Carp Lake


Only thirty miles north of Petoskey, Carp Lake is situated at the northernmost tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, not far from the I-75 Mackinaw Bridge, in the quaint northeast portion of Emmet County. The entire region has long been known as a preferred resort area, donning spectacular natural beauty the entire year-round.

This page gives a very detailed overview of the homes, condominiums, land, and commercial property for sale in Carp Lake, Michigan.


Real Estate Statistics

Average Price $438K
Lowest Price $110K
Highest Price $975K
Total Listings 11
Avg. Price/SQFT $212

Property Types (active listings)


Browse Carp Lake Homes for Sale

Carp Lake Homes for Sale

If the big city doldrums got you down and the tolls of urban life are wearing you thin, Carp Lake could be the perfect getaway respite. This section of Michigan's Lower Peninsula is most famous for its Sturgeon Bay dunes famously lining the Great Lake. It gives way to seemingly boundless shoreline frontage. There, you discover a plethora of the most stunning untouched white sand beaches and windswept natural dunes. Together, these natural wonders are second to none, unrivaled by any stretch of beach resting between the two North American coasts.

It should be of little surprise that Carp Lake is rife with newly constructed condominiums for sale. In fact, at a given time, you’ll be hard-pressed to discover more than a handful of coveted listings on offer in this pristine lake community. Home sales prices range from just under ten thousand for a small buildable lot to nearly $500K for a modern, newly updated log home on over 100 acres.

For a lakeside home that falls into the category of a fixer-upper in need of moderate to major repairs, a project such as this will run in the neighborhood of $150K. Of course, do keep in mind that price excludes the cost to cure, and a home-like this may come with significant financing contingencies, especially if it is a second home. But, at the end of the day, it'll be entirely worth your while, owning your dream cabin right on the lake.

At the moment, there are only seven homes on offer in Carp Lake, with about half of those listings comprising lakeside frontage. The most expensive listing is priced at $448,000, a rustic and modest log home, sitting on 144 acres, that was newly remodeled in 2014. The lowest-priced listing is a 5,227 square foot lot that is not waterfront but includes water access. Concerning value, a majority of the listings falling in between these two price points are generally located just outside the township on wooded lots from 10 to 75 acres.

The Bottomline

Outside of Carp Lake, there are 145 for sale homes within 20 miles at the time of this writing. There are still plenty of options out there if you aim to be near Paradise Lake. Carp Lake and the surrounding area are undoubtedly on the up and up. With its proximity to Mackinaw City, Pellston, and Cheboygan, you simply can’t afford to relegate the township to just a sleepy resort community anymore.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a second home or a primary residence. With its excellent value, boundless recreational opportunities, and easy access to a few exceptional public education options, Carp Lake, with its tremendous potential, offers everything the outdoors family could want.

Carp Lake Community Highlights

As for the Township of Carp Lake proper, it sits adjacent to Lake Michigan, only a few miles south of Mackinaw City. This quiet and friendly community was just recently organized, in 2010. Its officially defined boundaries are slightly under 5 square miles. With over half that space comprised of water, it is no shock that fishing is one of the leading recreation activities in Carp Lake. To be sure, this gorgeous interior lake town supports some of the best freshwater fishing in the region, if not the entire country.

Right on US 31, Carp Lake township derives its name from the surrounding lake area that used to be known as Carp Lake. This body of water feeds off the Carp Lake river and was rebranded as Lake Paradise, due to its idyllic northern setting and secluded paradisal views, especially in the fall months during peak autumnal colors. There is little question that the main appeal of Carp Lake has to be the immense value discoverable in this unprecedentedly convenient lakeside setting.

Carp Lake Recreation

Lake Paradise supports an active boat ramp controlled by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Of course, this is advantageous because not only do you benefit from Lake Michigan and all its recreational offerings, resting just a stone’s throw away, there is plenty of immediate leisure to be found in the smaller and cozier Lake Paradise. Depending on the current market, you might discover some phenomenally valued seasonal homes right on the lake itself.

Aside from the amazing boating and fishing opportunities on Lake Paradise, the highly-rated Mackinaw Golf Club sits just a few miles north of Carp Lake, between Interstate-35 and US 31. This world-class course is right off along Mackinaw Highway. It offers a truly unique golfing experience over 310 acres of lush wetlands, mature deciduous forests, and colorful, sweeping rolling meadows. For those in Carp Lake seeking a departure from the proverbial water-based activities, this reasonably priced and magnificently well-manicured 18 hole golf course makes for a fantastic alternative.

