Buying a house on the lake with a dock, what did you run into?

My husband and I have started looking at houses on the water here, and the dock is the part I keep going around in circles on. Everything I find online says the Corps of Engineers permit transfers when the house sells, but a friend who bought on Greers Ferry a few years back told me the paperwork took her two or three months. If that's true, I'd like to know before we put in an offer and plan a closing date around it.

The other thing is flood zones. Someone told us to ask for an elevation certificate up front, and I'm not sure what that costs or who orders it, the seller or us. And a couple of the places we like are log homes. I was told insurance on those runs quite a bit higher than on a regular frame house. Is that what people here are actually paying, or is it more of a scare story?

If you've bought on the lake, what surprised you? Anything you wish you'd asked the agent, the insurance company or the Corps office before signing? I'm happy to hear the horror stories too. I'd rather learn it here than at the closing table.

Thanks in advance. I'm going to go back to my sewing machine and try not to refresh the listings page for an hour.

Not a scare story on the log homes... a couple of fellas I know pay noticeably more than they did on their frame house. It depends on the age, the roof, and who you call, though. Get a quote on the specific house before you make an offer, not after. Some companies won't touch certain ones at all.

On the dock, I wouldn't count on it just rolling over with the deed. Call the Corps office at the lake and ask about that exact dock... whether it's in good standing, whether it's up to current standards, and what they need from you. Put "dock permit transfer" in the contract as a contingency if you can. Two or three months wouldn't surprise me.

Also ask the seller first about an elevation certificate. Somebody may already have one on file, and that saves you the trouble.

Good questions, by the way. Most folks don't ask them until it's too late...

cedric's right on getting the quote first. a guy we know got all the way thru an offer and then the insurence company balked at the roof and the whole thing fell apart. dont count on the agent to warn you, they just want a closing date

also think about storms. we get those straight line wind things in spring and an older dock thats not anchored right is gonna be the first thing that gets tore up. ask if its ever been damaged or repaired and ask the Corps if theres anything open on it. and good luck getting somebody out to fix it quick, anybody who does decent dock work is booked till next summer around here

sorry, not trying to scare you off lol. the lake is nice when its not trying to take your dock