Within most lake access associations, there are desirable areas, and areas that probably should be avoided if you’re looking to make a wise purchase. This much is not profound. Many associations are split in two by larger roadways (still small though) that run somewhat parallel to the lake and divide the “lake side” of the development, from the “other side”. Associations with such bisecting routes include Indian Hills, Glenwood Springs, The Loch Vista Club, Summer Haven, and Oakwood Estates. In these associations there is a very clear cut lake side of the association, and when looking to buy, the lakeside should always be preferred. This phenomenon is perhaps most clear and yet surprisingly under appreciated at Williams Bays own Cedar Point Park.
Cedar Point Drive effectively cuts this large lake access development in half, with lakeside roads including Glenview, Wilmette, Park Ridge and others running west off of this main thoroughfare towards the lake. Further south the roads loop off of Cedar Point Drive towards the lake, providing parkway and lakefront homes their desirable access. The other side of Cedar Point Drive has roads that lead east and away from the water. These are roads like Garfield and Jackson and Cleveland and myriad other dead presidents. I’m going to irritate half of Cedar Point Park right now when I say this. If you can, please buy on the West side of Cedar Point Drive.
Cedar Point is a charming association. Undulating terrain and idyllic parkways that lead owners down large grassy swaths towards the lakefront piers. With seven association access points, Cedar Point is surely the most access friendly of all lakefront associations. For those who love sunsets and late afternoon sun, Cedar Point is situated ideally on an eastern shore. That access, so available and charming, is everything that a lake access association with homes priced from $250k to $3MM should be- unless you’re living on the wrong side of the tracks. This is a bit of a harsh statement, but it’s irrefutably true. If your vacation home is either directly on, or west of Cedar Point Drive, you’re an easy stroll down to the lake. If you’re east of Cedar Point Drive, your walk just became a bit more complicated, and chances are there’s a pair of walking shoes, blister tape, and thigh cream involved. See, for all of Cedar Point Park’s attractive access points, there is essentially zero parking down at the water. In other words, owners that are far east of Cedar Point Drive have few options other than walking, as parking at the lakefront doesn’t really exist.
In spite of this obvious drawback, people still buy in Cedar Point’s east quadrant. In fact, two of the only entry level lake access homes pending around Geneva right now are located in Cedar Point Park ($239k and $395k, respectively). The market here has slipped similarly to the rest of the market, so expect prices to be down anywhere from 10-25%, depending on the property and the location. Parkway homes, the rarefied homes that line the large grass association owned lawns that extend to the water from Cedar Point Drive, have held up quite nicely, with only one such home available on the open market today priced at $789k. I can remember a time when Parkway homes were impossible to come by, and I had clients clamoring for them even though there were none available. At the height of the market I sold a small modest parkway home for $810k. Others paid as much as $1.25MM for these homes, which speaks to their desirability. These homes, like the rest of the off-water homes in the association, are not sold with boatslips. All boat mooring options are available through a waiting list, so if you’re looking for a deeded mooring scenario, Cedar Point Park isn’t going to work.
Cedar Point Park is home to my humble cottage at 521 Wilmette (listed now at $399k), a cottage that I’ve been showing with regularity, a cottage that I hope will soon find a proper owner. With prices starting at $239k, it’s a wide open association with something for nearly everyone- even those who want to be on the wrong side of Cedar Point Drive. Currently, there are 20 homes on the open market in Cedar Point, and thankfully, 13 of those are located to the west of Cedar Point Drive. If you’re looking for a lake access association, consider Cedar Point. If you’re looking to actually be close to the lake and in a lake access association, look to the west of Cedar Point Drive.