Is this your year to buy a lake cabin or lake home? Don't know where to start? Wonder if you should wait until the weather warms and more properties are listed?

First, if you are ready to begin your lakeshore search today, don't wait for warm weather. Although there may be less inventory in winter months, some listings that did not sell the previous year may be reduced in price, or a newer, fabulous piece of real estate may become available and you won't be competing with summer buyers.

Second, if you are ready to find that lakeside retreat, but want to make sure you are considering important steps and details, read on. Lakestyle talked with a number of realtors experienced in sales of lake property. The following "tips and tricks" are based on their advice to help buyers start off on the right foot.

• Know exactly what you are looking for. Is it a view of a gorgeous lake or a place to regularly use your boat or personal watercraft? A cabin with a sandy beach for swimming? How important is the local school district? What about the drive time to work? Or are you strictly interested in the investment potential?
• How important is elevation? If you want a lake home or cabin only for the view, a higher elevation is better. Elevation is generally better from a noise perspective and may mean fewer mosquitoes than a location right on the lake! But if your family includes children or older adults, you may not want them to traverse stairs to the water or dock.
• Determine the general location where you'd like to buy - whether it's a specific lake, an area surrounding a favorite town or even an entire county or counties.
• Establish minimums regarding lot size and/or structure - number of bedrooms, baths, frontage feet on lake, seasonal or year-round use. Do you need a garage?
• Each lake has its own premier locations. Buy what you can afford, understanding that the property is an investment and its value is highly dependent on location.

Select an experienced realtor

• Take advantage of a realtor's expertise. Negotiating offers is a crucial part of the process as well as the follow-up with home inspections, financing and title work, etc. Many Web sites, such as www.realtor.com, can help you find potential realtors; then make some phone calls.
• Work with a real estate agent who is "local" to your area of interest. Local realtors are the most knowledgeable about market values, lake characteristics and, of course, properties currently for sale.
• When you find a good agent, make contact often - yes, even to the point that you think you are "bugging" the agent. That way the agent will think of you often and keep you high on the list.
• Don't tell the agent that you "have years to find the perfect spot." You want to keep the agent motivated to look for you. Saying you have years tells the agent that you may just be "looking."

Do your homework

• Get pre-qualified with a lender. The "pre-approval letter" from your lender tells the agent you have done your part and are a serious buyer. It also tells the seller that you are prepared and have put some effort into purchasing property. In situations where multiple offers are presented, and offers are equal, sellers sometimes lean toward pre-qualified buyers because they already know they have the purchasing power.
• Keep checking Web sites and tell your agent of any properties that look interesting. Let the agent find out information about the property. Know that once you call another realty firm, it may claim you as its buyer and not allow your agent to be involved in the transaction should you decide to purchase that property.

Make the most of your time

• Drive along area roads and familiarize yourself with detailed street maps. That way, when you or your agent find a new property, the address will help you decide if you are interested.
• Save yourself and your agent time, and be considerate to sellers. If at all possible, drive by a property prior to scheduling an appointment. Why set up an appointment if you don't like the location of the property?
• Bring your camera and a notebook to appointments. Jot down likes and dislikes of each property and share those thoughts with your realtor. (By the end of the day, most buyers can't remember what the first house looked like.) Buyers will require the expertise of a realtor even more after they've located that "perfect property." Remember, you are entering into a legally binding contract!

Ask key questions about your favorite property

• What is the property's exposure and orientation to the water? Consider how that affects your view from inside, and factors such as the amount of sunlight entering the cabin or home
• Have your agent or other knowledgeable person assess the shoreline's condition. Some shorelines need to be riprapped to stop erosion-- more often, west-facing properties.
• Know the lake's traffic patterns. Are boats cutting across close to the property to get to the channel? Is there a public access point a few doors down?
• Verify pertinent information by calling the county zoning department, the Department of Natural Resources or other government office.
• Call a local business that puts in docks on a particular lake. Ask questions about the lake and the shoreline.
• If the property, including the beach, is still covered with snow, ask if the owners have photos showing the property in warmer weather.
• Meet the neighbors! Ask them about water depth and quality, and why they chose this particular lake and site. Who knows the lake better than the people who already live there?

By Barb Umberger