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Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump

2012-02-28T23:26:26Z

Participation more than doubled this year as the 9th annual Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump raised more than $80,000 for cancer research.

The cold weather did not seem to slow down the enthusiasm generated by the more than 700 jumpers and their hundreds of supporters, who arrived in such numbers that it was hard to find a place to park. The Portage Lakes, Ohio, state park is a huge place, with parking for an estimated 500 cars in the paved lots alone. On jump day, Saturday February 18, the cars had filled the lots and spilled over all along the access road.

This long time resident has never seen anything like this before. Last year we thought we had a terrific turnout when 400 jumpers raised about $40,000 for the Northern Ohio Regional Food Bank. Each jumper brings with him or her a pledge for at least $25.00.

Jumpers arrived in costumes, street clothes, and skimpy bikinis. They stood in long lines awaiting their assigned jumping times, while the wind and the cold tested their determination.

A full complement of reporters from the Akron Beacon Journal and other area newspapers, radio and TV stations were on the scene taking pictures and filing reports.

If you missed it this year, make a point to get there next year when it promises to be even bigger. For more information go to the event website at portagelakespolarbearclub.com

Cormorants -- too much of a good thing?

2011-05-04T02:21:00Z

We who live in the Portage Lakes have become very much aware of the increase in the size of the local Double Crested Cormorant population over the last 5 or so years.

Not too many years ago these birds were on the endangered species list as a result of the widespread use of DDT, so their recovery has been quite remarkable.

These showy black birds are very efficient catchers of fish as they can “fly” underwater just about as well as they can fly in the air.

The ancient Egyptians used them for fishing. They would put cords on their feet and rings around their necks so they could not swallow the fish they caught. When the birds surfaced with a fish, they were reeled in and the fish collected.

Cormorants are very sociable and nest in large colonies. They are very active and can be seen swimming, flying, or roosting together in their colony on a very small island at the west end of West Reservoir, in the Portage Lakes State Park system.

Several nearby residents have told me that they really would like to find a way to discourage those birds from nesting on that island. The Cormorants fish diet produces high acid droppings, which is killing the vegetation below the nests. But because they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, finding a way to control them may be difficult and would require a special permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

There Is Ice on the Lake, Part 1

2011-01-13T17:19:00Z

Just because it is cold outside does not mean that the fun stops on the waterfront in the Portage Lakes. Boat traffic has slowed or stopped. The leaves are down, giving us a larger unobstructed view. When the frost or snow is on the ground the whole area sparkles. It can be very quiet.

Once the ice forms and is found to be thick enough, the activity begins to increase. We start to see snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, four wheelers, motor bikes, motorcycles, cross country skiers and hikers with and without their dogs out enjoying themselves.

The motorized traffic starts to build about noon most days and increases steadily until after dinner, with many continuing until 11:00 pm when the state park rules say that all activity must stop. (See photo at end of this post)

Occasionally there are some hardy souls who ignore the rules and keep going throughout the night, making a lot of noise and generating complaints by nearby homeowners. Their machines do produce loud noises; some say that the noise is some of what makes it fun.

At times we hear loud "booms" as the ice moves, expands or contracts, creating cracks that can travel all the way across the lake. If the water level drops a little the ice has no support, and when it rises it lifts the ice with it.

While the ice seems solid it is always changing, and this can make it dangerous. There are springs pumping in warmer water everywhere, and in some places the water moves very fast. Fast moving water does not freeze as readily, so this combination means that soft spots in the ice can appear without warning.

Occasionally we hear of someone going through the ice, sometimes on a snowmobile and sometimes just walking. Snowmobilers sometimes get going at a high speed and try to guess how much open water they can cross.

K.I.S.S. for Real Estate

2010-10-15T22:13:00Z

You have all heard the acronym K.I.S.S., with the various definitions of what it means. My definition for real estate is Keep It Super Simple.

The KISS approach ensures that my clients will find that buying a home is as easy as it can be.

I promise to do the research, to keep you informed of any changes, and to walk you through the educational and buying process.

