With over $300 million dollars in total sales, the Living on Lake Lanier team has been changing lives on the lake for over a decade. Our motto is ‘We Sell Lifestyles ~ Not Just Homes’ and value relationships over transactions. Our team has a gift for matching remarkable homes with remarkable people and are committed to meeting each client’s needs. You may have seen us working our Living on Lake Lanier magic on HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt! Let us put our expertise to work for you and your Lake Lanier real estate goals.
Lake Lanier's Favorite Realtors
We sell lifestyles not just homes
Teresa Smith
Team Lead
After boating for many years, I still have trouble docking my boat!
Michele Kaplan
Realtor
Spent half an hour chasing a goat down Buford Dam.
Mackenzie Scott
Realtor/Marketing
Commonly referred to as the “magic millennial.”
Lisa Mitchell
Executive Assistant/ Transaction Coordinator
Saw a cow cooling off in Wahoo Creek!
Here we visit different places in Georgia to discover interesting things to do and talk to wonderful people around us. Don’t miss episode 1 featuring NoFo Brew Co newest location & a lakehouse that used to be a tiny fishing cabin!
20
YEARS IN BUSINESS
176
5 STAR REVIEWS
$300 +
MILLION IN VOLUME SOLD
1,068
FAMILIES SERVED
Lake Lanier Homes For Sale
Why Do You Need a Lake Specialist?
Because using a lake specialist with the Living on Lake Lanier team isn’t expensive…it’s priceless! Our team of professionals live, work and play on the lake and have extensive knowledge of all the lake intricacies to help you navigate buying or selling on Lake Lanier including:
- On and off market properties
- Army Corp of Engineers
- Dock permits
- Buying a lake lot?
- Septic systems
- Trusted vendor list
- Lake Lanier Association
- Lake Lanier Activities
- Lakeside dining
Recently Sold
Testimonials
“I am a BIG Teresa Smith advocate and I highly recommend her as your Real Estate Agent if you are looking for a home on/near Lake Lanier. Not only is she intimately knowledgeable of the lake and neighborhoods, but she also has a reliable network of professionals to help make an informed decision (Contractors, Architects, Core Rangers, etc). Teresa helped us find our new home in Flowery Branch after an exhaustive search in a very difficult pandemic market. She then turned around and sold our existing home at our asking price before it was even listed. Always patient, no pressure, and extremely thorough and responsive.”
"My fiance and I were first time home buyers in the craziest market in history, and we couldn't have bought that first home without Mackenzie there to navigate us through the process. She was a joy to work with, as professional as they come, and one of the hardest working people we've ever met. We highly recommend working with Mackenzie if you are looking to buy or sell! You really will feel like a priority throughout the entire process. I am happy to say my fiance and I closed on a home in July, and we have Mackenzie and the KW team to thank for that!"
"My husband and I recently sold our home with Michele who did an absolutely amazing job! ALL the details she put into my listing were top notch, from the suggestions to get my home ready, to the pictures that were taken and even the personal attention she gave us. Anytime I needed ANYTHING she was there for my family. There’s no other realtor I will ever use. Michele is not only my realtor but will be a friend for life!"
"Teresa Smith is awesome! She knows the market and how to maximize sales price. Her and her team communicate well, and they are knowledgeable and easy to work with. You need to go no further when looking for the best Lake Lanier agent!"
"Teresa and her team were absolute professionals and absolutely "in our corner" as sellers. They were great about protecting our time and energy throughout the processes of selling our home - from scheduling the pictures, showings, and then negotiating. Even though I'm sure Teresa and her team had multiple clients while she worked with us, she made us feel as though we were her only concern - she was responsive to our calls, questions, and concerns - always providing timely and thoughtful responses. Truthfully, I'm glad she was on our "side" because she's a tenacious, formidable agent that made us feel as though she would've gone into "battle" on our behalf. It's rare to experience this type of customer care any more these days...as such it was a pleasure to work with Teresa and her team."
"Teresa Smith and the entire staff are the best of the best. Teresa worked tirelessly to find us the perfect Lake home. She listened to our needs and always guided us throughout the process. Her incredible knowledge of the Lake, surrounding communities and real estate market gave us the opportunity to preview a house coming on the market before it hit MLS and we were able to purchase the perfect dream home! Teresa continues to be a resource for us even after we've settled into Lake Living. If you are looking to move to the Lake area I highly recommend Teresa Smith!"
