Whether you have actually always wished to live by the water or you’re expanding your realty portfolio, these are the top places to buy a lake home.

-. -. -

Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience modifying and writing for both brands and online publications-with a particular concentrate on travel, style, and way of life. She’s also the creator of the travel website justpacked.com.

For numerous, lake houses are synonymous with summertime nostalgia. Barbeques, revitalizing dips in the chilly water, stunning sundowns, boat rides, and fireflies: If you’ve spent whenever by a lake in the warmer months, you’re likely well-acquainted with this particular brand name of vacation magic. You might even be seeking to recreate it on your own by acquiring your own lake house. If that’s the case, however you’re not precisely sure which lake you desire to call your home (or your 2nd home) just yet, we can assist.

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

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Eifel Kreutz/Adobe Stock

” Lake of the Ozarks is a fantastic place to buy a lakefront residential or commercial property today because, along with providing lots of year-round activities, the residential or commercial property is still affordable,” says Elena Novak, lead real estate scientist at PropertyChecker.com. Missouri-based Matt Smith Real Estate Group reports that, in February of this year, the typical price of homes in this part of the state was $448,585, while Zillow approximates the typical home value in the city of Lake Ozark is simply above $340,000. “With realty costs increasing, these homes might end up being out of reach within the next five years,” Novak warns-so if you’re interested in a quiet lakefront home that’s simply a number of hours from hubs like Kansas City or St. Louis, now’s the time to purchase.

Southwest Lake Erie Region, Michigan and Ohio

Skylight Pictures/Getty Images

When identifying the best places to buy a lake house, Julie Brinkman, the CEO at Beyond, an income management system for getaway leasings, was concentrated on destinations that make the most financial sense for those seeking out residential or commercial properties to include to their rental portfolio. “The southwest Lake Erie area, bordering both Michigan and Ohio, has an average annual income per listing of $34,000 and a typical yearly occupancy rate of 40 percent,” she states. Since May 2025, Zillow has a handful of homes in the area-in Luna Pier, Michigan