Useful information for living at Lake Anna, Virginia
When wishing to buy property at Lake Anna one of the first questions to be answered is the location.
Bordering the lake are 3 counties. Spotsylvania has the highest tax rate, but is closest from I-95, Louisa to the south and Orange to the north- west.
We also have a section called the "private side" - this is formed from the power plant cooling systems that have formed 3 dykes and cutting off the lower south-west section of the lake. From the private side you cannot access the "public" side unless you take the boat out of the water, however it is MUCH quieter. It has over 3000 acres of water so there is plenty of space for fishing, cruising or water skiing.
With over 150 subdivisions, you will also need to consider the community that you would prefer. At Lake Anna we have small communities and large subdivisions with over 200 lots. Some are gated others are not. To locate a subdivision at Lake Anna view www.lakeannamaps.com Home or a lot?
Buying a lot can be exiting - be it for an investment for the future, or to build your dream home. There are many builders around, however Lori Petrovitch has worked with some good ones either for a standard design or a custom model that you help to plan. Selecting a good builder is vital to your dream home project - choose one that you can work well with. When selecting a lot, Lori will help you understand the maze of septic systems, perc tests and development plats. If you wish to build in the near future, talk to your lender about a construction loan. There are many finance options available - your financial advisor will help you get the best one for you.
You may wish to look for a home that already exists - it may have the location and number of bedrooms that you require but the color scheme may not be to your taste - remember colors and painting can be changed more easily than remodeling the bathroom!
Water front or water access?
Living on the water is a dream, however it is expensive. Together we can carefully locate your new property; it could have more than 100ft of water frontage or just 28ft. Living in a cove may be quieter but will not have the open water views. These are all choices that we will have to review. Water access lots refer to those within communities that have common boat slips. Your lot may or not have an assigned boat slip, otherwise you would have to pull your boat out of the water each day. Some subdivisions have several common boat slips. Lori will explain the options for each lot that you review.
To locate a subdivision/street Try Lake Anna Maps. Also in the related links section of this website there are some links to sites which have some good information about the lake. To Search by Zip Codes, try 22960 for Orange county, 23024 for Bumpass, 23117 Mineral for Louisa county, 23024 for Bumpass and 22553 for Spotsylvania county. Lake of the Woods is located in Orange County and the zip code is 22508.
Choosing Your Lake Anna Lot
"Which area of the lake is best?" This is often the first question a Realtor will get from prospective lot buyers relatively unfamiliar with Lake Anna. After interviewing several real estate agents on Lake Anna we found that the best answer to that question is another question. The question is not so much "which area of the lake is best?", rather "which area of the lake is best for you? Buyers first need to look at their lifestyles and then try to define specific needs. An example of this would be a retirement age couple with small grandchildren considering a more gently sloping lot for two reasons. First the obvious one, not having to negotiate lengthy inclines to and from the water. Additionally more level lots allow for the grand kids to be easily watched. Most of this analysis is plain common sense. However, buying lakefront property is often an emotional time and certain concerns can easily be overlooked. Lake Anna, with its myriad of coves and inlets, provides different views and varying topography, within the same community. We will look at the major differences in Lake Anna properties, then pose some questions that can help buyers determine which area, and particular lot, might best suit their needs.
Private side vs. Public side
Lake Anna is actually two separate lakes. The main lake or "public side" covers 9,600 acres and the "private side" is 3,400 acres. There is one significant difference between the two. The private side has no commercial development and probably never will. This "private label" in itself, however, is an attraction to many. The "private side," entirely in Louisa County, is actually a series of three cooling "lagoons", maintained by Virginia Power, which are separated from the main lake by a series of as many dikes. Access to this side is only through the lakefront communities or waterfront landowners, who maintain their own ramps. With the absence of any lakefront businesses, boating landowners must transport their own gas from the closest gas station. Small fuel tanks may also be placed on one' s property. The "private side" is generally agreed to have less boat traffic. Fishing on the "private side" is very good, providing a unique winter fishery with its warmer water temperatures.
Lake Anna's main lake is situated in three localities, Spotsylvania, Orange and Louisa counties. There are many lakefront marinas to serve the boating community as well as public access points maintained by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). The Lake Anna State Park is located in Spotsylvania County and has increased in popularity each year. (See related article on the Lake Anna State Park). The recreational use of the lake is managed by the VDGIF. Fishing on Lake Anna is excellent year-round, rated as one of the best lakes in the mid-Atlantic region.
Spotsylvania, Louisa, or Orange County?
The Lake Anna area, of all three counties, from a glance, looks about the same. All are rural and basically agricultural in nature. Spotsylvania county' s population has increased dramatically in the past ten years, making it one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The majority of this growth has been in the Northwest portion of the county, close to Fredericksburg.
Many Lake Anna land buyers are concerned with the proximity to shopping, services and what Lake Anna residents refer to as "town". Most property owners who live on the Spotsylvania side of the lake tend to travel into Fredericksburg, in the normal course of lake living. Most Louisa county residents favor shopping and transacting in the Town of Louisa or traveling to Charlottesville, or Culpeper. An average trip to Charlottesville from Lake Anna' s mid-point at the 208 bridge (Spotsylvania/Louisa County line) to Charlottesville is about fifty minutes. From this same point to Fredericksburg is approximately a 30 minute drive. Louisa County residents in northwest section of the lake, close to Route 522, spend about 25 minutes driving to Culpeper. Other Lake Anna potential property owners are looking primarily for a "get away" and the drive to "town" does not factor in to their property buying decision. They want as quiet and simple a lifestyle as they can find. Retirees, who also desire a quiet and simple lifestyle, often appreciate some sense of community and prefer more services available locally.
