Real Talk!

Ask anyone to describe why they like or what they like about their favourite colour; their favourite dessert or their “ideal cottage” and you will find that most of us have a very clear perspective of what we consider the best.

Often, when asked these questions, adults will connect with their fondest memories and then, imagining their favourite colour they might think of a shirt they wore in kindergarten… and a favourite dessert might conjure strong attachments to the sumptuous aroma that used to emanate from the kitchen at Auntie Jane’s farm.

The same can be said when asked to describe their “dream cottage”… the question stimulates certain attachments from within the person, as they search for an answer. & these emotional reflections are extremely hard to describe verbally. They are often very personal and private.

In one instance, I once met a guy who had searched and searched and searched and just couldn’t find the right place. He came to me, frustrated and ready to give up all hope of finding "it".

After some prodding and some serious soul searching, it turned out that he had a very specific “cottage” memory cue... which in this case was tied directly with the smell of those horrible old deodorant blocks that some people used to put in their outhouses...

We were able to move forward once we had determined that it was actually the pine needle lined pathway to the outhouse at his grandfather's cottage that this guy was pining for (pardon the pun). After that, it was easy to find the right spot.

By far, the most difficult aspect of a cottage search is trying to tap into those old files so that you can find something that fits the Buyer, emotionally… & with couples that often means coming to the right blend of two very different types of “cottage” memories and therefore cottage desires.

Also, a good Realtor ® needs to determine if the Buyers will be comfortable maintaining a specific property and if there will be children or elderly visitors with comfort & safety requirements… and other practical elements like that.

A good Realtor ® will advise the client if the purchase will likely be a good investment… and a good Realtor ® will respect those times when it is purely an emotional purchase- and understand that it is the Buyer’s right to make that choice.

Still, even when a Realtor ® “gets” what the client is after, it can be difficult to find the perfect, ready-made package... the right sort of cottage, on the right sort of property,at the right price. & with the price of building having escalated, it is less cost effective to start fresh. Not to mention the fact that there isn’t much available in the way of vacant waterfront these days and what’s out there is more expensive now, too.

So what to do?

The best advice is not new advice… it’s location, location, location. You can always alter a building, in fact, most of us like to put our personal touch into our surroundings… but you can’t do much, if anything, to change the distance from home, the shoreline, the view, topography, exposure, accessibility, neighbours, the size of the lake or river… and water qualities, nearby amenities, trees…stuff like that.

The important elements of cottaging are “fixed”, permanent and pretty well unchangeable & simply put, it’s all about the lot and the water. Yes, it’s the natural surroundings that matter most; when you really consider how you plan to make use of the property and amenities.

Put your money into the cake… the icing can come later… you can even choose your favourite flavours & colours… besides, what good is fancy icing if you don’t have a delicious cake?