Choosing a Waterfront Property

One of the most popular questions when on duty is: where do I start? what do I look for? This a huge question, with many answers! My recommendation is to sit down and decide what your vision of cottage life includes. Quiet evenings and bonfires? Canoeing and kayaking? Fishing? Swimming? Boating and water skiing? Make a list. There are many types of cottagers, many types of properties, and many types of lakes. Each lake has it's own "personality". With over 600 lakes in our County, they range from small, motor-restricted to large chains great for boating. Each lake has a different price point. What $350,000 buys you on one lake, does not get you far on another.

Know your price range - know your "must haves" - know your planned lifestyle. If you share each of these with your Realtor it makes the cottage hunt more efficient. Do you need to get into the cottage in winter? Or will you be a summer cottager? We have a lot of seasonal roads in the County but many are also short and could be ploughed by yourself or someone you hire if that is the right cottage for you - so do not discount them. Cottages on seasonal roads also give you a price break if you are willing to consider them.

Also ensure you can talk to your Realtor and communicate. If you tell your Realtor that privacy is very important to you - know that privacy to one person is not the same as what it means to someone else. I recently had a client that insisted that the most important thing they wanted was complete privacy. They needed to get away from everyone and everything. They asked to see a particular cottage that, in my mind, was not private at all with cottages flanking both sides and very little for trees or shrubs between them. They absolutely loved it and thought it was incredibly private!

If you are not sure exactly what you are looking for - my suggestion is to book a day with your Realtor - have him/her showing you 3-4 cottages on different lakes. By the end of the day your Realtor will know you better, and you will know what you like and what you definitely don't like!

Summer Sales

Well, summer is over half over already! Business will slow down temporarily in the Highlands for the last two weeks of August while Buyers turn their attention to back to school preparations and The CNE, but they will be back come September! September and October are traditionally crazy months for Realtors. Buyers who have looked all summer but not found that perfect cottage yet, are really serious now. Many think about how nice it would be to have Thanksgiving in their new cottage and invite all the family! Environment Canada is predicting a warmer than usual Fall this year also, which should help keep people motivated.

With serious items such as economic trends and interest rates - why did I mention the weather? Sounds crazy, but the weather can affect real estate in cottage country quite a bit! Haliburton County is still an area of "choice" - lower taxes but a Muskoka feel. So even in a tough economy, it is still a great place to buy a vacation property. Having said all that, Buyers still have to be "in the mood". Spring presented a lot of wet, cold weather, and it was hard for Buyers to think about lounging on a beach or on the deck of their new cottage! July started with a huge bang - until the severe hot weather hit! Everyone renting a cottage and thinking about getting their own, stayed at the cottage - too hot to move, too hot to drive around and look at options. It doesn't mean they won't look, it just created a temporary lull.

The County definitely had lots to choose from this year - many listing in many price ranges. I wouldn't call it a Buyer's market just yet. To create a Buyer's market, both Buyer and Seller have to be of the same mind set, and right now, Seller's still want their prices. There are several price reductions in the area, but not much above normal for this time of year. Remember, fair market value of a property comes down to what the Buyer is willing to pay and the Seller is welling to take - a meeting of the minds!

My New Blog

Hi everyone - My first blog, www.aviewofthehighlands.blogspot.com, was created to be strictly about my adventures around Haliburton County - no business! But it seems that separation is hard for me - I like to talk! So I have created a second one for those who wish to read about real estate.

Firstly, I wish to talk business. Haliburton County is a fabulous place to take on a business of your own. Not only do we swell to bursting capacities every summer, but we have great winters too! Many people think of our County as a summer destination but it just isn't so. With our extensive snowmobile trails, Sir Sam's Downhill Ski Resort, amazing top-rated cross country ski trails and snowshoeing becoming more popular than ever before, winter is a mecca for visitors to the area. YES, business is quieter, but for the business owner this is truly a good thing. The crazy pace of summer means that business owners need that time to breath, re-group, plan for the next season. Business is still coming through the door, but you can get to those other items you desperately need to give attention to!

We currently have two businesses for sale. Both are vibrant, active and stable businesses in the Village of Haliburton. A bulk food store that is clean, large, and has a great following of loyal clients, and a Day Spa which has been in the County for over 23 years and offers everything from manicures to tanning! Both businesses offer excellent locations, parking directly in front of the stores, an instant client base and all the tools necessary to step right in and take over.

There is great opportunity in our County - move here, relax here, earn money here!