Lake Houses: 9 Incredible Benefits of a Lake View

June 8, 2023

A drone view of a peninsula on Lake Murray, SC

When you imagine your dream home, chances are high that you’d really love to own a home on the water whether it is on the ocean, a lake, a river, a pond, or even a stream.

Just picture it… the sun is about to rise. You’re holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee with hazelnut creamer in your favorite mug. You quietly step out onto your brand-new patio and feel a light breeze sweeping your hair out of your face before anyone else wakes up.

You sit down at an elegant outdoor dining table overlooking the crystal clear water of your own private pool and beyond to your boat dock and a large lake that spreads as far as the eye can see in both directions. And you just take in the sweet moment of serenity, allowing your soul to be rejuvenated and restored.

Wouldn’t it be the best thing ever if that could be your reality every single day?

In this post, we’ll talk about why lake homes are so popular and 9 incredible benefits you get from living on a lake.

Drone view of gorgeous lake houses on Lake Murray in South Carolina.

Why are lake homes so popular?

There’s just something about gazing out on the natural beauty of a glorious water view that calms and soothes the soul.

While many people would love to own a beach house, the truth is that beach houses are much more expensive than lake homes, generally. And lakes are much easier to find near the city where you want to live and work than a home on the coast.

Another great thing about lakes, you don’t have to worry about hurricanes the way you do at the beach. You also don’t have to deal with the heavy tourist traffic on a lake that you often would on the coast in the summer and on holidays.

On manmade lakes, like Lake Murray, flooding is not an issue. The dam has floodgates that allow the local power company, Dominion, to lower the lake levels if they start to get too high.

So you get all the benefits of living on the water and none of the downsides with the lake life.

A wooden dock on the calm waters of Lake Murray in South Carolina at sunrise

9 amazing benefits of having a house with a lake view

Most people intrinsically realize that living on the lake is a dream come true. But if you want to break it down, here are some of the best reasons to live on a lake.

1. Breathtaking beauty

This is the biggest draw of the lake. The gorgeous views. Especially on wide water. There is something absolutely magical about looking out of your window to see a stunning blue expanse of water.

A white coffee mug in the foreground that reads, “pause,” sitting on a rustic wood fence with a blurred lake view and pine trees in the background.

2. Peace and serenity

Along with the fantastic view comes the calming effect and tranquility that fills your mind as you gaze out onto the water. “Blue spaces” are a massive mental health boost. You just feel calmer and more peaceful.

And it’s not only the view, the sound of waves or water lapping against a lake boat dock is soothing, too. Even the sound of water babbling in a brook or in a fountain has a therapeutic effect.

A mama duck and her 6 ducklings swimming together on a peaceful lake.

3. Abundant wildlife

If you are a nature-lover, living on a lake will give you a front-row seat to many sweet wildlife scenes from ducks to cranes, fish, and even deer coming to drink from the water. You can catch a lot of animals when you have a lake view near you.

Family and friends sitting in canoes and a kayak holding their paddles up while being on a lake just before sunset.

4. Recreational opportunities/water sports

There is no shortage of fun family activities and sports to participate in if you live on a lake. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to an active lifestyle and making incredible lake memories with family and friends.

11 popular water sport options for people who live on a lake

Boating

Canoeing

Fishing

Jetskiing

Kayaking

Paddleboarding

Sailing

Snorkeling

Swimming

Wakeboarding

Waterskiing

The silhouette of a man holding a fishing rod and catching a big fist beside a large lake at sunrise.

5. A year-round staycation

People want to end their work day and enjoy feeling like they are on vacation right at home. When you live on the lake, you have a vacation right in your backyard every day.

From the glorious views to the fun lake activities available all the time, the lake life feels like an escape from the everyday grind of life.

A luxury 2-story lake view home on Lake Murray, SC with a blue sky above.

6. Better home value

When you have a house on a lake, your home value tends to stay very high. This is true for homes on lakes in South Carolina and around the country. People love living on the water and demand tends to be higher for lake properties.

Also, because of the limited supply of lakefront properties, these homes usually sell for much higher prices than homes that are not on the water.

The factors that determine the value being on a lake can add to your home include things such as the view, whether you have water access, if you have a dock, any other amenities on your property, and where the lake is located.

A large lake-view cottage on a secluded peninsula with no other homes anywhere nearby.

7. More privacy and seclusion

When you have a house on the water, often, you will find a greater degree of privacy than you would in a suburban neighborhood or in the city. On a lake lot, you would not have neighbors behind you, only the water. And, depending on your lake-front property in SC, you may not have neighbors beside you either.

For people who enjoy having their neighbors’ windows 4 feet away from their own, this might not be the place for them. But for those who value not having to worry about neighbors being too close by, the lake is often a great place to settle down.

A back porch with gracious room for a dining space, a sitting area, a large masonry fireplace, and an outdoor television mounted above the fireplace.

8. Outdoor living

An outdoor lifestyle is high on most homeowners’ lists of priorities. And it’s even easier to enjoy the great outdoors when you live on the water on one of the best lakes in South Carolina like Lake Murray or Lake Carolina.

You can enjoy creating your own outdoor oasis anywhere, of course. Build your dream custom home and include an outdoor kitchen, patio/deck, custom pool, fire pit, and grassy yard for playing with the kids or the dog.

But imagine all of those things with a wide water lake view, and it becomes everyone’s favorite spot to hang out.

Neighbors and friends getting together in the backyard of a beautiful custom home with green siding and white trim and string lights over the dance area with delicious food on a wooden table in the foreground.

9. Community

There is something about living on a lake together that brings neighbors together and fosters a wonderful sense of community. Many people enjoy going boating together or hanging out in different people’s backyards. The vibe is usually relaxed and friendly, making a wonderful place to raise a family or even retire to.

One of our homes on a cove in Lake Murray, South Carolina with a two-story outdoor living space and a custom pool with rock salt pitted concrete pool deck overlooking the lake.

Location, location, location

We have built many gorgeous luxury lake homes around the Columbia, SC area. Some of our favorite lake home lots include ones on Lake Murray, Lake Carolina, Forest Lake, Lake Katherine, and others.

Of course, we also love to build luxury homes wherever our clients dream of living: on a golf course, in downtown Columbia, on the Saluda River, or on a pond in the woods. There are plenty of fantastic lots in downtown Columbia, Lexington, SC, and other areas around town that can make the perfect foundation for your custom home and future.

Wherever you want to live around the greater Columbia area, we can build your dream home there.