A decision on lake shore purchase

[benz]

Thought i would solicit some input from this crowd. I am looking at buying some land in da north woods. I have found that some lots look very doable but have "vegetation" on the lake shore. With closer inspection it looks more like marshy lowland. How big of a problem is this? I know this has for sure driven down the value of the site, thus i can afford it. I spoke to the realtor and there is no dock established. He said the DNR is open to a temporary structure but would have to get a permit for something permanent. Has anyone had experience with the DNR in putting in a dock through the "marshy" portion?

Maybe i could use whatever advice was given on the cattail thread?? Just kidding, i want to stay in good graces with DNR and do what is right for the lake.

 

[oldguy]

I have known a couple of people in MN that have made a walkway thru lowlands to gain access to the start of the lakeshore.This was done many years ago and things could have certainly changed nowadays. I would contact the closet DNR office to the land you considering purchasing. It seems different areas have different rules all within the same state guidelines. Some northern MN lakes also have township rules the supersedes the DNR guidelines. Don't take anybody's advise until you talk to the proper authorities.

 

[jts]

I have owned 2 properties in the northwoods. One was marshy shoreline, and our current is hard bottom sand, with little weeds. If you want to swim and enjoy the shoreline, i would advise you to avoid the marsh shoreline (some realtors call them "fisherman's" shoreline). As far as the dnr and dock is concerned, i have no experience, but my theory is to avoid all contact with governing bodies and shoreline properties...it can be a nightmare. Best of luck to you

 

[wilson]

that's all you need is 1 neighbor that is against you, or what you want to do and it becomes a nightmare....cause he's got nutt'in better to do then make phone calls

 

[jroz]

You need to know the history of the lake. Spring fed? Creek running through? Our lake is down 3 feet and it wasn't that dry. The beavers dam up the end once in a while, but that can be fixed. When buying a property, always remember, how much work do I have to do EVERY weekend before I have fun?

 

[xrated]

marshy equals buggy.

what lake are you looking on?

 

[jr37]

About 15 years ago I looked at a place this time of year that looked marshy. A year later I bought a different place on the same chain of lakes. On day we drove past the marshy lookin place on the water side and couldn't see it. If it looks marshy now, think what it will look like when the vegetation is grown.

 

[benz]

X-rated are you trying to snipe the property i am looking at?

Marshy shoreline does = buggy also equals drastically cheaper price.

I went to look at it on Saturday and the marshy area was more like a bog. I walked out on the boggy area for a bit and was just thinking how much work it would be to put in a temporary dock system as the realtor suggested. He made it sound like no big deal. There was about 200 feet from hard shore to edge of usable water. The acreage was good, great privacy.

I will try to contact the DNR this week to see what my options are for getting a walkway to where i can dock a boat.

I also want to go look in a month or so when all the vegetation is growing to get a better feel for it.

Tough decision.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[jr37]

Just remember that the realtor is trying to put money in his pocket, he may tell you what you want to hear. Never rush a big purchase, make sure you have all the facts and that you still have a good feeling about it all.

 

[oldguy]

Benz, I have seen several types of walk ways. There is the easy cheap way of throwing down pallets and doing your best to level them. Another way is driving down pilings (wood or metal) and attaching an above ground walkway to them. I have seen the floating dock type of system that you would set down on the bog. Then there is probably the illegal but easy way of dumping class 5 over it one load at a time until you reach the water.

It has been a very dry spring, who knows what that bog looks like when it’s really wet. Maybe you could talk some local people and get some input on what to expect in that area.

I have purchased many lake properties over the years. The best way to get started is buying what you can afford. Make cost effective improvments to the property. Then upgrade when you can.

 

[98panther]

The lot I bought, was one most people would never consider. Very steep incline to the water and boggy down where it levels off by the water, But those downfalls were why I could afford it.

I've worked with the land, and the issues they are still there. But I have no regrets after 7 years. We just enjoy it for what it is. I haven't seen anything since in that price range. and if I would have passed I'm sure I would still not have a place. Simple wood planks make a desent path over the boggy areas.

 

[polarisrider1]

X-rated are you trying to snipe the property i am looking at?

Marshy shoreline does = buggy also equals drastically cheaper price.

