Lake Anna ranked top U.S. city to buy vacation home

Under-the-radar Lake Anna, the third-largest lake in Virginia, is the top place in the country to buy a second home, according to Vacasa, a vacation rental management company. 

• Vacasa ranked cities based on their ROI, or return on investment. In Lake Anna, the median sale price is $435,000 and the average annual gross rental revenue over the last 12 months came in at $81,293. 
• That’s a 12% ROI. 

Why it matters: The vacation community is only two-ish hours away and less packed than its Maryland rival for D.C’s lake crowd, Deep Creek.

Details: Lake Anna has two sides – one is warm because Dominion Energy plants warm the water. Just yesterday, lake temperatures reached 87 degrees.

• But the warm side is strictly residential. 
• The cool side allows businesses, so visitors can rent boats and dine out more easily.  

Zoom out: Vacasa analyzed real estate data in places with at least 50 Vacasa-managed units and at least 250 units managed by others. 

• Two OBX towns made the top 25 list. In Corolla (#4), the median sale price is $930,000, and you can bring in $131,121 in annual rental income. 
• In Nags Head (#17), you’re looking at a median $887,000 price tag and rental income of $85,734.  

Our thought bubble: If you can’t swing buying a home in D.C. – where the median sold price in July was $725,000 – but can handle renting here and buying elsewhere, Lake Anna is tempting. 

What can you get for less than $500k? Here are three homes for sale, all with boat slip access and within walking distance to the lake.

31 Trevor Run, Mineral | $499,950 | 3 bed, 2 bath | 1,627 square feet

• Sits on just over an acre on the cool side of the lake. Look at those floor-to-ceiling windows. 

536 Paddock Lane, Louisa | $469,900 | 3 bed, 3 bath | 2,449 square feet

• On the cool side of the lake. Love the open living area and the multiple decks.

74 Eveland Drive, Bumpass | $499,900 | 3 bed, 2.5 bath | 1,928 square feet

• On the warm side of the lake. Screened in porch ✔️.