Lake Bellaire

Bellaire is a small friendly town that provides a conducive environment for raising a family or retiring. If you love the outdoors, you'll find the locale the perfect place to live as you enjoy the beautiful lakes that surround the area. 

Continue reading to learn more about all homes for sale on Lake Bellaire in Northern Michigan.

Real Estate Statistics

Average Price $141K
Lowest Price $2K
Highest Price $650K
Total Listings 32
Avg. Days On Market 189
Avg. Price/SQFT $210

Property Types (active listings)

Browse Lake Bellaire Homes for Sale

Lake bellaire Homes For Sale

On the eastern side of Lake Michigan and southwest of Bellaire, formerly identified as Grass Lake, sits Lake Bellaire, a natural freshwater lake to be found in Antrim County in Michigan, United States. The entire county has a population of 23,431, according to the 2020 census, out of which Bellaire is home to less than 1,500 people. It provides its residents with a rural, suburban mix feel. Most properties (approximately 69%) are owner-occupied, and the village is generally secure with minimal incidences of crime.

The lake covers 1,793 acres and is an all-sports lake providing lots of opportunities for a range of watersports such as boating, windsurfing, swimming, fishing, kayaking, sailing, and waterskiing. This is by far the most superior entertaining lake in the vicinity, so if you reside in this village, you'll never run out of recreation activities to engage in.

The median resident age is 44.6 years in comparison to Michigan's median of 39.8 years. As of 2019, average pricing for mobile homes was $63,521 and $166,084 for detached homes, while the average gross rent was $640 within the same year, against a national rent median of $1,062. The cost of living is substantially low at a rate of 81.2 compared to the country's average of 100.

Home Sales Prices in Lake Bellaire
While touring the Lake Bellaire locality in pursuit of a home purchase, you'll find lovely places to stay if you live far off. These include bed and breakfasts, cottages, rustic inns, cabins, modern condo villages, campgrounds, or vacation rentals that will allow you to experience the atmosphere and culture of the locality before committing your resources to purchase.

In Bellaire, you'll find plentiful housing options with varying price ranges, making it possible for a large selection of individuals to afford to purchase a home in the area. On average, you will find a two-bedroom with two bathrooms sitting on a 1,658 square foot property for $189,000 or a two-bedroom with one bathroom occupying 918 square feet for $279,900.

The location of a property is a massive determinant of pricing, and you'll find this evident in the variations available on the market. For instance, a four-bedroom with two bathrooms occupying 2,588 square feet located on Grass River Road will cost you $199,900, while a one-bedroom with one bathroom sitting on 560 square feet positioned on Cedar River Road goes for $244,900.

Another good example is the slight difference in price for a three-bedroom with three bathrooms occupying 1,400 square feet positioned on Schoolcraft Road, going for $349,900 in comparison to a five-bedroom with four and a half bathrooms sitting on 3,560 square feet situated along Broken Club Drive that costs $399,500.

Or perhaps you would want something more sophisticated like the three bedrooms property with two bathrooms along Cottage Drive for the price of $799,000? No matter what your budget is, your preferential taste, or your preferred location, you will likely find a home or piece of land that meets your specific requirements.

Homes for sale are not limited to stand-alone homes, as you'll also find condominiums for sale in the area. On average, you can calculate condos' sale price at an average of $100,000 per unit. For illustration, a one-bedroom with one bath lying on 594 square feet costs $110,000, a two-bedroom with three baths on 1,300 square feet costs $229,000, and a three-bedroom with four baths on 1,650 square feet costs $299,000.

There are, of course, those that are drastically different and don't follow this median rule, such as the three bedrooms with three baths on 1,912 square feet going for $369,000 or the two bedrooms with two baths on 1,150 square feet that costs a minimal $34,900.

The style of a home, traditional or contemporary fixtures, house positioning, and distance from amenities and the lake are all factors in determining home sales prices. Sellers will also factor in whether the property requires renovations or is ready for occupancy when determining the sale price. Houses in the area have several notable features.

You'll find some properties that have a large yard ideal for playing and relaxing or a bonus room. An attached garage is a common feature, some with lots of extra room space, others with a separate golf cart door.

Granite countertops marvel in open concept kitchens, and European style showers and cathedral ceilings give a house personality. In some properties, you'll find a treehouse, likely with a deck, a lower-level family room, multiple master suite options, bay windows, a private winter pool, a master bedroom with a jet tub, a jacuzzi, and many other contemporary finishes. Kitchen cabinetry adds color and makes kitchen units come alive. Some properties even have a home office or teen bunk room, so everyone gets to enjoy individualized space.

Vacant Lots on Sale
Bellaire has lots of options to offer in the real estate market, and the area is not just limited to developed properties. Vacant lots are also readily available, and you can purchase land then build your dream home as per your specifications. Some of the options available range between $15,900 for a 1.1 acres piece of land, $7,000 for a 0.75 acres size, or even as little as $6,000 for a 0.61 acres lot.

Along Montgomery Road, you'll find a 0.85-acre lot for $10,000, whereas a 0.63 acres lot on Deskin Drive costs $14,000. Land too has prices variations that are miles apart. Take, for instance, finding a 224 acres property for the price of $750,000, then compare that to a 0.3 acres property for $149,900, or a similar price of $799,000 but for a 1.56 acres property.

