About Central Florida Lakes

Most people have a mental image of a Florida lake that is far different from reality.    Many Florida lakes are shallow, weedy and contain dark or stained water.  Our larger lakes, such as the Harris and Kissimmee Chains, are interconnected highways to the ocean that keep Florida from flooding during the rainy season.  Most of our clear water lakes are spring-fed which makes them great for swimming.  Most spring-fed lakes are not big enough for water skiing unless you enjoy skiing around in circles.  There are some excellent waterskiing lakes in Florida, but lakefront land on these lakes commands a high premium because they are rare and very desirable.  In recent years, developers have begun to advertise man made canals and rock pits as lakes to lure waterfront home buyers.
 

Water level fluctuations

Florida lake levels normally run in 5-year cycles of high and low water.  In recent droughts, some lakes like the Clermont Chain lost 10 feet of water and it was impossible to find a home with water under a dock.  The Harris Chain only lost a few feet of water and open water boating was not substantially affected.  Canals are a different issue.   It is important to know the full length depth of a canal before you consider buying a specific canal front home or lot because you might find your boat hanging from your boat house for well over a year during a drought.  You can not obtain this information from your average real estate agent, you must deal with someone who has first hand experience of a canal's depth during a low water period.
 

Conservation Zones 

By law in Florida property owners can own the shoreline, but the public owns the water.  Water quality is a very sensitive issue in Florida and much has been done to improve the water quality of our lakes.  The Government Agency that controls water quality issues in Central Florida is the St. Johns Water Management District. The District has many responsibilities, among them are defining policies pertaining to lake shorelines and docks.  A conservation area is an area of land, usually adjacent to a body of water, which has specific regulations against clearing and/or pruning of trees and undergrowth.  It is important to know what conservation regulations apply to a particular lakefront property or you may find that you may not be able to access or even view the lake from the property you just purchased as lakefront. 
 

Water Quality

Water color and quality can vary widely in Florida lakes.  Small spring-fed lakes in Central Florida normally contain the clearest water with visibility commonly exceeding 6 feet.  Many Florida lakes are found in Cypress marshes and are black with the tannin from the trees.  This does not necessarily mean the water is dirty or polluted.  The dark color comes from the cypress trees and can be especially nice for swimming because these lakes tend to have cooler water temperatures in the summer due to low sun penetration.  Algae blooms can also change the water color of a lake to green or brown.  Ongoing studies are being conducted to determine if lake algae is harmful to humans. Information about the water quality of specific Florida lakes can be found from the Lake County Water Resources Atlas found at. 
 

Water skiing, boating and fishing 

Florida lakes are publicly owned and regulated by State Water Authorities.   In most cases, access is available to all Florida lakes unless private parties own all the land surrounding the lake and there is no inlet to the lake from any outside public waterway.  For this reason, water skiing, fishing and boating are popular pastimes in Florida. Water skiing can be regulated by boat motor restrictions enacted by water authorities.  It is best to keep water skiing activities to the larger public waterways to avoid causing wake damage or risk being involved with an irate fisherman or shoreline property owner.  Cruising and fishing are also popular water activities in Florida.  For example, the Harris Chain has numerous waterfront restaurants and miles of cruising waters. The Chain is also known for outstanding bass and crappie fishing.  Public ramps are numerous allowing the lakes to be enjoyed by everyone. 
 

Testing Before You Buy

There are some very important determinations you need to make before purchasing a particular lakefront property.  The ability to have a boat dock as discussed above is one of them.  Another is determining the elevation and location of the flood zone, which involves a survey.  You also need to know if the location where you wish to build your home on the lot is permitted or advisable.  Penetration tests are performed to ascertain the stability of the soil under your home and percolation tests are performed to determine drainage rates.   Your Realtor needs to allow time for these tests to be performed and contingencies need to be placed in your contract to allow you to break the contract or renegotiate without penalty if you find a problem.

How do you locate lakefront property? 

Finding the right lakefront property sometimes involves much more than looking through real estate listings.  Lakefront property owners know that their property is valuable and many of the more desirable properties are not listed and are sold by individuals without being offered to the general public.  For this reason, it is important to choose an agent with local knowledge and personal contacts with lakefront property owners.  Ask your Realtor if he or she knows of any lakefront properties that are not listed.   Some Realtors will canvas a lake looking for sellers and solicit a sale on your behalf.   This is a paid service, which is usually credited if a sale is made.

We invite you to tour this website in detail, especially taking the time to browse and view our property database.  If you would like more information about Lake County real estate, please contact us.

Call Toll Free:  800 260-2829