Whether you are looking to buy a second home, a vacation home, or improve one’s property portfolio, there’s no denying that purchasing either a beach or lake house is an attractive investment, but why do we believe a beach house to be better?
The seven reasons why a beach house is a better investment than a lake house is because of:
- The improved return on investment,
- The comparative ease of maintenance,
- Safety concerns,
- Diversity of activities,
- Leasing laws,
- Ease of access,
- Health benefits.
The seven befits of owning a beach house over a lake house are general benefits and needs to be read in the context of the areas in which you want to purchase property; that being said, let’s look at the comparisons between the two below:
1. Return On Investment
Although both lake houses and beach houses provide opportunities for a long-term return on investment either for purposes of selling or long-term rentals, beachside properties are generally considered better performers than lake houses.
The reason is that there is a greater demand for beach houses as holiday destinations or permanent homes over their lake house counterparts. Still, the general development of coastlines over lake properties is evident.
Moreover, due to their laid-back atmosphere, beach houses are regarded personally beneficial to one’s long-term retirement plans or as an attractive option for those looking for retirement homes.
Finally, beach houses may serve as a base of operations for starting one’s own small to medium business in areas that typically see larger populations and tourist markets over lake houses.
For example, while one could start a business such as leasing boats by a lake house, this is unlikely to attract the clientele that a similar business model would on a coastal property with improved foot traffic and potential customers.
2. Ease Of Maintenance
While it is undeniable that both lake houses and beach houses require a level of maintenance that generally exceeds that of townhouses, as evident by the high cost of home insurance to cover both, lake houses are typically more expensive than beach houses.
The reason is that while beach houses may suffer wear and tear due to sand, salt, sea air, and coastal breezes, they seldom are exposed to further water damage seen at lake houses via a mist, fog, humidity, and excessive rain.
Further to the above, beach houses are usually built in open, flat spaces, while lake houses are built in thickets with large amounts of vegetation and trees.
Consequently, these foliage and root systems may present structure risks for the foundations of lake houses that beach houses are unlikely to experience.
3. Safety Concerns
Concerning home safety, beach houses usually have neighbors closer to them or an increased amount of foot traffic. In contrast, lake houses are generally spaced out and possibly solitary buildings on large plots of land.
This may increase the likelihood of trespassers and advantageous burglars targeting a lake house property over a beach house property, as there is a reduced risk of being caught or reported by a neighbor or bystander.
Concerning the safety of its occupants, particularly young children and pets, lake houses may have safety hazards that beach houses do not.
Although both types of houses may feature drowning hazards, lake houses are more likely to be in an area with dangerous animals or insects that could prove dangerous to pets and young children if not closely monitored.
Meanwhile, although beach houses may present equivalent drowning hazards or dangerous animals such as jellyfish, there are usually lifeguards and trained medics on standby at beachside properties, while the same cannot be said for lake houses.
4. Diversity Of Activities
While this may come down to personal preference, beach houses typically have more diverse activities than their lake house counterparts.
This is because while both lake houses and beach houses may have a cross-pollination of swimming and fishing, the inclusion of wide-open spaces and the ocean at beach houses results in unique activities such as:
- Surfing,
- Bodyboarding,
- Deep-sea fishing,
- Volleyball,
- Beach bowls,
- Sandcastle building,
- Beach bonfires,
- Sandboarding,
- Snorkeling,
- Scuba diving, and
- Windsurfing.
5. Leasing Laws
Although this is dependent on the state, many lake houses have leasing laws that beach houses are not subject to; this is because many lake houses are situated on federal or municipal land, which owns the lake and surroundings themselves.
Consequently, when buying a lake house, the purchasing agreement may include a clause whereby the new owner agrees to the inheritance of a 100-year lease of the land itself put into place by entities such as the U.S Army Corp Of Engineers.
6. Ease Of Access
Generally speaking, coastal properties have improved infrastructure and road access compared to lake houses found in more secluded, rural areas with limited road access.
This is vitally important to consider, as ease of access has a knock-on effect on other considerations mentioned above, such as safety and return on investment.
7. Health Benefits
It is widely recognized that escaping urban areas for pollutant and noise-free rural areas is extremely important for one’s physical and mental health. However, while both lake houses and beach houses meet this basic requirement, beach houses could be seen to have the edge for health benefits.
This is because beach houses typically have increased amounts of annual sunshine and movement of fresh air over their lake house counterparts which may experience cold foggy, and rainy weather over the winter months.
Furthermore, saltwater has been found to have certain health benefits over freshwater, including but not limited to the calming effects of magnesium and potassium, pain relief, accelerated healing, and the opening of pores to assist the removal of toxins via the lymph system.
Conclusion
Whether you decide to purchase a beach house or a lake house, while we believe a beach house is a better investment, these are not objective truths.
Instead, the decision to purchase either type of property should come down to your personal preferences and investment goals!
References
- https://www.vacasa.com/buy-vacation-home/why-buy-a-vacation-home
- https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/215699/beach_destinations/the_health_benefits_of_living_at_a_beach_house.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/092915/economics-buying-beach-house-read-you-buy.asp
- https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/the-pros-and-cons-of-owning-waterfront-property
