In2Deep

Considering purchasing a lakefront property somewhere at LOTO. Osage? Gravois Mills? Looking for input from people with FIRSTHAND home ownership or long-term visitation experience there...what's the scene like out there?

What I know so far: Lake is nice, weather is reasonable, infrastructure is strained (roads, traffic, etc.) due to growth, property values have been going up.

Any input appreciated.

I2D

CustomRigger101

i talked to someone there just yesterday about the housing market and she said that the aveage water front home there will stay on the market for 30-40 days..but you can buy a very nice home with a dock for under 250k

the lake if that's what you can call it.. is a big s.. or a dammed up river.. the waters over hoilday weekends can get pretty rough.. it looks like a 5-6 foot moblie down rill run.. off hoilday weeknd this one of the nocest place in the world./.. people are really nice there.. but you can't get anyone to do anything because everyday is a good fishing day.. and they'll just take off and go fishing.. so it's ALOT like island time there..

in the winter months the lake is shut down.. my wife and i went there for new years and the only thing open where the dry bars and nationaly owned change stores.. nothing on the water was open at all.. i'm thinking about moving there to sell boats.. so i wanted to see what it was like offseason.. everything that is owned by the locals is close for winter.. not even one put-put gold course open

hope that helps..

hammer01

We Have Been Going There For 30+ Years And It Is A Great Place For Family And Fun. Very Busy As Stated Above But You Just Have To Avoid The Rough Water And Bad Road Traffic. The Best Part Of All Is That The Lake Is Big Enough To Hide In The Right Parts Of The Lake When You Don't Want To Take A Wave Beating. The Properties Can Still Be Bought Right, You Just Need To Do Your Homework. We Have Been In And Out Of Condos For Almost 10 Years And Have Never Had A Bad Experience. The Home Market Has Been Good, But We Could Not Be There Enough To Do Our Own Maintenance, Etc. And As Stated Again, It Is Very Difficult To Get The Work Done. Good Luck And My Best Advice Is To Get A Good Realtor Who Knows The Lake Well And Be Patient Before Buying. Late Fall And Winter Brings Great Buys.

JasonSmith

The best place to ask this is at www.midwestboatparty.com & in the LOTO forum at the bottom of the page here.

jawbreakerkid

I've invested a few pennies in RE down there a time or two and will tell you that whoever you were talking to is not being truthful. I search the MLS on a daily basis for properties. You can't buy much for under $250K from the 1mm to the 27mm of the main channel. If you can, it will be less than 1,200sqft and will need total updating. It will also have very little waterfront footage. It will also probably only have a 30' dock that may need refloated. The good deals that were once out there are becoming fewer and further between.

lakeluvr

Dam to dam almost 100 miles with almost 1150 miles of shoreline which is more than the whole state of Calif. No didrespect intended. As mentioned lots to do on the water during the summer, but no so during the winter, but the partying doesn't stop in the winter just moves inland. We've been coming to the lake since 1985 and have been permanent for 6 years now. We love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm sure property values are cheaper here than out in Socal so might seem like a real bargain to you. They are going up like crazy tho. Here are a couple of links to check on things. Good luck.

http://www.lakesunleader.com/
http://www.funlake.com/events/cdetailf.php?id=127

CustomRigger101

link

easy web site to use.. seems likea good guy

http://www.yourlakerealestatesource....?HomeID=329138

one of the homes i'm looking at.. sometihng to work on in the off season

tblrklakemo

fun, crowded, rough, and dirty lake. Lots of people in every cove. I am over the whole LOTO thing, and the traffic getting there(i live 1.5 hours away). If you are in the area, come to tablerock...night and day difference. Water is beautiful green color down to 10ft. Boat traffic is 15% of what you see on LOTO. Army Corps restriction on # of boat docks. There aren't as many restaurants and bars on the water as LOTO, but we still have a few. It is really paradise in the Ozarks and my favorite place to boat...I've boated LOTO, Grand Lake, Lake Cumberland, and Havasu....tablerock is the best.

tlark

As a real estate appraiser in the greater KC area movement from the gulf coast states, FLA and Socal, LOTO appears to be trend for buyers that seek value w/o hurricanes and/or other issues. I bought in a new condo complex and 3 owners made the move from SanDiego and one from Mobile Alabama in the last 6 months. They boat on week days or late weekend eves to avoid the 4-5' wakes. With my party days behind I find it a good family place if you know where to go. Just learning this place I have located several quite spots to cove out for a day. Infrastructure is more established on the Osage Beach side IMO along 54. The HWY 5 side has been slower to develop and progress with improvements but that may soon change from what I hear and read. Dirty lake...........perhaps at times but the removal of foam docks will help which is on-going. I don't know near as much as alot of others on this forum but I could have went to other places for a second home/investment, guess where I went !!

WeaponX

Very good answer. I agree.