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Cottage Life

Cottage real estate region: Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake

Two big lakes dominate cottage country in Northwestern Ontario: Lake of the Woods (LOTW) and Rainy Lake. Both areas include much Crown land, so cottages aren’t easy to come by. The LOTW is speckled with more than 14,000 islands, innumerable sandy beaches along its south shore, and countless coves throughout, making it a boater’s playground. Most LOTW cottagers hail from Winnipeg, a two-hour drive, or the U.S.—no surprise, considering parts of the lake are in Manitoba and Minnesota. The 4,000-member-strong Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association’s current concerns include preventing blue-green algae blooms.

Rainy River links LOTW with the western end of Rainy Lake, which also straddles the Minnesota border. Rainy Lake is considerably smaller than its neighbour to the northwest, but it still boasts more than 1,300 km of shoreline on the Ontario side. Fishing is great—you’ll find walleye, pike, trout, and crappie—and every July the lake is home to the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship. As at Lake of the Woods, wildlife includes moose, deer, eagles, and, for lucky spotters, lynx and martens.

Want a virgin island of your own? Good luck. All vacant islands owned by the Crown were designated as conservation reserves in 2002, which means that no new development can take place.

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Cottage Life

How much should I charge to rent out my cottage?

Over the past two years, the persistence of COVID-19 has laid many industries low, but the cottage rental market doesn’t appear to be one of them. Six months out from summer and desirable locations are already being booked, says J.T. Lowes from All-Season Cottage Rentals, a property management company that specializes in cottages.

“We take most of our summer bookings during January and February,” says Lowes. “Every year seems to get earlier and earlier. Bookings for this coming summer actually started to pick up late October, early November.”

Lowes admits that the cottage rental rush may wane slightly once COVID has abated and people feel comfortable travelling abroad again. But if you’re looking to make some ancillary income off your cottage, now is a great time to jump into the rental game. Before you throw a listing up onto booking sites though, there are a few details you need to consider:

How much to charge

There’s no magic formula for calculating how much to charge a guest. The fee will depend on a range of variables, says Lowes. “The size of the cottage; exposure; the lot—is it a hilly lot or is it a flat lot?; the waterfront—do you have a nice, sandy beach; is there a dock; does it have deep water for nice, clear, weed-free swimming?”

In Lowes’ experience, cottages with southern or western exposures tend to be more popular. But to nail down an exact figure, Lowes compares the cottage he’s managing to similar cottages in the market.

There is often a price pattern depending on the size of the cottage. “A two-bedroom cottage might rent from $1,200 to $1,400 a week up to $2,400 a week. Three-bedroom cottages would rent anywhere from $1,500 a week up to $3,000 a week. There’s a pretty big range for each size. And then that’s when all the other variables come in to figure out where within that range your cottage sits.”

Additional costs

Raking in $3,000 a week sounds great, but keep in mind there are costs associated with renting out a cottage. To start, most booking sites charge a fee to list. These are non-negotiable, says Lowes.

You also have to take into account the cost of cleaning, particularly during the age of COVID when guests are looking for fully sanitized rentals. Cleaning costs can be exacerbated if you host a guest who damages your property or throws a party and doesn’t clean up after themselves.

To mitigate these costs, Lowes suggests having guests sign a rental agreement and asking for a security deposit. The rental agreement outlines your rules, binding the guest to them when they sign. A security deposit helps cover the costs of any damages or parties. Plus, having extra money on the line should keep guest behaviour more accountable.

“Back in the day, the standard amount [for a security deposit] used to be $500. Today, $500 doesn’t go that far anymore,” says Lowes. “Most people are going to do $1,000–$2,000 security deposit, depending on the calibre of cottage.”

Property management companies

If you’re willing to forfeit a portion of your earnings to have the rental process handled for you, a property management company is a good option. On average, Lowes says a rental company will take a 20 per cent commission on each booking. But many rental companies will bring that commission down on a sliding scale based on the value of the property, he adds.

In exchange for the commission, the rental company helps you determine an appropriate amount to charge for your cottage and then handles all bookings and guest communication. This often includes marketing your property to a wider viewership rather than relying on your listing to get noticed on a booking site. Many rental companies will also coordinate cleaning services for you.

“If you want to have somebody else take care of all the details to make the rental process smooth and easy,” says Lowes, “I’d recommend going with a rental company. We essentially would take everything that has to do with the guests off of the cottage owner’s plate.”

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Cottage Life

Retreat to these vacation rentals with stunning mountain views

There’s nothing quite like waking up in the morning to watch the sunrise crest over the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. Banff is one of the most popular resort towns in Canada and also one of the more expensive to stay in, however, lesser-known surrounding communities such as Dead Man’s Flats and Canmore, typically offer more affordable vacation rentals. We’ve rounded up a list of accommodations between Kananaskis and Banff with stunning mountain views.

