Lake-Front Properties & Wetland Issues

Lake Front Properties &

Wetland Issues

Owning lake-front property is considered the cream of the crop of building lots, as such a location adds to the value of a home exponentially. Lake-front lots are some of the most expensive pieces of real estate on the market, and for good reason. Who wouldn't want to walk out to their back deck to watch the moon rise over the peaceful waters of a Pocono lake?

But the reality is, lake-front lots also pose quite a lot of hassle for the owner when they decide to build a home on it.

Lake-front lots are often considered wetlands. Wetlands are protected lands, and thus can be deemed unbuildable. "Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year...." 1

Learn more about wetlands from:

1 The Environmental Protection Agency.

When buying lakefront property, ask the seller or real estate agent if the property has had a wetland delineation. A wetland delineation is "the determination of whether an area is a wetland. It is the actual establishment of wetland boundaries." 2

2 Read More about wetland delineation from Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality.

Wetlands are very important to the ecology of our communities. In times of higher water levels, they act as a hydrologic sponge and help an area in the event of flooding by temporarily storing flood waters and then releasing them slowly. If homes are built in these natural levee systems, where will all the water go? It would flood your home, and that of your neighbors, too. Special considerations must be taken to ensure that the boundaries of the wetlands are marked, and that no construction will take place within those boundaries. That is why special permits are required to build, and why strict restrictions apply if those permits are granted.

Read More: Wetland Functions

Not only do lake-front losts cost more intitially than most other home sites, the costs associated with site conditions for the building of the home on it if deemed buildable are much higher than a home built on land that is not wetlands.

If you do decide to build a home on wetlands, you must realize that it is your responsibility to know all that you can about your special piece of the Earth. Penalties can be severe for disturbing wetlands, including heavy fines and even prison. Learn More by reading:

Wetlands: What Developers Should Know by Kenneth M. Klemow, Ph.D, Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Also important to the wetland delineation process, is a property survey.

Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors, Pocono Chapter:

http://www.psls.org/chapter/SoPocono.htm

Wetland Delineations:

Sparnon Wetland Services, Inc.

Recognizing Wetlands:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Economic Stimulus = Home Improvements

Like most Americans, you may have been wondering what you can spend that eagerly-awaited economic stimulus on. Some families are getting in those much needed home improvements that have been on their "Honey Do" lists for too long.

The amount of your stimulus check depends on the size of your family, so we have listed some ideas for home provements based on a single persons stimulus amount, that of a married couple with out children, and that of a family of five.

If single, and eligible to receive the economic stimulus, you would or will receive $600 from the federal government. For the average do-it-yourselfer, $600 could go a long way to improving your home. With that amount, you could add a fresh coat of paint to a few rooms in your house, power-wash your deck, or you could buy mulch, fruit trees, and flowering plants & shrubs to add curb appeal to the outside of your home.

Married couples are eligible for a $1,200 stimulus check, with which they can really spruce up their homes!
With $1,200, a young couple could buy or replace a large appliance, such as a refridgerator or a washer and dryer. Every young wife deserves a washing machine and dryer! If home improvements are more your interest, $1,200 could help you replace uninteresting or out-dated lighting fixtures or ceiling fans - or maybe to buy a new front entry door.

Couples who have children qualify for an additional $300 per child under the government's stimulus plan. That means that a family of five should receive $2,100 from the federal government, and that helps a lot toward expensive home improvement projects, such as deck building. You could build a pretty nifty backyard playhouse for that amount, or maybe your home needs a new roof. $2,100 may not pay for the entire re-roof, but it would take care of a large portion of that cost. If you are one of those families who will receive a tax refund in addition to your stimulus, you're in good shape to really improve your most important investment - your home.

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