Dan Sells the Lake

It's difficult to make yourself leave the area in the Summer when you live in a house at the Lake of the Ozarks .  Autumn is every bit as beautiful, but it's a great time to jump in the car and take a day trip. Here are 9 Fall festivals close-to-home that celebrate this gorgeous season.   Sept. 16-Oct. 31 - National Harvest & Cowboy Festival , Branson Silver Dollar City is known for its incredible festivals year-round.  This Fall the amusement park will be filled with over 125 visiting craftsmen from the "Four Corners of the United States."  There will be live crafting demonstrations, live music, stunt shows, and the incredibly popular Western Barn Dance.  All of this is in addition to the amazing rides, shows, and food that is always available at this family-fun destination.  Sept. 25-27 - The 9th Annual Roots, Blues, & BBQ Festival , Columbia Stephens Lake Park is the home to this entertaining festival.  It features more tha...

The age old question is, "Should I rent, or should I buy a home?"  Renting can be a great temporary fix until the option to purchase a house becomes available.  Let's look at 5 reasons to buy a house at Lake of the Ozarks instead of renting. 1. No Surprises Rent can increase every few years with inflation and you have nothing to show for the money you put in years down the road. When you buy a house with a fixed-rate mortgage, payments will stay the same until the home is paid off. When you're done, the house is all yours.  When you rent, you are paying a landlord's mortgage payment instead of your own. 2. Tax Savings The first quarter of the year brings about the dreaded tax season. Homeowners have a benefit here as well, in several areas.  First-year homeowners can deduct some of the closing costs  (namely the origination fees) on the loan.  This amount is often over 1% of the total cost of the home, so the savings here can be substantial...

Summer is not over quite yet, but it's not too early to start thinking about preparing your home for the Fall and Winter seasons.  If you start doing a few things now to your Lake of the Ozarks real estate , you'll have plenty of time to get it all done before it's too cold.  Going through the following list will ensure that the outside of your house stands up to the weather and the inside keeps you safe and warm.      Outside your home: Take the time to walk around the outside of your house while the temperature is still pleasant and before the leaves begin falling and cover things up.  Making sure that the following things are taken care of before the snow begins falling will help to assure everything is in good shape when Spring rolls back around.  Inspect and clean out gutters and downspouts. Replace any missing or damaged weather stripping on doors and windows. Caulk all cracks and gaps to prevent drafts from entering the hous...

The Lake area is an amazing place to visit, but it's an even better place to own a home.  Labor Day weekend is an exciting holiday to be here because you can find all kinds of exciting things to do no matter what part of the area you are in.   Real estate at the Lake of the Ozarks covers a lot of ground, and no matter where you end up, there will be something fun going on.   Sept. 4 - Labor Day Fireworks Fun Fest at Old Kinderhook Old Kinderhook features a free, family-fun event in Camdenton from 5 pm - 9 pm . There will be games for both the kids and the adults, plus face painting, clowns, bounce houses, and live entertainment.  They will have food and drinks there for a small cost, and the evening will end with an incredible display of fireworks.  Sept. 5 - Rocky Mount Sweet Corn Festival The 5th Annual Sweet Corn Festival  will be happening in Rocky Mount at the Rocky Mount Fire Station 1 from 9 am - 4 pm .  Proceeds raised will co...