What about one's driving time to the lake? For a second home buyer, or a couple looking to relocate and commute to work, this drive can be critical. It is safe to say that the majority of commuters to Northern Virginia live on the Spotsylvania side of the lake. These commuters have more options available from the Fredericksburg area. Commuters to Richmond can easily travel from both sides of the Lake. Many Richmond commuters like the Louisa side of the lake because they can travel Routes 522 and 64 to work avoiding Route 95. Commuters off of Route 652 in Louisa County take a combination of back roads to their Richmond destinations. Couples who enjoy second homes at Lake Anna often find themselves spending more time at the lake than first planned. The last thing they want to do is sit in traffic traveling to the lake. For second home buyers from Northern Virginia and Maryland, a serious southbound snarl on I-95 can be frustrating to put it mildly. Choosing their travel route based on a I-95 traffic report can be a lifesaver. Your property location on Lake Anna determines how feasible this is. An alternative Northern Virginia escape route is to take Route I-66 west and pick up Route 29 South to Culpeper and approach the lake from Route 522 south. Many suburban residents, particularly those in Prince William or western Fairfax County, close to I-66, prefer this route. The drive should be approximately ninety minutes from the Metro area. An important consideration for some in choosing between the counties is their real estate taxes. The tax rate in Louisa County is .67 per $100 of value and .68 per $100 in Orange County and .94 per $100 in Spotsylvania. This computes to a $270 higher tax bill each year per $100,000 of real estate in Spotsylvania, compared to Louisa. Spotsylvania County property is subject to the restrictions and guidelines of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988. Basically it means that developing a site plan in Spotsylvania County can often be more complicated and costly, than in Louisa or Orange County. Keep in mind that shoreline development must also be approved by Virginia Power. Virginia Power owns all of the immediate shoreline around Lake Anna, typically to an elevation of 255 feet above sea level (full pool is 250 feet). Lakefront landowners in all three counties, private or public side, through a chain of title, have a "reservation of easement" for the exclusive agricultural and recreational use of the shoreline (exact wording may differ). Virginia Power issues "construction and use agreements" for improvements on "company " owned land. Virginia Power promotes and encourages the recreational use of the lake. Spotsylvania County, with its larger population and tax base, has had to keep pace with providing services to its residents. Three new schools have opened in the past year. Road projects seem to continually be making headlines. Spotsylvania offers excellent programs for children and adults in their parks and recreation department. (Louisa and Orange counties as well have excellent programs in parks and recreation) The Rappahannock Regional library has two branches in Spotsylvania County. These items are typically of more concern to families with school age children looking to relocate to Lake Anna. School systems are of critical concern. Comparing the quality of education in the surrounding counties is a difficult task. Looking at standardized test scores on the Stanford-9' s, Spotsylvania students generally score the highest. Concerned parents might choose to visit the appropriate schools in the area and county where a lot or home purchase is being considered.
Choosing the Lot
How much do you plan to spend on a lot? Obviously a good question to start with. Lake lots are grouped into three principal categories by highest price: Waterfront, water-view and to lowest: off-water lots. Two of the next questions to ask yourself now are: First, do we want to be in a community development? Be sure to carefully examine any restrictive covenants that might exist. Second, how much privacy are we after? Remember that privacy by road and privacy at the waters edge are two different things. You might select a beautiful, secluded, well timbered lot that happens to be channel-side on a narrow mid-lake section of lake. If boat traffic is a concern then this is probably not the lot for you. Earlier we suggested defining any specific needs based on ones lifestyle. These particular questions, and many other considerations will fall into the category of "personal preference". Several of the Real Estate professionals we spoke with emphasized that often a lot or home "just feels right". Something like a mother' s intuition. This is not meant to be hokey in any way. People often have a preconceived notion about what the lot or house is going to look like. If someone has created an image in their mind, they are not going to like anything until it begins to fit the mental picture they have created. Carefully explain to your Realtor any specific ideas that you have in these areas. This will save both of you some time and frustration. Here are some more questions prospective buyers might consider. If your looking at a waterfront lot, does steep matter? Consider small children and older adults. Along these lines also think about the lake bottom at the waters edge. Is it gently sloping with a firm sand bottom, or mucky? Is it rocky and very steep? Obviously firm sand and a gently sloping profile are preferred for swimming or wading. Visit your potential waterfront lot from the lake and not just by land. Is there sufficient water depth to get in and out? Remember that the lake level is often lowest in the fall months. September and October are considered by many lake residents to be the most beautiful months on Anna as spectacular fall colors are unveiled. Do you prefer a wooded or open lot? (See related article on landscaping considerations) Do you prefer a peaceful Lake Anna sunrise, or a beautiful sunset ? Do you have friends at the lake? Do you plan to visit them by water? (remember the dikes). Do you get a boat slip with your off-water lot? Is it an assigned slip? Do you like to sail? If so, the main lake, south of the 208 bridge, is considered the best for sailing as low bridges in the north end confine your activity. Do you want to camp on your property before you buy? Spotsylvania and Louisa counties both have "no camping" ordinances in place. Some communities have strict "no camping" covenants while others do not. Ask your Realtor if you want to camp. Choosing a Lake Anna lot should be a fun experience. Many excellent Realtors are here waiting to help you with this decision. Hopefully we have addressed some of the questions potential buyers might have about the Lake Anna area, and raised some new ones. Remember to carefully examine your needs and ask a lot of questions.
(Special thanks to the following Real Estate professionals for contributing to this article: Loretta Kelly, Olivia Ryan, Ellen DiStefano, Jennie Lukstat, Toni McQuair, and Edie Lefebvre) This article is from www.lakeannaonline.com - an excellent source of information regarding all aspects of living at Lake Anna.
Please note the tax rates have increased - Spotsylvania is $1.01, Orange is 87c and Louisa is 81c.