So, you've finally decided to make your dream a reality and purchase a new cottage. After years of pondering and checking out online listings, you've never felt more ready to take the plunge. Owning a cottage provides precious memories to last a lifetime - spending time with family and friends deep within the beauty of Mother Earth's natural surroundings; there's nothing else quite like it.
But before you start making life-altering decisions, there are a couple of helpful cottage-buying tips you need to know. If you're about to put a down payment on a new summer home, read these tips before you make that final trip to the bank.
1. It's All About Location
When you imagine a cottage, you probably envision a home by a lake and luscious forests. You may also imagine nearby towns to visit for shopping, social activities, and emergency and medical needs. The ideal cottage has a little bit of both: the relaxing solitude of nature and close proximity to more populated areas. You don't want to be too remote since it may cause you to feel isolated, yet you also don't want to be right in the middle of a busy town since the whole point of owning a cottage is to soak in some quiet time.
Canada has some of the world's most beautiful natural wildlife and scenery. For example, check out this Muskoka cottage for sale - surrounded by the stunning Canadian landscape of lakes, greenery, and wildlife, while also being close enough to the cute and bustling towns in the Muskoka, Ontario region.
2. Work With Local Relators
If you want to get the inside scoop on the area you're interested in, work with local realtors to utilize their community expertise. They'll recommend properties and locations based on your needs and their deep knowledge of the area. You'll get the best bang for your buck when you work with people familiar with the area because they'll know which parts to avoid and which to check out.
3. Sort Your Finances
It's helpful to get a mortgage pre-approval to determine how much money you can spend. Doing this will save you time when you begin the search process. Sitting down and talking to a financial advisor is also a wise idea because you can determine estimated costs such as annual utility and maintenance expenses, home insurance, and the other costs of owning a summer home.
You can consider where such funds will come from, such as your savings account, an emergency fund, or perhaps a recent inheritance. Just remember to sort through your finances carefully so you won't encounter any unwanted surprises later in the process.
4. Do Your Homework
While purchasing a new cottage is exciting, you must also plan and do your research. You must decide on a location, style of home, price - it takes a little bit of time to narrow down your choices. But with trustworthy and knowledgeable realtors, you'll be on the right path in no time.
What an incredible time in your life! Purchasing a new cottage is the beginning of something special. And starting the journey with some research and planning behind you, you'll head into this new chapter with excited, open arms.