Location: Morley, Alta.

Price: Averages $700 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 5

Notes: 

  • View of Banff National Park
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Pets welcome
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • No off-road vehicles – surrounding land is protected under the Nature Conservancy of Canada

Click here to book


 

Location: Canmore, Atla.

Price: Averages $768 per night

Sleeps: 8

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • View of the Canadian Rockies
  • Internet included
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Laundry on site
  • No pets allowed
  • 30-night minimum stay

Click here to book


 

Location: Canmore, Alta.

Price: Averages $256 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Complimentary Banff National Park Pass
  • View of the Canadian Rockies
  • Fireplace
  • Laundry on site
  • Hot tub closed due to COVID-19

Click here to book


 

Location: Banff, Atla.

Price: Averages $352 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Access to indoor pool and sauna
  • Complimentary use of Banff Roam Bus service
  • Coin-operated laundry on-site
  • Daily housekeeping
  • $25 extra charge per pet per night

Click here to book


 

Location: Banff, Alta.

Price: Averages $325 per night

Sleeps: 4

Bedrooms: 2

Notes:

  • Walk to downtown Banff
  • Private entrance
  • Laundry on site
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Views of Sulphur and Rundle mountains

Click here to book


 

Location: Canmore, Alta.

Price: Averages $450 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 2

Notes:

  • Two-storey townhouse
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Communal barbecue
  • Indoor swimming pool and hot tub closed due to COVID-19

Click here to book


 

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Cottage Life

This is the best time to book a summer cottage rental

It’s not too early to book your summer cottage rental. While you’re stuck in the snowy depths of winter, it may be a good time to consider fantasizing—and planning— your summer cottage getaway. Leave the booking too late, and there’s a high likelihood you’ll be left high and dry when it comes to finding a cottage in a highly competitive marketplace.

According to the rental agency sites, December to February is the ideal time to plan and select your cottage for the summer. While this may seem early, booking agencies are seeing cottages book up incredibly quickly—especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. For one, pandemic fears have driven people to the relative isolation of a cottage, while others who would have normally travelled abroad have had to adjust their plans to vacation more local. People that book later in the spring risk losing out on cottages that meet their must-have checklist and will be left to chance it with last-minute cancellations or a few newly-listed rentals in the spring.

July and August are typically the busiest times to find a rental, as well as long weekends. Booking well in advance is also a good idea if you are looking for a cottage for two or more weeks, as other renters’ reservations for a shorter time period can cut your intended stay short. Also, if you’re looking for a cottage for 10–12 people, reserve early as these places are in high demand and tend to fill up first. The same goes if you’re looking to bring your pet along.

Most booking sites allow you to book well in advance, and most booking sites will give you a full refund for a cancellation if you cancel by a certain date. Of course, if your plans are not quite set in stone, (understandable, if you’re booking 6–8 months in advance) be sure to be clear on the booking site’s cancellation and refund policies before you lock in your rental.

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Cottage Life

Tiny cottages for a romantic getaway

Location: Lake Superior

Price: Averages $124 per night

Sleeps: 3

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Off-grid property
  • Waterfront property on Lake Superior
  • Outhouse
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • Pets welcome
  • Separate small A-frame cabin with double bed
  • Propane-heated shower (not operational November through April)

Click here to book


 

Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Price: Averages $248 per night

Sleeps: 2

Bedrooms: 2

Notes:

  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Air conditioning
  • No pets allowed
  • Minimum age for renters is 30
  • Two blocks from downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake

Click here to book


 

Location: Welland, Ont.

Price: Averages $161 per night

Sleeps: 2

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Access to animal sanctuary
  • Includes pond with goldfish
  • No pets allowed
  • No children allowed
  • Outdoor fire bowl
  • 15 minutes from Niagara Falls

Click here to book


 

Location: Deer Lake Wilderness Retreat

Price: Averages $232 per night

Sleeps: 4

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Includes park pass to Mikisew Provincial Park (eight minutes away)
  • 10-acre property with walking trails
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • No running water
  • No indoor washroom (outhouse available)
  • Access to communal indoor shower
  • *Sundays between 25-50% off

Click here to book


 

Location: Welland, Ont.

Price: Averages $161 per night

Sleeps: 4

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Access to animal sanctuary with donkeys, potbelly pigs, and goats
  • Infrared sauna
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • Children must be a minimum of 14 years old
  • No pets allowed
  • 14 minutes from Niagara Falls
  • Strict cancellation policy

Click here to book


 

Categories
Cottage Life

Tiny cottages for a romantic getaway

Location: Lake Superior

Price: Averages $124 per night

Sleeps: 3

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Off-grid property
  • Waterfront property on Lake Superior
  • Outhouse
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • Pets welcome
  • Separate small A-frame cabin with double bed
  • Propane-heated shower (not operational November through April)

Click here to book


 

Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Price: Averages $248 per night

Sleeps: 2

Bedrooms: 2

Notes:

  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Air conditioning
  • No pets allowed
  • Minimum age for renters is 30
  • Two blocks from downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake

Click here to book


 

Location: Welland, Ont.

