Lake Martin Voice Realty
Archive for the 'New Construction' Category
Winner Announced: Free Weekend At Water’s Edge on Lake Martin
I am pleased to announce the winner of a free weekend stay at a cabin at Water’s Edge on Lake Martin, please see this video:
Congratulations to Cecil G of Greenville, Alabama. He and his luckiest friends and family will be enjoying a free stay next weekend.
Thanks to everyone that entered. We had a tremendous response. Some of you really made me laugh with your comments that you left in the form. Some of you left some things I can’t print (you know who you are 
) and others left some funny ones. To wit, a few examples:
We had the spam fearers:
“Please do not distribute or sell my number or email address.” and “Please do not give out my personal information!”
Don’t worry, your info is safe with me. I will put you on my once a month email list, and if that’s too much, by all means, unsubscribe.
Also we had some folks that have obviously dealt with some aggressive realtors before, here are a few:
“please use only for wining giveaway—no sales calls” and my personal favorite: “Please do not share my phone number or bombard me with calls. Thanks.”
We had some very complimentary words about the new homes for sale at Water’s Edge, and Lake Martin in general:
“We actually drove by this development recently. It looks great, we’d love to spend an weekend there.” and “Can’t wait to see the finished homes.” and “one of my favorites home sites on the lake” and “Lake Martin is by far the best lake in Alabama. The water is so clear, the restaurants on the water are great and everyone is so friendly!”
There were a couple of good natured attempts to influence the results. All were unsuccessful, of course. This one took the cake: “I hope I win, then you can sell my old lake house for the new one!!” - Wow, talk about temptation!
If you are wondering how I made the draw, please let me explain. I took all entries and then dropped their info into a spreadsheet. Every entry had a row #. I then went to Random.org and used their random number generator to give a number, then I looked up the row, and saw who won. That’s how Cecil G. scored a free weekend at Lake Martin.
For More Information on the Waterfront Homes for sale at Water’s Edge, see:
Lot 1 Water’s Edge – $589,000
Lot 2 Water’s Edge – $569,000
They each have 3 beds and 3 baths, and are sitting literally on the water’s edge. The view is stunning – jaw dropping even – you can see for miles, from its spot at the end of Coosa 20. You can see much of Parker Creek, the old Veazey’s Marina, Willow Point, and all the way to Sand Island.
Neighborhood Spotlight: The Landing at the Rock on Lake Martin
The Landing at the Rock is a waterfront development on Lake Martin. It was formerly called Karis Park, and is across the water from another Lake Martin development: The Village at Lake Martin. Both of these neighborhoods have a central-eastern lake location.
I shot this video from The Village to give you an overall look at the neighborhood. I’m not the listing agent for The Landing (Butch Billingsley is), but I can help you find a home in this neighborhood, or any property in the Lake Martin Area MLS. Just give me a call or contact me using the “Contact” tab at the top of this page. I’d love to help.
Enjoy the tour!
Announcing Water’s Edge at Lake Martin
Lake Martin Voice Realty is proud to announce the opening of Lake Martin’s newest waterfront development – Water’s Edge.
Check out our press release video of Water’s Edge below. Turn up your speakers a tad to hear the narration!
Located on the popular west side of Lake Martin, Water’s Edge is located at the end of Coosa County Road 20 – just across the water from Veazey’s Marina. The homes are literally at the water’s edge, with unparalleled miles long views down Big Kowaliga, encompassing Willow Point, Parker Creek, Sand Island and all the way to Governor’s Island.
Currently Water’s Edge offers two homes for sale, priced modestly yet giving you all the modern conveniences. So many new homes on Lake Martin are spec homes built on a design that could go anywhere. Often, that results in a home that’s new and shiny, but doesn’t feel like a lake house. Not true at Water’s Edge. The homes were custom designed for these exact lots by award winning architect Bryan Jones, of Jones Pierce Architects – Atlanta, Georgia.
Bryan “gets” Lake Martin – having designed many homes on the lake, as well as enjoying his own Lake Martin home in the Bay Pine area.