This is especially true for my lakefront prospects because finding the perfect lakefront home involves a greater degree of familiarization and education than what is needed for many other home buying situations.

For lakefront buyers I start my KISS program by having my clients read my blog entries on lakefront criteria and waterfront ecology. This gives them the hyper condensed and accelerated version of what I have learned over many years of lakefront living, buying, and selling.

The KISS process doesn’t end with the closing. My lakefront buyers receive my booklet jam packed with information about the area, the amenities, and the local services.

To learn more, go to my website at

www.TomMcCombs.com or my blogsite at blog.PortageLakesLakefront.com

Goldfinch & sunflowers

Value of Waterfront vs Non-WaterfrontPproperty

2010-09-30T19:59:00Z

For most lakefront property owners, entertaining in the summertime means taking guests on a cruise of the lakes. This summer we seem to be entertaining more than the usual number of people who are not familiar with the Portage Lakes.

As usual, most of them were interested in the prices of the houses they liked, and almost everyone was amazed at the range of prices and how high the sold prices have been on what they felt were lower end properties. Well, such is real estate on the Portage Lakes – you pay a steep price for the privilege of waterfront living bordering a state park.

The reasons are varied for why lakefront homes cost so much more than comparable non-lakefront houses in neighboring areas. The most obvious one being that it is one of the few areas where you can walk out your door onto your own boat dock on a lake that is part of a state park that is only minutes away from several major metropolitan areas.

The most desirable properties are located on three major interconnecting lakes, West Reservoir, East Reservoir, and Turkeyfoot Lake. Directly attached to these three lakes are four inlets that are large enough to be referred to as Rex Lake, Mud Lake, Miller Lake, and Cottage Groove Lake. All of these interconnected lakes are commonly referred to as the “main chain” of boating lakes.

There are 5 other lakes in the Portage Lakes State Park system and they are connected in various non-navigable ways because of the different elevations of each lake. The properties around these lakes vary in price but generally are not nearly as expensive as those on the “main chain” and are generally referred to as “fishing lakes”. These are Summit Lake, Nesmith Lake, Long Lake, North Reservoir, and the largest of all of the lakes, Nimisila Lake. Nimisila is a favorite of many sailboaters.

All combined there is a total of 2043 acres of water in the Portage Lakes State Park system.

Another factor in the high property values is the many recreational opportunities including, excellent fishing, and swimming, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and camping. On the ice In the winter time there is ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and “four- wheeling”.

For nature lovers there is the joy of watching the great variety of birds, including ducks, geese, herons, hawks, kingfishers, ospreys, and even the occasional eagle. Since the lakes are on a migration route for waterfowl, for a few short days each year you will see a variety of migratory ducks, geese, and even loons on their way north or south.

Another factor in the higher property value is that most lakefront property owners are in a secure enough financial position that they do not need to sell, so they can hold out for their price. Many are only willing to sell so that they can upgrade to an even more expensive lakefront property. In few situations will you find a sense of urgency to sell.

All of this added to the limited number of lakefront homes on the market at any one time ensures that there has not been the same kind of drastic fluctuation in price evident in most other area markets.

Waterfront Dangers for Pets: Waterfowl - series entry #2

2010-06-18T15:05:31Z

My previous entry in this series I discussed the possibility that your pet might drown. Now let’s talk about the dangers associated with waterfowl. Ducks, swans, and Canada geese are probably not something that you would have thought of adding to your “Dangerous to Pets” list. But when you live next to a body of water, the danger is real and persistent.

The water birds are fun to watch while they remain in the water, but are not so much fun when they foul your yard, seawall, and dock. A single Canada goose can produce a pound or more of goose poo per day, so imagine what a flock of 10 geese can make your yard look like. It can make it difficult to walk in your yard or on your dock. The poo can get tracked onto your boat and into your house.

Some dogs seem to love the stuff. As unappetizing as that sounds, dogs are not known for their discretion when it comes to snacking on found “delicacies”. I tell my wife that our Welsh Corgi, Maxie gobbles up anything that looks or smells like it just might be food, knowing that if it turns out that it is not food he can always throw it later up on our carpet.

