Yesterday I had no specific plans for the day. Then I read the “lake news” and noticed a price reduction on a lake cottage in Massachusetts. I suddenly and uncharacteristically called up the Realtor and asked to see the place. She said, “Come on up!” My hubby was understandably not so keen on such a time-consuming addition to his day, but he grudgingly agreed to go with me.
Located about an hour away, the lake is small (about 100 acres) but it looks pretty and it has an active lake association with modest, voluntary fees. When I first started shopping for lake houses, I had hoped to find a pristine lake with no issues (invasive plants, toxic algae blooms, etc.). What I’ve since discovered is that all the local lakes have issues. For example, every single one I’ve investigated so far has at least one invasive plant. The best you can hope for is a lake that is actively managed to mitigate the issues. So the lake association really matters, and this one looks excellent.
The house itself is also small, only about 1,000 square feet. For its size, it’s about as nice as it could possibly be, with three bedrooms and two full baths, plus a delightful sun porch. It has some other pluses, including central air, public sewer, and a whole-house water filter. Unfortunately, it feels very cramped.
I could probably forgive the minimal house size if everything outside were as I wished. I like that the plot slopes gently and the entrance to the water is shallow and sandy, but there’s no privacy. The houses on both sides are significantly larger, the one to the right so big and close that it feels like it’s looming over you, plus they have a dog that immediately started barking when we got there. You can’t help but notice how much bigger and nicer the left neighbor’s lot is, because you have to look over it to get the best lake view. On the water both neighbors have hulking docks and boats that are way too close. I wouldn’t feel comfortable swimming there. In fact, I think that no matter where I went outside, be it the patio or the yard or the water, I’d always feel under the eye of the left-side neighbor, whose house decorations give off unwholesome political vibes.
So I’ve dubbed this cottage “Under His Eye” and crossed it off the list. However, the Realtor was able to answer nearly every question I had about the lake. That was impressive given that the Realtors at all the other lakes have been totally clueless. And, as I said, the lake and association looked great. So, I’m keeping both the Realtor and the lake on my list.