I went to look at it on Saturday and the marshy area was more like a bog. I walked out on the boggy area for a bit and was just thinking how much work it would be to put in a temporary dock system as the realtor suggested. He made it sound like no big deal. There was about 200 feet from hard shore to edge of usable water. The acreage was good, great privacy.

I will try to contact the DNR this week to see what my options are for getting a walkway to where i can dock a boat.

I also want to go look in a month or so when all the vegetation is growing to get a better feel for it.

Tough decision.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Not tough at all. I bet You can't get a DNR Permit for a dock. Realtors are in it for themselves in this market. DO NOT trust a Realtors word. We have some folks going through this mess right now on a lake I have property on. Legal fees are out of this world.

 

[polarisrider1]

Remember this one? Well since we lost the case and the dock went in minus the marina, this so called winner now wants a gas engine for his pontoon. My" Up North" place has 5 lakes in the assocation. All can be used by everyone in the association. Well 4 lakes allow gas motors and the one his dock is on does not. The lake is only 40 acres. It has never had gas motors on it. So I have been summoned to attend a meeting on this, this saturday. The guy can keep his boat at the commons on the largest lake of 290 acres and run gas motors all day long. He says, "But my dock is on the small lake". I say, "You got to have a body to have a crime". Hence the association meeting to vote him down and then a lawsuit from him to follow. Upside is we always have fresh donuts and coffee at these meetings. Downside is the last time I had donuts with this crowd it cost us$ 56,000 in legal fees.

 

[snow_monkey]

Not tough at all. I bet You can't get a DNR Permit for a dock. Realtors are in it for themselves in this market. DO NOT trust a Realtors word. We have some folks going through this mess right now on a lake I have property on. Legal fees are out of this world.

I went through the same process and purchased on a high bluff over the river with limited access, very steep hill to water over 80 ft down! Great views and few bugs due to the constant breeze. You go down the street 8 houses and the bugs will not even let you get from the car to the house! P1 is on the money. My friend tried to put in a driveway to the house he thought he stole until the dnr made him construct a $100,000 dollar driveway as not to smash the rare protected monkey flower! The home was over a half a million so his hands were tied. I would guess you also have some rare vegetation or a endangered spider that will die if you install a dock.

 

[whitedust]

X-rated are you trying to snipe the property i am looking at?

Marshy shoreline does = buggy also equals drastically cheaper price.

I went to look at it on Saturday and the marshy area was more like a bog. I walked out on the boggy area for a bit and was just thinking how much work it would be to put in a temporary dock system as the realtor suggested. He made it sound like no big deal. There was about 200 feet from hard shore to edge of usable water. The acreage was good, great privacy.

I will try to contact the DNR this week to see what my options are for getting a walkway to where i can dock a boat.

I also want to go look in a month or so when all the vegetation is growing to get a better feel for it.

Tough decision.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Temporary dock system are the keywords here & as others said never take the realtor's word about lakefront property. You won't have a problem at the WI shoreline you can go out on the lake with a temporary dock up to 3 feet of water as long as you stay within standard DNR regulations. Your problem is what to do in the wetlands & DNR probably won't have too much to object to if again the structure is Temporary & will be removed each winter season. IMO 200 feet of wetland pier & another let's say 100 feet of lake pier = 300 feet of pier way to much work for me in Spring & Fall to install & remove. WI realtor told me northern lakefront values down about 50% currently. Can you let us know what you find out?

 

[ezra]

niccom dock or crepeau dock are ez to install over marsh or on good sand also.I have some people who live on marsh, I have guys pull the dock out in fall 1 section in to the marsh and just the tops the rest of the way in. if the posts are short you cant even see the frame when tops are off. temp dose not mean you have to pull it every fall it just has to be removable not pier footing style.but rember when buying a cabin with no dock figure $1400 per 16ft of new dock. if you have 40 ft of marsh and a 20 ft boat and 16 ft till you are at 4 ft deep you just spent $6300 bucks and still need to buy a 55gal drum and other install and removal tools so call it $6800bucks.but that sed you can install 70 ft of niccom or crepeau dock buy your self in less than 2hr after you have done it a time or 2 www.crepeaudocks.com

 

[yamahauler]

I would just buy a hovercraft or an airboat and drive it right up to your front door.

 

[polarisrider1]

Had our meeting, still owe$ 23,000 to lawyer. The woman who won the dock issue, I found out today passed away over the winter. Who wins............ the lawyer. Wrote him another check today.