6 Things You Must Know Before Designing a New Home
Download our free homebuyer's guide to get answers to some common questions about custom home building.
The Water 9 is a new waterfront neighborhood on the Portage Lakes, built on the old Water 9 holes at Turkeyfoot Lake Golf Links in New Franklin, with the course's 18 holes still in play around it: 46 estate homesites, 31 of them on Turkeyfoot Lake, with about 4,200 feet of lake frontage, private boat slips for homeowners, and golf course views from some interior lots.
Lots are sold by the developer, and you choose your own builder. If you'd reserved a lot, or are thinking about it, the best thing you can do before closing is sit down with a builder. We'll meet with you at no cost to talk through what your lot can support, home concepts, and a realistic price range, so the lot and the house add up before you commit to either.
We're Not Just Building at The Water 9. We're Moving There.
A note from Josh Hostetler, President
Sixteen years ago my family and I made the Portage Lakes our home. We've spent those years the way everyone here does: summers on the water, evenings at the dockside restaurants, winters watching brave souls take the Polar Bear Jump. So when The Water 9 became a neighborhood, I didn't see a project. I saw the place my neighbors, and my own family, would live.
I reserved my lot at The Water 9 the day reservations opened. Our model home there won't just show you what we build. When it's finished, it will be my family's home. Every decision we make in that house, how it sits on the water, how the morning light comes off the lake, how a walkout lower level becomes the heart of summer, is a decision I'm making for my family first, and for yours with the same care.
Building on the lake is different from building anywhere else. Talk to us before you commit to a lot. It's the conversation I'd want my neighbor to have, because that's what we're going to be.
— Josh Hostetler, Portage Lakes resident since 2010
The Estate Homesites at The Water 9
| Estate Homesites | 46 |
| Waterfront Estate Homesites | 31 |
| Lake Frontage | Approx. 4,200 linear feet |
| Boat Slips | Private slips available to homeowners |
| Location | New Franklin, Ohio, between Turkeyfoot Lake and Mud Lake |
| Lot Sales | Opening fall 2026, subject to the developer's schedule |
| Lot Pricing | Set by the developer; final price list to be announced |
| Builder | Your choice; Hostetler Family Homes builds on the estate homesites |
Waterfront estate lots (31):
33–48 on the north peninsula, 49–52 on the west shore, 66–73 on the south shore, and 74–76 on the east cove.
Interior estate lots (15):
53–65, 77, and 78. Several sit one lot back from the water with lake views across open area; ask us which ones.
Note:
The Water 9 also includes 32 lifestyle lots and 9 townhome sites. Hostetler Family Homes builds on the estate homesites.
Why the Lot Comes First
On a waterfront lot, three things are decided before a single plan is drawn: where the house sits relative to the water and the setbacks, whether the grade allows a walkout lower level, and how the home faces the lake and the sun. Two lots that look alike on a site plan can support very different homes.
A pre-purchase conversation with our team covers:
- Which lots fit your home. Bring a wish list or a floor plan you like. We'll tell you which lots on your shortlist can deliver it.
- Walkout potential. Which lots have the grade for a lower level that opens to the water.
- Realistic budget. A price range for the home you're describing, so the lot and the house add up before you commit to either.
- What's still to come from the developer. HOA terms, dock assignments, utilities, and lot pricing are the developer's to announce. We'll tell you what's confirmed and what isn't.
There's no cost and no obligation. If you buy a lot and build with someone else, you'll still have made a better decision.
Life On the Portage Lakes
The Portage Lakes are a chain of connected lakes on Akron's south side where boats replace cars on summer evenings and neighbors wave from pontoons instead of porches.
- Summer on the water. Weekends raft up, kids swim off the back of the boat, and the lake becomes the neighborhood's living room from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- Dinner by boat. A dockside dining scene where an evening out starts with a boat ride and ends on a waterfront patio.
- Traditions that bind. The Polar Bear Jump, lighted boat parades, and fireworks over the water.
- Nature at the door. Quiet coves for kayaks and fishing, nearby state park land, and herons at dawn, minutes from Akron and Canton.
Why Build with Hostetler Family Homes
Three generations, since 1983
A family company building custom homes in Stark, Summit, Portage, and Medina counties for more than 40 years, with our name on every home.
Award-winning
Three-time Home Builder of the Year (2014, 2016, 2018) and six-time House of the Year winner (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), Building Industry Association of Stark & East Central Ohio.
A builder who lives here
Josh has lived on the Portage Lakes since 2010 and is building his own family's home at The Water 9.
Clear communication.
All-inclusive quotes, regular site visits, and scheduling and communication through JobTread, so you know where your project stands every day.
FAQ
Questions About Building at The Water 9
Start With the Right Lot
Before you commit to a homesite at The Water 9, spend an hour with the builder who's building his own home there. We'll walk through your shortlist, your plan ideas, and a realistic budget, and you'll leave knowing which lots can deliver the home you want.