Since the waterfowl poo can carry Salmonella, E-coli, and Listeria it may cause gastrointestinal problems if ingested. Eating the poo can make your pets very sick and in the case of very small dogs like our neighbor’s Maltese mix, it could even kill them.

Another unrecognized danger comes from the graceful and beautiful swans everyone loves to see. These are huge birds that may try to protect what they consider to be their territory. They often drive off ducks and geese and have even been known to attack boaters and swimmers. Luckily the swans seem to stay out of yards that have dogs.

The danger comes from how they float just off shore in what appears to me to be an attempt to get the dogs to jump into the water after them. Since they are very powerful birds they can easily drown a dog that is foolish enough to be so provoked.

Waterfront owners go to great lengths to try to keep the ducks, geese and swans off of their property. You will see ropes with dangling mylar strips, low fences stretched across waterfronts, and strategically placed whirlygigs. Some owners shoot off air guns, or spray the birds with garden hoses. None of these methods are very effective.

(I am waiting to see how the fake coyote is going to work out.)

We feel that we have the best solution in our Corgi, Maxie. Before Maxie was a year old I taught him that the words “Duck, Duck, Goose” meant that he was to chase the ducks and geese out of the yard and into the water. Since Corgis are herding dogs it really didn’t take much effort on my part. Maxie take his job very seriously and sits on our second story deck watching for any potential waterfowl trespassers. Thanks to Maxie our yard, seawall and dock stay almost entirely poo free.

To read more about Maxie check out my previous blog entry “Duck, Duck, Goose”. For more information on controlling geese go to link below for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/pub408.pdf Take note that in the list of hints it specifically advises that you stop fertilizing your yard and that you do not feed the geese.

When Green isn't Green -- Part 3 in the series on ecological concerns related to living near a body of water.

2010-06-08T16:24:00Z

In my two previous postings in this series, I wrote about how we should minimize our own personal “footprints” on this earth. I discussed the impact of defective septic systems leaching into adjacent bodies of water, which in our case is the Portage Lakes system.

Now we will look at another source of lake water pollution.

Many people work hard at having a beautiful, green, weed and pest free lawn. So they liberally use chemical fertilizers, insecticides and weed killers.

Because the lands adjacent to the Portage Lakes are comprised of soils with high porosity and permeability, what is put on this soil will quickly leach through and drain into the lake (think water going through a coarse sieve). And when it rains the impact is even greater because the unfiltered runoff from a treated lawn flows directly into the lake.

The Portage Lakes drain into the Tuscarawas River which is part of the Muskingum watershed and those waters flow into the Ohio River and then into the Mississippi River and finally into the Gulf of Mexico. It is possible that what you have put on your yard may ultimately contaminate what you eat.

The issue of runoff is addressed in several different environmental studies including the Northeast Ohio Water Plan of the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO). One of the NRFCO Action Plan goals is “Reduce fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide runoff into the watershed” and the report specifically includes lawns in the list of contamination sources. For more information go to http://www.co.summit.oh.us/nefco/PDFs/Chapter%206.pdf.

There are “green” or natural approaches to fertilization, weed and pest control that I believe are much more environmentally safe. I tend to steer clear of any product that comes with safety warnings. How can the product be good for the environment if the label says avoid skin contact, don’t inhale and keep pets away?

When you boat past my lakefront home, you may not see the greenest lawn and you may even see a dandelion or two, because I believe living green doesn’t mean keeping a “perfect” green lawn.

Septic Systems -- Part 2 in the series on ecological concerns

2010-06-02T17:01:00Z

This is part two in the series on the ecological concerns related to living near a body of water.

As I wrote previously, we hear a lot about our own personal “footprints” on this earth, and how we should minimize our negative impact. Living near water it is crucial that your septic system be in good working condition and in compliance with governmental health standards.

