CRYSTAL TWP. — The small private island on Crystal Lake about an hour north of Lansing in Montcalm County is easily the most unique property Jake Klaus has ever represented on the market.
At just over a quarter of an acre, the land is one of two islands in the 700-acre lake in Crystal Township. It offers 360-degree water views in every direction, a walkable sand bar, a dock, pontoon boat lift, jet ski lift and campfire area. The small cabin and outdoor kitchen on the land, both with electricity, only set it further apart, he said.
“I’ve loved it from the start,” Klaus said. “There’s really nothing like it.”
The island went on the market July 10 with a listed sale price of $199,900.
Within a day there was a pending offer. There’s been so much interest that, until a sale is finalized, its owner is still accepting backup offers, Klaus said. The real estate agent, who works for Patti Warnke Real Estate Group in St. Johns, said even he was blown away when he visited the property.
“You feel like you’re on a boat,” Klaus said. “I had one agent ask, ‘Do you know of any other islands for sale?’ And I’m like, ‘No.’ It’s just somewhere where people can really unplug and you’re really in your own little paradise, your own little world, right on Crystal Lake.”
A little getaway
Before it went on the market, the property’s owner utilized the island as a weekend and holiday getaway, Klaus said.
The cabin on the island, which occupies less than 100 square feet and does have air conditioning, is furnished with a sleeping area with a queen-size bed, mini-split unit for climate control, a refrigerator, and a large sliding glass door. The cabin features a large deck off the sliding doors with lake views.
The outdoor kitchen features a pizza oven built into a wall, grill, dual beverage refrigerators, a television and a generous bar seating area. The grassy lawn on the island is spacious, Klaus said.
The two buildings combined are about 224 square feet.
The island does have internet access and electricity but no septic tank or indoor plumbing. There is an incinerator toilet, Klaus said.
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A popular mid-Michigan lake
Crystal Lake is a popular body of water, he said.
“It’s an all sports lake,” Klaus said. “There are a lot of homes on the mainland around the lake. The nicest thing about Crystal Lake is it’s got a sandy bottom. There’s not a lot of weeds. It’s a really, really well-liked for water sports, fishing, swimming.”
Before setting the property’s listing price Klaus said he reviewed the value of smaller islands near the state’s Upper Peninsula and the price of land lots along Crystal Lake.
“It took a few days to figure out where we should price it,” he said. “We decided to keep it below $200,000 because we felt that would be, you know, a number to get people out there to at least see it and we had a great response to the price.”
See the full listing for the property here: 2483 Crystal St, Crystal, MI 48818 | MLS #1947835 | Zillow and a video of the island here: 2483 Crystal Island (Small) Crystal, MI.
Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Need an escape? This $200K home includes a private island
Reporting by Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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By Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal | USA TODAY Network
