Sometimes buyers are unhappy with their choices in waterfront property. They just can’t find what they want at a price they can live with. A really viable alternative is property in a waterfront community. Most of these communities or subdivisions have a boat launch, dock for fishing/crabbing/shrimping, and other amenities like pools and tennis courts. Not only do these waterfront communities offer properties which are less expensive at the initial purchase point but they are usually cheaper to keep.
For instance, a 200 foot dock from a waterfront lot to deepwater may easily run $35K to $50K by the time a boat lift and pierhead are added. In even a minimum huricane, these docks can take a real beating and since docks are uninsurable, the repair/replacement costs are usually on the homeowner. While the community dock may also have been hard hit, there are more people to spread replacement/repair costs over. Also, waterfront property is often in a flood zone, while properties just a block or two away from the water may be out of the flood zone altogether. This could mean that the property owner pays less in homeowners insurance and flood insurance on an annual basis if the property they purchase is in a waterfront community but not actually on the water. Taxes are also typically higher on waterfront property than property not on the water. All these reasons make waterfront communities an option worth considering.