Before purchasing a home, I strongly advise that the buyer have a well and septic inspection. An improperly operating septic system can contaminate the ground and will eventually leach into the ground water. This can contaminate your drinking water source, and in a waterfront home it also means that you are pumping e-coli bacteria directly into the lake.

And an improperly operating septic system leaching into the lake encourages weeds to grow so fast so that they can overwhelm the ability of the water system to balance itself, leading again to fish kills and the choking off of the water flow.

Over the last few years there has been great controversy over proposed uniform septic-system standards for Ohio homeowners. The latest of 9 bills addressing this is Ohio Senate Bill 110 which was proposed and passed by the Senate after earlier versions were deemed by some legislators to be cost-prohibitive for homeowners. All agree something has to be done after a 2008 Ohio Department of Health study showed that 23 percent of household systems were failing and 13 percent were projected to fail in the next five years.

Whatever form the final bill takes, it appears that it will establish statewide guidelines with enforcement to come through local health departments which will determine rules for inspecting and maintaining systems.

My advice to anyone buying or selling a home, is that you need to know if the septic system is currently functioning properly. If the property does not pass the inspection, it may still be a doable project, but you will need to do your homework to determine if repairs can be made, if they would be allowed by the health department, and if not what type of replacement system would need to be installed and then determine the cost.

Waterfront Dangers for Pets: Summertime - series entry #1

2010-05-25T18:52:24Z

Everyone knows that kids and water can lead to disaster, but many do not consider the danger it presents for pets.

Unlike young children, dogs and even cats are born knowing how to swim. But it is not the swimming itself that's the concern. Those of us who live in waterfront properties know that very often the lake frontage has a seawall keeping the land and the water separate. Often these seawalls are more than thirty inches high.

If your pet falls or jumps in the water there may be a real issue with getting back out. A large dog with long legs may have no problem – but a short legged dog could be in serious trouble.

Twenty five years ago my wife had two older Chinese Chow Chows that refused to even go near the lakefront, and they didn’t even enjoy riding in the boat so we never had to think about the danger to them. After the chows died Mary got two Standard Poodles who also disliked the water even though they were supposed to be water dogs -- they were even equipped with webbed feet. But while they detested the water they loved to ride in the boat. They made very regal figures sitting on the two front seats of our pontoon boat and never made any attempt to jump out of the boat after the ducks.

When we moved into our present house, the dogs had their own lower level room with a doggie door that opened into our fenced yard. Since the poodles disliked water, we did not fence across the lakefront because we did not worry about their jumping into the water.

When the poodles died from old age, we got two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. These are dwarf-type dogs with lots of enthusiasm. They get excited and react before they think it through, sort of like how kids do.

Maxie’s first swim came when he got very excited about the invasive aquatic weeds that Mary was raking in from the lake. He lunged for the dangling weeds and landed in the water. Corgis can swim, but these are not the Michael Phelps of dogs. Maxie dog paddled furiously and finally made it to the seawall. At that point we discovered that there was no way he could climb out. So Mary had to haul him out by his collar.

You would have thought that he would have learned from this, but no, his enthusiasm sent him right back in the lake at the very next rake full of sea weeds. But this time, he started swimming parallel to the wall looking for a place to get out. Unbeknownst to him, he would have been swimming for a very long time before he would have found a way out in the direction he had headed.

Had Maxie started swimming in the opposite direction he might have discovered the steps that reach down into the lake. Since we do not want to fence the lakefront in the summer, we figured that we needed to teach Maxie where the steps were. So Mary picked Maxie up and gently tossed him into the water in front of the steps. Maxie came up mad as a “wet dog.” Mary kept calling him until he came to her and discovered that he could climb up the steps. Mary tossed him into the lake again, and he headed for the steps on his own.

Later that summer, he slid off the end of the dock in a frenzied attempt to heard some geese back in to the water. Maxie remembered his lesson and then headed right for the steps.

If a waterfront home is in your future, keep in mind that you will need to protect not only little kids, but also your pets. Watch for the second section in this series of blog posts which will take a look at the danger presented by waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans.