The site was especially challenging – given that the lots and roads were already laid out by a former developer that called it “Eagle Point.” Jones came in and started with a fresh set of ideas, namely:
* how do we design a home that takes advantage of the huge, “big water” view
* that is low maintenance
* doesn’t make you walk a million steps to get to the water
* that feels like a lake cabin, yet has modern features
* gives you privacy inside a development
* without a million dollar price tag
Just a few of the ways he found were:
* each home will have a deeded boat slip on a community dock
* creative use of space in between homes gives each home a “lakeside courtyard” for privacy
* create space inside the home with multiple uses to let a home live bigger than the square footage might suggest
* never forget that this is a lake house, with all of the form and function of the design that points to the lake
Currently Water’s Edge offers two waterfront homes for sale on Lake Martin:
* a 3 bedroom home that has approximately 3,200 +/- square feet over 3 stories for $589,000
* a 3 bedroom bath home with approximately 2,500 +/- square feet over 3 stories for $569,000
Water’s Edge also offers eight other waterfront lots for sale, their prices to be announced at a later date.
If you are interested in getting more information about Water’s Edge, or any more details, please feel free to contact me, John Coley, at 334-221-5862 or email me at info at lakemartinvoice dot com. I am honored to be the listing agent here, and would be more than happy to go on and on about the many cool details! So please call!
Lake Martin Video: Highway 63 Construction North of Kowaliga Bridge
ALDOT has Highway 63 under heavy construction. I shot this video today, about a mile north of Lake Martin’s Kowaliga Bridge. It’s across the road from where Windermere Road intersects Highway 63, aka Our Children’s Highway. The construction zone stretches from Russell Crossroads (location of Catherine’s and the Springhouse) south to just below Windermere Road. As of this writing, the highway is passable, you just need to slow down a bit.
I think that Russell Lands is also using this opportunity to create a golf cart path that will go under the highway. The theory is that you would be able to walk, jog, etc. continuously from The Ridge Club to Willow Point.
Not 1 But 2 Glass Garage Doors Equals Lake Martin Cool
Atlanta architect Bryan Jones of Jones Pierce Architects and his wife Allison Lanier Jones, Interior Designer at Insight Design have done it again. A home they designed and built for some clients on the Parker Creek area of Lake Martin has been featured in the October issue of Lake Magazine – Lake Martin Edition.
I have been lucky enough to work a lot with Allison and Bryan over the past couple of years, even selling a home for them. My wife and I have become friends with them, so it’s a real treat to see their work being highlighted at Lake Martin and beyond.
This latest masterpiece has a lot of features. One of the biggest is that they incorporated two commercial grade glass roll up electric doors. They put them on the lakeside of the home, one leading out from the kitchen and the other from the greatroom both lead out to the huge screened porch. Wow. When you open both doors, the lake breeze cools the entire house, and it feels like you’re outside.
I walk through many homes each week, and I take a lot of pictures, mostly to document for reference. But when I walked through this home, I took pictures with the thought of, “I’ve got to show my wife this.” I could go on and on about the home, how their smart design accomodates many people, how it melds into the land and lake, etc. etc. Lake Mag does a much better job: read the text here.
As Lake Martin homeowners, they “get” the lake life. This isn’t their first Lake Martin job, and some exciting project in the future ensure it is far from their last.
You can view the online version of the magazine here.
I toured this Lake Martin home back in the spring when it was under construction. I took the below photos. Sure, they don’t look like much when you put them against Kenneth Boone’s pictures above. But hey, he’s a pro, right?
Do you have pictures of Lake Martin homes, wildlife, scenery, or anything else you would like to share? Why not show us all and upload them to the I Love Lake Martin group on Flickr. If you don’t have a Flickr account already, sign up. It’s free and easy to keep your public and private photos separate.
Tour Lake Martin’s Ridge Homes And Help Out Children’s Harbor
Will you be at Lake Martin this Saturday, May 16, 2009, and enjoy touring waterfront homes on Lake Martin?
Then you may be interested in the Third Annual Lake Martin Tour of Homes. Proceeds from the tour will benefit Children’s Harbor. Children’s Harbor serves seriously ill children and their families at the Family Center at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham and at Lake Martin, which is just south of Kowaliga Bridge on Highway 63
Last year the tour was of homes in Trillium. This year the tour will visit four homes in The Ridge designed by architects Bill Ingram and Bobby McAlpine.
The tours will begin at The Ridge Club from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets are $25 in advance and can be purchased in Alexander City at MacDavid & Company, Cloud Nine, The Shoppes of Queens Attic, and Catherine’s Market. Tickets will also be available the day of the tour at the Ridge Club.