Price: Averages $161 per night

Sleeps: 2

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Access to animal sanctuary
  • Includes pond with goldfish
  • No pets allowed
  • No children allowed
  • Outdoor fire bowl
  • 15 minutes from Niagara Falls

Click here to book


 

Location: Deer Lake Wilderness Retreat

Price: Averages $232 per night

Sleeps: 4

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Includes park pass to Mikisew Provincial Park (eight minutes away)
  • 10-acre property with walking trails
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • No running water
  • No indoor washroom (outhouse available)
  • Access to communal indoor shower
  • *Sundays between 25-50% off

Click here to book


 

Location: Welland, Ont.

Price: Averages $161 per night

Sleeps: 4

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

  • Access to animal sanctuary with donkeys, potbelly pigs, and goats
  • Infrared sauna
  • Outdoor fire pit
  • Children must be a minimum of 14 years old
  • No pets allowed
  • 14 minutes from Niagara Falls
  • Strict cancellation policy

Click here to book


 

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Cottage Life

Family getaways for New Year’s Eve

Location: McIntyre, Ont.

Price: Averages $875 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on private pond
  • Two hours from Toronto
  • Pontoon, canoe, and kayak available for use
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • 25 kilometres from Blue Mountain Village

Click here to book

Location: Point Pelee, Ont.

Price: Averages $374 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on Lake Erie
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Less than a kilometre from Point Pelee National park
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: McCraken’s Landing, Ont.

Price: Averages $1,250 per night

Sleeps: 7

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Near Stoney Lake
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Fitness and games rooms
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: Sheba’s Island

Price: Averages $825 per night

Sleeps: 11

Bedrooms: 5

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on West Lake
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Pets welcome
  • Fire pit
  • Three kilometres from Sandbanks Provincial Park

Click here to book

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Cottage Life

Family getaways for New Year’s Eve

Location: McIntyre, Ont.

Price: Averages $875 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on private pond
  • Two hours from Toronto
  • Pontoon, canoe, and kayak available for use
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • 25 kilometres from Blue Mountain Village

Click here to book

Location: Point Pelee, Ont.

Price: Averages $374 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on Lake Erie
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Less than a kilometre from Point Pelee National park
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: McCraken’s Landing, Ont.

Price: Averages $1,250 per night

Sleeps: 7

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Near Stoney Lake
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Fitness and games rooms
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: Sheba’s Island

Price: Averages $825 per night

Sleeps: 11

Bedrooms: 5

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on West Lake
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Pets welcome
  • Fire pit
  • Three kilometres from Sandbanks Provincial Park

Click here to book

Categories
Cottage Life

Family getaways for New Year’s Eve

Location: McIntyre, Ont.

Price: Averages $875 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on private pond
  • Two hours from Toronto
  • Pontoon, canoe, and kayak available for use
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • 25 kilometres from Blue Mountain Village

Click here to book

Location: Point Pelee, Ont.

Price: Averages $374 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on Lake Erie
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Less than a kilometre from Point Pelee National park
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: McCraken’s Landing, Ont.

Price: Averages $1,250 per night

Sleeps: 7

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Near Stoney Lake
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Fitness and games rooms
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: Sheba’s Island

Price: Averages $825 per night

Sleeps: 11

Bedrooms: 5

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on West Lake
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Pets welcome
  • Fire pit
  • Three kilometres from Sandbanks Provincial Park

Click here to book

Categories
Cottage Life

Family getaways for New Year’s Eve

Location: McIntyre, Ont.

Price: Averages $875 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 4

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on private pond
  • Two hours from Toronto
  • Pontoon, canoe, and kayak available for use
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • 25 kilometres from Blue Mountain Village

Click here to book

Location: Point Pelee, Ont.

Price: Averages $374 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on Lake Erie
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Less than a kilometre from Point Pelee National park
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: McCraken’s Landing, Ont.

Price: Averages $1,250 per night

Sleeps: 7

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

  • Near Stoney Lake
  • Laundry on site
  • Internet included
  • Outdoor hot tub
  • Fitness and games rooms
  • No pets

Click here to book

Location: Sheba’s Island

Price: Averages $825 per night

Sleeps: 11

Bedrooms: 5

Notes:

  • Waterfront property on West Lake
  • Internet included
  • Laundry on site
  • Pets welcome
  • Fire pit
  • Three kilometres from Sandbanks Provincial Park

Click here to book