Denise Roy and Rahim Jaffer had been pondering an investment property in their hometown of Toronto, Ont., since 2022. But when their daughter was born in early 2023, the couple reconsidered. “We wanted her to have a place to spend time in nature instead.” They envisioned a spot outside of the city where they could unwind as a family and rent it out when not in use. Denise had always been passionate about interior decorating, so they were up for a renovation project.
The couple had visited friends’ vacation homes in The Blue Mountains, Ont., and loved the region. “I learned to ski really young, and that was a big part of my childhood,” says Denise. She liked the idea of getting Rahim and their daughter hooked on her favourite winter activity by finding a place in the area.
In late 2023, Denise and Rahim began searching with an $800,000 budget. They wanted at least two bedrooms and a spot close to the ski hills. It also needed to be eligible for a short-term rental license to help offset the cost of buying, but only some areas of the town were zoned for licensed short-term accommodations. “That really narrowed the pool of properties for us,” says Denise.
The couple viewed four places, including a lower-level unit in the townhouse community of Snowbridge near the area’s main ski hill. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and was listed for $724,900. Denise and Rahim loved how close the spot was to the hill, and it ticked the short-term rental box, but they didn’t like that the unit had little natural light.
About a month later, in February, the couple noticed a listing for an upper-level property in the same community priced at $779,000. “It had gorgeous, vaulted ceilings and beautiful light,” says Denise. Not only was this chalet brighter than the first, but it also featured a more spacious layout with an open-concept kitchen and living room, plus a fireplace and a deck with walk-out access.
After hearing that upper-level units in Snowbridge don’t hit the market often, the couple submitted a conditional offer, sight-unseen. They negotiated with the seller and settled on a price of $750,000.
“We knew that this was the one, and that’s why we acted on it,” says Denise. She made it up to the chalet a day before their offer expired: “I was excited. It defi-nitely lived up to the photos.”
Once the family took possession in April 2024, Denise began renovations with the help of local tradespeople. She revamped the kitchen and bathrooms, added modern light fixtures, and painted, selecting a high-gloss finish (which is easier to clean) for the foyer. “We think that area will see a lot of action with ski gear, muddy dog paws, and snowy boots.”
The family stayed at the chalet throughout the renovations (with Rahim coming and going for work), which allowed them to visit nearby beaches and farmers’ markets in the summer. Now, Denise is excited to hit the slopes as a family: “Rahim has always wanted to learn to ski, so I plan on teaching him and our daughter—with the help of a ski instructor,” she says.
Denise has also been pleased to see the property renting well when her family isn’t using it. She’s already made improvements based on guest feedback, such as adding dog food and a dog bed. Her favourite comments are the ones about the decor: “Those bring me so much more joy than I thought they would.”
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