To learn more about Children’s Harbor, an extremely worthy cause, visit www.childrensharbor.com.
FEMA Speaks To Lake Martin Realtors About Flood Insurance Changes
Recently many Lake Martin area homeowners are getting letters from their lenders demanding flood insurance. A little research revealed that FEMA has redrawn the flood maps and therefore many properties are now included in different zones that lenders feel require flood insurance.
This is puzzling to many, since Lake Martin has been around since the late 1920s, and FEMA is just now making this determination. It is also confusing to me personally that a home that sits five feet above the top of Martin Dam would be considered at risk. If there is five feet of flood waters pouring over the top of Martin Dam, the dam would wash away and suddenly there would be a 90 foot drop in the water.
If you are looking for common sense answers to the above questions, this post is not the answer. Below I have copied over a handout that was written up by FEMA for the meeting and presentation they did to the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors. I was there. They read these answers out and I guess it was helpful. Later on I will post my thoughts, and a little more boiled down, practical guide of what to do if you get a demand for flood insurance from your lender.
If you have any questions on this, feel free to contact the two people listed at the bottom, one is from FEMA, the other fom the State of Alabama.
They opened the meeting by saying that they would not be debating FEMA policy and procedures and they were not here to comment specifically about Lake Martin. I wondered, then why are you here? At any rate, here is their handout:
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HANDOUT FROM FEMA:
FAQ Hand Out
Date: February 18, 2009
Presenters: Janice Mitchell, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Region 4, Insurance Program Specialist
James K. Meredith, NFIP State Coordinator, ADECA
Subject: NFIP and Flood Insurance Requirements
Audience: Realtors, Home owners, Lake Martin Recreational Association, Lake Martin Home Owners & Boat Owners Association, Alabama Power Company personnel, Office of Water Resources personnel
Background
The U. S. Congress established the (National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on August 1, 1968, with the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. This Act enables property owners or renters in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding.
Participation in the NFIP is voluntary. It is based on an agreement between local communities and the Federal Government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risks to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community. FEMA identifies the SFHA on the Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) as determined by the hydrologic and hydraulic studies developed for the flooding sources within that community.
The NFIP was broadened and modified with the passage of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and other legislative measures. This act established the Mandatory Purchase Guidelines. These guidelines mandate that any federally regulated lender could not make, increase extend, or renew any loan secured by improved real property located in an SFHA in a participating community unless the secured building and any personal property securing the loan were covered for the life of the loan by a flood insurance policy.
The Act was further modified by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. These established requirements to escrow flood insurance premiums when escrowing for other purposes, grants authority for lenders and servicers to force place coverage if needed, enhanced flood hazard notice requirements, established fines for lenders found not be in compliance with the guidelines, established a 30-day waiting period for the policy to become effective unless connected to a loan closing and grants authority to the lender to charge reasonable fees for determination of flood zone.
1. What triggers a review by a lender of their mortgage portfolio?
Review due to flood map change
Review due to lender review policy
Review due to economic conditions
Review due to refinancing request
Review due to equity loan request
Review due to sale of structure/property
2. Who makes the determination concerning flood exposure to property?
The lender is responsible for making a determination based on the location of the structure in relation to the special flood hazard area as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). The lender also has the right to hire a third party determination company to make these determinations. The lender or the determination company is then responsible for completing the Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form showing their determination.
3. Who is the final authority on requirement for flood insurance?
The lender is the final authority. If the structure is located within the special flood hazard area (SFHA) on the currently effective FIRM, they must require flood insurance if they have an insurable interest in that structure. If the lenders regulatory authorities perform a review of their files and find that they do not have flood insurance policies for structures located within the SFHA, that lender can face fines up to $100,000 a year.
4. What is the only government agency with the authority to “waive” flood insurance requirements?
There are only two reasons for waiving the flood insurance requirement:
a. FEMA has issued a new FIRM that is now effective and changes the zone designation to X, removing the mandatory purchase requirement; or
b. A LOMA or LOMR has been issued by FEMA changing the zone designation to X, removing the mandatory purchase requirement.
5. What is the only government agency with the authority to change a flood map?
FEMA
6. What is a “45 Day Letter”?
If during the course of a loan, the lender determines that the structure is located within the SFHA and flood insurance is now required they are required to provide written notification to the borrower that flood insurance is now required and proof of having a flood policy must be provided to the lender within 45 days.