To read more about Maxie, check out his website at www.MaxieTheWonderDog.com ; also read some of his amusing blog postings at http://blog.MaxieTheWonderDog.com.

Leaving our "footprints" on the water -- series entry # 1 on waterfront ecology

2010-05-19T16:17:00Z

In previous entries I have discussed my criteria for selecting a particular waterfront property. In this series I will take a look at the ecological concerns related to living near a body of water.

We hear a lot about our own personal “footprints” on this earth, and how we should minimize our negative impact. Living near water, we can make a huge difference in the quality of that water by what we do.

When we Fertilize, apply pesticides or weed killer to our lawns the chemicals are likely to leach down through the soil and into the water. When our septic system operates poorly, or when our outboard or inboard boat motor is not adjusted properly, the purity of the water is reduced.

Pesticides kill fish and water plants, fertilizers and improperly operating septic systems encourage weeds to grow so fast so that they can overwhelm the ability of the water system to balance itself, leading again to fish kills and the choking off of the water flow.

The introduction of non native species of plants and animals can have a huge impact. For example, our lakes in the Portage Lakes system have been invaded by alien water plants, the Eurasian Watermilifoil and the Curlyleaf Pondweed. They have just about crowded out our native water plants.

We've all seen what the arrival of Zebra Mussels has done to us. Boat bottoms and motors, dock supports, seawalls, and intake screens quickly become clogged by layers of these little pests. Since they filter the water for food, the water has become much clearer, allowing the sun to penetrate much deeper and encouraging the alien water plants to grow faster and in much deeper water. The mussels also compete with native fish and invertebrate species for food.

Zebra Mussels are thought to have arrived in ballast water from ships arriving in the Great Lakes from the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and were first identified here in the 1980's. They have spread to the inland waters of Ohio and of other states by hitching a ride on recreational boats and by migrating into connecting streams and rivers.

To read more on this topic go to a report the report “Invasive Species in Ohio” published by Union of Concerned Scientists which can be downloaded at http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/invasive_species/Ohio_invasives.pdf

Watch for further posts in this series where we will take a closer look at septic systems and lawn treatments.

Quiet Water vs Full Throttle Fun,entry #6 on buying waterfront property

2010-05-10T15:39:04Z

In my previous postings I wrote about the location of the sun, parking, lot characteristics, and construction quality. My final criterion for finding the perfect Portage Lakes waterfront home is the lake zone in front of your home.

The whole portage lakes system is designated as a "no wake" zone in all areas outside of the two designated speed zones. Although the limit goes up to 400 horsepower for your boat motor, the speed at which you may go is restricted to driving slowly enough so that you do not leave a wake.

In a "no wake" zone docking is easier and less complicated. You can easily see who is boating by, and you do not have to put up with the roar and wash from speeding boats. However you will have boaters slowly floating by who are checking out your property and looking in your windows at night. Fisherman will be casting their lines under your dock and boat.

In an area where properties face one of the speed zones life is different. You will have noise to contend with during the hours when speeding and skiing are allowed. You will need to have more secure means of stabilizing your docked boat to protect it from the wake. The advantages are that you are on a wider area of the lake with a more expansive view, and you do not need to boat for fifteen or twenty minutes to travel to the speed zone.

Myself, I like the quieter more intimate no-wake zone way of life.

Watch for further postings on waterfront living. For more information on the Portage Lakes area, email me at

Tom@TomMcCombs.com or call at 330-644-2413.

Quality of Construction -- entry #5 in Buying Waterfront Property

2010-05-03T18:37:00Z

When considering a Portage Lakes lakefront home don’t let an amazing view cloud your judgement. A professional home inspection is critical prior to finalizing a purchase.

In the Portage Lakes, many of the houses were originally built as humble summertime homes or cottages, so knowing the quality and condition of construction is of utmost importance.

During the World Wars, the local rubber factories were producing at top capacity and needed laborers to fill jobs. Housing was at a premium and many workers moving into the area began renting some of the Portage Lakes summer cottages to live in year round. Over time, more and more former summer cottages became full time homes.

