1) Sault Ste. Marie—Lake Huron
Price: Around $140,000 for waterfront properties with road access.
Get a better bargain: Consider an island property: Water-access
cottages can be had for $100,000.
2) Sudbury
Price: Waterfront with road access starts at about $210,000.
Get a better bargain: Opt for water access: As with the Lake Huron area, water-access properties are less expensive, in the $165,000
to $185,000 range.
3) Haliburton
Price: On small- to mid-sized lakes, such as Portage and Stormy, waterfront properties start at about $240,000. On larger lakes, such as Kennesis, Redstone, and Kashagawigamog, you’re looking
at $340,000 and up for similar properties.
Get a better bargain: Buy a three-season cottage (ideally with the potential for four-season road access) and winterize it yourself, suggests Royal LePage broker Anthony vanLieshout.
4) Kawarthas
Price: Waterfront, road-access three-bedroom cottages typically
list at about $350,000.
Get a better bargain: Go for waterfront on a canal or a river
that feeds into a lake; you can get properties for around $250,000
and still be a short boat ride to the larger body of water.
5) Rideau Lakes
Price: Waterfront properties with road access start at around $265,000.
Get a better bargain: Head for higher ground: A cottage with an elevated frontage will be significantly cheaper, says Royal LePage broker Pauline Aunger.