How many homes around Lake Windermere have lake frontage, do you think?
We counted around 150. That’s almost seven for each mile of shoreline.
And how many have a lake view? Easily ten times that, we estimate. So roughly 1,500 homes around the Lake have direct access or a view of the water.
If your home has a view of the Lake, or even a partial view, then you have something buyers want. Not only is a lake view a hugely sought-after attribute of a Lake District home, it’s actually pretty rare. Some napkin scribblings and much scratching of heads, and our guesstimate is that out of 60,000 houses in the Lake District, around 1% will have direct lake access on one of our lovely sixteen lakes, and approximately 10% will have a lake view.
With only 6,000 homes to choose from if a lake view is on a buyer’s ‘must-have’ list, then your lake view home will be a rare gem, coveted by buyers, and no doubt friends and neighbours too.
If your home does have a lake view, it’s really important that you make the most of it. We’ve put together Three Top Tips to help you make the most of your lake view, whether you’re selling, or even just keeping that view all to yourself:
1. Make sure you can see it – we’ve known lovely homes that once had lake views, but that have sadly lost them due to neighbouring trees or new buildings. On the other hand, one of our wonderful clients bought a home without a lake view, and spent five years creating one! She not only cleared her own trees, she also begged and bribed her neighbours to cut down theirs too. The result? A ten-to-two (think of a clock: 10am to 2pm) view of the Lake, and in the process, she almost doubled the value of her home.
2. Focus on the view – arrange your furniture so you can actually see the view from inside your home. We went to see a very lovely but unsold home in the Lakes that had a huge piece of furniture in a bay window. Even though the lake view was there, it was hidden behind an Old Charm sideboard. We rearranged their furniture a little (with their permission) and their home sold within weeks.
3. Show off your terrace – if you have a terrace from which you can see the lake view, make sure your outside furniture is set up to make the most of it. And if your patio set has seen better days, maybe it’s time to upgrade, and give your lake view terrace the furniture it’s always dreamed of. Position your seating so it gazes over the water, and add those special finishing touches, like a cantilevered parasol, and some oversized potted plants.
If your home has a lake view – or perhaps even lake access – we’d love to see it. Even if you’re not thinking of selling in the near future, a chat over a cup of tea and a chance to pick our brains over value and desirability could save you time and earn you money in the long run.
Sam and Phil
AshdownJones – Selling Unique Homes, Better.
