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cottage wars

Real estate adventures in cottage country
Real Estate

Real estate adventures in cottage country

Torontonians are duking it out for a little piece of lake. An inside look at the bidding wars, property battles, big winners and buying adventures in cottage country

A Burlington waitress won the lottery in 1996 and bought this Muskoka cottage for $335,000
Real Estate

A Burlington waitress won the lottery in 1996 and bought this Muskoka cottage for $335,000

Twenty-five years later, she sold it for $1.7 million

She listed her cottage for $399,000 and got 71 bids
Real Estate

She listed her cottage for $399,000 and got 71 bids

Buyers showed up without an appointment. Six cars got stuck in the ditch. People were banging the door down. The winning bid? $777,777

This family ditched city life for a $900,000 house on Lake Simcoe
Real Estate

This family ditched city life for a $900,000 house on Lake Simcoe

It needs some love, but there's room for everyone (three adults, two kids and a dog), and it backs right onto a canal

Two generations pooled their money to buy a $1 million cottage near North Bay
Real Estate

Two generations pooled their money to buy a $1 million cottage near North Bay

“We were wary of bidding without seeing the place in person, but we decided to go for it”

He went up to the Kawarthas early in the pandemic. Now he canoes to work
Real Estate

He went up to the Kawarthas early in the pandemic. Now he canoes to work

And by "work," we mean the Italian restaurant and bakery he launched in November

When the pandemic hit, this family snapped up a fixer-upper cottage on the Crowe River for $525,000
Real Estate

When the pandemic hit, this family snapped up a fixer-upper cottage on the Crowe River for $525,000

Now the kids play outside after school, instead of staring at their devices

“I’ve been in business for 32 years, and 2020 was the busiest year we’ve ever had”
Real Estate

“I’ve been in business for 32 years, and 2020 was the busiest year we’ve ever had”

Early in the pandemic, cottage country businesses were worried, but with Torontonians flocking north, business has been bonkers

These Toronto food purveyors are following their customers to cottage country
Real Estate

These Toronto food purveyors are following their customers to cottage country

And they deliver dockside

“Covid-19 has caused  a lot of economic hardship, but you wouldn’t know it up here”
Real Estate

“Covid-19 has caused a lot of economic hardship, but you wouldn’t know it up here”

Cottage country tradespeople are swamped

“Is it fair to ask our cottage neighbours to pay for repairs to our shared driveway?”
Real Estate

“Is it fair to ask our cottage neighbours to pay for repairs to our shared driveway?”

“I’ve been in the real estate  game for decades. I’ve never  seen anything like this”
Real Estate

“I’ve been in the real estate game for decades. I’ve never seen anything like this”

Confessions of an awestruck cottage country realtor

The Bracebridge Library offers free Wi-Fi in its parking lot
Real Estate

The Bracebridge Library offers free Wi-Fi in its parking lot

Cathryn Rodney, chief librarian, on the sudden demand for broadband in cottage country

This plane flies Torontonians to cottage country in 40 minutes
Real Estate

This plane flies Torontonians to cottage country in 40 minutes

The cost? Between $1,500 and $2,000 for up to five passengers

 

House of the Week

A weekly feature on one-of-a-kind houses in Toronto
Real Estate

A weekly feature on one-of-a-kind houses in Toronto

Big Stories

Meet the most charming fraudster in GTA real estate
Deep Dives

Meet the most charming fraudster in GTA real estate

Epic Fail: Inside York Memorial high school’s descent into chaos
Deep Dives

Epic Fail: Inside York Memorial high school’s descent into chaos

These are Toronto’s best new restaurants in 2023
Food & Drink

These are Toronto’s best new restaurants in 2023

This man’s gun ended up in the hands of a murderer
Deep Dives

This man’s gun ended up in the hands of a murderer

Future City: An optimist’s guide to the green, affordable, Jetsonesque near-future of Toronto real estate
Real Estate

