Owning a Lake Havasu Second Home From Out of State

By Jovian Moran, Associate Broker, Infinitude Realty · Updated October 2026

A Lake Havasu second home works when you plan for three things before you buy: who watches the house in summer, what the house costs to run when you're not in it, and whether you're allowed to rent it out. Get those right and the place stays a getaway. Skip them and it turns into a phone job from Orange County.

Who Owns Second Homes Here

Most of my buyers live in Southern California, Las Vegas, or the Phoenix area. Havasu is a drive for all of them, not a flight, which is a big part of why it works. You can come down for a long weekend in February and be on the water by Friday afternoon.

The pattern is usually the same. Winter and spring here, summer somewhere cooler, with a few hot-weather trips for the lake. That schedule shapes every decision below.

Summer Is When Houses Get Hurt

An empty house in a Havasu summer still needs care. The AC keeps running to protect the inside of the house. Pool equipment works harder. Irrigation lines fail. Monsoon storms bring wind and dust. None of that waits for you to fly in.

• Set up house checks before you leave. Someone local should walk the house on a schedule and after every big storm.
• Service the AC and pool equipment before summer, not after the first breakdown.
• Smart thermostats and water sensors help, but they only send you an alert. Somebody still has to show up.
• Know who your trades are. Pick the plumber, the AC company, and the pool service while nothing is broken.

What a Second Home Costs to Run

The purchase price is the number everyone looks at. The running costs are what decide whether you enjoy owning it. Before you write an offer, get real numbers for each of these:

• Property taxes. On a new build, the number on public sites is often for the empty lot. It goes up once the county reassesses the finished home.
• HOA dues. In the Havasu Foothills, recent MLS listings show dues from about $100 a year to $250 a month depending on the community. See Gated Communities and HOAs in Lake Havasu.
• Summer utilities, even with nobody home.
• Pool service, landscaping, and house checks.
• Insurance, which can be priced differently for a home that sits empty part of the year. Ask your agent how they rate a second home.

Can You Rent It Out While You're Gone?

Sometimes. Two sets of rules apply, and you need to pass both.

The city. Lake Havasu City requires a permit for any home rented for less than 30 days. The current rules are in Chapter 5.20 of the city code and took effect March 1, 2023. Per the city, you need an Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license first, then a city vacation rental permit, which is $250 per property per year. You also have to name an emergency contact who can respond to complaints 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The city doesn't enforce HOA rules, so the HOA is a separate check. Check the city's vacation rental page for the current requirements before you list.

The HOA. Arizona law limits what cities can do to ban short-term rentals, but an HOA's recorded CC&Rs can still restrict them. Some communities allow them, some set minimum stays, some don't allow them at all. Read the CC&Rs before you buy, not after you've furnished the place.

Buying Without Living Here

You don't have to fly out for every showing. Most of my out-of-state buyers start with video walkthroughs from home and narrow the list before they come down. Then the trip is for deciding, not browsing.

Closing can happen remotely too. Arizona uses escrow and title companies to close, and most of the paperwork can be signed from wherever you live. Plan on a home inspection either way, and if you can't be at it, ask for a video walk with the inspector.

If you're buying from Canada, financing and taxes work differently. Read Buying in Lake Havasu City as a Canadian.

Where I Come In

I don't hand you the keys and disappear. After closing I stay your local contact. I check on the house, and our vetted crew handles the work, backed by my husband Jose's general contractor license. We build and own homes here ourselves, so we know what the repairs cost and who does them right.

Common Questions

Thinking About a Havasu Second Home?

Tell me how you plan to use it, and I'll tell you which neighborhoods and which houses fit that, and what each one will cost to run. No sales pitch.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything that matters with the city, the HOA, or a licensed professional before you rely on it.