Covid changed the game last year as everyone was staying at home “away from home” or if they were not, they were wanting to. Also, the season was extended through October with good weather and schools starting late or allowing zoom school. So lets throw most of that out…but not all of it. As we […]
Articles posted by Jeff Thomas
VRBO/Homeaway/AirBnB…save 5-12% and book direct!

I did a booking of one of our properties (Paradise Point) through our website (www.SmithLakeRentals.com) and through VRBO.com. Here are the things that bother me about VRBO: they added 8% to the nightly rate. This can be up to 12% and there is no rhyme or reason to the percentage, they call our Damage Deposit […]
Lewis Smith Lake, Smith Lake, Smith Lake Rentals, Smith Lake Rentals and Sales, VRBORule of thumb on the cost of a lot on Lewis Smith Lake

Finding a lot on Smith can be overwhelming. On my MLS, there are 444 lots ranging from $14,000 to $1,500,000. The 444 does not include the other MLSs that service the lake. I am going to guess there are over 600 lots available on the lake. I get a lot of calls about finding […]
Cost of property on Smith Lake, lots on Smith Lake, Property on Smith Lake, Smith LakeCan rental income pay for a lake house?

I get a lot of calls from prospective lake home owners wanting to know whether they can put a home on our rental program and it pay for itself. The short answer is NO! The rental income will definitely help but it will not pay the expenses of the house AND the mortgage. […]
What is the cost of a Smith Lake house these days?

This is a tough question as there are a lot of variables: house, lot, dock, convenience, water location, view, steps, etc. In general, most clients start looking for a newer house, on gradual lot with less than 40 steps, with at least a 1 slip dock, on the side of the lake closest to […]
What is the status of property on Smith Lake in 2016?

I meet a lot of people going about my daily activities. I am fortunate to live in an area where people desire and can afford to purchase lake property. They want to know what is going on with property prices: are prices rising or falling, are properties moving, and are there any deals. […]
Cost of property on Smith Lake, lots on Smith Lake, Property on Smith Lake, Smith LakeTax Strategies when Purchasing a Lake Home

When purchasing a lake house, you have a couple of approaches: 1) purchase for personal use or 2) purchase as an investment that includes renting the house out. Lets discuss these options. Personal use. This is pretty straight forward. It works just like your primary home with the mortgage interest being your one tax […]
Smith Lake Drought impact on owners, renters, prospective buyers
Smith Lake is suffering along with most other lakes in the south. We are holding our own right now at inches over winter pool (496msl) but with little rain in sight the expectation is that we will continue to drop below 496msl. Below winter pool is when damage will start happening as most plan […]
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