Future City: An optimist’s guide to the green, affordable, Jetsonesque near-future of Toronto real estate

How Meeting House megachurch preacher Bruxy Cavey groomed young women for sex
Deep Dives

How Meeting House megachurch preacher Bruxy Cavey groomed young women for sex

The electrifying life of Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah
City

The electrifying life of Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah

The Guru of Mount Nemo: Inside a Burlington commune gone wrong
Deep Dives

The Guru of Mount Nemo: Inside a Burlington commune gone wrong

After 10 rounds of fertility treatment and four miscarriages, we became parents in the last way we expected
Life

After 10 rounds of fertility treatment and four miscarriages, we became parents in the last way we expected

<em>Star</em> Wars: Inside the vicious battle for control of the country&#8217;s largest newspaper
City

Star Wars: Inside the vicious battle for control of the country’s largest newspaper

After my husband tried to kill me, I was forced to flee Kenya. Eight years later, I&#8217;m still fighting for justice
Memoir

After my husband tried to kill me, I was forced to flee Kenya. Eight years later, I’m still fighting for justice

Untold stories from the early years of Second City, the group that changed comedy
Culture

Untold stories from the early years of Second City, the group that changed comedy

Inside the Ontario years of Elon Musk, the world&#8217;s most absurd billionaire
Deep Dives

Inside the Ontario years of Elon Musk, the world’s most absurd billionaire

<em>Toronto Life</em>’s top longreads of 2022
City

Toronto Life’s top longreads of 2022

&#8220;I spent five years in a white-power gang&#8221;: Inside the twisted world of Toronto&#8217;s white supremacist movement
Memoir

“I spent five years in a white-power gang”: Inside the twisted world of Toronto’s white supremacist movement

The average rent for a one-bedroom is $2,481—and it&#8217;s going&nbsp;up
City

The average rent for a one-bedroom is $2,481—and it’s going up

My wife and daughter were killed when Iran shot down Flight PS752. I will do whatever it takes to bring the corrupt regime to justice
Memoir

My wife and daughter were killed when Iran shot down Flight PS752. I will do whatever it takes to bring the corrupt regime to justice

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2022
City

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2022

How Simu Liu is using his superpowers for good
Culture

How Simu Liu is using his superpowers for good

These three brothers scammed their investors out of $233 million. Then they lived like kings
City

These three brothers scammed their investors out of $233 million. Then they lived like kings

Cost of Living

This Etobicoke couple makes $157,000 a year. How do they spend&nbsp;it?
City

This Etobicoke couple makes $157,000 a year. How do they spend it?

This mortgage broker makes $240,000 a year. How does he spend it?
City

This mortgage broker makes $240,000 a year. How does he spend it?

These Dufferin Grove parents make $240,000 a year. How do they spend it?
City

These Dufferin Grove parents make $240,000 a year. How do they spend it?

This project manager makes $86,000 a year. How does she spend it?
City

This project manager makes $86,000 a year. How does she spend it?

House of the Week

House of the Week: $2.6 million for a Christie Pits classic sporting a twist on the bay and gable
Real Estate

House of the Week: $2.6 million for a Christie Pits classic sporting a twist on the bay and gable

House of the Week: $3.9 million for a saltbox in the Blue Mountains with an off-grid bunkie
Real Estate

House of the Week: $3.9 million for a saltbox in the Blue Mountains with an off-grid bunkie

House of the Week: $1.5 million for a furnished Pape Village semi perfect for showing off art
Real Estate

House of the Week: $1.5 million for a furnished Pape Village semi perfect for showing off art

House of the Week: $2.3 million for a Riverdale detached with a kitchen fit for TV
Real Estate

House of the Week: $2.3 million for a Riverdale detached with a kitchen fit for TV

House of the Week: $2.8 million for a Lawrence Park century home built by the man behind Casa Loma
Real Estate

House of the Week: $2.8 million for a Lawrence Park century home built by the man behind Casa Loma

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