Tips For Finding The Perfect Lake Home

For many, buying a lake home is a dream come true. Making that dream a reality takes careful thought to ensure you make the most of your investment, and your new home fits your family and personal style.

Location, Location, Location
Lake Martin is arguably the most beautiful lake in the Southeast, and the only lake to receive Alabama’s Treasured Lake status. The perfect lake home would be on the cleanest, clearest water that is protected faithfully, and offers hundreds of miles of undisturbed shoreline. And, although it might feel like “worlds away” when you’re here, no matter where you or your friends and family are coming from, this paradise is easily accessible from Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery. Russell Lands On Lake Martin has carefully crafted more than a dozen premier neighborhoods along its shores and all of the amenities and activities your family will love.

Go Where the Fun Is
Life at Russell Lands On Lake Martin offers an array of amenities – all designed to connect you to family, friends, nature, and always, the lake. At the center of it all, you’ll find James Beard-caliber dining, casual lakeside southern fare & specialty café, bakery and provisions. With the community’s abundant hiking, biking and equestrian trails, fun is always right at your fingertips. Plus, Russell Crossroads also hosts numerous entertainment and festival events throughout the year. Oh, and then there’s the lake.

Choose Your View – Big or Cozy
With hundreds of miles of shoreline, you might have a hard time choosing your own little slice of it. Consider whether you want a grander, more exposed, big-water view, or whether you’d prefer a quiet, secluded cove. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets? Or perhaps your own woodsy little waterfront haven?

Match Your Style
Nurtured over the past 40+ years, our neighborhoods each have their unique personality and a variety of features. Choose according to your personal style. Custom estate home or cozy luxury cabin? Are parks and trails footsteps away important? Would you like a marina and boat storage at your fingertips? Whatever your preference, Russell Lands On Lake Martin has the perfect neighborhood just for you.

Begin the Journey With a Guide
You have a dream and a vision of life at the lake. We know that passion well — and share it. Let us help you. We’re experts in the local market. We’re possibility thinkers and results oriented. We can help you with the details of attaining your dream. With our help, thousands of people have found their perfect lake home on Lake Martin.

Your Weekend Getaway or Here to Stay?
A home for weekend getaways may differ somewhat from a full-time residence. Although most lake homes include abundant covered outdoor living and entertaining spaces, full-time homes might also include larger closets and more storage. They also might include features to help you enjoy seasons other than summer or holiday times, such as outdoor fireplaces.

The Home Should Prioritize the Lake
In the city, it’s important for your house to have curb appeal, but what a lake house needs is pier appeal, or lakeside appeal. It may seem confusing at first, but the lake side is where your front door is. Also, lake houses should have all the most important rooms — kitchens, dining, living and bedrooms — facing the lake. There is nothing quite as beautiful as water, and a lake home should have expansive windows so you can enjoy the view.

Think Long Term
Your lake home may be enjoyed by multiple generations of your family and will create the memories of a lifetime. If you’re building, give yourself time to cultivate a great plan. Buy now, design the perfect house plan and be ready to play the following summer. Your move-in date may be into next season, but your careful consideration will be worth the time and will yield the ultimate rewards.

Seek Out the Experts
Explore what fits your wants and needs. A lake home is different than a city home. Luckily, we have teams of experts to help you. Our approved builders and architects have decades of experience designing and building high-quality lake homes, and making very happy lake homeowners. And our architectural review process protects your investment, and preserves the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

It’s All About the Water
When looking for the perfect lake house, make sure you leverage your number one asset: The lake! It may seem obvious, but many people forget that there are different considerations you need to make with waterfront lots. Flatter lots make for shallower waters, perfect for swimming, great for young children or even creating a beach. Steeper lots usually mean deeper water. And unlike city homes, one must think of piers and seawalls, and the amount of waterfront footage required for them. Don’t worry. We take all of that into consideration when carefully planning our neighborhood homesites.