Family Activities to Do at Indian Lake

Indian Lake, perfectly situated in Logan, Ohio, is the ideal summer vacation spot for most families near the area. Indian Lake is home to a wide range of wildlife, with many inlets and bays along the 30 mile coast. It's no wonder families enjoy spending weekends here! The number of outdoor activities are bound to keep you busy, while making new summer memories with friends and family. If you are considering purchasing a waterfront home or interested in taking a weekend trip, here are some fun family activities to do in Indian Lake!

Go Boating on the Water

What's a lake trip without soaking up some rays on the boat?! Indian Lake offers various docking/loading options, and even waterfront homes with their own dock. If you don't have a boat, don't fret! Consider renting watercrafts for a day full of fun. Be sure to study the map for no-wake areas that are enforced by the State Park Water Patrol. Enjoy a relaxing day floating on the lake, or try out water skiing and tubing for a new adventure. Just don't forget to pack your sunscreen!

Hit the Trails

Start the day with a refreshing hike along the lake or a rejuvenating trail bike ride. While making your way through the woods, slow down and enjoy the peaceful pace of life here in Logan, Ohio. Explore three of the most common trails at Indian Lake:

• Pew Island Trail: 1-mile scenic walking trail, encircling Pew Island with beautiful views of Indian Lake

• Cherokee Trail: 3-mile easy walking trail, located just west of the State Park Campground

• Lakeside Bike Path: 3-mile paved path available for walking and cycling, located on the west side of Indian Lake between Old Field Beach and Lakeview Harbor

Cool Off With a Swim

Pack up the family and head to one of Indian Lake's swimming areas for a splash in the water! There are two beaches that are available for swimming:

• Old Field Beach: The largest of the two beaches, Old Field Beach is easily accessible off State Route 235 located on the west side of Indian Lake. Ample parking is available and also includes picnic shelters and restroom facilities. Don't miss the endless list of summer events that are held at this beach!

• Fox Island Beach: Located just off Orchard Island Road, this beach also includes parking, restroom facilities, grills, and several shaded trees to relax under with a blanket.

Choice Properties offers you a chance to find the home of your dreams. We work with your budget and ideas in mind to support your ultimate vision. Call us if you are ready to check out the available inventory or to speak with a reputable agent who can assist you with your home buying needs.

Considerations When Buying a Lake House

With warmer weather around the corner, now is the perfect time to purchase a family vacation home at Indian Lake! Whether you're craving weekend getaways, a retirement home, primary residence, or a vacation home, waterfront homes offer many attractive features. However, lakefront properties come with their own set of responsibilities. It's important to education yourself to make sure you are fully aware of waterfront duties. Read through these considerations when buying a lake house, preparing you for a summer full of new memories and laughs.

Choose a Trusted Agent

Purchasing a lake home is different than purchasing the typical residential home. There are different inspections and key points to be aware of, making it important to work with a trusted real estate agent who understands the waterfront market. At Choice Properties, our real estate agents are experts at buying and selling in the Indian Lake area.

Consider More Than the Lake Itself

Buying a lake house is an exciting time! However, it is important to still consider the home itself. Be sure to not let the eagerness of the lake to get in the way of home requirements, such as number of bedrooms and space. Indian Lake offers a wide range of homes suited to meet your needs, ranging from number of bedrooms to proximity to the lake. Perhaps you wish to have a personal loading dock or storage for lake toys. Remember these wishes when visiting open houses or exploring homes.

Factor In Expenses

The fun and memories made are definitely worth the cost, but don't forget to factor in other expenses as well. Waterfront properties often have a higher maintenance checklist than residential homes, including dock upkeep, rusting items and wearing out do to the proximity of water. These expenses can easily be avoided by taking care of possessions and tackling any issues at the first sign.

Fulfill Your Lifestyle

Perhaps the most important question to ask yourself is if the property fulfills your lifestyle needs. In the excitement that comes with buying a waterfront home, it can be easy to lose sight of why you want to live near the water in the first place. For example, a home on a lake beach may require you to travel to a nearby dock to store and use your boat. If you don't mind traveling a few miles to get to your boat, then a dock can be ruled out! Your happiness is the final factor in determining the lake house you desire.

Choice Properties understands your needs and desires when it comes to the home search. We are here to help you define what you want, seek the best property and move forward feeling educated and able to make good decisions throughout the process. You can trust us to help you navigate it with the best real estate agents working for you. Call us to get started on your dream home search today.

