The Value of a Lake Expert

The Ithaca area is known for breathtaking scenery, well-respected universities, and as a gateway to the broader Finger Lakes area. Located at the base of Cayuga Lake, the second largest and deepest of the 11 Finger Lakes, Ithaca has a robust real estate market that includes a niche market of lakefront properties. Both second-home buyers, vacation rental investors and those looking for a year-round home are drawn to the lake life.

Throughout my life I have spent countless summers on the west shore of Cayuga Lake and have sold lakefront property my entire 20 years of being a real estate agent. As a lake expert, I am available to help you navigate this specialty market to understand the unique challenges it can pose.

We are home to a vast array of property types up and down the lake. You’ll find rustic cabins all the way to multi-million dollar homes with the average lakefront sale hovering around $430,000. A few of the factors that influence the value of lakefront property include:

1. Shoreline type and maintenance – is it a shale beach or grass? Is there a seawall?
2. Accessibility of the home and beach areas – are there many stairs? Is the driveway steep?
3. Lake rights – what types of rights convey? Is the lake front shared, public or private?

It is questions like these, among many others, that buyers and sellers will be faced with during the real estate process. My expertise and service-orientated approach routinely places me among the top agents in both traditional and lakefront sales. Last year was exceptionally successful – as I was the top producing agent in lake front sales out of our entire Ithaca Board of Realtors. The info-graphic below showcases how proficiency in this area yields the best results.