Sitting Down with Ryan
How did you get into Lake of the Ozarks Real Estate?
It's a family tradition--although I initially resisted it. My Dad's been a realtor here at the Lake for over three decades, so we all grew up with it. He showed me the ropes a little bit, but like many kids starting out, I wanted to do my own thing. I got my college degree in 1996 and moved to St Louis to start my own office equipment business. Still, I kept my ties to the Lake, commuting back and forth. I also kept my ties to real estate: I got my license in 1999 and practiced real estate in and around the St Louis area. My finance Jen and I would work all week in St Louis, then we’d come to the Lake on weekends to relax.
Over the years, it got more and difficult to leave the Lake at the end of a weekend. Then one Sunday as Jen and I were loading the car, it hit: we don’t want to leave, we want to stay--for good. It was a big realization: the Lake was our home and there was no use fighting it. Then another thing hit: I was finally ready to embrace Real Estate full time. I'd been resisting it the past few years, juggling it with another profession, but as soon as our decision to come back to the Lake was made, the choice was clear. This was in 2001, and we haven’t looked back since.
What’s great about the Lake?
In a word: the Lake! It sounds elementary, but it’s a privilege to be able to live next to a body of water. There’s something serene about it—the beauty, the topography, the sunrises and sunsets. Plus of course all the activities that evolve around a lake: fishing, boating, water skiing... the docks and lakefront establishments... the seasonal crowds that wax and wane—it’s a whole culture that’s grown up around this area of Missouri that’s unique to the region and very special.
Describe the Lake Real Estate Scene these days.
The Lake area has become a major resort destination for the central United States. Back a decade or two ago, we had more of a local population--Missouri and Kansas natives that recognized the Lake’s charm and potential. Lately, however, the Lake’s appeal has broadened: it’s started to appeal to the sophisticated vacationer, and the developments are reflecting it. We’ve got five star resorts here now, a new conference center, lots of new condos and villas and a multitude of luxury lakefront homes that start at around $800,000 and go up to $1.5 or even $2 M. High end has come into the picture to mingle with the more modest homes and properties that were the backbone of the Lake demographic previously. Now we’ve got everything here, real estate-wise, all across the board.
Who are your clientele?
Again, it’s an across-the-board thing. However, I do deal with a great deal of baby boomers and empty nesters--people who are officially retiring after decades out in the workforce and who are looking for not only a great place to settle, but a smart investment as well. We’ve also got lots of out-of-state buyers now—Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Colorado… Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia… even folks as far away as California! All are recognizing the Lake as a great real estate investment choice.
Any particular advantages to investing in Lake Property?
A big issue is that you’re investing in actual lakefront property. This means that as an owner, you can purchase a property that includes footage all the way to the water including the docks and waterside structures. These are true lakefront properties, as opposed to many other areas where you can buy a waterfront property, but the property line stops short, so you won’t own any actual waterfront footage yourself—that belongs to the municipality, or the developer. Here, we’re talking about true lakefront properties--the real deal.
What are some of the issues that come up when purchasing a lakefront property?
Dock issues. Sea wall and septic issues. Title and easement issues. It can be tricky. Transfering the title has to be done correctly, with attention to detail. That’s why it's important to be represented by a realtor who knows the area issues and how to deal with them. A multitude of agents have flocked to the Lake in recent years, but there are relatively few that could be considered the true Lake realtors--the ones with the longtime experience in dealing with the specific issues that pertain to this area.
Any new real estate trends?
The Internet is huge. It’s not really new—the business has been operating alongside it for a good ten years now, but it really has changed the face of real estate. The online databases have opened up a whole new world, for buyers, sellers, agents—everyone. Imagine: in the old days, you had to get in the car and drive out to see a property. Now you can get an entire virtual tour of that property while sitting at your desk. It really does facilitate the process. Buyers have a whole new power out there, because of having spent time on the Internet, doing their own research. They have a better idea of what is out there: price ranges, amenities, what they can get for their real estate dollar. They can see a whole range of properties, from older established homes, to new construction, to blueprints for homes not even built. Ten years ago that was unheard of. Now we’ve got an educated real estate consumer and it’s a beautiful thing.
Any projections for the Lake area?
If present trends continue, we’re looking at a lot more growth. The growth and expansion are inevitable. But I truly hope to see smart growth. Too many communities have been ruined by overzealous expansion, and it would be a shame to see it happen here. We realtors, developers, and investors all need to do our part to safeguard the integrity of the Lake, to make sure that the charm and natural resources of this area are preserved. It’s going to be a group effort, but the Lake is a special place and we want to make sure those special qualities endure. Nobody wants to look back decades down the line and say ‘It was great way back when, but no longer…’ No, this is a big issue here and I know that I’m going to do my part to make sure the Lake stays the great place I grew up in, the one I know I will always call my home...
- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