10 Waterfront Home Buying Tips from our Agents

From searching for the perfect location to getting pre-approved, purchasing a waterfront home can feel like an overwhelming process. At Choice Properties, our expert lake house agents understand the ins-and-outs of buying a waterfront home, eliminating the stress and worries that tag along. These 10 waterfront home buying tips from our agents will give you awareness on what to expect when purchasing a home by the water.

   1.Find a trusted real estate agent who is familiar with the waterfront area.

An average real estate agent will not have the detailed knowledge of waterfront properties in Ohio to help you find the best deal for your budget. Although you may think you found a great deal, it's important to make note of features and amenities the home lacks that makes it a great deal. Having a trusted real estate agent will ensure you are getting the most out of your budge.  

2. Consider the property rather than the house structure.

Often times with waterfront properties, many buyers will fall in love with a house and not realize the mucky water or lack of privacy. Keeping an open mind and buying a property you love rather than a house you love will drastically change the outcome. It's important to remember a house can always be updated, but can not be relocated.

3. Purchase a property that truly suits your lifestyle.

You may find a property you love, but it could be 30 minutes from the lake or your desired location. If you enjoy going on the boat or watching the sunset by the lake, that drive will change the amount of times you truly get to take advantage of those activities.

4. Research loan options early.

Since most waterfront properties are more expensive than residential homes, loans often fall into the higher end of a mortgage payment with a lake house. Because of this, lenders only consider buyers who are extremely qualified knowing they can afford the second home. It's better to look into loan options early on in the process to prepare your house hunt.

5. Make sure the home structure is able to withstand water.

Unlike average homes, waterfront properties are more exposed to harsh elements, meaning extra measures should be taken to protect the home. Taking the appropriate action to take care of the home will ensure years worth of use.

6. Insurance can be more expensive and complicated.

Along with the loan options, getting home insurance for a lake home can be more expensive and take quite a while. Each state holds different regulations for the type of insurance needed, so being aware of these and deciding which insurance is best for you will relieve stress in the long run.

7. Research potential projects you can do with the property.

If you are interested to making changes to your waterfront property, such as adding a deck or boat dock, we suggest starting these projects early to ensure the projects are doable. Also researching activities that are allowed on the lake will prepare you to what to expect, such as jet ski restrictions or other rules.

8. Chat with local neighbors.

Stop by the local community and neighbors to see how they enjoy living in the space or if they have any issues. Discussing these will allow you to get insider-information, and they may even offer tips to landing the waterfront property of your dreams.

9. Look into the expense of utilities.

Those who are looking to buy waterfront may not have considered the expense of utilities. Bringing services such as cable, wifi, clean water, septic systems, or electricity can be expensive and should be planned out in advance.

10. Understand the responsibilities that come with being a waterfront homeowner.

Understanding the responsibilities of your property will come with a smooth transition and happy neighbors. If your waterfront property is part of an HOA, be sure you are familiar with the rules and agree to follow.

Choice Properties understands your needs and desires when it comes to the home search. We are here to help you define what you want, seek the best property and move forward feeling educated and able to make good decisions throughout the process. You can trust us to help you navigate it with the best real estate agents working for you. Call us to get started on your dream home search today.

Indian Lake Boat Show

Spring is around the corner, which means it is time for the annual Indian Lake Boat show! The 2018 spring boat show will feature stunning deals,  beautiful weather, tasty food, and the chance to view available Indian Lake properties.

Waterfront Properties

Join Choice Properties during this fun weekend to view some of our beautiful waterfront properties! We will be holding open houses all day Saturday and Sunday, making it easy to fit your schedule. Stop in for a free chicken sandwich & drink, and pick up an Indian Lake Guide or chat with our award-winning realtors.

