cottage posts

Weekends of hard labour, pricey closing costs, and expensive second mortgage payments are no where in the minds of those who have discovered the benefits of land leases.

Popular throughout Europe and the United States, land leases are a relatively new concept to come to Canada. And its timing could not any be better. Today, Canadians face alarming household debt levels and tightened federally mandated home ownership regulations.

But an online survey conducted by Leger Marketing, on behalf of Royal LePage Real Estate Services, reveals that many Canadians either own or hope to own a recreational property.

The sun is shining, the air feels warm and its time to start celebrating summer.

For many Canadians its all about the barbecue, getting out on the boat or exploring the national parks, since summer is such a preciously short season for those in the Great White North.

But the one thing we should take the time to do is be safe, whether its in the backyard, at the cottage or around town.

CSA Group, the certification and testing group which insures products sold in Canada are following safety standards, has put together a list of tips to remind everyone how to have fun and stay safe.

As Canadians we know the big three cities - Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal - aren't the most affordable places to live, with Vancouver taking the top spot as having the highest cost of living of all the Canadian cities. And waterfront homes in urban centres fetch ridiculous amounts - take this recent sale of an $8 million cottage-like home in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood.

So when we want to escape to the cottage, cabin or summer house, where to go?

Regions close to these cities, places like the Okanagan, Muskokas and Laurentians aren't the place to find a budget summer spot for most of us.

Those who want a cottage or cabin may need to rethink the ultimate destination. So where to focus to find the summer home bargain of our dreams?

With the beginning of May, many Canadians start checking temperatures and weather conditions - particularly for cottage country.

Not just because we're obsessed with Mother Nature, but because soon it will be time for the annual migration to cottage, cabins and summer homes.

Every year there's something to add to the list of items to bring with, but how to avoid overspending in the excitement of celebrating summer at the home-away-from-home?

There are those fixed costs that need to be covered - water, electricity, taxes - and then there are several costs that can be reduced with a little advance planning.

It's coming. Yes, really, summer is coming.

For many Canadians, the idyllic summer isn't just warm sunny days, its also days spent relaxing at a cottage, cabin or summer house.

Wouldn't summer be even better if all you had to do was decide on which bathing suit to put on as you hang out on your own dock or the deck of your summer retreat?

Last year, an article in the Toronto Sun reported a steady increase in cottage sales in 78 per cent of recreational areas across Canada according to REMAX.

With a buoyant economy, early indicators predict good sales for the upcoming season. For those who want to make the next step, what should be considered to buy a cottage?

Do you dream of having your own summer house?

For many of us the thought of spending the summer months in your own four walls is highly appealing. So how to make a dream reality?

Remember that investing in a cottage is just as important as when you bought your first home. Money, budget, taxes, insurance - all these things apply. In part two, here is the path to buying a cottage.

What to know when you start combing the listings for the cottage or cabin of your dreams?

Start with making a list of what you want, and then give yourself a dose of reality - do you have the money to do this?

If you've been invited to a friend's cottage for the weekend, you can convey your thanks to your hosts without spending a lot. Here are some gifts ideas from the dollar store that say "thank-you" for about $5 each.

If your friend has a green thumb, buy a pretty flower pot and fill it with things like three packages of flower seeds for a buck, a pair of gardening gloves, a garden trowel and a garden ornament.

Use a large melamine bowl to contain rainy day time-fillers like a puzzle, playing cards and a package of microwave popcorn. Kids 25-piece puzzles cost $1.50 each, 500-piece puzzles cost $2 and packs of playing cards are $1 each. Or, instead of a puzzle you could put in a couple of puzzle books like word search or Sudoku, which are just a buck each.

Victoria Day is around the corner. It's the official launch of cottage season and while I've always pined for one, I could never find one in my price range. So I rent one for a couple of weeks every summer, and the experience always leaves me wanting more. So I started looking into fractional cottage ownership. Essentially, timeshares for cottage country.

With fractional cottage ownership, you typically buy a share of a cottage, which allows you to use it for five weeks every year. In general, this works out to one week per season plus a bonus week. Some properties let you pick your weeks, and they remain the same every year. At other properties, the weeks rotate every year and you have to have some flexibility with your vacation time.

The lowest price I could find for a fractional ownership was about $30,000. On top of that, there's an annual maintenance fee of $2000 or more. That's not too bad if you plan to use your five weeks every year. Renting would cost much more. And if you can't use all of your weeks, most places give you the option to rent them out, so you can get some of your money back. However, it's your responsibility to find any takers.

Does your summer ritual involve a getaway to the cottage? Enjoying lazy days by the lake, afternoon naps in a hammock and stories around the camp fire sound idyllic.

So how to find the perfect place to call home for a week or two without having to resort to contacting your best friend's cousin's mom to borrow the family cottage?

Consider these tips when searching for a cottage rental:

Start looking as early as possible – especially in Ontario, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island

- A good site will list properties by region and each rental should have a detailed list of amenities, rates, contact information and photos

- Avoid sites that don't list prices

- Reviews are helpful but direct contact with the owner can be just as good.

Here are four cottage rental websites that are worth surfing: