With the children of baby boomers growing up and moving out on their own, many families cannot justify cottage ownership because they are no longer in a position to get the gang to the lake enough times during the year to make it worthwhile. Add to that, reduced frequency of visits and increases in ownership costs including sky rocketing taxes, insurance and higher energy costs. Consequently, many households are thinking twice before plunging into the responsibilities of cottage ownership. Maintenance is also a factor. With 50% of the children of boomers off on their own and perhaps raising their own families, it starts to look like a lot of work when every visit to the cottage means dad must do the chores on his own from dawn until dusk on every weekend pilgrimage.
However, cottage rental agencies have opened up the door to make cottage vacations and cottage ownership more feasible. Real estate brokers have gone about this by renting the cottages of owners who can’t fully utilize their own cottage. In addition, renting a cottage can aid the owner in coping with the associated expenses of cottage ownership.
The trick is finding the ideal cottage for one’s family. Although some people have a specific area in mind for a cottage vacation, others may be open to any geographical area and may be more concerned about the details and amenities of the accommodation including distance to nearby towns and onsite recreation activities.
Cottage rental agencies that specialize in matching families with the perfect cottage rental property are a useful resource to consider because the rental agency will take into account budget and other requirements to find a wide selection of properties to suit one’s needs and desires.
Cottage rental agencies have strict requirements of the rental owners so that they meet certain quality and cleanliness standards. In addition, most rental agencies employ their own cleaning staff and conduct inspections between every rental stay to ensure a trouble free vacation and take away most of the risk associated with a private rental arrangement.
In the last few years many agencies have sprung up as more cottages have become available for rental. Ideally, one should consult with an agency that has a licensed real estate broker, and that specializes or works exclusively with cottage rental properties. Most agencies now have web sites so you can check out both the cottage rental listings as well as the credentials of the rental agency.
With rental agencies becoming increasingly busy, cottage rental slots book quickly as spring begins. Consequently, it is recommended that one search for a cottage rental in April because by June, the available inventory is depleted.
About the Author:
Laura Gustafsson, a licensed broker, has been operating Vacation Time Realty since 1991 and is accountable to RECO (Real Estate Council of Ontario) and specializes in Muskoka Ontario cottage rentals. For more information on Vacation Time Realty cottage rentals, please call (705) 687 0066 or visit www.vacationtimerealty.com.
Renting Cottages Offers More Benefits In Comparison to Cottage Ownership
