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Waterfront Living Guide
What It's Like to Live in a Waterfront Home
Homeowners share their insights on living by oceans, rivers and lakes.
By Shannon Petrie, FrontDoor.com | Published: 9/24/2008
The Lakefront Experience: Privacy and Atmosphere
When Kimberly Abbasi, her husband and two daughters moved from California to Arizona, they wanted more from their home than a typical neighborhood could offer them. "We were looking for a place with ambiance and a view rather than just a fence around us," she said.
The family found what they were looking for in a lakefront home in the Ocotillo Lakes area of Chandler, Ariz. With their only neighbors situated across the lake from them, they enjoy a sense of seclusion not found in just any neighborhood. "It gives a sense of privacy compared with a community where you have neighbors right on top of you," Abbasi said.
Living on the lake in Arizona comes with other perks as well. Being surrounded by water makes sweltering Arizona summers seem a bit cooler, and lake activities like paddleboating allow the family to bond with their neighbors.
As part of a lakefront community, the homeowners association has certain guidelines for maintaining the property, but Abbasi was already accustomed to these kinds of guidelines from her community in California.
"I'm so glad we waited until we could get a house on the lake. I don't think we would have been nearly as satisfied anywhere else," she said.