Our Neighborhoods: Lake Katharine

History

Lake Katharine and Lake Katharine Villas comprise a lakefront community on the east side of Miami Lakes.
The villas have 84 townhomes built in the early 1970s and the community has 133 single-family houses that went up a decade earlier.
The town’s second oldest community hugs a 29-acre lake that is shaped like a jigsaw puzzle piece. It was built by the Sengra Corporation (later The Graham Companies).
It is bordered by Miami Lakes Drive, Miami Lakeway South and Northwest 67th Avenue.
The villas were built on the north side of the lake along Miami Lakes Drive, and were partially constructed off site.
Streets along fingers of land that stretch into the lake are named for Floridians prominent in the development of South Florida, prior to 1860.
There was once an island in the lake, but residents complained it would lure teenagers and it was dismantled.
The lake is named for the late Katharine Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post who was married to Graham founding family member and former publisher and owner of the Post, the late Philip Graham.

Amenities

A Publix supermarket, a CVS pharmacy and Main Street and its restaurants and shopping are within walking distance of the community, said Realtor Angel Alvarez of The Keyes Company in Miami Lakes.
In many yards, paddleboats lay waiting for riders,
there are small beaches and at some properties, slides deliver children into the clear, turquoise water.

What does it cost?

Alvarez said one single family home, with 2,070 square feet, three bedrooms and two baths, is currently listed for sale for $493,000.
Eight homes were sold in the past 12 months, including four houses with sale prices ranging from $370,000 to $530,000, Alvarez said.
Some owners of villas rent them for $1,650 to $1,750 a month, but most of the villas are owned by town residents who may want to downsize from larger homes in the future or simply invested in real estate, according to
Alvarez.
“Property in Miami Lakes is always a great investment,” Alvarez said.
Some single-family homeowners pay $175 in annual homeowner association fees to maintain the lake, said Bonnie Cintron, secretary of the larger community's HOA.