BUYING AT LAKE PANORAMA 101

Lake Panorama | Panora, Iowa

Research

Familiarize yourself with the lake market by visiting websites like Realtor.com, Zillow and Sunsetrealtyia.com. Have a general wish list:

    • # of bedrooms, # of bathrooms
    • square footage
    • Will this be your primary home or a second/vacation home?
    • Private family home or condominium/townhome?

Budget

Determine what your budget will be for your lake home!

Waterfront homes currently start in the $700K range and can go as high at $2.5million. 

For 2023, the average waterfront home at the lake was $916,940

Offshore homes have also continued to go up in price. Ranging from $400K to $650K.  The average for 2023 offshore lake homes was $435,009

Waterfront condos  2023 average sale price was $567,143

Offshore condos/townhomes 2023 average sale price was $350,167

Pre-Qualification

If your method of payment is a mortgage, talk to your lender and get prequalified for a loan. A prequalification letter is helpful to make your offer stronger.

Be Ready

We have been in a strong Seller’s market since 2020, which means very little inventory and lots of Buyers. The market is shifting some but as the Buyer, you should be ready to act fairly quickly on a property when it becomes available. The last number of contingencies you have, the better. Ask your Realtor how to make your offer more attractive, and it is NOT a love letter to the Sellers.

Find the right Real Estate Agent

Find a Realtor that you trust and who has local knowledge of the area. Purchasing a property at Lake Panorama is unique & special. Our team of agents at Sunset Realty have all the helpful information on areas and details of Lake Panorama that aren’t easily accessible to most others. Your Realtor’s knowledge of the homebuying process, negotiating skills and familiarity of the area can be invaluable. We live here and take pride in this beautiful lake community. We are here to help you long after the purchase.

Shop for Homes

Call your agent to set up appointments to see the homes that you are interested in. You might be tempted to just take a drive and hope to see some homes, but not all the homes for sale are vacant! Also, you will want to tour homes that will best fit you and your family’s needs. Your Realtor might suggest homes you hadn’t considered.

Ready to Find Your Dream Home?

Things to think about when shopping for a home at Lake Panorama:

  • How will my family use the lake?
      • Water: Skiing, Wake Surfing, Jet Skiing, Boating, Fishing
      • Golfing: LPN 18 Hole GC or Panorama West Par 3
      • Social Life: Lots of activity or a place to get away
  • What is important for our home at Lake Panorama?
      • View
      • Water Depth
      • Gently sloping lot or flatter lot
      • House is close to the water
      • No steep driveway
      • Lot size
      • Sunrise/sunset
      • Close to town
  • Cost of Maintenance:  There will be extra costs that are part of lake living. Hire it done or do it yourself…it is something to plan for!

Ask Sunset Realty how you can be the first to know about a new listing at Lake Panorama!

What’s up with…

  • Docks and Lifts: Most will need to be removed in the fall and reinstalled in the spring. Lake Panorama has three Barge Companies that will do this work for you. In some of the smaller coves, you can leave them in all year.
  • Landscaping/Mowing/Snow Removal: Homeowners are responsible for these on their property. The Lake Association plows the snow on the roads and mows some roadsides. For the names of our preferred vendors, check our list.
  • Boats: For all the boating regulations and rules, click here.
  • Storage: You have some boat storage options. Check with Panorama Marine or Scott’s Outdoor Supply for pricing and availability.

Sunset Realty Agent can help with almost all of these questions and you will want to reference the LPA Website often! www.Lakepanorama.org

All other Lake Panorama Association related questions could be answered here: https://lakepanorama.org/faqs/

Home Shopping Day!

Be sure to wear slip-on comfortable shoes and dress in layers. Take good notes. Your agent will have great information, maps, and home disclosures for each home you tour. Plan for 20-30 minutes per home.

Time to Decide!

You have seen all the available homes and now is the time to decide which one is right for your family. Your agent will provide current comparables to help you decide on what to offer. Your agent will then present your offer, negotiate your purchase, and any other details of the purchase.

Congratulations on your accepted offer!! 

Welcome to Lake Panorama!!