Families in Alabama and Georgia often weigh the same two dreams: a lake house at Lake Martin or a beach house on 30A. Shannon Baker has homes in both places, at Lake Martin and in Santa Rosa Beach, and helps buyers in both. At Lake Martin she is with LAH Sotheby's International Realty; on the coast she is a Broker Associate with The Agency | NW Florida Beaches.
At a glance
| Lake Martin | 30A | |
|---|---|---|
| The water | 44,000-acre freshwater lake | Gulf of America beaches and coastal dune lakes |
| Drive from Montgomery | About an hour | About three hours |
| Winter | Lake lowered about 7 feet | Mild weather, quieter beaches |
| Renting | Set by community covenants | County certificate plus covenants |
| Rules to plan for | Alabama Power shoreline permits | Florida condo safety laws, flood and wind insurance |
The water
Lake Martin covers about 44,000 acres with more than 700 miles of wooded shoreline. Life centers on the dock: boating, swimming, fishing, and gathering spots like Chimney Rock. On 30A, the draw is the Gulf of America and its white-sand beaches, along with the coastal dune lakes behind them.
The drive
Lake Martin is about an hour from Montgomery and Auburn and about two hours from Atlanta. 30A is about three hours from Montgomery and four to five hours from Birmingham and Atlanta.
The seasons
Summer is peak season in both places. At Lake Martin, the lake is lowered about 7 feet each winter, so some docks sit in shallow water from late fall into spring. On 30A, winters are mild and the beaches are quieter, and many owners count spring and fall as their favorite seasons.
Renting it out
30A has a large vacation rental market. In Walton County, most single-family rentals need a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, renewed yearly. At Lake Martin, community covenants decide whether short-term rentals are allowed, so check them before you buy.
Rules to plan for
At the lake, Alabama Power permits govern docks, boathouses and seawalls; read Lake Martin water levels and dock permits. On the coast, Florida's condo safety laws affect condo dues and reserves, and flood and wind insurance are major costs. Florida's homestead exemption doesn't apply to a second home.
Why not both?
Some families start at one and add the other later. Shannon Baker is licensed in Alabama and Florida and can help you compare real homes in both places side by side. Call or text her at (850) 420-8678.