Today, few properties bear any resemblance to what they looked like when they were first built. Many have been totally torn down and new structures built. Some have gone through a series of remodeling or even what some might refer to as re-muddling. Because of this it is very important to look at the quality of the construction.

In my experience, few lakefront properties remain unchanged once they change hands. I have seen people pay over a quarter million dollars for a property just to tear down the house and build another; others add second floors or build additions. Others may only redo kitchens and baths. For those that intend to tear down and build new, the quality of construction will not be an issue.

If your intent is to remodel, you need to know what you are starting with. A structure originally designed as a summer cottage may not support a second floor. A home inspection should help minimize any surprises.

Watch for my next lakefront criterion posting on "quiet water vs full throttle fun". For more information on the Portage Lakes area, email me at

Tom@TomMcCombs.com or call at 330-644-2413.

There is a "Lot" to consider -- entry#4 in How to Buy Waterfront property

2010-04-28T17:49:00Z

Continuing my discussion about buying lakefront property, we are going to take a look at the characteristics of the land itself. Several of my criteria for choosing the right property concern the lot itself; distance from the neighbors, the typography of the lot, and the amount of lake frontage.

In my previous posting on parking I mentioned that most of the lakefront lots on the Portage Lakes system are narrow, and if they aren’t it usually means that several lots have been combined. The width of the lot can be very important based on how well you can tolerate having neighbors in close proximity.

When I bought my current home, I knew that this was an important issue. In my previous waterfront home I had nice neighbors that I knew more about than I cared to. The houses were close together which meant that our outdoor entertaining areas were also close together. And since we were all lined up about the same distance from the lake as well as having close sideline set backs, our conversations were easily heard from one house to the other through open windows. If you like a lot of quiet relaxing time alone this situation might not be for you. If the more the merrier is your attitude, you will probably enjoy it.

The second lot consideration is the typography of the lot. Does it have a steep slope down to the lake or is it fairly flat? If it is steep you may have a broader lake view and possibly a walkout lower level which will optimize the square footage of the house. A steeply sloped lot usually means that it has steep steps or a steep walkway to get to your dock. Steep slopes also come with some unique landscaping challenges such as the need for retaining walls to provide adequate terraces, and ground cover rather than a difficult to mow lawn. Special provisions for handicapped accessibility might also be a consideration.

And my last lot criterion is the amount of lake frontage. Some believe that you can’t have too much lakefront footage. They will tell you all about the advantage of having a large swimming area separate from your boat docking area, a more open view, a bigger entertaining area, and possibly a more valuable lot with its attending bragging rights.

On the other hand some argue that all you really need is enough frontage for a dock to park your boat. My own lot is somewhat wedge shaped with two small lots at the lakefront connected to three other lots along the street. This affords me with just enough lake frontage to have a small swimming area and dockage for two boats with more land at the street for added parking.

Watch for my next posting on quality of construction. For more information on the Portage Lakes area, email me at

Tom@TomMcCombs.com or call at 330-644-2413.

Parking, Parking, and more Parking--entry #3 How to buy lakefront property

2010-04-19T15:09:34Z

As I stated in my original posting on "How to buy lakefront property" I have a list of criteria that may be used when considering the purchase of a lakefront or waterfront home. In the second posting in this series I discussed the location of the property in relation to the sun. Now, let’s talk about PARKING.

When you cruise the Portage Lakes system in your boat, you are getting the "front door" view of each property. The front yard is considered to be the lakefront side, while the back yard is the street side. Everything is geared toward the lake and the entertainment associated with lakeside living. From the lake you will see expansive decks, patios, and lots of windows.

What you normally can’t see from the lake is the parking area for that property.

In order to maximize the number of houses on the available land, lots tend to be small and narrow. Over the years most of the houses have been expanded to fit current lifestyles so that now there may be little yard left. This means that frequently there is also very little parking. Sometimes there is barely enough parking for the residents, let alone their guests.

