Cottages and The Recreational Market

Cottages and the recreational market is an imaginative market, many people when they think of cottages they think of beautiful elaborate getaways in the Muskoka’s or Haliburton. These Places offer us a getaway from the crazy of a modern day lifestyle. Weather it be lake side or in a remote area, the cottage and recreational market is booming.

The recreational market contains many alternatives for those buyers looking for their own getaway. The most notable of these are;

Seasonal Cottages – this accounts for the largest category of the recreational property options. The season cottage is a non-winterized structure that is used during the late spring to early fall. In some cases depending on where the cottage is, winterizing the property is just an unrealistic venture due to uncleared access routes and snow build up, and some of these cottages are accessed by boat only. The most expensive and popular cottage properties are those that border a lake or river.

Winterized Cottages/ Homes – currently in the market place seasonal cottages are being renovated and updated so that they can become year around homes. This has become an appealing idea for those considering retiring to these getaway places later in life. The expense to do this can be high, depending on where the cottage is located, the transition is typically spanned over a few years. For places with easier road access, there are year around cottages available for a reasonable price.

Country Homes – the country home used to be the the getaway for the well to do city dwellers who were looking for the benefit of a fully furnished country home. Currently however we are seeing a trend of many middle income families wanting to have a place of solitude off the water with some acreage tucked away form the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Chalets –  These are fully equipped homes that are purchased by the winter sportsman wanting a place to retreat. With the growth of this type of housing the buyer now has more options, ranging from condos and town to full detached units in many different areas. There is also a large rental market in this area for someone that is looking to acquire an investment property as well.

Hobby Farms – typically these places are purchased by the person who would like to venture into growing their own small crops and maybe raise come live stock. As this may have been the original intention many of these hobby farms become a getaway for the city worker to relax and detach.

When Considering buying a cottage it is important to seek out expert advise regarding structural integrity and other matters such as the outside decks, and the degree in which the cottage is winterized, if at all. Because of the terrain and location of most cottages it is important to do your homework and make sure the structure follows building code standards.

There are lots of other considerations keep in mind, roadway access, the ability to have hydro and bell. There are many environmental limitations on some properties, buyers should make themselves aware of these limitations.

Having a realtor on your side to get you the information you will need to feel confident about your purchase is a big part of a successful purchase. Imagining your time with your family in your dream cottage or getaway property is your job, our job is to help you get there and make a smart choices to save you from a headache later.