Barrie is the gateway to one of the most popular cottage areas in Ontario, which means that there are a lot of people driving through my city every Friday on their way to their vacation home. Sometimes, those cottages are a short walk from a lake or river; sometimes, they are right on the water. Or are they?
It’s extremely important if you are thinking of buying a waterfront property to be sure that you are actually on the water. Sometimes, it can appear that you own right up to the water’s edge, when in fact you don’t.
The most important thing you can do if you are buying a cottage is to have a proper search done before your offer is firm, and to insist on a survey. These will show, for example, whether there is a shore road allowance between you and the water, or whether the municipal or provincial government owns the water’s edge.
A cottage can be a little slice of paradise. But you have to check to make sure.
