What to consider when buying an Atlantic Coast cottage

As properties in coveted cottage regions become more expensive, aspiring cottagers are looking to new spots to build or buy their dream vacation home. One such area where cottage real estate and rentals are booming is the East Coast. But before you start picking out dock chairs for your future East Coast cottage, there few things you might want to consider before signing on the dotted line.

1. Location, location, location
Usually, when people build or buy a cottage in Atlantic Canada, they want to be as close to the ocean as possible. But while the ocean views are popular, they aren’t always the safest choice. With rising sea levels, the land is eroding more quickly, forcing many coastal-land owners to build seawalls or other types of reinforcements to save their property and cottages from ending up in the ocean. To avoid this problem, cottage buyers should first look at the history of a property and figure out how much land has eroded in recent years and how quickly it’s happening. And if they’re building a new cottage, they should consider building further inland.

2. Build on a foundation
The ocean can be beautiful, but not when it storms. Along with rising water levels, waves that occur during storms can lead to flooding. Cottage owners should therefore make sure that they don’t build directly on the land, but rather on a foundation, such as a basement, to ensure that if their property does flood, only that area will be damaged.

3. It can be a cold place
The Atlantic provinces, especially Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, are foggy, rainy, and windy, even in the summer months. As a result, the summers aren’t always as warm as they are in other places, like Ontario. Cottage owners should make sure their summer home is slightly insulated, and they might also look into installing a fireplace or pellet stove to keep warm if the temperature does drops.

4. The Atlantic: Not just an ocean
Unlike some other parts of Canada, the Atlantic provinces aren’t completely land locked, so people tend to forget that on-the-water property can mean more than just ocean. There are plenty of lakes and woodland areas, and aspiring cottagers who prefer those types of setting should look into the different types of waterfront properties that their province offers.

5. Each province is different
Despite being grouped together under the “Atlantic province” category, each of the four provinces has something special that distinguishes it from the others. For example, some people choose to vacation on Prince Edward Island since it’s smaller and offers quicker access to beaches. It would be a good cottage location for those who want a little bit of isolation, but who still want to be close to the beach. Because each of the Atlantic provinces offers unique features, aspiring cottagers should look around and see what each province has before choosing a spot. Be sure to weigh all of your options to see which region is the best fit for your personal preferences.

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