"My husband and I recently used Michele to help us purchase a lake home. Michele was very helpful in making sure we found the perfect home for our family. She regularly sent us homes that fit our needs. She worked well with our schedule to get us into the houses as they came on the market. When we were ready to make an offer, she was quick to get all the paperwork done. The market is moving FAST these days and Michele was quick to make sure we didn't miss out on an opportunity. We are super excited about our new home! Michele was a huge part of that excitement!"
"Mackenzie was the absolute best - from initial conversations through to closing I could not have asked for a better realtor! She understood what I was looking for in my first home, sought options that matched my desires / needs, and was so flexible and encouraging throughout the whole process. She was professional and great at what she does - within a few weeks of us looking, she was able to find a home that fit all of my criteria, before it even went on the market!! I was able to put an offer in at listing price, with such a smooth due diligence / closing process. She was knowledgeable in negotiations, questions and conversations throughout the buying/closing process. I would recommend Mackenzie to any and everyone - I am so grateful for her partnership and look forward to working with her again in the future!"
"Michele was awesome!! She made the often stressful process of buying a home much easier by giving us honest input and keeping all the pieces moving from start to finish. We are working with her again and would highly recommend her!"
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Google Reviews
Jennifer Peterson
2023-09-24
We worked with Mackenzie and Theresa to find our new lake home on Lanier. Mackenzie was our main point of contact and she is a true gem. She goes above and beyond, and is always on top of things. She is persistent, responsive, and really advocated for us to get our home amid other competing offers. We couldn’t have found our new home without her. Theresa and the whole Living on Lake Lanier team was behind us too. They know the lake, and have longstanding connections that give them an edge. Highly recommended!!!
Liam Clancy
2023-08-31
Review for Michele Kaplan, Realtor - Buford, GA
When it comes to real estate in Buford, GA, there are many choices available. But Michele Kaplan sets a benchmark that is truly unparalleled in the industry. I recently had the pleasure of working with Michele on a particularly challenging property sale, and I am compelled to share my experience. For context, I own a lot of property and deal with realtors every day.
From our initial meeting through to the final sale, Michele maintained the utmost level of professionalism. She was always on time, prepared, and dedicated to ensuring every aspect of the sale was executed flawlessly.
What struck me about Michele was not just her knowledge about the local real estate market, but also her understanding of the nuanced intricacies of the sale process. She adeptly guided me through complex negotiations with our tenant, ensuring that I always felt informed and in control.
Selling a property can be stressful, but Michele's positive attitude was a consistent source of reassurance. She approached every hurdle with a can-do spirit, ensuring that what could have been overwhelming problems were effortlessly resolved.
One of the standout aspects of working with Michele was her vast network of contacts. Whether we needed a quick repair or a specialized service, Michele knew just the right person to call. It was clear that she has cultivated relationships with professionals who mirror her dedication to excellence.
Michele didn’t just stop at her defined role as a real estate agent. She willingly took on tasks that one wouldn't typically expect from a realtor. Her commitment to ensuring a smooth transaction was evident in every single gesture, no matter how big or small.
In conclusion, if you are looking to buy or sell a property in GA, it would be nothing short of insanity not to call Michele Kaplan. Her dedication, expertise, and passion for her work truly set her apart. In a market crowded with professionals, Michele's star shines the brightest. Highly recommended.
Brandice Polley
2023-06-15
I was lucky enough to get to work with Mackenzie since the middle of April. We started looking but just weren't having any luck with getting offers accepted or finding exactly what I wanted. Even though I took about a week or two off from looking, when I was ready again, Mackenzie got it going right away! We were able to find a home within a day of starting our search again and the offer was accepted! Mackenzie made the whole process super easy and explained everything I could expect from the appraisal, inspection, suggestions for additional inspections or requests, etc. Even with a few things out of our control, Mackenzie was always available to ease my frustrations, be an ear to listen, or even just to chit chat. I am lucky enough to say that I had a stellar agent to help close this deal, and also that I can now call her my friend! I highly recommend anyone looking in the Lake Lanier area to reach out to Living on Lake Lanier and ask for Mackenzie (even her boss Teresa is amazing as well!) You can't go wrong with this group of wonderful ladies!