What Are the Down Payment Requirements for a Lake Bellaire Home?
As a potential home buyer, you are probably wondering what your down payment options are and whether or not you will find a financier who won't charge you hefty commissions and processing fees. As a veteran and a first-time homeowner, you may qualify for a $0 down payment, but not everyone is lucky enough to have a veteran in the family.

There are programs that assist with down payments, or perhaps you would want to opt for a home mortgage. If that's the case, you will need to do your due diligence to ensure you get the best possible rates. Remember that rates are affected by the mortgage duration – ultimately, the shorter the repayment period, the less the percentage charged. You might also contemplate refinancing, perhaps if you have an existing mortgage and would like to shake things up a little.

Mortgage lenders extend a variation of interest rates, so you best calculate this with your financial advisor before you have any loans processed in your name. The intention of taking a mortgage is to give you peace of mind throughout the sale agreement process and during your tenancy in the property, so it's best you make a wise, well-informed choice. Explore your down payment options with either no or low options as you start your journey to acquiring your new home.

Conventional loans, on average, need a 20% down payment, in the state of Michigan, although an FHA loan requires only 3.5% of the home's value. Some unique funding schemes even provide 0% down payments. However, a 20% down payment is regarded as optimal when acquiring a property. To qualify for the program's most valuable benefit, you must have a credit score of 580 at the very least. If your score is around 500 and 580, then you will need to put down a 10% deposit.

For example, when you opt to take a loan for $300,000, as a down payment, you would pay 3.5 percent of $300,000, which is $10,500. The loan amount will now be for the balance of the home's cost, which is $289,500. Keep in mind that this is not inclusive of closing charges or any other fees associated with the transaction.

Lake Bellaire Community Highlights

Bellaire is a small friendly town that provides a conducive environment for raising a family or retiring. If you love the outdoors, you'll find the locale the perfect place to live as you enjoy the beautiful lakes that surround the area. Various dining experiences, beaches, a theater, shopping areas, and great festivals will keep the entire family engaged.

Lake Bellaire Treasures
Because Lake Bellaire's deep waters stay oxygen-rich and cold even in the summer months, the water body supports a cold-water fishery. Fish you can find in the lake include bass – rock, largemouth, and smallmouth, as well as pumpkinseed, perch, northern pike, white sucker, yellow perch, blunt nose minnow, and splake. Others include bluegill, brook silverside, whitefish, brown bullhead, smelt, longnose gar, black crappie, walleye, herring, cisco, and a variety of trout's – brown, lake, brook, and rainbow.

The lake's uneven form adds to its long beach, which is approximately 11.5 miles long. There is also a private beach on the lake's waters that offers hard sand that's neither too rocky nor too cold. The area is perfect for hiking, biking, tubing, dining, golfing, listening to the loons, and enjoying lakeside fires.

Bellaire offers an abundance of picturesque sights, and you'll most probably find yourself waking up to the beautiful scents of a symphony of sand, trees, and wildflowers. Among places to visit and experience this is the Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area, suitable for walking, hiking, mountain biking, and running, or the Grass River Natural Area, a wildlife area.

There are wineries, vineyards, and distilleries to tour, such as the Torch Lake Cellars, Bee Well Mead & Cider, and Mammoth Distilling.

Recreation Options Available
There is no shortage of fun things to do when residing in Bellaire, probably why most people who visit the area are content staying for the long term. Discover the waters with gear and boat rentals from Northaire Resort Pontoon Rental, Dewitt Marine Inc, or Pontoon Boat Rental. Experience stand-up paddleboarding at Paddles & Pedals, or explore the snowboard and ski areas as well as gold courses at Shanty Creek Resort. There are indoor games such as bowling at Bellaire Lanes and Games for those who prefer to stay out of the sun.

Amenities Within a Short Distance of the Town
Bellaire offers a variety of amenities to make residing in the neighborhood more comfortable. Around town, you'll find a fitness center, park for pets, a clubroom, fire pit lounges, a library with a large-screen Tv, resort-inspired swimming pool, and numerous eating outlets.

The Bellaire Smokehouse is an eatery loved by many with tasty menu items like grilled prime ribeye and smoked whitefish. To top it all, check out Little Treasures Toy Shop for your shopping of unique gifts and intricate items. And of course, for golfers, there is the magnificent golf course at The Leg end.

Schools Near Homes on Lake Bellaire

Among the top public education facilities in the area are John R. Rodger Elementary School and Bellaire Middle | High School. John Rodgers Elementary serves 144 children in grades K to 5 and has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1 to 15. According to national test results, 42 percent of children are proficient in reading, and 37 percent are proficient in arithmetic.

On the other hand, Bellaire is above average and rates at #169 in the whole of Michigan on the list of Best Public High Schools. According to national test results, 67 percent of children are proficient in reading, and 47 percent are proficient in arithmetic. The school serves 196 children in grades 6 to 12 and has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1 to 15.

On the list of Best Public Middle Schools and Best High School Teachers in the state of Michigan, Bellaire ranks at #236 of 924 and #403 of 780, respectively. The school boasts of an average graduation rate of 90 percent. Additionally, the student's athletic participation for boys and girls alike is very high.

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 Lake Leelanau, 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. 

Browse Other Communities