Many people find sitting outside on the deck at home is a great way to relax. More, however, feel that to truly take a break one must leave the house and go somewhere entirely different. For those that have enough money to shoulder a second mortgage, a cottage purchase is the ideal solution to this situation. But where will they put their cottage? Should they build one or buy and old one? There are so many options!
When you're deciding on a location for your cottage, think about what your regular life is like and what you want from your vacation days. While city dwellers might dream of having a horse farm and riding out into the paddocks, rural farmers tired of their quiet lives may want to live it up in the city on their weekends off. So choose a place that makes you feel like you're escaping from your regular life, whatever life that must be.
Some of the more popular cottage locations include the mountains, and by lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water. If you don't have a place in mind already, you might want to look into taking vacations in a cabin in the Rocky Mountains, at a villa by the Atlantic, or in a condo in Cozumel. What is the difference between a villa and a house? Rentals will help you decide if you like the area enough to buy in. Don't just choose the most popular areas, though, since they'll be the most expensive. Also visit some out of the way areas like Cape Breton or Nebraska, where cottages will be cheaper.
Sometimes you'll get lucky and the cottage you want will jump right out at you from the MLS listings. Other times you'll search in vain for the right property. Buying an existing cottage is certainly easier on your time and your wallet, but if it's a question of getting what you want, you can always build your own cottage. Keep in mind, though, that building in out of the way areas will cost more because it will be more difficult to get contractors and materials.
Before you make your final decision, take the time to learn what owning a property in that area will involve. As a renter, you don't have to arrange visits from Transway Systems Inc, the septic truck company or check the mouse traps or furnace filters in the basement, for example. Make sure the work the property requires is with your ability to do or your means to pay someone else to do.
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