The short answer
Before you close on a Watts Bar Lake lot, check the survey, the title work, TVA shoreline rules, water depth at winter pool, utilities and access, the HOA documents and design guidelines, insurance, and the yearly cost to hold the land. The same list applies at Tennessee National in Loudon, Tennessee, where the land consultant can point you to each answer.
Key facts
- Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River with 722 miles of shoreline.
- TVA requires a permit before shoreline construction such as a dock.
- Watts Bar summer pool runs about 740 to 741 feet. The winter minimum is 735 feet.
- Homes at Tennessee National go through design review.
- There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite at Tennessee National.
A lake lot looks simple. Land, water, view. But waterfront land carries a homework list that dry land does not. Skip an item and you can end up with a lot you cannot put a dock on, or cannot build on where you wanted.
This is the full checklist for Watts Bar Lake. It works for a standalone lot and for a homesite at Tennessee National, the private, gated lake and golf community in Loudon, Tennessee. It is general information, not legal advice.
What is due diligence on a lake lot?
Due diligence is the checking you do between "I like it" and closing. Many purchase contracts set aside a period for it. Ask what yours says.
On dry land you check the boundaries and the title. On a lake you also check the water and the agency that manages it. On Watts Bar Lake that agency is TVA.
The goal is plain. Reach closing with no open questions.
What should you check, and who do you ask?
Nine checks. None takes special skill, only the right person to ask.
| Check | The question to answer | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Survey | Where are the corners, setbacks and easements? | A licensed surveyor |
| Title | What is recorded against this lot? | A title company or closing attorney |
| Shoreline ownership | Where does my land end, and what does TVA control? | Surveyor, title company, TVA |
| Dock | Is a private dock allowed at this spot? | TVA |
| Water depth | How deep is it here at winter pool? | TVA lake levels, the marina, a winter visit |
| Utilities and access | What serves the lot, and where does it connect? | The land consultant, the utility providers |
| Rules | What can I build, and what will I owe? | HOA documents, design guidelines |
| Insurance | What will it take to insure a home here? | An insurance agent |
| Cost to hold | What do dues, taxes and insurance add up to each year? | The HOA, the county, a lender |
Where does a Watts Bar lake lot actually end?
Often short of the water. On TVA lakes, the strip of land along the shoreline is often owned by TVA or subject to TVA rights, such as the right to raise water onto it. Your deed may run to an elevation line, not to the water's edge.
Two documents sort this out. The survey shows the line on the ground. The title work shows what is recorded against it. Read them together, and ask the surveyor and the title company to explain anything near the water. Our guide to reading a lot survey covers what the drawing shows.
Can you put a dock on the lot?
Only if TVA approves it. TVA requires a permit before shoreline construction such as a dock or bank stabilization. The answer depends on the specific shoreline, so the word "waterfront" in a listing does not settle it.
Ask TVA about the exact lot before you close. Inside a community such as Tennessee National, also ask the land consultant what the community's own rules add, and get it in writing. If a dock is already there, ask about its permit and what it takes to put that permit in your name.
If a dock is not possible, or not worth the upkeep, a marina slip can do the same job. Tennessee National has a full-service marina with 140+ boat slips. Ask the marina about current slip availability. See marina and lake life.
How does the lake level change what you are buying?
The lake level changes the view and the depth through the year. Watts Bar's summer pool runs about 740 to 741 feet. The winter minimum is 735 feet. That is a seasonal change of about 5 to 6 feet.
A lot that shows well in July can sit above a shallow shelf in January. Ask about depth at winter pool where a boat would sit. Visit when the water is down if the timing works. TVA posts current levels for Watts Bar on its website.
Does buying inside a community shorten the list?
Some of it, not all of it. In a master-planned community, roads, the entry and shared amenities are usually handled at the community level, and one set of rules covers every lot. That can remove some of the guesswork that comes with a rural parcel. Still ask what is in place at the specific homesite and where utilities connect.
A community does not remove the survey, the title work or TVA. And it adds two things to read: the HOA documents and the design guidelines. Homes at Tennessee National go through design review. Ask for the current guidelines before you plan a house. How to review HOA documents and CC&Rs shows what to look for.
One rule helps with timing. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite at Tennessee National, so you can do the design work without a clock running.
What will it cost to own the lot before you build?
It depends on four things: property taxes, insurance, any HOA dues that apply to the land, and interest if you borrow. Add them into one yearly number before you sign.
Pricing is in the info pack. The county can tell you how property is taxed. An insurance agent can tell you what a lake home will take to insure and whether any part of the lot sits in a mapped flood zone. Tennessee has no state income tax, and a CPA can tell you what that means for your own budget.
In what order should you do it?
Start with the checks that can end the deal.
- Before you make an offer. Ask TVA about a dock if a dock matters to you. Walk the lot. Read the design guidelines.
- In the contract. Write in time to finish the rest. Making an offer on a lot explains contingencies.
- During the due diligence period. Order the survey and the title work. Read the HOA documents. Get an insurance quote. Line up the lender.
- Before closing. Walk the lot once more with the survey in hand.
The honest part
None of these checks is a reason not to buy. They are the difference between a lot you understand and a lot you hope about.
Some answers will be no. No dock here. The house cannot sit there. The buildable area is smaller than it looked. Those are good answers to get before closing and bad ones to get after. If a seller cannot or will not help you get them, treat that as information.
Frequently asked questions
Who approves docks on Watts Bar Lake?
TVA does. Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir, and TVA requires a permit before shoreline construction such as a dock. Approval depends on the specific shoreline, so ask TVA about the exact lot before you buy it.
Do you own to the water's edge on a Watts Bar Lake lot?
Often not. On TVA lakes such as Watts Bar Lake, land along the shoreline is often owned by TVA or subject to TVA rights. A current survey and the title work show where your ownership ends. Ask the surveyor and the title company to walk you through both.
How long should the due diligence period be for a lake lot?
The due diligence period for a Watts Bar Lake lot is whatever the purchase contract says. Ask a closing attorney how long a surveyor, a title company and TVA usually need in that county. Then ask the seller, before you sign, whether the contract allows that much time.
What is winter pool on Watts Bar Lake?
Winter pool is the lower lake level TVA holds in the cold months. On Watts Bar Lake the winter minimum is 735 feet, compared with a summer pool of about 740 to 741 feet. That is a seasonal change of about 5 to 6 feet.
Facts about Tennessee National come from the community. Lake facts come from TVA. Rules, taxes, loans and insurance change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the right office or professional before you buy.