If proof is not shown within the 45 day period, the lender can then force place a flood policy to protect their interest.
7. What should you do when you receive a “45 Day Letter”?
Contact your insurance agent to obtain a flood policy and provide a copy of the declaration page to the lender to prevent the force placement of insurance at a much higher premium.
If you feel that you should not be classified as being within the SFHA, you then have time to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) if the property is all natural grade or a Letter of Map Revision based on Fill, (LOMR-F) if fill dirt has been used to elevate the structure. If you are granted the LOMA or LOMR-F AND IF your lender agrees to accept the letter to waive the flood insurance requirement, you may then cancel the flood policy and obtain a full refund of the current policy year.
8. Why should the owner get his policy rather than letting the lender force place it?
The force placed policy will be at a much higher premium and is often difficult to cancel.
9. How does the home owner/business owner request a waiver from FEMA?
Re quests for a waiver are made through the LOMA or LOMR-F process using the MT-1 application form for single lot or structure requests. Multi-lot or multi structure requests also use the MT-1 application package. Once the application package and all the required supporting technical data are received, FEMA will compare the lowest ground elevation touching the structure to the base flood elevation for that location. If the lowest adjacent ground (LAG) elevation is at or above the base flood elevation, FEMA is issue the LOMA or LOMR-F changing the zone designation.
10. How long does this process take?
Single lot or structure request take approximately 4 weeks one all data is received. Multi-lot or multi-structure request take approximately 8 weeks to complete. This is provided that a new hydrology or hydraulic study was not required to develop base flood elevations. If a study is submitted, the review will take longer.
11. How long will the LOMA/LOMR-F cover the structure?
The LOMA/LOMR-F will follow the structure and remain effective until such time as a new hydrologic or hydraulic study shows that the base flood elevation is now lower for that particular area.
12. What happens if FEMA does not issue a waiver?
If you have a mortgage and do not provide proof of a flood policy, the lender will force place a policy.
13. Can you avoid buying flood insurance?
Yes, pay off the mortgage
14. Will this requirement come up again if I pay off my mortgage?
Yes. If you sell the home and the buyers are taking out a mortgage, a determination will have to be made. They would have to purchase a flood insurance policy before they could close on the loan. This may cause potential buyers to have second thoughts.
15. If FEMA waives the flood insurance requirement, can the lender still require flood insurance?
Yes, the lender has the right to require flood insurance regardless of what flood zone the structure is located.
16. What is a Preferred Risk policy?
The Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) is low-cost coverage available for eligible buildings located in the moderate-risk B, C, and X zones in NFIP Regular Program communities.
The structure must be within the B, C, or X zone on the current effective FIRM.
17. What is the annual premium for an average Preferred Risk Policy?
PRP average premium is around $300. Renters may also purchase contents coverage under the PRP starting as low as $39 for $8000 worth of coverage.
18. What is the Grandfather Clause pertaining to insurance coverage?
To recognize policyholders who have built in compliance with the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and/or remained loyal customers of the NFIP by maintaining continuous coverage, FEMA has established the “Grandfather Rule”. For such buildings, the insured would have the option of using the current rating criteria for the property or having the premium rate determined by using the BFE and/or flood zone on the FIRM (old map) in effect when the building was originally constructed, for those built in compliance, or when coverage was first obtained for those with continuous coverage.
19. If there has been a new FIRM issued for the community, there are conditions that must be met to qualify under the “Grandfathering Rule”.
1. For those properties with a policy in place, it will be renewed at the same rate so long as the referenced level floor has not been altered to be below the base flood elevation. Example – unfinished basement altered into living space.
2. New Business – May be rated based on the FIRM zone and base flood elevation on the old map in effect on the date of construction, provided that:
a. The building was build in compliance with the map in effect at the time of construction; and
b. The building has not been altered in any way that has resulted in a lowering of the elevation of the rated floor; and
c. The structure has not been substantially improved.
The property owner must provide proper documentation to the insurance provider writing the policy. The documentation must show: the date of the FIRM; the zone on that FIRM in which the property is located; the base flood elevation, if any, for that zone; a copy of the map panel showing the location of the building and the rating element that is to be grandfathered. A letter from a community official verifying this information or an Elevation Certificate is acceptable.
