Whether you dream of settling down in a friendly spot or ready for your next big adventure and looking to pass the torch, this neighborhood has a cool vibe. This neighborhood is special, from the homes along the winding roads and hills to the fun stuff that happens here.

Mature trees, winding roads, and cul-de-sacs around a private park.

Picture this: you're driving through winding roads that gently roll over hills. That's the setting for Lake Forest! It’s a spot where homes, including some desirable cul-de-sac homes or homes with a park as the backyard, are tucked into the natural flow of the land. You'll notice mature trees and some private ponds glistening nearby as you look around. What’s super neat is that many homes have access to a private subdivision park right within the neighborhood, complete with a playset, soccer goals, and a baseball diamond – perfect for getting outside and playing ball! Some lucky ducks even have what feels like a private park right in their back yard. When it comes to building your dream home here, there are guidelines to keep the neighborhood looking great. We're talking single family residences only, like one-story, story-and-a-half, two-story, or split-level homes, and they gotta have an attached garage. There are minimum sizes for the living space, like at least 1700 square feet on the first floor for a one-story place. You can only have one house per lot, and your attached garage needs to have a minimum of two stalls, but can't be bigger than 900 square feet.

Life in the Forest: What Living Here is All About

Living in Lake Forest is about being part of a vibrant community. The Lake Forest Homeowner Association is like your friendly guide, working hard to make everyone feel like they belong and are proud to call this place home. Seriously, it's described as a fun and friendly place to live. You'll see people out and about all the time – walking their dogs, riding bikes, or going for a jog. When summer hits, the neighborhood kids hang out and go fishing at the private ponds. The Homeowner Association is active, throwing all sorts of events throughout the year, like an Easter egg hunt, a big Fall neighborhood picnic, and everyone's favorite, TGIF parties! These TGIFs are super casual – a neighbor invites folks over, and you bring snacks and drinks and hang out! Rumor has it there's even a house with a karaoke setup for those brave enough to sing! But the absolute legend of Lake Forest is the Trick or Treat. It's seriously unbelievable, drawing over 500 kids, and they even set up a laser light dance floor at the intersection of Holly Patch Court and Sanctuary Drive! If you love a good bargain, mark your calendar for the annual rummage sale in June – usually over 20 homes participate! And for those who love the outdoors, a path right from the neighborhood takes you into the Muskego County Park hiking trails. Oh, and fun fact for the history buffs – this neighborhood was the last known spot where the legendary Muskego Panda was seen, check 'em out on YouTube!

The Nitty-Gritty: A Peek at Deed Restrictions

Like most great neighborhoods, Lake Forest has rules to keep things looking good and protect everyone's investment. These rules can be found on the muskego.gov site.  It is a plan for how properties are used for the mutual benefit of everyone who owns a home here, now and in the future. The Lake Forest Home Owner's Association is the group that helps manage the shared spaces and makes sure things run smoothly. 

Here’s a quick look at some of the kinds of things covered:

• Home design: We already touched on this, but it's single family homes only with specific types (one story, story-and-a-half, etc.) and minimum sizes.
• Garages: Minimum of two attached stalls, maximum 900 sq ft.
• Getting Stuff Approved: Are you planning an addition, fence, or even putting up a big satellite dish? You'll likely need written approval from the Architecture Committee and require city permits.
• Keeping it Tidy: There are rules about keeping the outside looking nice.  See the latest deed restrictions for topics like storing boats, trailers, campers, or other vehicles outside, restrictions on above-ground swimming pools and fences. 
• Lampposts: Homes must have an outdoor electric lamppost with a sensor that turns it on automatically. 
• Shared Areas: The Common Area includes specific outlots, the pretty landscaped spots along the streets, and even easements for maintaining the sediment basins. The Association is responsible for cleaning out those basins when they get too full.

Important Note: The City of Muskego website has copies of these Deed Restrictions, and that's super helpful. However, they give a heads-up that their list might not have everything or be the absolute newest version. That's because sometimes subdivisions update their rules and may take time for them to be published with the City.  You'll want to check directly with the City. It's always a good idea to get the most current info when you're buying or selling!

Residents are welcome to join the private Facebook Page.