Kevin and Chrissy Sporrer have always loved being near the water. In landlocked Atlanta, that means a trip to a nearby lake. They own a boat that they enjoyed using on Lake Lanier, but when they moved to Newnan five years ago, they began looking for a place a little closer to home. In September 2008 they bought a home at West Point Lake, only a 45-minute drive door-to-door, an easy commute for this family with the three young children.
They jumped on this deal: The Sporrers had looked off and on for three years before they found this home. Built only about 100 feet from the water, and sited on a quiet cove, it was the right place for their growing family. They made an offer on the house the day they made their first visit. Now their children swim in the cove and the family doesn't worry about boats zooming by. Everyone loves fishing and swimming off the dock. "Better than packing up for a vacation, we can just hop in the car, take a few things with us. And if we forgot something, one of us can run back home," Chrissy said. During the summer, Chrissy and the children can spend the week at the lake, and Kevin can easily join them after work.
Like having your own private lake: The entire shoreline of West Point Lake is owned by the U.S. government, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for managing the reservoir and its surrounding publicly owned land. A management plan governs how closely homes can be built to the water, and the resulting buffer area means that when you're out on the lake, there are almost no homes to be seen. "It looks like something out of National Geographic," Kevin said. "There are very few places where you can see a house from the lake."
A great family lake: "In the summer the kids will swim in the lake all day long, and then they swim in the hot tub. On cooler days, we're fishing and kayaking and then swimming in the warm water of the hot tub," Chrissy said. The protected and publicly accessible shoreline makes for interesting nature walks when the family tires of being in the water.
Their views are protected: The property is 2 acres. Along with the public shoreline, their lot is bordered by corps-protected land on one side where no one can ever build and the cove on the other. "We were just floored when we saw this house," Kevin said. "We had to buy it."
Sharing the house with paying guests: The Sporrers decided to rent out the house to help make the purchase more affordable. They enjoy it whenever it's not rented, and rentals can range from monthlong stays to visits just long enough for the lake's popular fishing tournaments. They make sure to hold back special dates like the Fourth of July for family visits.
A peaceful and relaxing retreat: Kevin said that they were surprised at how much their guests enjoy the house. "We didn't expect that people would want to be on the lake in the winter, and we certainly didn't know how much they would enjoy the house," he said. Acknowledging that Chrissy was the one who was determined that the house be as homelike as possible, with all the amenities someone would expect on a vacation, he is certain that's why their guests treat the house as if it were their own home. "We had someone tell us that he made sure to water our roses because he thought they were so beautiful. Now who goes on vacation and does something like that?" Kevin added.
At a glance
Kevin Sporrer says the best description of their home is that it’s the quintessential lake house. Every wall on the lake side of the one-story home is filled with sliding glass doors that open onto a screened porch and then a stone patio. Rocking chairs and ceiling fans on the porch and concrete tables and benches on the patio accommodate lots of outdoor living. Inside are three bedrooms and two full baths, as well as a great room with a stone fireplace.
Getting there
Take I-85 south to Exit 18 (Ga. 109, Lafayette Parkway). Turn right, go through LaGrange. Continue on Ga. 109 to central West Point Lake. Just outside LaGrange, U.S. 29 goes to the southern part of the lake. Take Ga. 219 from the middle of LaGrange to the northern part of the lake.
Community information
Aside from finding a home on a quiet, deep-water cove with expansive views, the couple enjoys their lake home for its proximity to LaGrange. Chrissy said: “It’s such a quaint town, with a town square and fountain where they hold festivals throughout the year. They are also big on theater and the arts there.”
Realtor Nicole Smith of ReMax Results added, “LaGrange has a wonderful revitalized downtown, offering shopping, dining and entertainment. West Point Lake and the LaGrange area truly have something for everyone, with 31 lake homes currently on the market, ranging from small cabins to executive-style lake living.”
For more information: 703-333-9841 or www.lagrangegarealestate.com.
For sale
$339,000: 107 Turkey Point, LaGrange. Three-bedroom, two-bath home with great lake views. Freshly updated, including new sunroom addition. Dock permit available.
$435,000: 203 Canterbury Drive, LaGrange. Executive-style lake living, custom-built brick home with four bedrooms, 31/2 baths, hardwood flooring and unfinished basement in a pool and tennis community. Great views and easy walk to lake.
Recently sold
$260,000: 109 Dogwood Point, LaGrange. Ranch-style four-bedroom, two-bath home on a double lot with 350 feet of lake frontage. Sold in November.
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