Since entertaining goes hand in hand with lakefront living, parking for your guests becomes a real issue. When my wife and I bought our present home we knew that we needed a lot of extra parking space, which eliminated several nice prospective properties from our list of possibilities. So we kept looking until we found our present house which has a very rare and desirable parking situation. We have five lots that total up to a half acre, and enough parking for at least 20 cars.

If the property you fall in love with does not have parking adequate for your entertaining needs, all is not lost. Consider alternatives such as street parking availability, public parking lots within walking distance, community guest parking lots, and friendly neighbors who don’t mind sharing their extra parking spots in exchange for the same consideration. And for very large gatherings, some people have even gone to the extent of hiring valets to park guests’ cars in a public lot or of hiring a shuttle to transport guests to and from an off site parking lot. Plus, some of your guests may be arriving by boat.

If you are considering buying a lakefront home, watch for my next blog entry on the lot itself. If you would like to receive information on all of the available properties please email me at

Tom@TomMcCombs.com or call me at 330-644-2413.

I've Moved!

2010-02-27T00:21:00Z

I am pleased to announce that I have moved my license to Century 21 HomeStar. I believe that this will enable me to even better meet your real estate needs. You will still be able to contact me via my website at www.TomMcCombs.com.

Winter Wonderland on the Portage Lakes

2010-02-18T18:16:00Z

There is nowhere that I would rather in Ohio than on the Portage Lakes. The reasons are evident in the boating season, but only those of us lucky enough to live here get to appreciate the wonders of winter on the lakes.

There is just something magic about getting up in the morning and looking out over the frozen lake covered in pristine snow surrounded by winter frosted trees. For my wife it invokes the imagery of the Brothers Grimm fairytale “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” where all the trees glittered in diamonds.

When the lake is frozen solid enough to be safe, neighbors are busy clearing the ice for hockey rinks and ice skating. This winter with our record breaking snow, it has been a challenge for them to keep their skating rinks free of snow.

The frozen lakes have also become popular for snowmobiling, ice fishing, dog walking, and cross country skiing. We have our very own winter wonderland.

Sunrise - Sunset - part 2 on buying waterfront property

2009-04-23T15:40:00Z

As I wrote in my first entry on buying a lakefront home, there are many factors to consider. For me the most important part in finding my next lakefront home was the location of the sun, as in did it have a sunrise or sunset view.

Since I was already living in a lakefront home with a view of the sunset, I had become convinced that I was not a sunset person. The brief display of blazing light at the end of the day was outweighed by all the other things that went with it.

Because the temperature increases with direct sun exposure, a house facing west means the owner has to put up with paint fading and blistering more easily. It also causes furniture fading creating the need for special blinds, shutters, or window curtains. And statistics show that it is more energy efficient to install UV blocking , insulated windows. On top of that, the sunlight reflecting off the water may drive you to install a special patio awning or umbrella in order to be able to sit outside and enjoy your sunset view.

In my new East facing lakefront home, I have found that I am a morning person. I love to get up early, sit out on my deck with my coffee and watch the gentle dawning of the morning sun. And in the evening, I can sit on my now shaded deck and smugly watch my neighbors across the lake draw their blinds & curtains, roll out their outdoor awnings and squint into the sun.

There may be some of you who don't agree with me. I'd be happy to hear from you about why you might prefer the sunset side of the lake.

We need to stop blaming and start fixing

2008-10-09T19:53:00Z

I have been hearing from other Realtors and mortgage people that they think that maybe lenders are waiting for the bail out program to get under way before they do anything to alleviate the current problems. I could not resist noting down a few thoughts that I have on this situation. Please feel free to comment here so that maybe we can help engineer a solution that everyone can sign on to.

I don't think the lenders are counting on anything. They are watching and hoping, and in the meantime are floundering around trying to figure out what to do. And they know that every minute that goes by while they figure stuff out costs them (and other lenders) a lot of money.

