Relocating to Waterloo Ontario: Cottage Living
Soon after relocating to Waterloo Ontario you’ll discover that many locals leave town every weekend during the summer. Waterloo residents (along with most Canadians) enjoy owning or renting a cottage to relax on the weekends.
When you are gathering all the necessary information on relocating to Waterloo Ontario you’ll want to consider if you need to set aside money for this popular part of Canada’s lifestyle. There are many options for cottage living, some within 45 minutes and others that are several hours away.
Is Waterfront Part Of The Property?
When people are relocating to Waterloo Ontario many of them are particularly interested in purchasing a home that has waterfront property. Unfortunately, most homes in Waterloo aren’t on a lake. This is one primary reason why people in Waterloo enjoy going to a cottage on the weekend.
With that in mind, you have several options for where to purchase or rent a cottage home to enjoy water sports, boating, sunshine and campfires at night.
Most waterfront cottage properties are small homes with just the basic necessities. For anyone that is moving to Waterloo Ontario with a large budget for a second home, you can also purchase waterfront cottages that are valued in the millions.
Why Do I Need a Cottage?
Cottage living affords people in Waterloo a chance to take a mini-vacation every week. You can travel to your cottage on Friday evening after work and stay until after Sunday evening. Most Canadians spend their cottage time “unplugged” from electronic devises and instead focus on outdoor games, boating, hiking, fishing and star gazing. Also, cottages give children a chance to enjoy the summer months playing outdoors in nature.
What Should I Look For?
“The three most important things to look for in a cottage are location, location and location,” says Mildred Frey, Broker at Peak/The Frey Team which has sold dozens of cottages over the years on nearby Conestogo Lake.
“Do you need to be near the city so you can get away more often? Then consider Conestogo or Paradise Lake,” continues Frey. “Do you like to feel like you’re totally away from the city in order to relax? Then you should look at areas like The Muskokas, Port Elgin or The Bruce Peninsula. These locations are a longer commute every weekend, but you’ll see a very different side of Canada, including sandy beaches, lighthouses and rocky shorelines.”
The beach at Port Elgin makes this area a popular place to buy a cottage for those relocating to Waterloo Ontario.
Conestogo Lake is an obvious choice for people relocating to Waterloo Ontario who want to get away from it all on the weekends.
When is the Best Time to Buy?
“Most people list their cottages in the late summer or early fall”, said Frey. “This is actually a good time for a buyer to get a deal since most people don’t shop for a cottage at the end of the season. If you start shopping in the spring, you can expect to pay more, since this is the time everyone wants to buy.”
Will I own the Land?
There are some cases of people buying Waterfront cottages that actually sit on Crown land (land that is owned by the government).
What does this mean to a cottage owner? You’ll own the cottage, but not the land that it sits on. The Crown will lease you the land (often for a term of 100 years) but as with any landlord, you’ll need permission to cut down a tree, add an addition to the building or pave part of the land. This allows the government to oversee and protect the waterfront land that is so important to Canadians.
Final Comments.
Cottage living is something that everyone who is new to Waterloo should consider to greatly improve your quality of life and nurture your most important relationships.
Frey is available to answer any questions you may have about purchasing a cottage. She can be reached at mildred@thefreyteam.com.
For more ideas on how to spend time during the summer, follow our Pinterest Board: Summer in Waterloo.
