February is here and many, who are tired of winter, may be looking toward Spring and Summer. Often that includes dreaming of purchasing property at a lake somewhere. This dream often conjures up images like the one here. Water sports, green off in the distance behind homes with docks, and all the fun that may include. But in reality, if you go out to Lake Bridgeport right now, you may see this. As a realtor, I've shown and sold property on Lake Bridgeport, and have not seen it this low in several years. This gives you an idea of what it looks like when the lake is approximately 16 feet low. (This is a level tracker, but may change depending on when you are reading this Lake Bridgeport Water Level (lakesonline.com)
The second photo is an aerial photo of the bridge in Runaway Bay and the buildings around it. Not sure when it was taken, but it is pretty sad. I'm not giving you this information to be a Debbie Downer, but to remind you that having an agent who understands the lake property you may be looking at is extremely important in your search. Every lake has different 'owners' or management organizations and there are always rules, lots of rules. So ensuring your agent knows and understands this information can prevent problems down the line. Lake Bridgeport sits in the Trinity River Basin and is fed by the West Fork of the Trinity River. It is what I call a feeder lake, managed by the Tarrant Regional Water District and is often sending water down to Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth. There is some controversy about the whys of letting the water out of the lake, but you can investigate that for yourself. Bridgeport is also a water source for some of the surrounding towns, and when it gets this low, it can be problematic. The good news is that what goes down, must come up, or is it the other way around? Oh well, don't despair. Wise and Jack Counties, where this lake is located, has been in a severe drought and are praying that as the rains come, it will soon fill back up and be beautiful and enjoyable. Just remember, if you do decide to buy a lake home during drought season like this, make sure you get everything checked out, especially the dock. Docks that float may have some damage if it ended up on dry ground. But it can always be fixed. And don't expect to get a killer deal if you buy during a drought. You may be able to find one, but they will go fast. Most of the owners know that the water level will come back up at some point and will hold out for those prices. Lake property is more for your enjoyment, not so much an investment. Keep that in mind. If you want to investigate lake properties so you can be ready when summer gets here, give me a call. I'm familiar with most of the lakes in this area and have realtor friends that can help you with lakes in other parts of Texas. Time to start dusting off the summer fun!
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