If the immediate nature scenes of Carp Lake aren’t remote and unspoiled enough for your liking, Wilderness State Park is only about 20 minutes east of the township. The state park offers recreational activities year-round within its expansive mix of hardwood and coniferous forest and along the glistening shores of Lake Michigan. The park consists of over 10,000 acres supporting a vast trail system and a unique dark sky preserve that allows visitors to take in an exclusive view of the Aurora Borealis.

With over 26 miles of shoreline within the perimeters of Wilderness State Park completely a specially designated dog beach, you’re not likely to the park’s offering in a day single trip. Indeed, you can bring out the RV or impress the extended family with a reservation at one of the several rustic cabin and bunkhouse rentals available to the park’s overnight visitors. Whether you’re into hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, hunting, or fishing there’s virtually no limit to recreating at Wilderness State Park.

Keeping in mind that Carp Lake consists of a population of only about 400 residents, the town is largely dependent upon nearby surrounding areas for entertainment and recreational opportunities, of which there are quite a few. You’ll discover a healthy supply of festive seasonal events.

For wine and beer lovers “Toast the Season” is a holiday wine festival that runs from November 5 to November 14th along the lovely Leelanau Peninsula trail of wineries, while the Traverse City Beer Week continues from the second week of November to the 19th of the month. Likewise, you can lace up for the Thanksgiving-themed 5K run in neighboring Bellaire while later enjoying a Christmas lights festival in Walloon Lake.

Dining and Shopping

The most popular dining destination in Carp Lake is the outstanding Harbor Lights Grill. A lakeside diner serving traditional Northern Michigan cuisine, locals enjoy everything from mouth-watering prime rib to fresh lake-sourced fish and chips to Sunday afternoon pasties topped with a delicious and hearty sausage gravy for which the region is very well-known. Locals and tourists alike adore this historical restaurant venue. It comes highly recommended. As a Carp Lake newcomer, it's assumed you'll love this local establishment too.

Clyde’s on Paradise Trail is another popular lakefront bar that caters to the seasonal cabin-goer and the loyal Carp Lake resident alike. At Clyde’s, you’ll find mouthwatering scratch-made pizza, an enticing taco special on Tuesdays in addition to an array of tasty pub food selections from luscious Rubens to hot side-orders of fresh fries. If you’re partial shooting billiards, don’t miss the opportunity to mix with the regulars at Clyde’s over some great food and cold beverages. Clyde’s bar is the exclusive host of the North Emmet Pool League.

As for shopping, you can always swing by Cecil Bay Trading Post, which is right in the Township Carp Lake. Alternately, its close proximity to Mackinaw City opens up a range of options for browsing and entertaining in the ostensibly more urban milieu. Mackinaw Crossings is a truly original Victorian-inspired mall modeled after the nearby seasonal tourist destination Mackinaw Island. Not only does this unique mall provide over 50 amazing specialty shops to choose from, but it also hosts a modernized 5-plex cinema, live music venue, and dozens of tasty eateries.

The nearby Mackinaw City offers just about everything you may lack in the immediate Township of Carp Lake, including banking services, salons, various hotels, craft breweries, scooter rental, and, of course, the various ice cream, fudge, and popcorn shops for which Mackinaw City and Island are famously known.

Schools near homes on Carp Lake, Michigan

While there are no schools within the bounds of Carp Lake Township, between Mackinaw City and Pellston, a few strong prospects exist. Mackinaw City School is a public school that serves PK, K-12 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 9 to 1. 141 students are currently enrolled in the school. Statewide, the school is regarded as above average ranking 138th among all Michigan public institutions. State standardized test scores at Mackinaw City reveal that 57% of its students are proficient in math while they performed slightly better in reading, 62% proficiency. The school received high marks for its quality teachers.

Pellston’s school district also serves Carp Lake and it supports a substantially larger K-5 Elementary School with a 6-12 Middle/High School. The student-teacher ratio at the elementary school is low at 11:1 while the Middle and High School yields an 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Pellston’s elementary school enrolls 207 students. It is best recognized for its teachers and diverse student body. Pellston’s Middle and High School receives its highest rating for health and safety.

Focused on Northern Michigan Investment Real Estate

Brook is focused on lifestyle real estate investment properties as most people want a vacation home to make lifelong memories that endure for their entire family, leave a profound legacy for generations, and they want a solid financial investment at the same time.  While the area does have many good realtors, there aren’t many with the unique financial, vacation home investing, and technology marketing background. Brook uses his diverse skill set to help clients properly evaluate and determine whether a vacation home makes financial sense.

"I have significant experience buying and selling Northern Michigan Real Estate and I'd like to help you find the perfect Carp Lake, Michigan home. Send me a message or give me a call at 231.459.3179 to learn more today."

Continue Your Northern Michigan Real Estate Search. Explore homes and real estate in the Northern Michigan communities below or contact Brook Walsh to help you with your search. 

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