I know that's a loaded question). Thanks, Eric

[MAXUM]

It is a loaded question because you don't always have to be on "big water" to get a nice view, and how rough the water in front gets is relative to where you are, direction you are facing and so forth.

My preference is you cannot beat a nice view. However I would be very careful not to be in a spot where you are likely to get very rough water on a windy day or due to typical summer time boat traffic.

One major drawback to me being in a cove is water quality. Still water and especially shallow water tends to come complete with weeds, and stagnant water which is not always great for swimming. Again that varies depending on where you are.

[thinkxingu]

We have been looking at properties on the lake for the past 2 years mostly in the Alton-Laconia/Gilford area due to travel time and access. It will be a second home, mostly summer use with some winter use for skiing etc. Our biggest question seems to be around view/functionality meaning we are trying to figure out if we want a quiet cove area for water sports etc that may not give us the best view "on the lake" vs being out in the open water areas and constantly being pounded by wind and boat waves. We've talked to a few people and seem to get conflicting views, some say the open areas are not that bad and others tell me their swim platforms broke off the chains. Not sure if there is a happy medium but thought I would put this out there if anyone has an opinion 😜 (I know that's a loaded question). Thanks, Eric
When we bought in Arcadia, at the end of Hanson Cove, I thought I would miss being on the open lake and that it would be a pain to get out to the bigger areas. Now that my children are kayaking and exploring the areas on their own, I appreciate the quiet.

That being said, I have friends who own in Lakeshore Park, and I am sometimes envious of the view and long, open beach they have.

I accept that this post didn't help in the least, other than to say that BOTH are wonderful places to be and that maybe there are other aspects that are more important: clean water vs. mucky, price, travel time, style and maintenance of home, taxes, etc.

Good luck!

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[winnipiseogee]

Young kids = quiet safe cove

No kids or adult kids = adult beverage while enjoying the view

After 40 years and 6 houses on the lake I've found this to be pretty universally true. The question is where do you fall in the spectrum?

[ThePlut]

Don't think the two are necessarily mutually exclusive either. We rent a house in a "smallish" cove that affords a pretty spectacular view. However, thanks to the influx of the wake surfing boats, our boat took quite a pounding on the weekends due to HUGE waves those boats are capable of producing (more than ever and we've been renting there for 10 years). So, if the cove is big enough for water sports, you may yet get the beating you are hoping to avoid.

We hope to be starting our own lake front home search in the next year or so, so I'm curious to know of other's experiences as well.

[FlyingScot]

We bought a year ago after looking for several years. Compared to primary homes in suburbs or cities, there are so many variables and so few choices at any one time that you'll drive yourself crazy--or procrastinate forever--with anything but the shortest of "must-have" checklists. In our case, just for example, we ended up purchasing in a town we had never even visited prior to seeing the home, because we immediately fell in love with the place.

Many of the most modest homes on the lake have wonderful attributes, and even the grandest often have significant shortcomings. So buy for love, and don't sweat it too much when there are a few small disappointments. Good luck!

[Doobs41378]

My grandparents own lakefront in Lake Shore Park and the wind is sometimes very strong. That being said, growing up there as a kid that did not bother us and we swam and did all the water stuff just like kids do. Now that I am older I think I would appreciate less waves and winds that the Broads offer but the views from their front porch are great. Your problem is a good one to have, means life is going well for you and whatever you decide you will be happy to be at the lake.

[MeredithMan]

When we made the leap to waterfront several years ago, we looked at over 20 places over 13 months. We loved Blackey's Cove and put an offer on a place that did not come to be. We also liked Buzzell's Cove quite a bit, and came close to making an offer on a place there, but ultimately did not.

We ended up tucked in a corner of Meredith Bay and we really have the best of both worlds. It is fairly quiet, but yet there is lots to see, (the lights of the town at night; the fireworks; the boats going by; awesome sunsets, etc). The water quality is excellent...sandy bottom and very clear water. No leaves, sticks, and other mysterious things that can be in a small cove. We often remark how fortunate we are that we found such a great spot.