Remington Huggins
2023-05-29
Michele is a rockstar. She helped us look for our dream house for nearly two years. We looked at roughly 15 different houses throughout the entire process and she was there every time. Once the house we dreamed about was finally available Michele was there negotiating with the sellers every step of the way.
Not only was Michele a 5-star agent but she became a family friend. Michele knew my parents and sister by their first name, that is how personable she was with us.
If you are looking for your dream home I highly recommend you use Michele to help you with the process. If anybody I know is looking for a lake house I can guarantee they will be using Michele.
Michele, thanks for everything!
Tyler Boggs
2023-05-12
Teresa Smith was instrumental in my home purchase. She was very attentive to my concerns and made sure that she went above and beyond to make certain the deal went as smoothly as possible; including constant contact with her and Keller Williams team, through the entire process. I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for her assistance again as she is truly an informed, professional agent.
katherine legge
2023-05-02
MacKenzie was amazing, she was patient with me thorough the process and she worked diligently on my behalf. She is so personable, helpful and delightful to work with I cannot recommend her enough!! Not all realtors are created equal and I'm so grateful to have found her, and the team she works with... I won't do real estate without her in the future! Honestly the best!
Marianne Lane
2023-05-01
Mackenzie helped us find our amazing home at the Halcyon! We are so thankful that we were able to find her to help us with our house hunt. We are brand new to the Alpharetta area, so we really needed someone who knew the area. Mackenzie was so helpful, she would always answer texts at all times of the day, and really had our best interest at heart! Such a great experience!
Teressa LaPrade
2023-04-19
We had a great experience working with Teresa. She understood what we wanted in a property and helped keep us focused on that when the market got busy. She did virtual tours of everything we wanted to see. She did a fantastic job getting the inspection and potential contractors for future work in to the property and kept us informed of every detail we needed to know to make a decision. She was a great communicator and we felt like we had a friend helping us with this purchase. I highly recommend Teresa!
Jill Darflinger
2023-02-09
We have known Teresa and her team since 2020 when we listed and sold our home with her. She also helped us find a place that fit our needs so we could build our new home and was instrumental in working with us to find a builder. Teresa was not only our realtor but has turned out to be a wonderful friend as well. You will not be disappointed with Teresa and her teams level of professional and timely manner.
Renae Cureton
2023-01-26
When it came time to find our forever home on Lake Lanier, we gave Teresa Smith our “must have” checklist. Through her extensive knowledge of the lake, she found us The One. It’s been a delightful experience working with her from beginning to end. And the best part is, any time we need any work done, she “knows a guy” and is happy to share contact info. Teresa is the BEST!
Renae & Chuck
Zillow Reviews
- tombalsam
Michelle did a great job making sure she knew what we were looking for; and help us find those homes. She was very patience with us. Michelle has a very... Read more
zuser20180926113919713 Michele worked with us for well over a year, as we navigated a tight market and our changing criteria. She always had our wants and needs forefront and stayed patient... Read more
mrcatd Great experience. She comunicates very well and kept us informed every step. Pleasant to deal with and knowledgeable. She took the time to explain the process and discuss any... Read more
- Sook Yoon Michele is a great agent who has much knowledge on buying a lake house. We have very busy jobs where it is difficult to keep up with deadlines, inspection scheduling,... Read more
cguhl27 Mackenzie was incredible to work with. She took time to understand what kinds of properties my husband and I were interested in, and went out of her way to show... Read more
DeborahAndrews29 Michele helped us 4 years ago, to find a home when we moved to Georgia. Recently we decided to move again and had no hesitation in calling Michele for assistance... Read more
- cdroberts10 After returning from working overseas for four years, we were blessed to find Michele in late 2016 to help us find our perfect home. She made our dream a... Read more
ricope1758 Michele was our best advocate from the get-go in our quest to purchase a lake home. The market activity was frenetic and a sellers' market, so as buyers we... Read more
jessemstill Teresa helped my son and I purchase a home on Lake Lanier for short term rental property. She was very knowledgeable of lake property. We had specific request of location.... Read more
