In more western North Jersey counties like Morris, Passaic and Sussex, there are lake communities galore. And, as the weather finally starts to heat up, the ideal of a lakefront home might become tempting.
From Lake Hopatcong — New Jersey’s largest lake at nine miles long and 2,500 acres wide — and the seven-mile stretch of Greenwood Lake, to smaller areas like Indian Lake, Mountain Lakes and Lake Mohawk, there is no shortage of lakefront opportunities in the Garden State. And, while lake houses were at one time just summer homes for wealthy families, over time they have transitioned into a popular option for full-time residences.
“Years ago, no one was going to places like Lake Hopatcong. It was just too far. Now, with all of the restaurants and amenities, people live up there year-round.,” said Anne Fisher, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in Mountain Lakes. “Years ago, no one lived up their year-round, but people are getting more and more into living comfortably without the stress.”
But what makes lake homes ever so desirable? It’s the fact that when living full-time by the lake, you don’t have to wait for a vacation to escape the stresses of day-to-day life.
Christopher Edwards, a realtor with RE/MAX Town & Valley II known as “Mr. Lake Hopatcong,” has lived on the lake since 1957 and has more than 30 years of experience selling real estate there. He said that through the more than 250 listings he has handled, there’s one common theme he hears: Lake living is like being on vacation every day.
“You come home with all of these troubles from work. You walk into the house and look out the window, and instead of looking at your backyard or a fence, you’re looking at the beautiful lake,” he said. “Maybe you’ve got a sunrise or maybe you’ve got a sunset. Maybe you have a dock where you can jump in and go for a swim. It’s like being on vacation every day.”
And, this isn’t an every day vacation that is only enjoyable in the summer. Edwards said that people do primarily buy houses on the lake specifically for access to the water for activities like swimming, boating and watersports. But, the colder months can also cause areas of the lake to freeze, which he said results in a whole other slew of opportunities, like ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating, cross-country skiing and more.
“I sold a house two years ago to lifelong New Yorkers in their 70s. The husband had been an active ice hockey player and still plays hockey in the senior league. I told him that the area they were looking at would freeze before the main lake would. He couldn’t wait to close,” Edwards said. “He couldn’t wait to go out there and put his ice skates on and skate right away from the house in his own backyard.”
Often, purchasing a lake home comes with the added benefit of being part of a lake community. Compared to your average neighborhood, where you might not necessarily even get to know your neighbors in a casual sense, lake communities offer their own events, organizations and recreational activities to foster a close-knit community.
Fisher said that this has become a big driving factor for so many people choosing to move to a lake full-time, especially because there’s options for all demographics.
“People like it for the community living. They love the idea that once they move in, they already have friends and their kids already have friends,” she said. “If they move to a regular suburban street, it might take two years before they meet their neighbor. But, with a lake community, they have all sorts of activities going on all year long to bring everyone together.”
What factors should you consider when buying a lake home?
If you’re serious about buying a lake house, there’s a lot to consider. Edwards said that this includes things like the size of the home and the amount of parking available — especially if you’re going to have visitors often — as well as whether you’d prefer deep or shallow waters and a sunrise or sunset view.
You also have to keep in mind that the terrain around the lake is likely going to vary, with some properties being more steep and rocky than others. Edwards said that he’s sold houses with anywhere from 75 to 100, or even more, steps from the road down to the water.
Utilities also need to be taken into consideration when buying a lake house, Fisher said. While most suburban neighborhoods throughout North Jersey might offer public utilities, lake houses don’t always have that option.
“Some houses on the lake have city sewers, some of the houses have septic systems. Some houses have wells, some houses have city water,” Edwards said. “There’s a variety in mechanical systems that these houses have from place to place depending on where you are on the lake.”
And, because lake houses were originally only used as summer homes, Fisher said that the properties tend to be older without recent renovations. So, there is a chance that if you purchase a lake house, you may need to consider updating the property or expanding.
“They’re not as big as some might think. Like in Indian Lake in Denville, for example, a lot of those homes were smaller and people took them down and expanded them,” Fisher said. “So, a home may need a lot more expansion than what a buyer wants to do.”
Lakefront properties for sale in North Jersey
As it goes for just about any neighborhood in our current real estate market, prices are high and inventory is low. So, expect to face some competition for these highly sought after lakefront properties.
Whether you’re looking to buy or simply enjoy looking at extravagant properties, here are some lakefront homes for sale on some of North Jersey’s most notable lakes:
Lake Hopatcong
Greenwood Lake and Upper Greenwood Lake
Mountain Lakes
Lake Mohawk
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ homes for sale with a lake view: What to know about buying