West Point Lake vacation home is convenient, affordable

Quaint town of Hoganville nearby: “It’s a very small town, but there’s a historic downtown area with antique shops, restaurants and an old hotel. It’s definitely worth a visit, and everyone enjoys their town’s annual arts and crafts event, the Hummingbird Festival held in mid-October."

Rental is another way to make it affordable: They found the house was sitting empty more often than not, and after speaking to another homeowner in the area who had been successful with renting, the Davidsons decided to jump into the rental world. In March 2009, the couple put their house on the rental market through the website Vacation Rental By Owner.

A very specialized form of rental: Renting their home this way means the Davidsons manage the process from setting up their Web page to collecting payment. Davidson warns that there are many more inquiries than actual rentals. “About 90 percent of the people who inquire about your rental are not going to come through, so this is not necessarily a process for everyone,” he said.

Renting a house is better than letting it sit empty: The Davidsons use similar services whenever they go on vacation, so the process is one they’re comfortable with. An added benefit is that they feel a home that receives regular use tends to hold up better than one that is sitting vacant for long periods of time.

A private place to relax: Davidson’s three-bedroom cabin has three full baths and lots of outdoor living space. He says the large covered front porch is where they spend most of their time, if they’re not enjoying the screened back porch that faces the lake. The 1-acre lot offers privacy, particularly since the land around the lot is undeveloped.

At a glance

Community Information

West Point Lake is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the entire shoreline of the lake is owned by the United States Government, with the Corps responsible for managing the reservoir and its surrounding, publicly owned land. The property line is well marked, with red stripes painted on trees along the line.

Realtor Thomas Sauls with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers says that’s one thing prospective homeowners really need to understand. “When you buy a lot, you’re not buying on the lake. You’re buying up to the Corps’ property line. If there’s not a dock there already, you’re going to have to get a permit and satisfy the Corps’ rules and regulations. It can take several months to receive a permit, but they have a pamphlet that lays out everything up front,” he said.

Sauls says there are still lots available. They can range in price from $33,000 to $250,000, with price often dependent on the lay of the land and accessibility to the lake.

Getting there

Take I-85 south to Exit 18 (Ga. 109. Lafayette Parkway). Turn right, go through LaGrange. Continue on Ga. 109 to central West Point Lake. Just outside LaGrange, U.S. 29 goes to the southern part of the lake. Take Ga. 219 from the middle of LaGrange to the northern part of the lake.

Information

http://westpt.sam.usace.army.mil

http://agents.metrobrokers.com/thomas.sauls

For sale

$119,900: 52 Deer Pointe Court N.W., LaGrange. Cozy two-bedroom one-bath lakefront home with dock. Jon boat included.

$429,900: 210 Thomas Drive, LaGrange. Three-bedroom, three-bath brick ranch with panoramic views. Double-decker dock.

Recently sold

$234,000: 183 Indian Bend Drive, LaGrange. Five-bedroom, three-bath home with clear lake views and dock. Sold August 2010.