We need to band together as Realtors, mortgage lenders, brokers, bankers, etc to persuade the lenders that we all got into this situation together and that we need to all work together to handle the situation. This might mean a recognition that investors, for example, are the only hope for many of these neighborhoods with boarded up, beat up houses. When lenders limit the number of properties an investor can finance they are substantially reducing the buyer pool.

We need to get away from the tendency to blame everyone else and ultimately the borrowers when things go bad. A lot of money was made off of these loans. And now every entity involved should be included in resolving problems. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this and on the indexing of mortgage amounts to current property values.

How To Buy a Lakefront Property - Part 1 on How to Buy Waterfront Property

2008-08-26T15:24:00Z

How to buy lakefront property

Buying a lakefront home sounds like it would be a simple endeavor. All you have to do is to look for a property in your price range, buy it, launch your boat, and enjoy. Well yes and definitely NO. It is just not that easy as there are many factors to consider.

First you need to decide which type of lake you want. Do you want one to fish in, swim in, ski on, speed on, or snowmobile, skate, or cross country ski on in the winter? What is your preference on horse power limits? What type of boat do you have or want? Most lakes have some type of guidelines or restrictions. These restrictions may include size and type of motor, type of recreational activity, dock restrictions, fishing limits, and speed restrictions. Some lakes are shallow with a lot of underwater snags that may be perfect for fishing but would not be appropriate for a deep hulled boat.

I knew that my preference was for a pontoon boat. I am not a fan of speeding around, I don’t water ski, and I enjoy how easy it is to entertain friends on an 8 foot wide pontoon boat. Once you decide what you want, you look for a lake that meets your preferences. Living in the Akron, Ohio area, I had several good options but ultimately chose one of the seven connecting lakes in the Portage Lakes system. I liked that it is part of a State Park and that it has speed controls. The lakes are patrolled by the Summit County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol in partnership with two divisions of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Division of Watercraft and the Division of Parks and Recreation.

It took my wife and me seven years to find the right lakefront house for us even though I had the advantage of being a Realtor who knew the Portage Lakes exceptionally well. Granted, I was being very choosy but having owned two previous lakefront properties on the Portage Lakes, I had developed a short but crucial checklist.

My criteria included morning sun, plenty of parking, sufficient distance from neighbors, a lot with a gentle slope toward the water, amount and location of lakefront, quality of house construction, and quiet water. Each of these will be discussed in separate posts over the next few weeks, starting with the relationship of the sun to the side of the house facing the lake.

If you are considering buying a lakefront home contact me, as I would be glad to email you my free "short course" on buying a lakefront home. Tom McCombs, www.PortageLakesLakefront.com

Duck, Duck, Goose

2008-07-23T19:44:00Z

There is an interesting downside to living on a lake – ducks and geese. No, I am not an animal hater, quite the contrary. But I do hate not being able to walk along the waterfront or in my yard because of the duck and geese droppings.

Some of my neighbors have tried all kinds of creative approaches, none of which have worked well, if at all. One neighbor strung a rope across his waterfront, and another put up a 10" high fence to try to stop them climbing up out of the water and onto the lawn. Neither worked since ducks and geese can fly.

Another neighbor fires off a loud carbide air rifle, which disturbs his neighbors but is only effective when he is home to shoot it. And it seems that the geese know exactly when he is home.

Others have tried to scare off the critters by placing plastic owls on the dock or the shoreline – at which I believe I heard the geese laughing as they waddled past.

I have heard about a product that is spread on the ground and which is supposed to repel geese but I have not talked to anyone who has tried it. In any case that doesn’t sound too eco friendly to me.

We think we have the perfect solution; a herding dog which in our case is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named "Maxie". Soon after we got him as a puppy, much to my wife’s delight I taught him the phrase "Duck, Duck, Goose." Hearing those three magic words sends him racing and barking excitedly off the deck, across the yard and out onto the dock, scattering the hapless water birds in a flurry of feathers and squawks.

You may have heard about such dogs used on golf courses. On the Turkeyfoot Lakes public course, for example, they use a border collie who seems to control the geese very effectively.

I am proud to say that we have a virtually duck and goose free yard. Yeah Maxie!