How a semi-retired couple found a low-maintenance retreat in Bobcaygeon

The buyers: Jim Judge, 71, and his wife, Shirley, 68, who have been operating a farm in Simcoe since the mid-1970s.

The story: Jim and Shirley, now semi-retired from farm life, spend most of their winters in Florida, but they wanted a summer home in Ontario. After struggling to find a place that suited them in the $700,000 range, they upped their spending limit to $1.5 ­million and set out to snag a low-maintenance property within 30 minutes of grocery stores, lawn bowling clubs and golf courses. After four months of searching, they came across a cottage they liked in Bobcaygeon.

The buy

Sturgeon Lake, Bobcaygeon

This three-bedroom home had been built around 2007 with a classic cabin aesthetic: hardwood floors, a huge stone fireplace and wood finishes throughout. Because it was relatively new, they expected that it would require little upkeep. Another plus: it came furnished, so there would be no need to go shopping when it was time to move in. The property had generous lake frontage and a huge lawn, and the sellers were including a ride-on mower to ease the maintenance. In the end, Jim and Shirley were able to get the place for just under list price.

The Specs

Size: 2,700 square feet
Listed at: $1,375,000
Purchase price: $1,345,000
Lake frontage: 115 feet
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Features: Boathouse, backup generator

Here’s the exterior:

The view from behind:

The yard:

And the dock and boathouse:

The Hunt

Culture

“As a young man, there were times when I loved this city and times when I hated it”: A Q&A with hometown boy Kiefer Sutherland

With his new Toronto-shot series set to premiere, the veteran actor dishes on doing stunts at 56, his love affair with Bloor Street, taking on Doug Ford and what it means to be a nepo baby