sacramentoneighbors.com
Whether you have actually always wanted to live by the water or you’re expanding your property portfolio, these are the leading places to purchase a lake home.
psalm40.org
-. -. -

Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than 8 years of experience editing and writing for both brand names and online publications-with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and way of life. She’s likewise the founder of the travel site justpacked.com.

For numerous, lake homes are synonymous with summer fond memories. Barbeques, revitalizing dips in the chilly water, stunning sunsets, boat rides, and fireflies: If you’ve spent at any time by a lake in the warmer months, you’re likely well-acquainted with this specific brand name of trip magic. You might even be seeking to recreate it for yourself by purchasing your own lake home. If that’s the case, however you’re not exactly sure which lake you wish to call your home (or your 2nd home) right now, we can help.

There are rather actually thousands of lakes with property opportunities in the U.S., so we spoke to a few experts to limit the choice. Below, they’re sharing their picks for the best places to buy a lake house this year.

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Eifel Kreutz/Adobe Stock

” Lake of the Ozarks is a fantastic location to purchase a lakefront residential or commercial property right now due to the fact that, in addition to offering dozens of year-round activities, the residential or commercial property is still economical,” says Elena Novak, lead realty scientist at PropertyChecker.com. Missouri-based Matt Smith Real Estate Group reports that, in February of this year, the average price of homes in this part of the state was $448,585, while Zillow approximates the typical home worth in the city of Lake Ozark is simply above $340,000. “With property costs rising, these homes may 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 number of hours from centers like Kansas City or St. Louis, now’s the time to purchase.

Southwest Lake Erie Region, Michigan and Ohio

Skylight Pictures/Getty Images

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