Lake Living
M ai n t e n a n c e - F r e e g u id e
SMITHMOUNTAINLAKE.COM
71
M aintenance - F ree G uide
Story
by
Lindsey Wagnon • Laker
file photography
From one-bedroom condos to million-dollar homes with nearly 5,000 square feet, Smith Mountain Lake offers abundant options for those looking to leave the burden of yard work and other chores behind. If you're considering going maintenance-free, turn to pages 78-81 for a comprehensive list of communities that offer the lifestyle with amenities, price range, contact information and more.
72 July • August 2011 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
Maintenance-free properties, like Bridgewater Pointe (left), offer residents freedom from the burden of yard work and other chores, allowing more time for lakeside relaxing, golf and other activities.
M
ost people aspire to own their own home. However, few possessions require more time and attention, and maintaining a house and yard is no small feat. When you add waterfrontage to the list of amenities - as with so many Smith Mountain Lake properties - the management to-do list increases significantly. That’s why many communities across the nation and at SML have gone maintenance-free. By eliminating property chores, home owners in a maintenance-free neighborhood have more time for what they really want to do – relax, enjoy family, friends, hobbies and travel. Bill and Barbara Mackay Vinson purchased a townhouse at Contentment Island in 2008, a getaway from their primary home in North Carolina. Barbara Vinson said along with lake access, a boathouse and dock, the maintenance-free aspect was an important benefit. “Maintenance-free does have its perks,” she said. “It’s very nice not having to mow [grass] or trim trees and shrubs or worry about outside painting or replacing the roof. We do, of course, have monthly dues, but when we are away from home for a SMITHMOUNTAINLAKE.COM
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M aintenance - F ree G uide weekend at the lake, it’s nice that we have time to relax, enjoy the lake and our new friends and neighbors.” Vinson said being in a maintenance-free community has helped them cultivate new friendships. Instead of working on the neighborhood, she and other homeowners get to simply enjoy it and one another. “We love the walking paths, which are wellmaintained, and we are looking forward to more plantings of trees and shrubs in the future,” she said. “Neighborhood cookouts give us an opportunity to meet other homeowners. We have enjoyed our neighbors and we discovered we have much in common with them and have developed close friendships. We have fallen in love with The Cottages at Contentment Island and Smith Mountain Lake. It is our home away from home.“
“Maintenance-free does have its perks. It’s very nice not having to mow [grass] or trim trees and shrubs or worry about outside painting or replacing the roof." Barbara Mackay Vinson
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74 July • August 2011 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
Mariners Landing Resort Community and Conference Center offers residents a variety of maintenance-free options, including The Pointe (left). While some locals are already living the maintenance-free lifestyle at SML, other s are watching the trend grow around them – and not without envy. Jiggs and Roberta Gruber built a home in Mariners Landing when the development was just gaining momentum in 1999. Roberta Gruber said when they built their house, it was only the fifth home in the community. Since then, the maintenance-free trend has become a staple at Mariners.
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M aintenance - F ree G uide “My property is not in the section with maintenance-free living. I love my home, and we are very happy here, but as I get older, the house seems to get bigger. I would like to have lawn care, irrigation and snow removal like the other sections of Mariners,” she said. Gruber said the more time that goes by, the more she desires freedom from maintaining their property. It’s the same realization that is motivating development of more maintenance-free neighborhoods around the lake, among other property trends.
Matt White, developer and real estate manager at Mariners Landing, said making their neighborhoods maintenance-free makes sense for the residents. “Would you rather swing a weed eater or a golf club? Would you rather drive a boat or a mower? The list goes on and on, but the responses are consistent from our home buyers: ‘We want no maintenance’,” said White. “With the volume of maintenance and landscaping work, we are able to make the monthly dues cost effective and help our homeowners achieve more time to do things they enjoy.” Within the general real estate scope, maintenancefree living is in high demand at SML. Vicki Millehan, a real estate professional with Prudential Waterfront Properties, said she talks to clients about it on a regular basis. “Maintenance-free living has become very desirable around the lake. Family and friends come here to relax and enjoy their surroundings and find it is easy to lock up, go and come back to a pristine yard and beautiful home,” said Millehan.
Living in a community where exterior chores are handled by a property owners' association leaves more time for sailing on Smith Mountain Lake (left). Below, Golfer's Crossing at The Water's Edge Country Club is one of many maintenance-free communities developed by The Willard Companies.
