5 Things to Look for When Purchasing Lake of the Ozarks Real Estate

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Have you ever heard of Lake of the Ozarks? It has received more attention lately, perhaps partly because of the popularity of the show Ozark, which just concluded its run on Netflix.

You will find Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri’s south-central section. It’s one of America’s largest human-made lakes and a great place to spend some time.

You might look for Lake of the Ozarks real estate if you need a vacation property, or maybe you’d like to live there year-round. Regardless of which idea appeals to you, you’ll want to look for some particular features when checking out the available properties. We’ll talk about some of those now.    

The Right Price

Just like looking for property anywhere else, the asking price matters. When you look at Lake of the Ozarks real estate, you might be willing to spend more if you plan on making this property your primary residence. A vacation home might not command such a large asking price.

Depending on factors like square footage and other features, you might expect to pay as little as $235K for a Lake of the Ozarks home or vacation getaway spot. You can also pay as much as $500-600K for a more desirable property.

Most standalone homes will cost more than apartments or condos in the area. Whatever you have in mind, though, you’ll need to locate a residence that’s within your price range.

Lake Access

Some people move to Lake of the Ozarks or the surrounding area without wanting much to do with the lake itself, but more times than not, you’ll want access. The lake is one of the key features if you move to this part of the state and this area of the country.

If you get a home right on the lake, you might have a dock where you can tie up your boat if you own one. You may get a house with a pier suitable for fishing or just sitting out in a lounge chair and sipping a cold drink on warm days.

You can swim or take out your jet ski if you live near the water. If you get a home further away from the lake, you might expect to pay a little less for it, but you might have no issue paying more with the lake conveniently in your backyard.

The Back and Front Yards

Speaking of yards, that’s another key feature as you look at Lake of the Ozarks real estate. The homes in this part of the country often come with land parcels if you’re willing to get into the higher-priced options. You might look for one with a nice front yard, backyard, or both.

If you can find a house in this area with a good-sized yard, your kids or pets can run around there. If you have the land but no fence yet, you might erect one. If you do, you can feel confident that your younger kids or pets will not run out into the street.

You might look at homes with decks overlooking the backyards. If you find a property without a deck, but you see there’s room for one, you can always build it.

You can enjoy barbecues in the backyard when you set up a grill on the deck. You can set up a table and eat back there. You might invite the neighbors over for drinks, or you can welcome family living nearby or visitors from across the country.

The Number of Bedrooms

As you look into Lake of the Ozarks properties, you’ll probably want to find one that has the number of bedrooms that works for your situation. Maybe you’ve lived in an apartment for a while, but now, you want each child to have their own room. If they’ve never had that before, they’re probably more than ready for it too.

You might get a two-bedroom home if you have a spouse or partner and one child. You and your partner can take the main or master bedroom, while your child takes the other one.

If you get a three-bedroom house, you might give a bedroom to each of your two kids. If you only have one child, you might also use the additional bedroom for some other purpose.

You can leave it as a bedroom and put any guests in there that visit you. However, you might also turn it into an office if you’re able to work from home.

More individuals work from home than ever, so you might appreciate that office space. You can even split the difference by putting in a desk and computer, while you can also keep a fold-out sectional there for guests.

The Number of Bathrooms

The number of bedrooms matters, but you’ll want to look at how many bathrooms your Lake of the Ozarks property has as well. You may want at least two full baths if you’re going from apartment living to house living for the first time.

You might also make do with one-and-a-half baths. You can always install a shower or tub in the second bathroom if you’re willing to spend the money on it. 

That’s a good investment that will enable you to ask for a higher price tag if you ever decide to sell and move on. In the meantime, you can enjoy that second full bathroom, especially if you have a several-member family.

You might also look at additional factors, like whether the home has a laundry room. You may look for one with central air since Missouri gets pretty hot in the summers.

You might want a house that comes with newer appliances. Maybe you’ll look for one with a two-car garage if you’re a multiple-vehicle family.

As you look around Lake of the Ozarks, you’ll likely find something that appeals to you. This area is hot right now, but you can probably find a bargain if you contact the right realtor.