A new place to relax: Okoboji condos provide a fun, low-maintenance summer getaway

OKOBOJI, Iowa — When Brandee Schultz was a little girl, her family would wake at 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings to drive to Lake Okoboji. They would spend a day having fun in the sun and then drive back home that night. 

Now, she has a family of her own and has decided to purchase a condo by the lake.

Schultz lives in Glenwood, Iowa, with her husband and has four daughters ages 14, 18, 20 and 23. 

In 2020 the Schultzes decided to start looking for a place near the lake to spend the summers. 

The whole family loves to spend time on the water with the girls enjoying water skiing and tubing. Now that the children are a little older, Schultz said it made sense to find a space of their own to relax on the weekends.

They worked with Rob Hinn of Hinn Real Estate to find a place. Properties were selling quickly and when he would given them a list of properties, many already had offers pending days later.

Sometimes they would make the three and a half hour drive to view a property, but other times Hinn would do video chat walk-throughs. 

The family looked at little houses, duplexes and condos. They ultimately decided on finding a condo due to the maintenance aspect. 

"We didn't want maintenance on two homes," she said.

Finally they found a condo at Okoboji Shores.

Located just off of East Okoboji Lake, the condo was a perfect location for the family.

Schultz said it is walking distance from restaurants and the bridge dividing east and west lake. 

Before they could start spending weekends there, they needed to update the 17-year-old interiors.

The condo has an open floor plan with the living room and dining area adjacent to the kitchen with three bedrooms.

All of the flooring was removed, the walls and ceilings were painted, and the light fixtures were updated. The home also got a a décor upgrade with a grey and blue theme.

The condo now has an open and airy feel. The light hardwood floors, grey walls and dark kitchen cabinets modernize the living area. The bedrooms have light carpet and light walls, making the space feel larger and more welcoming.

The highlight of the condo is its amazing view. A large bay window in the living room looks out onto East Lake and the private boat slips.

Schultz said they plan to spend as many weekends as possible at the Lake. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Schultz is still working remotely and hopes to spend weekdays working there.