Open Houses

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12:00-1:30 - WATERFRONT - 7502 DUNNS POND CIR #4, RUSSELLS POINT

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12-2PM - 305 W MAIN ST, RUSSELLS POINT

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12:00-2:00 - WATERFRONT – 9495 LAKESHORE DR W, HUNTSVILLE  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12-2:00 - WATERFRONT – 9327 SASSAFRAS DR, LAKEVIEW  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12-2:00 - 11475 TR 293, UNIT 415, LAKEVIEW

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12:00-2:00 & SUN, MARCH 4, 12:00-2:00  - 7225 SR 368 #30, HUNTSVILLE  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12-3:00 & SUN, MARCH 4, 11-12:30  –WATERFRONT – 129 CHASE, 3-1-L , RUSSELLS POINT

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 12PM-4PM & SUN, MARCH 4, 12PM-4PM - WATERFRONT – 9511 HERON WAY, BELLE CENTER

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 4, 1:00-3:00 & SUN, MARCH 4 1:00-3:00 - WATERFRONT –11566 HORSESHOE CH. DR, LAKEVIEW

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 1:00-3:00 - WATERFRONT - 11011 PARK, LAKEVIEW  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 2:00-4:00 & SUN, MARCH 4, 1:00-3:00 - WATERFRONT - 7575 PARK AVE, RUSSELLS POINT  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 2:00-4:00 -  NEW LISTING - WATERFRONT – 10243 CR 286, # A-16, HUNTSVILLE

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 2:30-4:00 - 10728 SEMINOLE SHORE (CO RD 272), HUNTSVILLE

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 2:30-4:00 –NEW LISTING – WATERFRONT - 10422 BUCKEYE, HUNTSVILLE

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 2:30-4:00 – 10752 SEMINOLE SHORE DR, HUNTSVILLE  

• OPEN HOUSE : SAT, MARCH 3, 3:30-4:30 & SUN, MARCH 4, 3:30-4:30 – WATERFRONT - 7478 DUNNS POND CIR #13, RUSSELLS POINT  

• OPEN HOUSE : SUN, MARCH 4, 12-2:00 - 7814 MAPLE ST, RUSSELLS POINT

• OPEN HOUSE : SUN, MARCH 4, 12-2:00 – 9050 POPLAR, LAKEVIEW

• OPEN HOUSE : SUN, MARCH 4, 12:00-2:00 - WATERFRONT - 8651 SR 368  #65-C, HUNTSVILLE

• OPEN HOUSE : SUN, MARCH 4, 1:00-3:00 - WATERFRONT– 10262 SUNSET ISLE, HUNTSVILLE

• OPEN HOUSE : NEW LISTING –SUN, MARCH 4, 2:30-5:00 - WATERFRONT - 11044 PEACH COURT, BELLE CENTER

We hope to see you on Indian Lake this weekend, preparing to welcome the season of spring! Our award-winning agents are eager to fill you in on available waterfront properties.

Have a question regarding locations, or buying and selling a Lake House? Contact us anytime, we'd love to hear from you!

Tips For Opening Those Indian Lake Ohio Rentals After The Long Winter

Opening your rental property after a long winter is the most exciting part of the year. It can also be the most stressful part. To get the season off to a great start, follow our planning tips for your opening weekend in your Indian Lake Ohio Rentals.

Opening Checklist

It's important that you start by making a detailed checklist of all the things you need to do when you get to your lakefront rental, including everything you need to take care of before you leave home. It may take a bit of time and effort, but it pays to be organized.

• Call the electricity company, phone company and trash collection to turn your services back on.
• Check that all insurance documents are up to date on the home, boat, trailer, etc.
• Organize your keys, tools, cleaning supplies, clothing, batteries, and food.

Systems And Safety

Once you get to your Indian Lake Ohio rental, you'll need to make sure that the home is safe to inhabit again, before turning on the water and other systems. A checklist for the outside of the property should include checking the following:

• Power lines
• Phone Lines
• Trees
• Roof
• Chimney Stack
• Deck
• Dock
• Siding
• Windows
• Screens

After you have made sure the outside is all clear, there's a different checklist for indoors, including:

• Checking the furnace filters.
• Checking pipes for rust or damage before you turn on your plumbing and water heater.
• Be on the lookout for signs of critters. Check screens and windows for holes and gaps and electrical cords for fraying or bite marks.
• Inspect your deck and eaves for signs of rotting.
• Test the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Food And Necessities

Finally, check the basic necessities. You'll want to make sure the house is stocked with food and other everyday things you'll need, like sunscreen and bug spray. Look through the bathrooms and take inventory of your toiletries and what needs replacing and replenishing. Change the sheets if needed, and air out the place.