20. Who is qualified in the State of Alabama to execute an elevation certificate and file a LOMA or LOMR-F?
In the State of Alabama, the elevation certificate must be completed by a licensed, registered professional surveyor or a licensed professional engineer that has the authority to complete field surveys.
The Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F) may be submitted by the property owner, developer, city, county, surveyor, engineer, lender or flood-search company.
The technical documentation (elevation certificate, boundary survey, site plans, etc.) attached to the LOMA or LOMR-F package must be certified by a licensed professional surveyor or engineer.
21. Would additional documentation be helpful in the LOMA filing process?
The completed MT-1 application package is required. The additional required documentation is:
Copy of the legal description shown recordation information
Copy of a subdivision plat or tax assessors map showing recordation information.
Certified boundary survey or site plan showing the locations of the structure.
Certified elevation certificate or the certified Elevation Information Form for multi-lots.
Copy of the FIRM marked to indicate the approximate location of the property in question. A FIRMETTE is acceptable.
If the property is in an approximate Zone A where the base flood elevation has not been established by FEMA, a base flood elevation developed by a professional engineer using FEMA approved methodologies will need to be developed and submitted. This could be a study developed using FEMA’s Quick-2 software which is available on our web site – www.fema.gov. It could be a study for the area that has not been submitted to FEMA and the community is using as “best available data” for compliance purposes.
22. What information, if any, could the Power Company provide to assist the home owner with application for a LOMA?
If a study developing the base flood elevations was produced on the lake or water source, the Power Company could provide the base flood elevation relevant to the property in question. If a study was not developed, historical flooding information, top of spillway or other information might be of assistance in developing a base flood elevation for the site.
23. Why is the Power Company easement contour line not the same as FEMA’s 1% chance of flood contour delineation?
Many of the lakes developed by the Power Company were developed before the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 or before there was any regulations to determine the base flood elevation. In most cases, some type of study was done by the Power Company, but it was normally based on flood events smaller than the 1% chance storm (i.e., 10% or 2% chance) which is what the FEMA designated SFHAs are based on. The 1% chance storm is a much larger event which means the easement line and the floodplain lines would not be the same.
24. Does the Power Company easement contour line have any impact on flood insurance requirements?
The Power Company easement line gives the Power Company the right to use the land between the line and the water source for flood control purposes as needed. If the area is designated as a SFHA on the Flood Insurance Rate Map, the easement area is also considered to be a floodplain and/or floodway. This means it is still subject to all the rules and regulations adopted by the participating community. Permits are required for all development – building of docks, piers, structures, grading, paving, etc. Residential structures would have to be elevated to or above the base flood elevation as adopted by the community and would have to be equipped with the appropriate flood openings.
25. Will FEMA insure houses built completely over water?
Buildings entirely over water or principally below ground, gas and liquid storage tanks, animals, fish, aircraft, wharves, piers, bulkheads, growing crops, shrubbery, land, livestock, roads, machinery or equipment in the open, and most motor vehicles are not insurable.
26. What about other structures built over water?
If the structure is partially on land and partially over water it is insurable, but there may be some limitations on coverage.
27. Do FEMA flood regulations (44 CFR) have any regulatory authority over recreational use of water resources within the State of Alabama?
FEMA regulations found in 44 CFR Part 60.3 through Part 70 applies to the development of the land within the special flood hazard areas. It does not apply to the recreational use of the water resource. That authority would depend on the “ownership” of the water source.
Contact Information
Janice Mitchell
Insurance Program Specialist
FEMA, Region 4
Phone 770-220-5441
Cell 404-694-5279
Fax 770-220-3117
Ken Meredith
NFIP State Coordinator
State of Alabama
401 Adams Avenue
P.O. Drawer 5690
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5690
Office: (334) 353-0853
Fax: (334) 242-0776
BlackBerry: (334) 590-4756
Who Owns My Dirt? A Word On Easements And Setbacks
A reader in the Lake Martin dot com forum posed this question:
Is there a shoreline zone owned by Alabama Power from the 491 level of Lake Martin to the start of private ownership? This is the case with some reservoirs. If so, what is the distance?
There were some good answers in the thread, and I thought I would throw in a word or two here. A copy of my answer is below, I thought Lake Martin Voice blog readers might be interested:
Watch your real estate definitions.