As another person said in this thread, however, it is really what feels right to you. It is a highly personal decision, so go with whatever property feels like home.

Best of luck!

[songkrai]

Some of the smaller bays are headway speed only.
An advantage for some and a disadvantage for others.

[DRH]

Our first place on the lake in West Alton was on a point that had a magnificent 180+ degree view. We watched the sun rise and set, and we could see 5+ miles across the lake to the mountains east of Wolfeboro. In other words, the view was wonderful.

However ... we were also exposed to both the northwest and easterly wind and waves, plus the significant boat wakes of all the weekend boaters going between Sleepers Island and the mainland.

We had a boat almost destroyed by waves at our dock (secured, we thought, by substantial whips) during a nor'easter in 1996, by 4 - 5' waves crashing over our entire dock. And whenever the wind howled out of the northwest, our dock, boat and shoreline got hammered with large waves.

A motorized boat lift kept our boat safe after that, but dealing with a boat lift does make it a bit inconvenient to go out for a regular evening cruise.

We moved a few years ago to a small cove in pretty much the same area, but we are now protected from the northwest and easterly wind and waves, and the boat wakes coming in from the weekend traffic are considerably dissappated by the time they reach our dock.

So, my message is that there is often a trade-off between having a great view and having a peaceful location. We enjoyed the wonderful view we had living on a point for 19 years, but we are now very happy to be in a small protected cove that doesn't bear the brunt of the wind and waves.

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Personally I would not buy on a steep lot. We walk out our door and we are at the water's edge. We have sun all day. I can tie my float off my raft and I have sun until it sets. Since I like the sun this makes me happy. I would not buy a place without a beach, even a little beach. The beach allows you and family easy access to the water. Also having a beach makes it so easy to put in kayaks, floats etc. A great view would be an added plus. If you do not have a great view then go out in your boat and enjoy the spectacular views all over Lake Winnipesaukee.

[Reilly]

When we bought in Arcadia, at the end of Hanson Cove, I thought I would miss being on the open lake and that it would be a pain to get out to the bigger areas. Now that my children are kayaking and exploring the areas on their own, I appreciate the quiet.

That being said, I have friends who own in Lakeshore Park, and I am sometimes envious of the view and long, open beach they have.

I accept that this post didn't help in the least, other than to say that BOTH are wonderful places to be and that maybe there are other aspects that are more important: clean water vs. mucky, price, travel time, style and maintenance of home, taxes, etc.

Good luck!

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We are in Lakeshore Park ,you are right about the views, But the wind :( :(

[SAMIAM]

Make sure you consider the exposure.......south or west is best in my opinion.
Homes facing east are in the shadows by 4 or 5 pm

[Island Girl]

My exposure is NNE. I love this because I get a sunrise most of the year.. Sun on he dock until about 1 pm in the summer, then shade for the hottest part of the day when I want to be cooler. I do not have the sun pouring through the front windows ever, which makes it cooler in the summer. I get gorgeous sunsets on my dock. Just my humble opinion.

IG

[Barney Bear]

We enjoy fantastic sunrises and moonrises at our location on East Bear Island. For a few days around the summer solstice, we can watch the sun set. 🌅

[erick26]

Just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and taking time to answer. So many great things to consider - some we had thought of and others we haven't. Flat land, sun exposure and car access are all very important things to consider. We have 2 teenage kids so we don't feel we need to be buried deep in a cove somewhere but still not sure we want to be out in the wide open either.

Thanks again and still feel free to post thoughts as we will be looking at properties to hopefully be on the water by next summer !

[Slickcraft]

We are on the west side of Welch, about as exposed as you can get. Is the view overrated? Not yet. Does the wind hamper activities at times? Yes at times. Do we ever get bored with the sunsets? Not yet.