All this seems like a lot of work, and it is. However, it is worth it when you've gone through your checklists and there is no element of surprise later. And keep in mind, that closing your Indian Lake Ohio rentals is equally important. The spring opening experience can be a pleasant one when you take the time to close the house properly in the fall, and follow your checklists the next year. Prevention and good planning are the key to opening your rental home quickly and enjoying it for the summer.

Choice Properties is always here to answer any questions, regarding searching for your dream lake house or selling your current house. Give us a call!

Work with the Best Indian Lake Realty Company for Your Home

The process of selling and buying a home has become complicated over time, with common law, state and local regulations and customs that surround the transaction. However, the best real estate agents will strive to simplify not only the language but also the procedure for you. At Choice Properties, the premier company for Indian Lake realty, our agents want to work with you to sell your home, and will put in all their efforts to make that happen.

The language of real estate can be confusing to the layman, and real estate agents are used to language that is technical. A good real estate agent will be patient and explain terms like easements, encroachments, and will walk you through the closing process. Your Choice Properties agent is completely committed to helping you understand the process so that you are able to make informed decisions.

You may not be fully convinced that you need to work with a real estate agent. It's not unusual homeowners to try to sell their homes independently. After all, what could be simpler than placing an ad and waiting for buyers to turn up? It's never that simple however. Any number of things could go wrong, like pricing your property unrealistically. When they find no takers after several months, many homeowners resort to using agents then. You can get ahead of the game and find yourself the best Indian Lake realty company to sell your home. Your Choice Properties agent will focus on selling your property full time, so you don't have to spend your precious free time.

The first, and arguably the most important step in the process of selling your home is setting the right price. You could certainly get the property appraised professionally and spend $200 to $400 on it. Another alternative is to ask the professionals at Choice Properties to price your home competitively, as we have the knowledge of what the homes in your neighborhood have sold for, and have access to an extensive number of comparisons. We can perform a competitive market analysis, and price your property just right.

As one of the top Indian Lake realty companies, Choice Properties agents have years of experience in negotiating property sales and overcoming buyers' objections. We are able to balance offers and counter-offers and handle all the contingencies that accompany real estate transactions. If you are considering selling your home, Choice Properties is the real estate company for you.

Call our award winning realtors to find out how we can assist you in selling your Indian Lake home.

Families who live in better neighborhoods may find some residual health benefits. Moving families out of low-income neighborhoods does not necessarily increase wealth or job status but may offer a boost in a different way which supports long-term health and increased happiness.

Health Benefits

A recent study published in the journal Science focused on data analyzed from a study called Moving to Opportunity, a federal housing mobility experiment from the 1990s. Approximately 4,600 low-income families living in poor neighborhoods in five major cities across America were analyzed. About 2,000 families received housing vouchers which allowed the families to move into mixed-income neighborhoods, while others stayed behind. The goal was to determine how much a person's living environment impacts his or her success. Scientists noted families who moved reported significant boosts in physical and psychological health, even while job status or educational opportunities may not have changed.

Health and Happiness

Compared with families who did not move, families who switched neighborhoods experienced lower rates of the following conditions:

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Anxiety

• Stress

• Depression

Rates of depression decreased while the overall satisfaction with life rose to that of a person whose annual income was $13,000 more a year. The significant findings of this report demonstrate money does not necessarily equate to happiness. Helping poor families is about more than just increasing income, but also providing a safe, lower stress environment in which to live, raise kids and work.

Looking for Clues

Researchers were not sure why moving to a new neighborhood made people feel happier but the focus shifted to how people feel more safe and less stressed in different neighborhoods. Some families received mental health benefits in less violent and impoverished communities while some were no better off. Racial segregation did not seem to change the statistics of overall happiness for people, in fact even if it the new neighborhood was as racially segregated, people were significantly happier. The reality is people experience health and happiness in different contexts so it is an individual experience whether or not moving will bring greater happiness, contentment and overall health benefits.

More research is needed to understand what supports families in creating more health benefits and happiness. It is not just from where a family lives, works and attends school but also dependent on other factors including family, community and other unknown variables. As researchers continue to work at understanding the human condition, health and happiness it will be necessary to learn more about the connection between poverty and happiness for future generations.  Firm understanding of how these factors work together can provide greater insight into how healthy communities develop, and maintain, overall wellness and happiness.

Moving can be just what the family needs.

Let our award-winning real estate agents help your family find the perfect neighborhood for a fresh start.