Easement – a granted right of one party to another, different from ownership. Like if you owned a 100 acre plot of land that has a power line going through it, you own the dirt, but the power company has been granted an easement to put a power line across it. A Lake Martin example would be where Alabama Power owns the dirt of the floor of the lake, but they give you an easement to build a dock over it, subject to their restrictions.
Setback – a rule that says even though you own the dirt, you can’t build / alter it in a specified zone. The 30 foot rule on most of Lake Martin’s shoreline is a setback. Alabama Power (in a deeded lot, more than likely) doesn’t own the dirt, they just tell you (via deed restrictions) that you can’t build NEW CONSTRUCTION in this zone. Same deal with lot lines with your neighbor, perhaps enforced by the county or your subdivision. Again, you own the dirt, but are deed restricted (via the deed, set forth in conditions that you agreed to when you bought it) by this.
Shoreline – just because the water on Lake Martin is there doesn’t mean you necessarily own up to it. I have seen all sorts of things here. Sometimes you are in a subdivision that describes the lot as “lot x in the recorded plat of Y neighborhood” which means you then go to the plat at the courthouse (Tallapoosa, Elmore, or Coosa) to figure it out. Also I have seen “metes and bounds” descriptions where someone has gotten a surveyor to plot the shoreline, foot by foot, turn by turn. Also I have seen really old ones that just describe the shoreline side of the lot in such juicily ambiguous terms as the “shore of Lake Martin.”
The key here is that every lot on Lake Martin COULD be different. I have also seen lots that are so old or oddly recorded that the above easement and setback rules don’t apply.
Bottom line – ALWAYS get a professional (lawyer or closing agent) to do a very thorough deed / title search to know EXACTLY what you are getting when you buy. Get a survey, too. Before you build or alter anything, this will give you a good understanding of what the deal is. On Lake Martin the dirt is the most expensive thing, usually, so it pays to be sure about the dirt and the associated easements, setbacks, and other restrictions.
Lake Martin Real Estate Spotlight: Windermere West
Windermere West – off of Windermere Road on Lake Martin – is a Russell Lands waterfront development that was started in the early 1990s.
It had two phases, and about 236 waterfront lots. The typical Windermere West lot is well wooded, and deep – most homes are not easily seen from the road. Because it is off of Windermere Road and close to highway 63, it is close to the Russell Crossroads town center.
Windermere West is a great mix between town and country, for lack of a better phrase. They have Covenants and Restrictions to protect the homeowners’ rights of development. They have 2 landscaped entrances for aesthetics. But, they don’t have amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, or walking trails. Windermere West does not have its own sewer system, each home has its own septic system. Depending on your wants and needs, that could be good news. The upside is that Windermere West has a relatively minuscule HOA fee – currently $20 a month, same as it has been since 1991.
Here’s the first entrance from Windermere Road:
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Windermere West Parkway:
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There is an old cemetery right across from the second entrance
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Would you like to buy a home in Windermere West? Contact me, I would be glad to help. There aren’t many undeveloped lots left, but there are a few for sale. Call me at the number at the top of the page, I can help you find the best deals.
Video Tour Of The Ridge – Beach Park, Ridge Trails
Since I have a waterfront lot listed for sale in Lake Martin’s The Ridge, I get a lot of questions about the various amenities of the Ridge. One of the huge benefits to owning a waterfront home or town home in the Ridge is access to all of the “stuff.”
Though I have been in the neighborhood countless times, I had never been by road to The Ridge’s Beach Park before yesterday. It was really nice, it has a big covered pavilion, changing / rest rooms, and, of course, a big beach. The water view is of Lake Martin icons Chimney and Acapulco Rock Islands.
While I was there, I also hiked a bit on some Ridge Trails (download a map). The developer, Russell Lands, has done a really nice job about incorporating off the water features here. There are tons of mulch lined trails through the woods, that explore common areas and various other parks in the Ridge.
One example is Red Oak Trail and Hickory Hill Trail, I took these down to Hidden Park. Hidden Park has its own gazebo, boardwalk, and fishing pier. It was really nice and peaceful. Now that the leaves are down, you can sit up on the gazebo and get a nice view of woods and water of Lake Martin.
If trail hiking is not your thing, you can stick to the sidewalks. There are many of those around The Ridge, too. Check out my video of the morning:
If you are interested, see my listing info for Lot 72 The Ridge.
Related Posts:
The Ridge Amenities Video Tour
Lake Martin Voice Neighborhood Spotlight: The Ridge
