December 29, 2022 – Birmingham, Ala. – Pipes and roadways have frozen plus air travel is a mess. Thoughts of sugarplums have passed. Now visions of warmer weather, sunset watching from your boat, and the lake home lifestyle are dancing in your head. The analysts at Lake Homes Realty, the country’s largest lake real estate brokerage, have reviewed more than 50 million pageviews on LakeHomes.com and searched available inventory to determine the 2023 Hot Lakes List for real estate.
“While lake homes are appealing across the country, lakes in South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee made up the Top 10 lakes for pageviews on LakeHomes.com in 2022,” said Glenn S. Phillips, CEO and Lead Economic Analyst for Lake Homes Realty. LakeHomes.com features more than 6,600 lakes across the country. “For the second year in a row Lake Hartwell along the Georgia and South Carolina border had the most pageviews and tops the 2023 Hot Lakes list,” said Phillips. “Texas topped the list for most pageviews by state, followed by Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and New York.”
“LakeHomes.com typically experiences a spike in searches for lake homes after Christmas and at the start of the New Year,” said Phillips. He expects the searches for lake homes and lots to increase as spring approaches. “To help determine the Hot Lakes for 2023, we reviewed statistics from the more than 50 million pageviews in 2022 and looked at current listings for lake homes and lots for sale across the country,” said Phillips.
Hot Lakes for 2023*
- Lake Hartwell, South Carolina/Georgia (Ranked #1 Hot Lakes to Watch in 2022)
- Lake Keowee, South Carolina (Ranked #5 in 2022)
- Lake Sinclair, Georgia (Ranked #4 in 2022)
- Grand Lake, Oklahoma (New to ranking)
- Lake Martin, Alabama (Ranked #3 in 2022)
- Lake Murray, South Carolina (Ranked #10 in 2022)
- Lake Sidney Lanier, Georgia (Ranked #2 in 2022)
- Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama (Ranked #6 in 2022)
- Lake Oconee, Georgia (New to ranking)
- Norris Lake, Tennessee (New to ranking)
*Rankings for Hot Lakes to Watch in 2022 are also noted.
Top States Searched for Lake Properties in 2022
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- New York
- North Carolina
- Michigan
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
More About the “Hot Lakes for 2023”
Lake Hartwell (Georgia/South Carolina) #1 – Sitting on the South Carolina/Georgia line, Lake Hartwell was the most searched lake in 2021 and again in 2022 on LakeHomes.com with 701,133 pageviews. Lake Hartwell covers 56,000 acres with 962 miles of shoreline. As of December 28, 2022, Lake Hartwell had 668 listings for lake homes and lots.
Lake Keowee (South Carolina) #2 – The second South Carolina Lake featured on the hot list, Lake Keowee currently has 346 lake homes and lots for sale. Located near Clemson University, Lake Keowee covers 18,370 acres and has more than 300 miles of shoreline. Lake Keowee had just under 700,000 pageviews in 2022 and is known for excellent bass fishing.
Lake Sinclair (Georgia) #3 Covering 15,300 acres, Lake Sinclair offers more than 400 miles of shoreline and is less than 100 miles from Atlanta. As one of Georgia’s top boating destinations, Lake Sinclair is ideal for fishing and all kinds of watercraft. In 2022, Lake Sinclair had 662,228 pageviews on LakeHomes.com. At the end of 2022, Lake Sinclair had 265 listings for homes and lots.
Grand Lake (Oklahoma) #4 – Grand Lake of the Cherokees, known locally as Grand Lake, is one of Oklahoma’s largest lakes. With 1,300 miles of shoreline, Grand Lake covers 46,500 acres and stretches across 15 towns and four counties. Grand Lake had 636,154 pageviews in 2022 and ended the year with 244 listings for lake homes and lots.
Lake Martin (Alabama) #5 – One of the largest man-made lakes in the country, Lake Martin covers 44,000 acres in east Alabama and has 750 miles of wooded shoreline. Lake Martin is known for its clear water and is ideal for boating, swimming, fishing, and water skiing. In 2022, Lake Martin had 630,524 pageviews. Lake Martin currently has 203 lake home and lot listings.
Lake Murray (South Carolina) #6 – Covering 50,00 acres, Lake Murray has an abundance of space for residents to enjoy and explore. This South Carolina lake has 650 miles of shoreline and is known as a top fishing spot, especially when it comes to bass. Lake Murray currently has 240 listings and had 630,026 pageviews in 2022.
Lake Sidney Lanier (Georgia) #7 – Located only a short drive from Atlanta, Lake Sidney Lanier has more than 35,000 acres and 700 miles of shoreline. Lake Sidney Lanier has long been a favorite of boaters and jet skiers, as well as canoe, rowing, and kayak enthusiasts. The lake had more than 628,583 pageviews in 2022 and ended the year with 673 listings for lake homes and lots.
Lewis Smith Lake (Alabama) #8 – Located an hour north of Birmingham, Alabama, Lewis Smith Lake is ranked among the three cleanest lakes in the country, reaching depths of 264 feet. Lewis Smith Lake covers 21,000 acres and has more than 500 miles of shoreline. This lake welcomes all watercraft types and has no speed limit, besides the no-wake areas. Lewis Smith Lake had 611,150 pageviews in 2022 and ended the year with 639 listings.
Lake Oconee (Georgia) #9 – One of Georgia’s youngest human-made reservoirs, Lake Oconee, was created in 1979 when the Wallace Dam was completed on the Oconee River. Lake Oconee covers about 19,000 acres with 374 miles of shoreline in Greene, Morgan, and Putnam counties. It is conveniently located approximately 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, about the same distance from Augusta, and about 30 miles from Athens, home of the University of Georgia. In 2022, Lake Oconee had 590,384 pageviews. At the end of the year, Lake Oconee had 497 listings for lake homes and lots.
Norris Lake (Tennessee) #10 – Nestled in the rolling hills of Eastern Tennessee, Norris Lake promises turquoise waters and year-round fun for the whole family. The lake is a desirable location for vacationers and full-time residents just 30 miles north of Knoxville. Norris Lake extends 56 miles up the Power River and 72 miles up the Clinch River, boasting a surface area of 33,400 acres. Norris Lake has 800 miles of shoreline with a backdrop of the Tennessee mountain ranges. In 2022, Norris Lake had 573,355 pageviews and ended the year with 363 listings.
Methodology: The 2023 Hot Lakes list was compiled from more than 50 million pageviews on www.LakeHomes.com between January 1 and December 20, 2022, and compared with the current lake home and lot listings on the website as of December 28, 2022. Listings from 145 MLS areas in 34 states served by Lake Homes Realty are featured on LakeHomes.com. The average number of listings from the Hot Lakes list is 414 per lake. These listings include both active and pending lake home and lot properties.