Searching for Lake Oconee lake property and golf property in Reynolds Plantation

Reynolds Plantation, Reynolds Landing, and Great Waters are gated golf communities developed by Reynolds/Linger Longer Communities. They are absolutely excellent properties...well-run, well-maintained, and offering a great selection for those who want to be in a gated community. BUT...

Many people searching for Lake Oconee properties begin their search by contacting Reynolds directly. Reynolds markets their corporate-owned properties around the U.S. and around the world very successfully. Reynolds properties tend to be, on average, priced 10% to 50% higher than comparable properties in other gated communities...Harbor Club, Cuscowilla, Del Webb, Waters Edge. Some seekers become discouraged by the prices in Reynolds, and don't realize that there is a whole world of property available in other gated communities, as well as "outside the gates", at a wide range of prices. The agents who work directly inside Reynolds DO NOT SELL, OR SHOW, properties outside Reynolds. Further, there may be a tendency to show recently released corporate lots/homes, then their own resale listings, then, as a last resort, those listed inside Reynolds by "outside the gates" agents.

Bottom line: You may be wise to establish contact with an "outside the gates" Realtor first, and gain exposure to the entire range of properties available at Lake oconee.

Max docks and boat lifts on Lake Oconee

Georgia Power sets policy on which Lake Oconee waterfront lots can have a dock and the kind of dock allowed. The dock type and availability are two factors that determine the value of a lakefront home or lake lot. Generally, the lot must have 100' of waterfront before it can have a dock of any kind. There have been exceptions, many of which have been grandfathered in from past years, but requirements have tightened recently. Anyone considering Lake Oconee lakefront property will be wise to call Georgia Power, whether the property already has a dock or not.

If there is a dock, Georgia Power can let the prospective buyer know the dock's status...for example, they are now requiring that any new dock, or rebuilt dock, must be no closer than 15' to a side lotline, so an existing dock may need to be repositioned if or when it is rebuilt. If there is no dock, GaPower can tell, often without visiting the lot, whether and what kind of dock will be allowed, and how it should be positioned.

They (GAPower) have been extremely cooperative and reliable. Generally, lots that can have no dock will be worth tens of thousands of dollars less than one that is dockable. Undockable lake lots are very uncommon at Lake Oconee, but you need to know for sure.

Dockability can add $50K to $100K+ to the value of a lot or a lake home. The most desirable dock is a max dock with an "H" slip and a 320 square foot seating area. Such a dock can usually have two boat lifts and up to four PWC lifts. Some lots can only have a "wharf" dock...one that is parallel to the shoreline, but some of these can have a boatlift as well.


Whether buying a property or selling a property, a little homework can be critical.

Lake Oconee lake homes and lake lots for sale

Here is what is on the market at Lake Oconee Georgia for six categories of lakefront and golf property as of 6-3-09;

Lakefront homes non-golf: 139 homes from $225K to $2,900K Median: $615K
Lakefront homes gated/golf: 84 homes from $669K to $5,695K Median: $1,540K
Off lake homes gated/golf: 225 homes from $185K to $4,995K Median: $629K

Lakefront lots non-golf: 80 lots from $99K to $1,750K Median: $340K
Lakefront lots gated/golf: 72 lots from $249K to $1,650K Median: $722K
Off-lake lots gated/golf: 363 lots from $38K to $929K Median: $189K

Lake Oconee real estate pricing in a buyer's market

While the Lake Oconee real estate market is edging back slowly, it is still a buyer's market. In a buyer's market, listing too high can poison the market for that particular property. Subsequent price reductions are often too little, too late. Buyers and their agents may not return to the property until the price hits a point of desperation. The owner may get lucky...it happens...but more likely after the initial rush of interest the property may languish on the market for months. One home, not my listing, sold after two+ years at well under $500K after starting at well over $700K. When initially listed that home should have sold fairly quickly in the low $600's...two years later, the market had changed, offers had been turned down, and the sellers had become open to almost any offer.