76 July • August 2011 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
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M aintenance - F ree G uide
Maintenance-Free
Lake Living
G uide Development
Community Name / Contact Info
Year Built
Dwelling style
StandAlone or Attached
Water front
Bernard’s Landing 775 Ashmeade Road Moneta, VA 24121
Bernard’s Landing Wayne & Cynthia Burris wayne@waynethelakeman.com 540-529-0200 bernardslanding.com
1981
Condos and townhomes
Attached
•
The Boardwalk Scruggs Road Moneta, VA 24121
Boardwalk Cottages Cathie Daniel realest8@smithmtnlake.com 540-721-8659 thewillardcompanies.com
1996
Cottages
Stand-Alone
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Bridgewater Bay Bridgewater Bay Drive Moneta, VA 24121
Bridgewater Bay Ed Waters 540-484-2205 thebridgewaterbay.com
2004-Present
Villas and Condos
Both
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Bridgewater Pointe 100 Bridgewater Pointe Place Moneta, VA 24121
Bridgewater Pointe Cathie Daniel realest8@smithmtnlake.com 540-721-8659 thewillardcompanies.com
2010
Condos
Attached
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Contentment Island P.O. Box 41 Union Hall, VA 24176
The Cottages Vicki Millehan vicki@vickislakehomes.com 540-520-2401 vickislakehomes.com, smlcottages.com
2003
Townhomes
Attached
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Celebration Square
2008
Condos
Attached
Mayberry Hills
2007
Single-Family
Attached
Mayberry Villas
2007
Townhomes
Attached
Courtyards of Mayberry
2011
Patio Homes
Stand-Alone
Hammock Pointe Cathie Daniel realest8@smithmtnlake.com 540-721-8659 thewillardcompanies.com
2010
Cottages
Stand-Alone
Downtown Moneta Celebration Avenue Moneta, VA 24121 Lyons Team Realtors jody@lyonsteamrealtors.com 540-297-7777 downtownmoneta.com The Farm Scruggs Road Moneta, VA 24121
78 July • August 2011 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
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Pool
Fitness Center
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2,633-3,341
$569,000+
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1,750-4,000
$325,000-$600,000
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1,685-2,294
$475,000
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3556
$479,000-$599,000
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800-2,200
$150,000-$400,000
1,400-3,000
$225,000-$350,000
1,200-1,800
$160,000-$200,000
1,600-2,800
$240,000-$300,000
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1,950-2,936
$584,000+
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Tennis •
Golf
Driveway Maintenance
Hot Tub
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Dock Maintenance
Dock
$200,000-$620,000
Yard Maintenance
Garage
666-2,850
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Interior Building Maintenance
Price (range)
Exterior Building Maintenance
Square Footage (range)
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79
M aintenance - F ree G uide
Development
Community Name / Contact Info
Year Built
Dwelling style
StandAlone or Attached
Water front
LakeWatch Plantation First Watch Dr. Moneta, VA 24121
LakeWatch Plantation Pat Park patpark13@aol.com 540-580-8603 lakewatchplantation.com
2006-Present
Carriage Homes
Stand-Alone
Lands End Dillards Hill Road Union Hall, VA 24176
Lands End Barbara Brooks bbrooks@smithmountainlakeva.com 540-420-0135 smllandsend.com
2005-2007
Cottages
Stand-Alone
Mariners Run
2008-Present
Single-Family
Stand-Alone
Mariners Village
1998
Condos
Attached
Sixth Fairway Townhomes
2005-Present
Townhomes
Attached
The Pointe
2004-Present
Condos
Attached
Montego Bay Parkway Avenue Moneta, VA 24121
The Carriage Homes Glenda McDaniel glendamcd@aol.com 540-797-2247 thelakespecialist.com
2011
Cottage-Style Homes
Stand-Alone
Runk & Pratt SML Retirement Village 115 Retirement Dr. Hardy, VA 24101
SML Retirement Villiage Brian Runk info@runkandpratt.com 434-610-0591 runkandpratt.com
2008
Cottages
Stand-Alone
Vista Pointe 6605 Smith Mountain Rd. Penhook, VA 24137
Vista Pointe Ben and Katherine Brown vistapointe@jetbroadband.com 434-927-5724 vistapointe-va.com
1984
Condos
Attached
Condominiums at Fairway Bay
1985
Condos
Attached
Townhomes at Fairway Bay
1985
Townhomes
Attached
•
Gangplank Pointe Condominiums
1985
Condos
Attached
•
Gangplank Pointe Townhomes
1985
Condos
Attached
•
Golf Villas
1998
Villas
Attached
Section II Townhomes
1980
Townhomes
Attached
•
Section V Townhomes
1982
Townhomes
Attached
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South Pointe Condominiums
2003-2005
Condos
Attached
•
Mariners Landing Graves Harbor Trail Huddleston, VA 24104 Matt White mattw@rwpsml.com 540-297-3200 marinerslanding.com
The Waterfront Country Club Anchor Drive Moneta, VA 24121 Cathie Daniel realest8@smithmtnlake.com 540-721-8659 thewillardcompanies.com
The Water’s Edge Country Club Water’s Edge Drive Penhook, VA 24137 Cathie Daniel realest8@smithmtnlake.com 540-721-8659 thewillardcompanies.com The Windward Long Island Drive Moneta, VA 24121
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Windlass Pointe Townhomes
1985
Townhomes
Attached
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Golfer’s Crossing
2001-2003
Cottages
Stand-Alone
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Grande Villas
2007-2008
Villas
Attached
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Island Green Pointe
1989
Townhomes
Attached
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Marina Bay
1998
Condos
Attached
Village Green
2004-2007
Villas
Attached
Craftstyle Cottage Homes Glenda McDaniel glendamcd@aol.com 540-797-2247 thelakespecialist.com
2011
Arts & Crafts
Stand-Alone
80 July • August 2011 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
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1,230
$300,000-$350,000
2,700
$350,000-$450,000
300-2,300
$150,000-$450,000
1,800-2,300
$399,000-$450,000
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2,000
$269,000
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954-1,350
$239,900-$525,000
1,040
$174,900+
1,800
$349,000+
1,092
$285,000+
3,250
$664,000+
1,417
NA
2,100
$534,900
1,536
$299,900+
1,234
$295,000+
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Optional
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Driveway Maintenance
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Dock Maintenance
$199,900-$350,000
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Yard Maintenance
1,200-2,400
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Interior Building Maintenance
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Exterior Building Maintenance
$479,000 +
Tennis
2,794-3,400
Golf
•
Fitness Center
$299,000 +
Pool
2,101-2,750
Hot Tub
Price (range)
Dock
Garage
Square Footage (range)
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1,860
$299,000+
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2,542-3,518
$539,000+
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4,366-4,950
$1,449,500+
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1,850-3,292
$725,000+
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1,240
$298,900+
1,357-1,846
$275,000+
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1,800-5,000
$595,000+
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