WANTS TO PUT YOU IN A LAKESIDE HOME OF YOUR OWN.
TED: SURE, A BACKYARD IS WELL AND GOOD, BUT WHAT DO FOLKS DO, LOOK AT IT, WORRY ABOUT WEEDS, WATCH IT TURN BROWN?
BUT IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A LAKE BACK THERE?
THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH.
>> IT IS A LIFESTYLE.
THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
TED: IN 2003 MICHAEL RYAN AND HIS WIFE SHARON BUILT THEIR DREAM HOME ON WEBSTER LAKE, PERHAPS BEST KNOWN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR ITS MIND-BOGGLING NAME.
>> JUST LIKE IT IS FELT.
-- SPELLED.
[SPELLING] REPORTER: BUT EVEN THE O’BRIENS ADMIT THEIR GORGEOUS HOME SOMETIMES PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO WHAT IS OUT BACK.
>> THE WATR DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO YOU.
YOU JUST FEEL HAPPIER ON THE WATER.
TED: THE LAKE ITSELF, PART PLAYGROUND, PART TOWN SQUARE.
>> IF YOU BUY A HOME ON THE LAKE, YOU ARE SOCIAL.
TED: THERE IS A LANGUAGE OF THE LAKE.
KENNY LETS US IN ON THE SECRET HAND SIGNALS.
>> IF YOU ARE GOING BY AND SOMEBODY IS GOING LIKE THIS, THAT MEANS DON’T COME IN.
YOU WATCH THEIR HAND AND AS IT STARTS TURNING, THEN THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT TAKING YOU IN.
WHEN IT GETS TO THIS, YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN.
>> THAT USUALLY MEANS SOME FREE FOOD AND SOMETHING TO DRINK.
TED: APPARENTLY IT IS ALL HANDS ON DECK AT O’BRIENS.
THEIR TIKI BAR, QUIET JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, NOW PACKED WITH FRIENDS.
>> THE O’BRIEN START DOING SOMETHING.
THEN YOU’VE GOT FOUR BOATS.
>> IT COULD BE A PARTY IN FIVE MINUTES.
TED: BUT NOT ALL LINKS ARE CREATED EQUAL.
THINGS ARE QUIETER IN MANSFIELD.
>> YOU COULD ASK PROBABLY 80% OF THE PEOPLE IN MANSFIELD IF THEY KNOW ABOUT THE LAKE AND A DON’T KNOW IT EXISTS.
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
WE LIKE IT THAT WAY.
TED: SCOTT AND HIS WIFE LINDA ROULETTE IN THIS QUIET -- GREW UP ON THIS QUIET LITTLE LATE AND THEY KNEW THEY WANTED TO BUILD THEIR HOME HERE.
>> IT WAS INGRAINED IN MERELY.
I CAN’T GET RID OF IT.
TED: IN FACT, HE IS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE LAKE LIFESTYLE, HE DITCHED HIS CORPORATE JOB TO START HIS OWN COMPANY, SPECIALIZING IN LAKEFRONT REAL ESTATE.
>> WE SAID, LET’S CUT OUT 95% OF IT.
IT IS A $1.2 BILLION BUSINESS JUST FOR NEW ENGLAND.
TED: TODAY HE IS KNOWN PROFESSIONALLY AS THE LAKE GUY.
HIS WEBSITE, THE FIRST AND ONLY ONE-STOP SHOP FOR LAKEFRONT HOMES IN NEW ENGLAND.
>> WE’VE TAKEN IT DOWN FROM A THREE-HOUR SEARCH TO 15 SECONDS.
TED: HIS LISTINGS NOW INCLUDE OHIO, MISSOURI, AND TENNESSEE AS WELL.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE PART-TIME.
WITHIN THREE MONTHS, I SAID I THINK I’M ONTO SOMETHING HERE.
TED: BACK ON WEBSTER LAKE, THINGS ARE QUIETING DOWN AT THE O’BRIENS TIKI HUT.
A GOOD TIME, WE THINK, TO PUT THE O’BRIENS TO A LITTLE TONGUE TWISTING TEST.
AFTER ALL THEY’VE 15 YEARS TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE AT.
>> LAKE -- >> WEBSTER LAKE.
SORRY.
I’M THE ONLY ONE IN THE FAMILY THAT CAN’T SAY IT.
SHAYNA: THE O’BRIENS SAY WEBSTER LAKE HAS BEEN HOPPING THIS SUMMER.
FESTIVE FUNDRAISERS FOR LOCAL CHARITIES.
THEY EVEN HAVE A DISCO PARTY AT A RESTAURANT.
LOTS OF LAKERS, THEY LIKE TO SAY.
THERE YOU GO.
PIRATES AND A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
THEY CALL THEMSELVES LAKERS AND THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE L.A. LAKERS.
ANTHONY: SCOTT, BY THE WAY, OUR REALTOR, SAYS THAT LAKEFRONT PROPERTY’S BIG-TIME SELLERS MARKET, SOME PROPERTIES SELLING WITHIN A DAY.
SHAYNA: GET ON IT.
NEXT, MEET THE MASCOT OF NEWFOUND LAKE, DIANE THE TURTLE.
>> SHE’S AN AMAZING ANIMAL.