Least expensive lakefront property

[PROPELLER]

JRC, No matter how you figure it your 1st post that started this thread was right on. Owning a cruiser is the cheapest way to be waterfront even with boat depreciation. But it all depends on what you want, when you bought your condo etc. There are alot of things to consider. I love marina life & I know its cheaper because I am able to afford it but could never come close to affording waterfront or even a condo off the water.

All of the posters make good points & are correct in the things they posted but if cheapest is what you are looking for, owning a cruiser docked at a marina is the cheapest waterfront hands down.

Good luck

[jrc]

Woodsy, I think we are talking about two different things. First, is condo real estate on Lake Winnipesaukee a good investment. Second, is a marina boat a cost effective and enjoyable lifestyle.

I really didn't want to dive into the investment issue. There are lots of opinions on what's the best place to invest money. I never consider any boat to be an investment, it's a toy I choose to waste money on.

[PROPELLER]

Woodsy, Just a few things I wanted to point out & keep in mind I purchased my slip a few years ago before they went crazy with all the other real estate. It was a great investment as it turns out & if I had the money & foresight would have purchased several more but that was not my intent. Also, no one is going to argue that real estate is not a better investment than a boat, of course it is but you don't buy a boat as an investment in the first place. You buy it to have fun. And buying a cruiser to live on & renting/owning a slip is great fun, its a chosen lifestyle for fun. Its not meant to be an investment. Not to mention that you do not have to do any maintenance on a slip & only maintenance during the season on a boat is waxing. Marina living is very easy. If you own a house (not a condo) you may have to mow the grass, paint the house, plant flowers, maintain plumbing/heating, pay utilities etc, etc (need I go on) I have none of that at the marina. People forget all the other expenses that go with home ownership like utilities & the expenses you do have owning a boat at a marina are generally less. Sorry, I got off on a tangent while typing this. So here are the original points I wanted to make.

First, I have an interest rate on my boat that is comparable to interest rates on real estate. Second, taxes on an owned slip will go up but so will taxes on the condo & slip taxes are alot less than what they would be on a condo. Third, user fees on an owned slip can go up but mine has not gone up in 4 years & they can & will go up on the condo also & user fees at a marina are probably less than many condo's.

[Gatto Nero]

I always thought if you had a cruiser you could have the best of both worlds if you bought a piece of undeveloped land on an island and a small slip on the mainland. The slip would provide the amenities (shower etc) you need and allow for transportation to and from the island. The island property would be your home away home with the cruiser at the dock. You could live in the comfort of the boat but still have privacy and a place to stretch out. You could also build a shed to store more "stuff" and perhaps build a whole house when you have the time and resources.

I don't know this for a fact, but I think that someone is doing it on either Mink Island or Mark Island.

[glennsteely]

You could give me a cardboard box, on the public docks at the Weirs, a canoe, a paddle, a life jacket, a fishing pole and a book, and that would be the greatest lakefront property in the world to me, probably all I could afford too!!! The cottage my Grandparents had on Spindle Point, they had built for under $4000.00 and when it sold, it sold for hundreds of thousands. The boat thing is the only reality for a lot of us.

My Brother and I bought a house on a lake in the Pocono mts. It reminds us of New Hampshire in some ways, and that is why we bought it, but it is not The Lake. It sure was affordable.....the sign on our driveway says: The Steely's 4th and 5th generation cottage by A lake. We thought it was funny, people dont get it, they think the A stands for Arrowhead, which is the name of the lake, but it really means if it is not Winnipesaukee, it is just another puddle of H2o. You guys and gals here will get a kick out of it I am sure, because you all know what I am talking about.

There is no other place in the world like it, my father wont even go up anymore, it is too hard on him emotionally, it is not a pleasant sight seeing your father so upset over leaving somewhere. He gave it to us, this great place that will always remain in our hearts, now my brother, sister and I are trying to give it to our children, there are 6 of them now, and they all love it up at The Lake. When we pack to go on vacation, they all want to know are we going to The Lake or the mountains. Just about every weekend, we are in the Poconos, with a lakefront chalet, but the lake is The Lake and the mountains are the Poconos. (really only hills)

It is really a cheap substitute, but it is one we can afford.

Oh, and by the way, if anyone is going to get me my lakefront cardboard box with all the extras I mentioned......please throw in a lobster roll from Waldo Peppers!!!! I will be hungry from the 8 hour drive!!